Reclaiming Faith and Feminism: Islamic Womanhood in the Works of Leila Aboulela, Mohja Kahf, and Fatima Mernissi

This article examines how Leila Aboulela, Mohja Kahf, and Fatima Mernissi redefine Islamic womanhood through their literary and autobiographical works, challenging Western feminist views and patriarchal readings of Islam. Addressing themes like faith, identity, diaspora, and gender, the authors present diverse feminist expressions rooted in Islamic ethics. Aboulela highlights spiritual resilience in postcolonial settings; Kahf blends satire with cultural critique to resist both Orientalist and conservative pressures; Mernissi uses memory and scholarship to question gender roles within Muslim societies. Together, they assert that Muslim women need not choose between faith and feminism. Their works enrich Islamic feminist discourse and contribute to decolonizing feminist theory, offering alternative frameworks grounded in lived Islamic experiences. This study underscores their role in expanding the literary canon and reclaiming space for Muslim women within both literature and feminist thought.