: “Fascination with difference”: democratizing anthropology conducting Fieldwork among Equals”

The fifteenth century Persian Sufi poet Jami recited a poem in the praise of an Arab mystic Rabia-the slave girl, whom he relates with the shining of the sun and believes that women like her should not be hidden behind the veils of their own or the society.

In context to the Rabia’s time, it is considered that women in a Muslim world are considered to be veiled and there are a very low percentage of middle class, educated and professional women. It is such a dilemma that Islam is a religion providing equal rights for men and women to acquire education then why do we have such a low percentage of educated women? Why is there an obvious sexism in the field of education? European women are far ahead and independent in comparison to the Muslim women. One support to this fact can be the extremism and the belief that a woman should be behind seven veils and she is suppose to stay at home and to serve,  perform the household chores and to provide pleasure to her man.

Islam is a religion of peace and is same across all the Islamic states and constitutionally declared to be the state religion of Iran and Pakistan. It is a pity how this religion of peace has been stereotyped and considered extremist. Why have the Muslim women been stereotyped to be unprofessional and being judged by the non Muslims in the business world? Certain image of Muslim women has been perceived in the non Muslim world- a veiled and an unprofessional look, however, the reality is opposite. Not all Muslim are unprofessional or hidden behind a veil. However, this image has been further popularized as, the Muslim states likewise Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran etc, have encouraged women to hide behind the veils and have oppressed them and their rights.

Muslim women are highly progressing in all the fields. They are educated, extremely professional and confident. However, the writer brought up the concept of orientalism in the context of women, as the Europeans are the orient lists and they see the Muslim women as the “others” or the orient to be judged. Why are the Muslim women being judged by the formed image of veil and unprofessionalism? They are considered different and arte ranked on the level of their professionalism by the Europeans. A woman doesn’t necessarily have to be educated with a western degree to be categorized as educated or talented.