Women and bicycling in Islam
The proper Islamic bicycle for the Muslim women is a topic of heated discussion in both Sunni and Shia Islam. Concerns centre on modesty (not revealing the body) and mobility (social control).
The theologian and philosopher Alparslan Açıkgenç addressed the issue in a conference in Istanbul, saying "a bicycle that is produced with God's blessings in mind and man's interests at its fore is an Islamic bicycle". Secular academics[who?] worry that Turkey's Islamist government is putting Islam ahead of science. The Turkish journalist Mustafa Akyol argues that the very idea of an Islamic bicycle is indicative of a "mentality that has stagnated Muslim thought".[1] Saudi Arabia bans the use of bicycles by women except in restricted recreational areas.[2] A proposed Iranian version of a women's bicycle would have a "boxy contraption that hides a woman's lower body."[3] In Iran it is forbidden for women to ride traditional bicycles out of concerns for modesty.[4] Women riders are attacked by vigilantes.
Critics condemn both the bicycle ban and the Islamic bicycle as tools of oppression.[5][6]
See also
- Bicycling and feminism
- Bike boom
- Islamic feminism
- Outline of cycling
- Victorian dress reform for a discussion of "rational dress"
References
- ^ "Peddling Religion: Why Secular Academics Fret About an 'Islamic Bicycle'". The Economist. London. 15 September 2012. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ Quan, Kristene (3 April 2013). "Saudi Women Can Now Ride Bicycles in Public (Kind of)". Time. New York. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ Slackman, Michael (9 September 2007). "Molding the Ideal Islamic Citizen". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ Theodoulou, Michael (24 October 2010). "Women Cyclists Face Jail, Warns Iranian Police Chief". The National. Abu Dhabi. Retrieved 8 March 2014.
- ^ Milani, Farzaneh (28 June 2007). "'Islamic Bicycle' Can't Slow Iranian Women". USA Today. McLean, Virginia. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ Lloyd, Sophie (25 October 2016). "A Woman's Right to Bike". Ms. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
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