For the opening of her book, The Veil and the Male Elite: A Feminist Interpretation Of Women's Rights In Islam, Fatema Mernissi chose the story of her encounter with her local grocer, in which she asks him a simple but provocative question: "can a woman be a leader of Muslims?".
Some years ago, when I was a 14-year-old girl, I pondered upon that same question myself, and many other queries besides, in an effort to explore where and how I fitted into the society around me.
But Mernissi, together with a multitude of other Arab women writers and scholars, would be relegated to small spaces within the labyrinth of my consciousness until I was much older. Upon finding them, I could trace the trails of the curious 14-year old girl among the intertwined pathways of their stories and I could rest temporarily the burdens of the more mature wanderer in me on the back of the visions they weaved.
Mernissi’s choice to open her book with a question that was both pointed and deliberate was designed to elicit strong emotional reactions. Research into the psychology of storytelling suggests that becoming immersed in a story, what is known as narrative transport, can lead to changes in behaviour and a shift in attitudes. Narrative transport happens when the writer is able, through the use of vivid mental imagery and the crafting of strong emotional connections, to fully immerse readers in the story and create a change to beliefs, attitudes and emotions.
This change to beliefs, attitudes and emotions remains central to women’s rights efforts in the region. And it is precisely why we need to bring to the forefront, and make visible, the work of Arab women scholars and writers who have long tackled not only women’s issues, but broader social issues and set-ups. It is also precisely why we need to integrate such forms of literature into our education curriculum, so we may reflect on an alternative yet integral narrative that today remains ignored.
A quick review of Arabic language curriculum at the secondary level across the region reveals an obvious lack of references to literature produced by women writers and scholars.
In one case, a review of modern Arabic literature referenced 27 key contributors, none of whom were women. And this is by no means due to a weak pipeline of Arab women writers.
An article in the Financial Times on contemporary Middle Eastern Literature concludes that more than 60 per cent of Arabic novelists are female. The first modern novel in Arabic literature was written by a woman, Afifa Karam, and was published in 1906 by Al-Huda newspaper. And even long before that, Arabic women featured prominently in literary circles and salons.
The multitude of Arab women writers and scholars have so much to offer, not only in chronicling their view of the world and the nuances of the complex environments they exist within. More so, they represent a fundamental catalyst for change that can reconstruct narratives and reshape landscapes across the social spectrum.
The 16th American president, Abraham Lincoln, paved the way for the abolition of slavery in the United States. It is reported however that he acknowledged the role of the American writer Harriet Beecher Stowe and her anti-slavery tale, Uncle Tom's Cabin, in sparking a public uproar against the horrors of slavery. And despite the racial stereotypes for which the novel was later criticised for, it managed at the time to bring those at the peripheries right to the centre. To that end, stories build our communities and change our world. They afford us the ability to see the world through the eyes of the other. And to that extent, change for women in this region needs a shift in the narrative and new storytellers.
Rana Askoul is a Middle East based writer, gender equality expert and a social change advocate
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures: Monday, first 50-over match; Wednesday, second 50-over match; Thursday, third 50-over match
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
25%20Days%20to%20Aden
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The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
Price, base: Dh708,750
Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 374hp (total)
Torque: 570Nm (total)
Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km
The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
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MATCH INFO
RB Leipzig 2 (Klostermann 24', Schick 68')
Hertha Berlin 2 (Grujic 9', Piatek 82' pen)
Man of the match Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
