SINTA

0.0

Impact

Scholar

11

H-Index

Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam Indonesia (JPAII)

an Open Access Journal

Feminism Among Muslimah Students: A Gender Perspective Study Through Islamic Values

Firzana Farah Amira
Indonesia University of Education ROR
Indonesia
firzana@upi.edu
Hilman Taufiq Abdillah
Indonesia University of Education ROR
Indonesia
Share

  • Purpose of the study: This research aims to understand how Muslimah students at the Faculty of Art and Design Education UPI interpret feminism in three main dimensions: humanization in peer relations, liberation: impact on the self, and transcendence: influence on religious understanding.

    Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological technique was used in this investigation. In-depth interviews with Muslimah students at FPSD UPI were used to gather data, which were bolstered by document analysis and observation. The data was interpreted using thematic analysis, which concentrated on the aspects of transcendence, liberation, and humanisation within the context of Islamic principles.

    Main Findings: The study reveals that Muslimah students at FPSD UPI interpret feminism in diverse ways across three dimensions: humanization, liberation, and transcendence. Feminism encourages more inclusive social interactions, inspires artistic expression on gender themes, and prompts reflective engagement with religious teachings. While some view feminism as compatible with Islamic values, others experience tension, showing varied levels of internalization shaped by personal, cultural, and spiritual contexts.

    Novelty/Originality of this study: This study provides a fresh perspective by examining how Muslimah students in a department of art and design see feminism from an Islamic perspective. By presenting feminism in three interconnected dimensions: humanization, freedom, and transcendence, it contributes to the current conversation by emphasising the contextual interaction between gender consciousness, artistic expression, and religious knowledge in an academic context with cultural roots.

  • How to cite

    [1]
    “Feminism Among Muslimah Students: A Gender Perspective Study Through Islamic Values”, J. Pend. A. Isl. Ind, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 57–67, Jun. 2025, doi: 10.37251/jpaii.v6i2.1801.

    More Citation Formats

  • 497
    Abstract views
    251
    Downloads

    Metrics — Badges

    1. M. Moqadam, “Fractal scaling of feminist politics and the emergence of woman life freedom movement in Iran,” Soc. Forces, vol. 1, no. 1, p. soaf050, 2025, doi: 10.1093/sf/soaf050. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/sf/soaf050
    2. N. Ourahmoune and H. El Jurdi, “The march for gender equality of Algerian women: The struggle for spatial and historical recognition,” Gender, Work Organ., vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 1012–1030, 2024, doi: 10.1111/gwao.13082. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13082
    3. B. Russell, D. Oswald, and M. K. Cotter, “What makes a liberal feminist? Identifying predictors of heterosexual women and men’s liberal feminist ideology,” Anal. Soc. Issues Public Policy, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. 241–260, 2024, doi: 10.1111/asap.12383. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/asap.12383
    4. F. Höglund and M. Flinkfeldt, “The practical realization of the feminist welfare state: Equal sharing and gender equality in institutional interaction about parental leave in Sweden,” Fem. Psychol., vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 309–327, 2024, doi: 10.1177/09593535231217135. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/09593535231217135
    5. R. A. Ojwala, S. Buckingham, F. Neat, and M. Kitada, “Understanding women’s roles, experiences and barriers to participation in ocean science education in Kenya: recommendations for better gender equality policy,” Mar. Policy, vol. 161, no. December 2023, p. 106000, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.marpol.2023.106000. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2023.106000
    6. S. Gannon, “Refractory accounts of feminist educational policy work: the case of Gender Equity: A Framework For Australian Schools,” Curric. Perspect., pp. 9–22, 2024, doi: 10.1007/s41297-024-00251-0. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41297-024-00251-0
    7. B. E. L. Kaunda and N. C. Shereni, “Gender equality and sustainability in the tourism industry: feminist perspectives,” J. Hum. Resour. Hosp. Tour., vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 149–169, 2023, doi: 10.1080/15332845.2023.2253685. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15332845.2023.2253685
    8. M. Karambiri, A. H. G. Ville, G. Y. Wong, A. Jimenez-Aceituno, A. Downing, and M. Brockhaus, “What is the Problem of Gender Inequality Represented to be in Inter-National Development Policy in Burkina Faso?,” Forum Dev. Stud., vol. 51, no. 1, pp. 71–100, 2024, doi: 10.1080/08039410.2024.2303004. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08039410.2024.2303004
    9. N. Rofiq, “Gender, Faith, and Reform: A Narrative Review of Islamic Feminism and Public Policy,” Sinergi Int. J. Islam. Stud., vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 66–81, 2024, doi: 10.61194/ijis.v2i2.600. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61194/ijis.v2i2.600
    10. M. Daneshpour and S. H. Firooz, “Women, Life, Freedom: The New Unveiling of Feminism,” J. Fem. Fam. Ther., vol. 34, no. 3, pp. 390–394, 2022, doi: 10.1080/08952833.2022.2142450. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08952833.2022.2142450
    11. P. A. Lestari, “Reclaiming Faith and Justice: A Narrative Review of Islamic Feminism,” Sinergi Int. J. Islam. Stud., vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 176–189, 2024, doi: 10.61194/ijis.v2i3.608. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61194/ijis.v2i3.608
    12. I. Kitta and M. C. Cardona-Moltó, “Students’ perceptions of gender mainstreaming implementation in university teaching in Greece,” J. Gend. Stud., vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 457–477, 2022, doi: 10.1080/09589236.2021.2023006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2021.2023006
    13. S. Nojan, “Racial-Religious Decoupling in the University: Investigating Religious Students’ Perceptions of Institutional Commitment to Diversity,” AERA Open, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 1–22, 2023, doi: 10.1177/23328584221121339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584221121339
    14. T. Thoriquttyas, A. M. Nasih, and A. Sultoni, “Women Right and Gender Equality in Islam: A Survey of Students Perception on Feministic Discourse,” Proc. Int. Semin. Lang. Educ. Cult. (ISoLEC 2021), vol. 612, no. ISoLEC, pp. 307–311, 2022, doi: 10.2991/assehr.k.211212.058. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.211212.058
    15. Mustofa, D. F. Karya, and A. Halim, “Indonesian Students’ Perception of Gender Equity in Education,” Pegem Egit. ve Ogr. Derg., vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 185–196, 2021, doi: 10.47750/pegegog.11.04.18. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47750/pegegog.11.04.18
    16. D. Fidhayanti et al., “Rethinking Islamic Feminist Thought on Reinterpreting the Qur’an: An Analysis of the Thoughts of Aminah Wadud, Fatima Mernissi, Asma Barlas, and Riffat Hassan,” Tribakti J. Pemikir. Keislam., vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 1–22, 2024, doi: 10.33367/tribakti.v35i1.4564. DOI: https://doi.org/10.33367/tribakti.v35i1.4956
    17. M. T. Khalil and Y. M. Saputro, “Balancing Freedom of Expression and Authority in Democratic Islamic Education,” Multicult. Islam. Educ. Rev., vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 75–86, 2025, doi: 10.23917/mier.v3i1.9914. DOI: https://doi.org/10.23917/mier.v3i1.9914
    18. D. Tuki, “Examining the effect of gender, education and religion on attitudes toward gender equality in Nigeria,” Polit. Groups, Identities, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1–27, 2024, doi: 10.1080/21565503.2024.2304311. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/21565503.2024.2304311
    19. A. Şenel and S. Demmrich, “Prospective Islamic Theologians and Islamic religious teachers in Germany: between fundamentalism and reform orientation,” Br. J. Relig. Educ., vol. 46, no. 4, pp. 389–407, 2024, doi: 10.1080/01416200.2024.2330908. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2024.2330908
    20. W. J. Creswell and J. D. Creswell, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches (5th ed). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication., 2018.
    21. M. B. Miles, A. M. Huberman, and J. Saldana, Qualitative Data Analysis A Methods Sourcebook. SAGE Publications, 2018.
    22. N. Carter, D. Bryant-Lukosius, A. Dicenso, J. Blythe, and A. J. Neville, “The use of triangulation in qualitative research,” Oncol. Nurs. Forum, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 545–547, 2014, doi: 10.1188/14.ONF.545-547. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1188/14.ONF.545-547
    23. M. Naeem, W. Ozuem, K. Howell, and S. Ranfagni, “A Step-by-Step Process of Thematic Analysis to Develop a Conceptual Model in Qualitative Research,” Int. J. Qual. Methods, vol. 22, no. October, pp. 1–18, 2023, doi: 10.1177/16094069231205789. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/16094069231205789
    24. S. Farida, “Analysis Hilmi Ali Yafie’s Opinion on Gender Equality in Islamic Education and Its Relevance to Madurese Society,” SYAIKHUNA J. Pendidik. dan Pranata Islam STAI Syichona Moh. Cholil Bangkalan, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 158–176, 2024, doi: 10.62730/syaikhuna.v15i2.7484.
    25. L. S. Son Hing, N. Sakr, J. B. Sorenson, C. S. Stamarski, K. Caniera, and C. Colaco, “Gender inequities in the workplace: A holistic review of organizational processes and practices,” Hum. Resour. Manag. Rev., vol. 33, no. 3, p. 100968, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.hrmr.2023.100968. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2023.100968
    26. T. Saguy, M. Reifen-Tagar, and D. Joel, “The gender-binary cycle: The perpetual relations between a biological-essentialist view of gender, gender ideology, and gender-labelling and sorting,” Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci., vol. 376, no. 1822, 2021, doi: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2020.0141
    27. E. Franken, F. Sharafizad, and K. Brown, “Gender, vulnerabilities, and how the other becomes the otherer in academia,” Gender, Work Organ., vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 1342–1365, 2024, doi: 10.1111/gwao.13096. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.13096
    28. R. Sabates-Wheeler and J. P. Barker, “The place of religious inequalities within international development and humanitarian response frameworks: Lessons from Iraq,” World Dev., vol. 173, no. October 2023, p. 106417, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106417. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2023.106417
    29. B.-L. Henze, S. Buhl, E. Kolbe, and F. Asbrock, “Should we all be feminists? Development of the Liberal Feminist Attitudes Scale,” Front. Soc. Psychol., vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 1–22, 2024, doi: 10.3389/frsps.2024.1329067. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/frsps.2024.1329067
    30. H. Eisenstein, “The Gender of Bureaucracy: Reflections on Feminism and the State,” in Women, Social Science and Public Policy, Routledge, 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003519850-6
    31. D. G. Calabrò and S. Palmieri, “Teaching and learning feminisms with pacific islanders: an emotional journey,” Dev. Pract., vol. 34, no. 7, pp. 834–846, 2024, doi: 10.1080/09614524.2024.2332263. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09614524.2024.2332263
    32. S. E. Nicholson and P. A. Pasque, “An Introduction to Feminism and Feminist Perspectives in Higher Education and Student Affairs,” in Empowering Women in Higher Education and Student Affairs, Routledge, 2011.
    33. S. Marine, Reflections from “Professional Feminists” in Higher Education Women’s and Gender Centers at the Start of the Twenty-First Century. Routledge, 2011.
    34. M. F. Noor, “A Feminist Interpretation of Qur’Anic Texts By Amina Wadud and Zaitunah Subhan,” INTIHA Islam. Educ. J., vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 144–156, 2024, doi: 10.58988/intiha.v1i3.311. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58988/intiha.v1i3.311
    35. N. M. Dewi, N. J. Abdulhassan, and H. A. Quddoos, “The Influence of Islamic Religious Education Learning in Forming Students’ Character and Noble Morals,” J. Pendidik. Agama Islam Indones., vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 18–25, 2025, doi: 10.37251/jpaii.v6i1.1554. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37251/jpaii.v6i1.1554
    36. C. Morris, T. Hinton-Smith, R. Marvell, and K. Brayson, “Gender back on the agenda in higher education: perspectives of academic staff in a contemporary UK case study,” J. Gend. Stud., vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 101–113, 2022, doi: 10.1080/09589236.2021.1952064. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2021.1952064
    37. D. Bergoffen, “On Becoming Human and Being Humane: Human Rights, Women’s Rights, Species Rights,” Religions, vol. 15, no. 7, pp. 1–22, 2024, doi: 10.3390/rel15070822. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15070822
    38. M. Gilang Ardela Mubarok and E. Muslihah, “The Role of Islamic Religious Education Teachers in Forming Religious Attitudes and Religious Moderation,” Geneologi PAI, vol. 9, no. 01, pp. 115–130, 2022, doi: 10.37251/jpaii.v6i1.1566. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32678/geneologipai.v9i1.6616
    39. T. Verge, “Gender Equality Policy and Universities: Feminist Strategic Alliances to Re-gender the Curriculum,” J. Women, Polit. Policy, vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 191–206, 2021, doi: 10.1080/1554477X.2021.1904763. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1554477X.2021.1904763
    40. S. Shaikh, “Friendships, Fidelities and Sufi Imaginaries: Theorizing Islamic Feminism,” Religions, vol. 14, no. 9, pp. 1–22, 2023, doi: 10.3390/rel14091082. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rel14091082
    41. H. Winkel, “Islamic Feminism. Thinking Gender Justice as a Religious Knowledge Practice,” in Exploring Islam beyond Orientalism and Occidentalism, Springer VS, Wiesbaden, 2021. doi: 10.1007/978-3-658-33239-6_8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-33239-6_8
    42. Dr. Rukhsana Shaheen Waraich, D. M. Fayaz, and G. G. Khan, “Women Empowerment through Quran: An Alternative Narrative to the Western Liberal Feminism,” Al-Qamar, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 23–44, 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.53762/wtvyy888
    43. I. Ismail, “The Development of Islamic Feminism in Malaysia,” Int. J. Islam. Thought, vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 39–49, 2023, doi: 10.24035/IJIT.23.2023.254. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24035/ijit.23.2023.254
    44. M. F. Husaeni, A. Kosasih, and U. Supriadi, “Challenging gender mainstreaming through the narrative of Islamic youth organization: A case study on Persis in Indonesia,” Asian J. Women’s Stud., vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 1–22, 2023, doi: 10.1080/12259276.2023.2186631. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/12259276.2023.2186631
    45. D. Kloos and N. Ismah, “Siting Islamic feminism: The Indonesian Congress of Women Islamic Scholars and the challenge of challenging patriarchal authority,” Hist. Anthropol. Chur., vol. 34, no. 5, pp. 818–843, 2023, doi: 10.1080/02757206.2023.2249495. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02757206.2023.2249495
    46. M. Pratt, A. M. Zvonkovic, and R. F. Oswald, “This unique and precious opportunity: A conversation among feminist administrators about reclaiming the transformative potential of post-pandemic higher education,” J. Fam. Theory Rev., vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 127–133, 2025, doi: 10.1111/jftr.12613. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12613
    47. A. Jedinger and P. Siegers, “Religion, spirituality, and susceptibility to conspiracy theories: Examining the role of analytic thinking and post-critical beliefs,” Polit. Relig., vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 389–409, 2024, doi: 10.1017/S1755048324000130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755048324000130
    48. T. Yuniartin, S. Subaidah, D. Feriana, M. Arman, and D. Saepuloh, “Evaluation of Islamic Education: Integrating Cognitive, Moral, and Spiritual Aspects Based on The Qur’ an and Hadith,” J. Pendidik. Agama Islam Indones., vol. 5, no. 5, pp. 161–169, 2024, doi: 10.37251/jpaii.v5i4.1267. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37251/jpaii.v5i4.1267
    49. G. Jung and M. Moon, “‘Feminism is like a light to me’: The collective process of feminist awakening among young female college students in South Korea,” Asian J. Soc. Sci., vol. 53, no. 1, p. 100177, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.ajss.2024.10.002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajss.2024.10.002
    50. J. Gunnarsson Payne and S. Tornhill, “The enemy’s enemy: feminism at the crossroads of neoliberal co-optation and anti-gender conservatism,” J. Polit. Ideol., vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 62–82, 2023, doi: 10.1080/13569317.2021.1921937. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13569317.2021.1921937
    51. S. S. Karimullah and S. R. Aliyah, “Feminist Criticism of Traditional Understanding of Women’s Roles in Islam,” An-Nisa J. Kaji. Peremp. dan Keislam., vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 195–214, 2023, doi: 10.35719/annisa.v16i2.177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35719/annisa.v16i2.177
    52. S. Pertek, K. Block, L. Goodson, P. Hassan, J. Hourani, and J. Phillimore, “Gender-based violence, religion and forced displacement: Protective and risk factors,” Front. Hum. Dyn., vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–15, 2023, doi: 10.3389/fhumd.2023.1058822. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fhumd.2023.1058822