Islam not ‘most feminist religion’, going by Abdel-Magied’s book

Yassmin’s Story contradicts the writer’s heated defence on ABC’s Q&A of Islam’s record on feminism.

Yassmin Abdel-Magied on ABC’s Q&A this week.

Activist Yassmin Abdel-Magied contradicted her own statement that Islam is “the most feminist ­religion” in her book in which she quotes the Koran as commanding women to wear a head covering so that they would be “decent”.

In her memoir Yassmin’s Story — published by Penguin Random House Australia last year — Ms Abdel-Magied recounts the story of how she began wearing the hijab of her own accord about the age of 10.

This was because she felt as if it were part of her identity but, growing older, she began to understand there was a “religious imperative in the scripture to wear the hijab’’.

The author and activist, who went on a taxpayer-funded tour of oppressive Islamic regimes to promote the book late last year, ­appeared on ABC’s Q&A program on Monday night where she ­became involved in a shouting match with senator Jacqui Lambie about whether Islam allows women to be free. “Excuse me, Islam to me is the most feminist religion, right. We got equal rights well before the Europeans,” Ms Abdel-Magied said.

• AYAAN HIRSI ALI: Truth about feminism and sharia

She conceded there were Muslim-majority countries around the world with horrific records on rights for women but insisted this was for political and cultural ­reasons, not because of the text of the Koran.

In her own book, Ms Abdel-Magied quotes from the Islamic holy book: “Oh Prophet! Tell thy wives and thy daughters, as well as (other) believing women, that they should draw over themselves some of their outer garments (when in public),” she quotes.

“This will be more conducive to their being recognised (as decent women) and not annoyed.”

In her own words, she says the hijab was brought in “to allow women to feel more comfortable walking around in their own ­cities”.

“It was not brought in for men but brought in as a tool to allow the women to participate more in their own societies,” she writes.

One of the central tenets of the fight against modern “rape culture” is the rejection of “victim blaming” and the embrace of the notion women ought not to change their behaviour because of the way men act.

• JOHN LYONS: Sugar-coating the reality of Islam

Later in the book, Ms Abdel-Magied recounts how she was conflicted when extended family would visit from Sudan and she would turn into a “relatively ­demure housewife”.

“The women and I automatically peel off into the kitchen and the second living room so that we are separated from the men,” she writes.

The sister of pop music superstar Beyonce tweeted her support of the activist around midnight on Thursday.

“Yassmin Abdel Magied ... You made my morning,” Solange Knowles tweeted.

Beyonce produced a self-titled modern feminist album in 2013 in which she sampled a speech by award-winning Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on the subject.

Ms Abdel-Magied said some Muslim societies had emerged from “colonial oppression” and ­reacted against this when told how to behave. “Hating on the hijab gives Muslims who are feeling the colonialism hangover more of a reason to believe in an ‘us versus them’ narrative,” she says.

Tasneem Chopra, the chair of the Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, said no woman had ever used their service because they felt oppressed for wearing a hijab or head covering.