Jihad of Words: Gender and Contemporary Karbala Narratives

Author: Hamdar, Abir¹

Source: The Yearbook of English Studies, Volume 39, Numbers 1-2, 1 july 2009 , pp. 84-100(17)

Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association

Key:

- Free Content

- New Content

- Subscribed Content

- Free Trial Content

Abstract:

This paper discusses the discourse of female jihad in contemporary Karbala narratives of Shi'i Islam, specifically Twelver Shi'is. It argues that a gender-dynamic transformation has emerged with regard to the transmission of the Karbala narrative, as well as a renewed attention to the role of women in the aftermath of this battle. Today, the retelling of the story of Karbala involves positioning the role of women within a discourse that can only be described as a `Jihad of Words' that the female descendants of the Prophet, such as Zaynab, undertook. Moreover, the paper highlights the fact that the gender-infused themes within the Karbala narratives have been influenced by contemporary socio-political events in certain countries such as Lebanon and Iran.

Keywords: Female jihad; Karbala; Shi'i; Twelver; gender; Zaynab; narratives

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: SOAS, University of London

The full text electronic article is available for purchase. You will be able to download the full text electronic article after payment.

$22.00 plus tax Refund Policy