Women Perform ʾijtihād

In previous articles I have described how young, religious Muslim women recognise a female power inherent in Islam despite the image presented in public discourse of female Muslims (Muslimahs) as victims of authoritarian, androcentric and patriarchal structures (Vanderwaeren 2006, 2008). The present article is based on the conclusion of a qualitative doctoral research about the use of different methods regarding religious interpretations— which is called ʾijtihād ¹ —and this by female Muslims of Moroccan origin in Flanders. ² It presents the discourse that exists among Muslimahs in Flanders (Belgium). In the research, I revealed the religious actions and discursive patterns present among religious women when talking about themselves and their beliefs, and emphasised the significant potential for religious renewal that these discourses and actions contain.