Politics of Non-Motherhood in Shi’a Islam: Imagery and Narratives around Lady Fatemeh-Masoumeh of Qom

Year 2020, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 17 - 31, 30.06.2020

Ladan Rahbari

Abstract

Religion can be a source of both pressure and empowerment for mothers. It is sometimes speculated that Muslims have more negative attitudes toward childlessness, as Islam values and encourages procreation. Islam also has associated Muslim women’s social position with motherhood. Motherhood is frequently mentioned in connection to birth-giving, breastfeeding, and caring for the children in the Qur’an and Islamic fiqh. In canonical texts, non-motherhood is mostly represented as a struggle for families in general, and for women in particular. In Islamic history, however, there were prominent female figures who were childless/childfree. My focus and interest in this article are to investigate representations, moral and theological contemporary imagery of non-motherhood in Shi’a Islam by looking into the case of Lady Fatemeh-Masoumeh of Qom as a highly venerated Shi’i figure. I first introduce Lady Masoumeh, her life story and the significance of her narrative in Shi’a Islam. I then focus on her story as a non-mother and its representations in contemporary Shi’i cultural imaginary.

Keywords

Childlessness, gender, Islam, non-motherhood, politics, Shi’a

Supporting Institution

Flanders Research Foundation

Project Number

12T9920N

Thanks

This study is supported by Flanders Research Foundation (FWO).

Şiî İslam’da Anne Olmayışın Siyaseti: Kum’un Fatıma Masume’si Etrafındaki Anlatı ve İmgeler

Abstract

Din, anneler için hem baskı hem de güçlenme kaynağı olabilir. İslam'ın neslin devam etmesine değer vermesi ve bunu teşvik etmesi, Müslümanların çocuksuzluğa karşı daha olumsuz tutumları olduğuna dair düşüncelere yol açmıştır. İslam Müslüman kadınların sosyal konumlarını da annelikle ilişkilendirmiştir. Annelik, Kur’an’da ve İslam fıkhında çoğunlukla doğum, anne sütü ile besleme ve çocuk bakımıyla ilişkili olarak bahse konu edilmiştir. Geleneksel metinlerde, anne olmayış genelde aile, özelde kadınlar için daha ziyade bir mücadele olarak ele alınmıştır. Ancak İslam tarihinde çocuksuz bazı önemli figürler mevcuttur. Benim bu makalede odak noktam ve ilgim, Kum’un çok saygın bir Şii figürü olan Fatıma Masume’yi merkeze alarak Şii İslam’ında anne olmamaya yönelik temsilleri, ahlakî ve dinî çağdaş tanımlamaları araştırmaya yöneliktir. Öncelikle Fatıma Masume’nin hayat hikâyesi ve onun anlatısının Şii İslam’daki önemini ele aldım. Daha sonra onun anne olmayışını merkeze alarak bu durumun çağdaş Şii kültürel imgesindeki temsillerine odaklandım.

Keywords

Çocuksuzluk, Cinsiyet, İslam, Anne Olmayış, Siyaset, Şia

Project Number

12T9920N

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