Stimming from the ongoing dedication of the College of Education for the Humanities, University of Kerbala, to participate and attend academic workshops and conferences held inside and outside Iraq, Asst. Lect. Muslim Sadiq Hadi from the Department of English took part in a scholarly dialogue-based workshop titled “The Muslim Woman in Orientalist Studies.” The workshop was organized by the Continuing Education Unit at the College of Education Ibn Rushd for Humanities, University of Baghdad.
It is important to note that the workshop, attended by staff and students, aimed to raise awareness about the intentions and agendas of Orientalists regarding the East in general, and Muslim women in particular.
The workshop addressed several key themes, including the status of Muslim women and the methods through which Orientalist ideas are disseminated and their impact on women, afocus on the Islamic veil (hijab) and the concept of male guardianship (qiwamah), and testimonies from fair-minded Orientalists who acknowledged the esteemed position of women in Islam.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations, most notably: the importance of cautioning women against misguided ideologies, exposing and countering such narratives, and promoting awareness and a sound understanding of the true status of women in Islam and their central role in society.
