Papers by noor aisha abdul rahman
Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 2014
Abstract This paper examines Singapore's partial reservations to Articles 2 and 16 of the Uni... more Abstract This paper examines Singapore's partial reservations to Articles 2 and 16 of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). It contends that the reservations justified on the basis of protecting the rights of the Muslim minority community to practice its personal law has unwittingly impeded the potential of reviewing and addressing significant gaps and limitations in the ways in which the laws are conceived and administered. More pertinently, the policy reinforces the dominance of traditionalism in the thinking of dominant stakeholders of the law. Taking the standpoint that the values of equality and non-discrimination on the basis of gender espoused by CEDAW are compatible with the objectives of Muslim law, this paper maintains that ratifying the relevant Articles of CEDAW will strengthen the process of the development of the Muslim personal law and address essentialist presumptions of the law. This perspective departs from the dominant discourse on the Muslim law and CEDAW which is framed in terms of conflict and polarity between the law and human rights, religious law and women's rights, and universal values versus cultural relativism.
ï‚· This structural rethinking and reform have been relatively slow for two reasons: Firstly, becau... more ï‚· This structural rethinking and reform have been relatively slow for two reasons: Firstly, because of rigidity in the mode in which the Muslim law is conceived; and secondly, the challenge posed by the emergence of religious revivalism (dakwah) since the 1970s. For Syariah revivalists who have emerged from the dakwah movement, the Syariah is a system of laws legislated by God which they select and define to be pristine and authentic.
In Singapur sind Muslime (von denen die Mehrheit Malayen sind und ca. 15 Prozent der Bevolkerung ... more In Singapur sind Muslime (von denen die Mehrheit Malayen sind und ca. 15 Prozent der Bevolkerung ausmachen) an ihr eigenes Recht gebunden, was Eheschliesung, Scheidung und Erbschaft betrifft; dies konnen sie nicht aufgeben, auser – vermutlich – sie schworen dem Islam ab.
The Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies, 2009
This paper seeks to portray and examine the dominant understanding of terrorism as reflected in o... more This paper seeks to portray and examine the dominant understanding of terrorism as reflected in official discourse in Singapore. It also evaluates its impact on attempts aimed at combating terrorism's potent threat to social cohesion. It is maintained that pervasive influence of the culturalist approach woven into the understanding of terrorism has had the effect of thrusting into focus Islam and certain presumptions of the identity and culture of the Muslim community of Singapore. The dominance of this approach conditions and compounds the lack of a more comprehensive and objective analysis of the phenomenon informed by concepts and methodology from the social sciences. This impedes efforts at fostering social resilience and cohesion aimed at thwarting the looming threat of terrorism.
Journal of Islamic Studies, 2010
Journal of Islamic Studies, 2012
German Law Journal, 2019
The accommodation of religious personal law systems is an issue that has arisen in many countries... more The accommodation of religious personal law systems is an issue that has arisen in many countries with significant Muslim minorities. The types of accommodations can range from direct incorporation into the state legal system to mere recognition of religious tribunals as private organs. Different forms of accommodation raise different types of legal, social, and political issues. Focusing on the case of Singapore, I examine one form of accommodation which entails the direct incorporation of this law regulating marriage, divorce, and inheritance for Muslims into the state system. Administered by the Administration of the Muslim Law Act, 1966, the Muslim law binds Muslims unless they abjure Islam. The resulting pluralistic legal system is deemed necessary to realize the aspirations of and give respect to the Muslim minority community, the majority of whom are constitutionally acknowledged as indigenous to the country. This Article examines the ramifications of this arrangement on the ...
The Muslim World, 2007
Singapore N umerous studies examining the dilemmas and problems of women in Muslim societies ascr... more Singapore N umerous studies examining the dilemmas and problems of women in Muslim societies ascribe a central place to Islam. This tendency to accord dominant significance to Islam occurs not only in the discourse of those who believe that the religion defines or influences Muslim women's subordinate status, inequalities and lack of progress, but also in those who proclaim the virtues of Islam in guaranteeing gender equality, providing solutions for women's socioeconomic lag and securing religious identity amid the impact of Westernization and globalization. In both, religious teachings and injunctions are heavily utilized in caricaturing women and examining their status, functions, roles and obligations. 1 Underlying these discourses is the stark perception that it is Islam that inhibits or promotes the development of Muslim women in the modern world. This overemphasis on the role and influence of Islam in analyzing the problems of women has been criticized on many grounds. Some have denounced it as essentialist, ahistorical and lacking in class perspective. 2 It can also be viewed as yet another manifestation of the over prescribed "culturalist approach" in analyzing the problems of Muslims, which Roy discerningly
Asian Journal of Social Science, 2009
... survey and data from interviews, portray characteristics that form the basis for rethinking o... more ... survey and data from interviews, portray characteristics that form the basis for rethinking of dominant ... marriages, many Indians and Arabs have also culturally assimilated into the Malay community through ... Their relevance is reinforced by the lack of research on the problem in the ...
Journal of Studies in International Education, 2007
... Book Review Noor Aisha Abdul Rahman and Lai Ah Eng (Eds.). (2006). ... Neither has there been... more ... Book Review Noor Aisha Abdul Rahman and Lai Ah Eng (Eds.). (2006). ... Neither has there been any discussion on the type of modern knowledge needed to nurture religious teachers and schol-ars nor of the significance of methods of instruction. ...
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Papers by noor aisha abdul rahman