Why I wrote about gender, misconceptions about Islam – Dr. Mairo Amshi

Mrs. Mairo Ahmed Amshi, PhD, is an educationist, farmer, writer and a former commissioner of Women Affairs in Yobe State. In this interview, she talks about why she authored several books on the misconception of Islam. Excerpts: What drove you to write a book about the misconceptions of people about Islam? It’s because of the […]

Mrs. Mairo Ahmed Amshi, PhD, is an educationist, farmer, writer and a former commissioner of Women Affairs in Yobe State. In this interview, she talks about why she authored several books on the misconception of Islam. Excerpts:

What drove you to write a book about the misconceptions of people about Islam?

It’s because of the challenges I face as a Muslim woman. There are a lot of misconceptions, misunderstandings and misinterpretations about Islam. I have been attacked directly or indirectly because of my religion. I feel that the essence of living as a Muslim is to try and defend my religion, though Allah has already defended it.

What are these misconceptions about Islam?

People think that Muslim women are oppressed or not given their rights. We are not oppressed and have more rights than any other human being on earth. Without coming out to tell people, it is very difficult to clear such misunderstanding. That is why I decided to put it in writing for my brothers and sisters in Islam to read and know the true status of a woman in Islam. Also, for people from other faiths and the west who think that we don’t have rights.

Why is your book titled `Islam and gender issues in the contemporary era`?

Gender issues has now become a serious concern in the world. Whenever you talk of gender, people will start looking at it as a very serious issue, but they misunderstood the meaning of the word. People mostly think that the word means women. In the book, I pointed out that it means either male or female. I talked about gender equity and equality because a lot of people are shouting about gender equality. Here we have to ask ourselves, equality in what sense? I cannot grow a beard because I am a woman, likewise a man cannot carry pregnancy. We are different, so we cannot be equal.

For instance, in Saudi Arabia it was just recently they allowed women to drive cars. Only the men drive, so this is a gender issue at their own end. Whenever a woman is driving they would look at her differently. Still in Saudi Arabia, it’s the men who cook contrary to our society that mocks men who do so. This is something the people of that community decided to attach to either a man or a woman. Also, in my own case, I consider equity as allowing me do what is beneficial to my society and if it is not against my religion. If I want to be a soldier, allow me to be a soldier because during the time of the holy prophet women went to the war front. There is nothing wrong with it.

Are there other books you have written apart from this?

Yes, I wrote about four books. The first one is, `Resilient Journey to My Carrier` which is my life biography; the challenges I faced right from school, in marriage, in my workplace and so on. I just completed `Gender Mainstreaming and Equity in Politics: Panacea for Stable Democracy`. There’s `Gender Analysis in Agriculture, Issues and Policies: A Case Study of Rural Women in Yobe State, Nigeria`. Also, ‘Why Blame Islam: Participation of Women in Nigerian Politics.’

The book on participation of women in politics, does it touch on religion and the role of women in politics?

Yes, because women participate in politics but it’s done wrongly. A woman’s participation in politics is not haram. During the time of the holy prophet (SAW), there were women who participated in politics; some were given appointments as ministers.

Another book on religion is `Let the Truth be Told: Misapplication of Child Custody (Hadana) in Muslim Society`. This book is yet to be presented to the public. Here, there are issues that are being ignored by our judges. There are some careless judges who don’t even take note of what the Qur’an and hadith of the holy prophet says. They misinterpret it, ignore it and misinterpret it to pass selfish judgments against women. If a judge should do that, what then is the essence of being a judge? A total misinterpretation of the Quran just to satisfy your own desire or somebody`s else’s. Islam is a religion of equity, justice and peace.

As a woman, what challenges did you face, from schooling to politics?

I faced a lot of challenges. I was married to my husband when I was very young and we were both in school in 1978. He was at Kaduna polytechnic and I was in Maiduguri just after my SBRS. My parents were at Bulunkutu area in Maiduguri and I had to be off campus because I was pregnant and had to be going to school.

The taxi driver usually came weekdays and not weekends. We used to have workshop practice every Saturday. So, when there is nobody to take me to school on the practice days, I usually trekked to catch a bus. I used to put on jeans and boots and then tie my wrapper. While trekking to catch a bus, the Almajiris will start shouting and clapping, “Mace da wando da zani” (woman with trouser and wrapper) but that did not deter me. I used to feel very bad, but whenever I came back home my Dad and Mum will say ‘just leave them, it’s just for some time.’

The second challenge was when I wanted to study Agriculture. Some people discouraged me and said it’s a male’s profession. We were ten in the class and I was the only female student. Alhamdulillah, I made it in Crop Science Department. I graduated with second class upper. When I came to the field, I saw that 80 percent of the food we are consuming is produced by women. That was why I wrote the book on `Gender Analysis in Agriculture, Issues and Policies`.

The authorities need to see how they can make a policy for women to have what they need because women produce more food. If a man has five hectares, immediately after harvest, many sell off their produce from the farm gate. They later depend on what the women have grown and brought home.