Western Hermeneutics in the Feminist Writings of Fatima Mernissi

Fatima Mernissi, in her literary and academic writings about women in Islamic communities, draws on Western hermeneutics to advocate for a more egalitarian reading and interpretation of Islamic texts of varying levels. She employs techniques such as historical/contextual approach, textual analysis, comparative study, and linguistic examination to uncover overlooked meanings and possibilities within Islamic scriptures. Through this process, she seeks to reclaim the agency and voices of women within religious traditions, challenging the dominant androcentric readings and interpretations that have marginalized women’s perspectives and demystified their interpretive authorities. Throughout her academic and literary journey, Mernissi engages with Western philosophical hermeneutics, particularly the works of thinkers like Hans-Georg Gadamer, Friedrich Schleiermacher, and Paul Ricoeur, to develop her feminist insights and her hermeneutical methodologies regarding the issue of women in Islam. She explores concepts such as the fusion of horizons, hermeneutics of suspicion, and the hermeneutical circle to enrich her analysis of Islamic texts and feminist discourse. This paper endeavors to investigate how Fatima Mernissi’s feminist writings incorporate Western hermeneutical methodologies and insights in her feminist writings. These analytical tools have shaped her feminist project, which seeks to critique and reassess traditional interpretations of Islamic texts, dismantle patriarchal systems, and promote an egalitarian and inclusive approach recognizing women as equal and dignified beings in Islamic communities.