Creation of Female Identity With Religious References in Patriarchal Culture and Discourse on Negative Feminine Dispositio

Abstract

In history, the features that defined the male gender versus the female gender were largely accepted as good in contrast with the bad features of the female gender. This patriarchal way of thinking has existed as a dominant mode of thought throughout history and across many societies. In the last two centuries, objections have been raised against this dominant patriarchal thought and practice and struggle ensured. As a result, the subject at the center of the arts and sciences historically is in question as the women's perspective came to be represented in diverse expressions of thought, from art to politics, from economics to the sciences. The concept of "patriarchal/male-dominated thought" has led to a re-evaluation of everything that is human. There are no studies directly on this subject in the field of theology, and the existing ones are in the form of repeating what is available in Muslim culture. Studies on the subject are mainly in the field of anthropology and sociology. Therefore, the study of this topic in the field of Theology and especially Social Theology is an issue that should be taken into consideration. Because the studies in the field of Kalam are mainly in the form of either the repetition of the previous acquis or the understanding of what was written. For this reason, the approach of today's Muslim thought on this issue should be examined based on basic sources and presented to the world of thought. Within the scope of all these evaluations, in our study, first of all, the definition of human in the Qur'an will be based on the simple definition of man and woman, without distinguishing between men and women. Because all kinds of evaluations that are not made on this basis are subjective or shaped by the influence of previous cultures and beliefs. Based on this reality, first of all, the concept of "fitrah" in the Qur'an and the psychological and social reflections and meanings of this concept will be explored. Then, the concept of "female fitrat (nature)" will be analyzed in Muslim culture, and how this concept shapes women's and social life and affects Muslim thought today. It is important to understand how concepts such as "feminism" and "gender" belonging to the modern period are discussed in the discipline of Social Kalam with an approach that centers the text of the Qur'an. Specifically, this paper will discuss how relevant past and present Kalami debates are for contemporary questions around gender and feminism and address whether a new approach to the subject is possible. This is a basic study to determine what kind of ideas or advice Islam or the Kalam Discipline offers on the issue of "Female Fitrat (Nature)", as a fundamental question for all societies. Because this topic and discussion focus on the modern period, the theories of modern feminism will be used together with studies in the field of anthropology and sociology. Since the subject will be discussed in terms of the discipline of "Social Kalam", classical Kalam sources will also be used in today's studies.