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Jihad of Words: Gender and Contemporary Karbala Narratives
- The Yearbook of English Studies
- Modern Humanities Research Association
- Volume 39, Issue 1 & 2, 2009
- pp. 84-100
- 10.1353/yes.2009.0016
- Article
- Additional Information
Abstract:
This paper discusses the discourse of female jihad in contemporary Karbala narratives of Shi'i Islam, specifically Twelver Shi'is. It argues that a gender-dynamic transformation has emerged with regard to the transmission of the Karbala narrative, as well as a renewed attention to the role of women in the aftermath of this battle. Today, the retelling of the story of Karbala involves positioning the role of women within a discourse that can only be described as a 'Jihad of Words' that the female descendants of the Prophet, such as Zaynab, undertook. Moreover, the paper highlights the fact that the gender-infused themes within the Karbala narratives have been influenced by contemporary socio-political events in certain countries such as Lebanon and Iran.