Article 6 A Faith of Their Own - Examining the role of females in Syria's Islamic revival.

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/featured_articles/20060830wednesday.html

Group-Jason Ohnsman

Quote-“It’s true that they don’t understand what they are memorizing at this age, but we believe that the understanding comes when the Koran becomes part of you,”

Vocabulary

• Qubaisiate- a secret Islamic womens society
• Koran- Islamic religious book

Group- Cha-ress, Jozlyn, Matt

“People mistake tradition for religion,” Ms. Kaldi said. “Men are always saying, ‘Women can’t do that because of religion,’ when in fact it is only tradition. It’s important for us to study so that we will know the difference.”

The Women of this society are required to memorize the Koran. They begin their memorizing as young as 5 years old. Once they finish their memorizing, they recite the Koran with rhythm and candences.

As girls and women progress in their study of Islam and gain stature within the group, the color of their scarves changes. New members wear white ones, usually with long khaki colored coats, she said. Later they graduate to wearing navy blue scarves with a navy coat. At the final stage the sheikha may grant them permission to cover themselves completely in black.

Women of the newer generations ask more questions, and want to learn more. They speak up and "want to do something with Islam, for Islam". Girl's are learning more rights that they have under Islam because they are pursueing to learn more and more. They are debating whether women have the right to vote differently then their husbands.

"When the occasion arises, they say, they are able to reason from the Koran on an equal footing with men."

Sunni's make up 70% of the countries population.

Vocabulary

*The Alawites- 1.4 million live in Syria. They have their own prayer book called "kitab al Majmu". They see themselves as Muslims.