Cosmos An International Journal of Management A Refereed Research Journal Vol 9 / No 2 / Jan-Jun 2020 ISSN: 2278-1218 FEMINIST MYSTICISM AND VOICES OF AGONY: LOOKING ACROSS THE CULTURES *Mohammad Shaheer Siddiqui Paper Received: 11.06.2020 / Paper Accepted: 25.07.2020 / Paper Published: 27.07.2020 Corresponding Author: Mohammad Shaheer Siddiqui; Email: [email protected]; doi:10.46360/cosmos.xxxxxxx Abstract Feminist Mysticism is not only reflected in the poetic compositions by women Mystics but also by the Male Poets in their mystical poetry using the symbols of women in manifesting spiritual relationships between man and God. The central aim of this paper is an attempt to find out the fusion of the voice of agony of women heart in the mystical arena across the cultures as Islamic, Hindu or Buddhist. The paper also deals hermeneutically the concept of feminist mysticism in Spiritual traditions and cross-cultural conversations. Keywords: Spiritual Intimacy, Feminist Mysticism, Voice of Agony, Women Mystics. Introduction hiding, misinterpretation of the verses and Divine revelation were some other stands which were used Backlog by certain sections of society to form new ‘I decided it’s better to scream. Silence is the real traditions for women to curtail their education, crime against human being.’ religious freedom, rights in family and society and -Nadezhda Mandelstam finally punishable and tyrannical traditions like Sati Russian Female Writer in Hope Against Hope or child marriage however, social conditions played (1970) prominent roles too. Foremost trick to restrain the empowerment of women was keeping them away Sacred Texts of ancient India cherish the high from education and it has been ruled rigorously for dignity of women’s pious and integrated role in centuries whether it is Islamic or Hindu society, religious matters. Upanishads advocate the wisdom women, for centuries, remained hand to mouth in of women by instances of their active participations masculine subjugation. in scholarly debates with male Gurus. The intensity of desire of Mandan Misra to marry with Udaya Women dignity was rejuvenated not directly Bharati Saraswati was inspired by the fact that uplifting the status of them in the society and ‘she’ is essential for a man for crossing the vast family but by extending the opportunity of freedom river of the tantalizing world which is an of expression in the matter of religion and impediment in spiritual attainment (Moksha)’ and spirituality. As all the Mystical movements, Sufi or therefore he made his utmost effort to marry her Bhakti emerged as Romanticism in religion and and succeeded. (Umadutta, 1996) they promoted liberated thinking, and devotional practices in one’s own way. Over emphasis on Likewise, Islamic texts too put the dignity of rituals was challenged by making worship of God women at higher place. Mother is so highly blessed available to all irrespective of caste, color and that even Jannah (The Paradise) lies under her feet. creed etc. Indeed, the Mystics rescued God from The first devotee of Islam, after sermonizing by the the clutches of religious monopoly, caste, gender Prophet, was a woman, Hazrat Khadija. Thus and other specifications. In Indian traditions neither in original religious text nor in prototypes of classical characters from Epics and contemporary practice we find any differentiation Mythological Literature have been offered to between man and woman rather in pre-Islamic womanhood to be followed as the role models societies in many tribal and Arabian highlands we since centuries. Women were considered to find women in very high place (Smith, 1997). Even epitomize sacrifice, culminating desires, chastity, in pre-Vedic society ‘Mother Worship’ was submission and devotion. Sita, Savitri or Parvati prevalent and in Vedas and other Hindu scriptures were the expected ideals to be followed by a ‘Earth, Forest, Rivers, Sunlight, Agriculture, married woman and ‘the chaste women naturally Money, Knowledge etc. all have been personified looked upon their married life as a sacred vow to in a female conception. The interpretation of the be fulfilled. (Prabhakar, 1991). original religious text was often manipulated particularly in disfavor of women due to some There remained a vast deviation from the textual probable reasons including motives derived by traces and contextual appraises of women’s plight masculine hubris, patriarchal dominance etc. Fact in many societies across the cultures over the *Associate Professor, Department of Education, Tezpur University, Assam. 8 periods of time. Feminism was influenced more by men, idiots, eunuchs and women’ are to be the ideological reshaping of society in compliance excluded from the place where a king holds any to emerging mores and cultural mergers, than by consultations (Rudra, p.70). The subservience of the images conceived in religious text. women is precisely summed up in the Manu Dharmashastra where it is stated that a woman Voices of Agony should never be independent. However we find many instances where women, irrespective of religion, have been considered as a A similar attitude was also prevailing for Muslim source of misery to men, both in domestic and women in the countries where new faith was spiritual life, if not put under certain control and established as compared to the pre-Islamic tribal confined into specific boundaries. Lord Buddha societies and in the early centuries of Islam. We was reluctant allowing woman to enter into the find in the views of many Islamic writers a ‘Buddhist Sangha’ initially until the imploring disparagement for women in the matters of her desire of his step mother Gautami Prajapati, and at intelligence, capacity and morals for the religion. A the instance of his favorite disciple Ananda scholar writes “The majority of women are lacking (Srivastava, 1991). Regardless, while ordaining, the in religion and virtue and that which prevails in start of the bhikkhuni tradition into the monastic them is ignorance and evil desires” (Makki, 1967). order, the Buddha apprised Ananda that the Margret Smith (1997) gives a detail description of Buddha's Dispensation would last shorter because the status of Muslim women in early Islamic of this ‘allowing women into the Sangha’ (Jerryson, society and her degradation due to the political 2013) Again as quoted from Sullavaga, X.1.6, upheaval and in specific traditional society. She Buddha gave the following reasons why women writes- ought not to be entrusted with responsibilities: ‘In the matter of religion, ‘Women are soon angered, seclusion and the limitation of Ananda women are full of their freedom certainly hindered passion, Ananda, women are women in the exercise of their envious, Ananda, women are religious duties, and the almost stupid. That is the reason, complete lack of education which Ananda, that is the cause, why was the fate of most Muslim women have no place in public Women up to very recent years, assemblies, do not carry on with a few notable exceptions, business and do not earn their prevented them from having any living by any professions’ (Rudra, intelligent conception of what 1975, p.70) was included in the doctrines of Islam.’ (p.129) In one of the Jataka stories, the Bodhi Sattva is made to say, Taqi al-Din al-Hinsi, the celebrated writer of 15th century Text ‘Siya al-Salihat’, shows a larger ‘Infamous is the land which owns bitterness for women of his time which is obvious a woman’s sway and rule, and in his words, ‘The most double faced (of mankind) infamous are the men who yield are women, because of the weakness of their themselves to women’s intellect and their religion and their convictions, domination.’ (Rudra, p.43) and therefore their faith fails’ (Smith, p.130). It is very interesting to note that interpretation of the Apart from the initial eight grave rules pre-existing religious doctrines play very vital role (Garudhammas), for women or, Nuns they also had in framing the society. The people, who claim the more rules to follow than monks. In Vinaya Pitaka monopoly of religion, also twist the doctrines in there were 250 rules for monks and 348 rules for their favor. Interpretation, ethnic and social nuns. In many ancient Indian Texts women were atmosphere and unripe dissemination of verses, unambiguously equated with the sudras (Thapar, rituals, and doctrines violated more the dignity and p.36). Interesting to note that the Mahabharata freedom of women in spiritual and religious reflects the enormous liberty of women to matters than the canons of religion itself whether it participate in rituals and political affairs inside the is Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism. royal court with male counterparts, simultaneously, the Gita unveils the vulnerability of women, who Women in Islam was degraded almost as much by seek shelter in Lord Krishna due to society’s scorns social tendencies as by the religious jurists, and or low birth along with vaisyas and sudras’ The woman as such was not excluded from the spiritual Shanti Parva of Mahabharta declares that ‘dwarfs, blessings which in Islam were intended to be humpbacked persons, lean men, lame and blind available for all human beings. (Smith, p.131) 9 Shuyab al-Hurayfish, a Sufi of 14th century says, call woman as Harijan of society. She has been “So God Glory be to Him, joined the mention of suffering for a long time. In every age man lived pious women with pious men, and in women are free, unobstructed and self-willed, and woman found the mystic states and ascetic devotion and dependent, bound in shackles and suppressed. It is good works and pity, as in men; and to women is very ludicrous when woman is described as given revelation, and for them are pilgrimages and impious. If she wants to attain salvation, she will the unveiling (of the Vision of God) and other have to take a new incarnation as a man things of the special favors which God Most High (Chaudhury 2019).’ The place of women in society has assigned to them; also some of them are was characterized by the pitiable plight of a widow, included in the first rank (Smith, p.212).