- This article is a reflective exploration of how TikTok Muslim feminism, online dawah culture, unresolved trauma, and the abandonment of orthodoxy have converged to create a growing spiritual crisis within parts of the Muslim community.
Muslim feminists shaped by tumultuous pasts try to make sense of their suffering by looking for scapegoats as a way to reclaim agency over their lives. By assigning blame elsewhere, they create the illusion that the chaos they’ve experienced can be explained and controlled.
This article seeks to explore the methods by which Muslim feminists attempt to distort the beauty, perfection, and universality of Islam. And, how in turn, they misguide others and sabotage their own faith. It examines how a creed so corrosive has managed to magnify itself across platforms such as TikTok, where spectacle is often mistaken for substance and noise for truth.
My intention is not to target individuals in this discussion, but rather to bring nuance to it by asking the more difficult question: how did we land here in the first place? As George Orwell wrote in 1984, ‘There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.’ Nowadays, people avoid difficult conversations like the plague, but ’d like to think the time we spend together is organic, and, when we understand what loving our brothers and sisters in the ummah truly is, we understand it’s saying that which people don’t want to hear.
This morning, as I scrolled through an endless stream of “Male scholars have lied to us our entire lives in order to control us” TikTok reels, a sobering realisation hit me: we are in the midst of a full-scale spiritual emergency. This ideology hasn’t quietly crept into our homes; it’s battered down the doors, ransacked the core foundations of Islam, and made itself entirely at home. More troubling still is the ferocious speed of its spread, particularly over the last three years – which has, heartbreakingly, led many into apostasy.
Muslim Feminist revisionist readings often begin from the premise that modern egalitarian values are morally superior standards by which Islam must be judged, they then selectively reinterpret Qur’anic verses, dismiss ahadith, and undermine centuries of methodological scholarship to force the religion into conformity with contemporary sensibilities.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
“It is not for a believing man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, to have any choice in their affair” (33:36)
And…
“Do you believe in part of the Scripture and disbelieve in part?” (2:85)
It is somewhat astonishing that, according to some, a ring light, flawless eyeliner, subjective “critical thinking skills,” the occasional fit check, and a following on TikTok all qualify as an ijazah and are treated as equivalent to studying in Damascus for forty years.
TikTok fatwas include the following:
- “Men can only practise polygamy with specific people, polygamy was sent down to protect widows and orphans,”
- “Hijab is not mandatory in Islam,”
- “We should be able to call Allah she”
- “Hur al Ayn’ is a term used figuratively and in actuality means “clarity of vision”
Where do such content creators get their ideas from?
The abandonment of orthodoxy will be explored later in shaa Allah. For now, one conclusion appears inescapable: after considerable time spent numbing my mind and ploughing through much of this nonsensical bakwaas content, it is evident that most of these content creators operate within echo chambers, reinforcing one another’s assumptions while rarely subjecting anything said to scrutiny or challenge.
A small number present themselves as more academic, and are even delivering courses on “Islamic Feminism” – drawing inspiration from (as they like to say) “the only true outspoken scholars” of “Islamic feminism“: Amina Wadud, Ziba Mir-Hosseini, and Asma Lamrabet. Notably. these so-called scholars are absent from social media- their ideas however, are being condensed and repackaged into viral clips for mass audience consumption by others on TikTok. Dr Sitara Akram is another individual who is spearheading the movement and whose words trickle down into social media clips.
The religion of Allah azza wa Jal does not require an additional modern ideological trend to assist it, whether secular liberalism or feminism. Allah did not leave the Qur’an open to unrestricted personal interpretation; rather, He revealed it alongside the authority of Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) and the understanding of the righteous predecessors, and major scholars.
Moreover, if every layman were free to interpret revelation according to personal opinion, modernity, emotions, cultural trends, or desires, then the religion would cease to be divine guidance and would instead become nothing more than a reflection of human whims – until truth itself would become fragmented into countless antithetical versions of Islam.
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) warned:
“Whoever interprets the Qur’an according to his own opinion, let him take his seat in the Fire” (Tirmidhi)
A 2010, a peer-review journal by Kristin Aune examined over 1,200 third-wave feminists in the UK between the ages of 20-40 and of differing religions backgrounds. It found that all of the women were “significantly less religious” than the wider population. Furthermore, 39% identified as atheists, 16% identified as agnostics, 15% said “no religion”, and 9% identified as “spiritual rather than religious.”
We are living in unprecedented times; Female Muslim feminists cannot be identified by a garish dragon arm tattoo or a pink mohawk. Many are adorned in niqab and hijab. Type A sister – let’s call her Aaliyah. Aaliyah will insist she’s not a feminist, but within five minutes of conversing with her, it becomes abundantly clear that she is. Conversely, there are sisters who openly claim the label of feminism but upon speaking with them, you realise they’re not feminists at all – their thought process and very being is governed in orthodoxy. However, having witnessed mistreatment within their homes where precedence is given to culture over deen; the feminist label which they have ascribed themselves to is merely a call for help: “I’m not being heard,” she is trying to say. The latter type B sister, let’s call her Zainab, may not be a feminist initially but could easily turn to this frame as it is a dominant one, baked into the subconscious of society.
Muslim Feminists are predominantly ‘Qur’an- Onlys’: Aisha RA’s phenomenal contribution to Islam distorts the feminist narrative
Muslim feminists sadly follow a pattern of becoming Qur’anists. They reject the sayings of the greatest man who ever lived- Habib Allah- the messenger who was the most beloved by Allah and who loved us so much, that he spent nights dedicated in prayer for us and is yearning to meet us at al Khawthar. This is a far greater tragedy than any Shakespeare play you can think of. This is not fiction or theatre, it’s not about numbers or likes; it is the ruin of real souls and real lives. Moreover, reengineering Islam to satisfy feminism is not intellectual courage or reform, but a dangerous form of ideological capitulation that elevates human desires above divine revelation.
It is difficult to reconcile the liberal feminist mind that frames ahadith inherently oppressive to women with the historical reality of who our mother was – A’isha bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her). Far from being silenced or confined, she emerged as one of the most knowledgeable scholars of Islam and among the greatest narrators of hadith, transmitting over two thousand reports and serving as a reference point for leading companions, in matters of law, inheritance, ritual, and prophetic practice. Her intellectual authority was a natural outcome of the Islamic scholarly tradition itself, where correct knowledge, piety and closeness to Rasool Allah (s.a.w) – not gendered ideological assumptions – determine status. It is for this reason that the testimonies of A’isha RA are being rejected by feminist Qur’anists as they cannot grapple with the fact that a woman narrated many of the Hadith they reject.
TikTok Qur’anists Feminists claim that Hadith have been tampered with by men in order to control women. No matter which way you slice it, this narrative is devoid of any logic since the Qur’an was compiled entirely by men.
The sheer precision and intellectual rigour upon which Hadith science was built is clearly not being understood here. By comprehending its intricate methodology, we recognise that its preservation is anything but arbitrary; the careful distinction between da’eef and Sahih narrations further stands as a testament to a discipline whose depth and sophistication are impossible to deny.
Our dear brother Zeeshan Ali, founder of s2jnews, provides a clear and beneficial explanation of Hadith science in the following video:
Feminism within the Muslim Family home
In order to understand the exponential rise of feminists amongst Muslims, we must interrogate the deficiencies within the modern dawah discourse and the factors which have facilitated such ideological redirection among a plethora of Muslim women. Influencers and online discourse alone now function as de facto epistemic authorities, raising an entire generation shaped by what they repeatedly encounter online. Mothers are placing roti on the table but failing to nourish their children’s souls. Fathers are providing financially but not creating real relationships with their children. Consequently, the devastating effects of feminism are evident in the breakdown of the family unit. In turn, the first step in implementing the feminist ideology can be seen within the walls of the family home. The depletion of obedience and submissiveness to the male leader in the household is, more seriously, a lack of submission to the will of Allah.
“Men are the caretakers of women, as men have been provisioned by Allah over women and tasked with supporting them financially. And righteous women are devoutly obedient and, when alone, protective of what Allah has entrusted them with….
(Qur’an 4:34)
Therefore, our war on so-called “Islamic feminism” is no longer an option, it’s a necessity.
The Dawah has created more Feminists- We must re-Strategise!
The duat are a part of my Muslim family – I hold them in high regard, respect them deeply as leaders, and value their contributions to the ummah, Allahumma Barik. For instance, they have executed phenomenal work rebuking Christian Islamophobes, Atheists, and so much more…However, this respect does not render them infallible or beyond critique. For an example, one may wholeheartedly support 95% of someone’s work, but is expected to embrace the remaining 5% uncritically, even if it’s flawed. This is incorrect as we ought to strive for ihsan and elevate those in the dawah, particularly if we want good for them and want them to have a greater female reach.
There are some duat, though certainly not all, who have clearly been influenced by the Red Pill movement and who, much like Muslim feminists, seem to carry unresolved and turbulent pasts. The fracture they’ve sustained is usually quite severe – a messy divorce which resulted in a hard punch to the gut. Or the absence of a father. Sadly, this influence and pain has manifested into their work just as that of the feminists.
I believe these brothers are sincerely attempting to preserve the orthodoxy of Islam. However, this is being done so with the finesse of a blunt hammer, and with a severe lack of emotional intelligence. Many are ill equipped in how to combat feminism, have caused further gender wars and only exacerbated the pandemic. Some brothers have been behaving as if they are average – Joe – content creators instead of seasoned da’ee, engaging in nonsensical drama with women online by insulting their appearance. These are our leaders and this is a wrecking ball Shaytan has sent in because it’s a distraction he loves. When this happens: expect a firestorm of a reaction. Furthermore, we live in an attention driven climate and many online content creators and duat may feel as though they need to react to everything and anything in order to ensure they stay relevant.
The following are some examples of problematic statements that have been made in the dawah scene:
- “If you know how to control a dog, you’ll know how to control a woman”
- “Sisters must stop creating these horse riding videos like they’re Nusayba! (laughs and mocks) How un-feminine!”
- “Shut up about how hijab is a journey!”
- “A woman has no value after 30”
- “The way she moves her hands is not feminine”
- “The majority of you sisters out there are not worth the back of my wife’s shoe”
- “Brothers, if your wife even so looks at you the wrong way, nip that in the bud straight away!”
- “I wouldn’t take you as my second, third, fourth wife or concubine”
- Mocking the appearance of sisters repeatedly
- “Men age like wine, women age like milk”
- “Men don’t like women who have endured hardships”
- ”Brothers, if she don’t have a good relationship with her father – best believe she’s gonna be a lousy wife – don’t marry her”
These statements risk driving sisters away from the community, and more alarmingly, Islam. If a person feels they hold no “value” in a community, this will inevitably make them turn away, particularly those who have newly embraced the deen. The so-called “anomalies” absolutely matter, as dawah ought to be given in an open-minded manner and holistically to individuals in mind not to abstract groups of people. Furthermore, it only takes one person to spark a movement that can transform generations. This approach is far more penetrative and impactful for our cause. We must rebuke feminism strongly but maligning an entire demographic of people can only have negative consequences.
It’s taken me a while to crystallise this in my mind, and my intention is not to offend in shaa Allah but I believe the crux of the matter is that these particular brothers of ours need to understand women a lot better, they must recognise that Islam does not demand uniformity in female temperament, personality, or expression. Many brothers within this space seem unable to draw out the best in women, or know how to empower them and how to connect with them intellectually and revive them spiritually. Moreover, it is imperative that they study the seerah (the life of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) in more depth, in order to understand prophetic masculinity. Literary critic and socialist Sir George Bernard Shaw said about the Prophet Mohammed (saw): “I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much-needed peace and happiness.”
In my humble opinion, Ustadh Hamza Tzortis has been combating feminism in the most authentic, just, effective and holistic of manners during podcasts he has appeared in, Allahumma Barik. Consequently, he ought to engage in a lot more work on this topic. I hope he will soon train the rest of our brothers in the dawah on how to tackle such matters. Orthodox Muslim, brother Libyano has recently been rebuking the nonsense in an academic and fruitful manner. In addition, a recent training session produced by Brother Hijab and Sapience Institute consists of many gems.
Although we are in need of more muslim female role models in the dawah space, it’s fallacious to claim that only women can give dawah to women effectively, or that the war against feminism can only be won by orthodox Muslim women. I’ve had brilliant female Islamic teachers. However, some of my best Islamic teachers have been learned brothers with immense hikmah and prophetic masculinity, I’ve benefitted greatly from them, and they’ve known exactly how to connect with me and how to impart knowledge effectively.
The few sisters active within the dawah space have, in many respects, done commendable work in challenging the distortions propagated through TikTok. We should have more orthodox Muslim female voices countering this cancerous ideology. However, perhaps owing to the nature of the space itself – which is often shaped by the aforementioned brothers – there appears to be a reluctance to show the same intellectual courage when certain brothers’ voices contribute to exacerbating gender wars and, inadvertently, further fuelling feminism itself. Allah alone knows their intentions, but remaining silent, or downplaying such behaviour, has undeniably contributed to their online visibility and viewership. As previously mentioned, Islam does not call us to an all-or-nothing tribalism in determining whom we support; rather, sincerity requires that we uphold truth and justice, even with those in our Muslim family who we respect and benefit from.
Currently, the ramifications of what is being referred to on TikTok as “Islamic feminism” are catastrophically more dangerous and far-reaching than any content produced by those with Red Pill views. However, if we want to avoid losing more of our sisters, we must ensure that our reactions are just and prophetic in nature.
