Question

Submitted by Carrie Liles (United States), May 27, 2004 at 10:44

We read your articles almost daily so have a great respect for your thoughts on the Islamic world. However, I question your conclusion to the thoughts about women. Did all of your thoughts come from the book," Beyond the Veil"? I have not read the book but shall seek to find a copy.

Living in a Moslem society and talking to women causes me to draw a different conclusion. Most women live with the fear that if they are not aggressively interested in sex, their man will seek it elsewhere. They also always have the fear that if they do not please their man, he will get the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th wife or shall be divorced, which, as you know is very easy for the man. Also, there is much benefit by being the 'favorite' wife. Beneath the burka's and chadors women do dress very attractively, but I have yet to meet one who sought ways to 'snare' men. This is corroborated in Jean Sassons book "Princess".

Thanks
Carrie

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Daniel Pipes replies:

The thesis in this article is basically Mernissi's, with modest additions from me.

As your experiences suggest, this thesis does not explain all the complexities of Muslim married life.