100 Years of Empowerment

Iffat Mirza, Cambridge

Just over one hundred years ago, in 1925, one of my favourite books was written: F Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless classic The Great Gatsby. The novel features a much quotable line from when one character is recalling the moment her daughter was born ‘I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.’ Unfortunately, this line was a true indictment of how women had been treated by the world around them, where it was easier to be a fool than anything else, in order to navigate it.

However, this is not something that I have ever had to shape my life around – by the Grace of God. I am lucky enough to be surrounded by women who are using their voices to help create a more equal and equitable society around them. They are working together to build one another up. They are appreciative of their past and looking towards their future. This is Lajna Ima’illah – the Ahmadiyya Muslim Women’s Association, which was founded in 1922, three years before The Great Gatsby was published.

This year, we are celebrating our Centenary and it is indeed a time to reflect on what this means. This centenary is not just a celebration of 100 years, but rather a recognition of 100 years of empowerment. An auxiliary group was established for Ahmadi Muslim women by His Holiness Mirza Bashiruddin Mahmood Ahmad (May Allah be pleased with him) which ensured women had their own space to excel and grow together. The idea was not simply for men to make the world a better place for women, but for women to have their space to be able to carve the future for themselves that they need and deem necessary.

This has proven to be a vital space for women of the Ahmadiyya Community. It is a space where life skills are taught and learned, emotional and physical support is available, advice for all walks of life is shared, and where there is always a smiley familiar face to cheer one up. As a result, women have been at the forefront of both religious and secular progress, with it being noted that at the Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Community, during the academic award ceremony, there are more women recipients than male.

I would say, that whilst we have, by the Grace of God, the structural organisation to make it possible for Lajna Ima’illah to flourish, the reason for such empowerment has been the passion of the women that make up Lajna. Guided by our Caliph, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad (May Allah be his Helper), we have been taught to believe that such a passion and desire is what truly drives advancement. And we know that this passion is not unfounded: His Holiness’ own words teach us this, where he stated in 2019: “My philosophy is, if women work outside the shade of men, they flourish better.”[1] It is such a blessing to have someone who not only says this but then ensures that within the larger community, women have the resources to be able to flourish.

Through the various departments of Lajna Ima’illah, women have access to emotional support, spiritual advice, educational advice and resources for entrepreneurship amongst others. Above all, they have a space to celebrate their achievements with their sisters. Like I said, this all works because at the heart of this, women of the community know that they can achieve great heights amongst themselves.

This year, as the theme of International Women’s Day is ‘Embrace Equity’, it is a timely reminder that equity is not simply to deliver to women but rather to allow women their own time and space to make the world better for themselves. We are able to recognise what we need and how to achieve those steps. This recognition and working towards is just as empowering, if not more, than the destination we aim for. Instead of being told what we need and what we should do, we have forums to be able to discuss this amongst ourselves, and therefore can address any hurdles and issues collectively and with a view to help all women.

Ultimately, empowerment is agency. Where women have been denied agency, it does not matter how much they are catered to, they are still at an unequal and inequitable space. However, where women are given the agency to be able to reflect and work together for a common future, they are truly empowered.

[1] https://www.alhakam.org/my-philosophy-is-if-women-work-outside-thee-shade-of-men-they-flourish-better-huzoor-speaks-to-german-press/