Abstract

This paper explores some forms of female identity in post-revolutionary Egypt. It analyses two documents issued on Muslim women’s rights after the 2011 uprising. The first one is al-Azhar Position Paper on Women’s Rights (Wa􀜔􀆯qat al-Azhar lil-mar’ah), issued in 2013. The second one is Alexandria Declaration on Women’s Rights in Islam (I‘l􀆗n al-Iskandariyyah 􀛊awla “􀛊uq􀇌q al-mar’ah f􀆯l-Isl􀆗mµ), issued in 2014. Egyptian Islamic feminists have been involved in the drafting of Alexandria Declaration which initially was the draft of al-Azhar position paper. The article has three aims: 1. to provide a comparative reading of these documents, 2. to highlight the contribution of Egyptian Islamic feminists in the contemporary renewal of Islamic discourse and production of organic gender equality-sensitive religious knowledge, 3. to reveal how al-Azhar and the civil society actors represent Muslim women’s identity. Moreover, it points out that the collaboration between the religious establishment and Islamic feminists is fundamental for the consolidation of a female identity that not only respects Islamic tradition but also is aware of the challenges of the new era.