A Broader Passage by Leila Ahmed - Essay Example

A Broader Passage: A Response Paper The Leila Ahmed in her book A Broader Passage has discussed her experiences in understanding her cultural identity. The readers will find out that the author has marked an identity of an Egyptian during the post colonial era. The cultural politics have also embarked limitation on the narratives. It should be noted that the author has discussed the gender difference in this context as well. This makes it evident to note that the relationship between identity, power, narratives and politics is interrelated.

This paper aims to provide an address regarding the relationship between identity, narrative and politics within the context of Ahmed’s experiences during her long life development. Ahmed discusses the relationship between identity, culture and politics in an interrelated manner. For instance, at one point, the author notes that she was able to speak English which made her consider Arabic language as an inferior language. Being in Egypt, Islamic population was made weak as they have not been given a free hand to experience the rituals of world.

Ahmed notes that it is the politics that define the culture and identity of an individual. Egyptian politics have rather made people liable of expressing themselves in a sphere which does not allow complete liberty. In the case of women, this seems to be stricter as politics have embarked the role of women in Islamic states like Egypt to be fairly limited to their homes and nurture of family (Ahmed). It will not be incorrect to state that it is due to the lack of political liberty that people Islamic people are grouped with people from Africa and furthermore, they are termed as black people.

This greatly assures that the cultural identity of the Egyptian people have become faded with another in the western world. There needs to be political freedom for people in Egypt or Muslims in every part of the world which will help them to express themselves as a personality with a rich cultural background. By taking away the political liberty from the people, these political giants are more likely to contribute in the fading away of Islamic religion (Ahmed). Also, there is a possibility that people would be diminishing their presence in terms of identity and culture.

Consequently, this will send out a message to the world that Islamic population are not even aware of their cultural values and rituals because they do not express and practice it on a global level. In addition, people in the western world have formed a very difficult and complex view about Islamic population. Among Muslims, there needs to be a string motivation and attention to be provided to women in particular as they have the tendency to bring change in the society because they are not just accountable for their family nurture but their children who are considered as the future of Islam.

Herein, narratives play their part in accordance with cultural standing and political power (Ahmed). The readers will be able to note that Ahmed in her book discusses Islam as a religion of two wings as she experienced in Egypt. At one hand, she found out people to be extremely liberal, pacifist oral tradition while the other side of it has been authoritative in nature. She claims that the oral traditional have been a wing for woman to practice Islam. As reflective of the author’s experience in Cairo where she was trained by her grandmother.

She claims that she has been made aware of her strength by her grandmother and other women who helped her in understanding the true meanings of life. However, this oral tradition could not have been a reality concern since political power of the authoritarian wing of Islam has stopped women to have faith in their own ability. It has been noted that a number of critics have claimed that the assertions made by Ahmed her influenced as she was schooled in England and lived in Cairo. This fusion of culture and extreme exposure has made her look at Islam as two different wings (Ahmed).

The fact remains that women in Islam may be are not able to keep faith in their gender which makes them to often confuse their abilities and weaknesses when they travel abroad and are made liable to represent their cultural through their traits and identity. Overall, it can be said that the author Ahmed has well established the relationship between identities, politics within the context of culture and narratives. Works Cited Ahmed, L. A Broader Passage. San Francisco: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated, 1999. Print.