Resources

The WISE Compact is an encapsulation of the principles and mission of WISE. This document ties together the WISE network and serves as a common manifesto that guides each woman in their work. The principles in the Compact are grounded in Islam (and the Maqasid al-Shari'a specifically) which point to a series of rights for all Muslim women, as well as a collective commitment to struggle for these rights together as the WISE community. The WISE Compact Toolbox provides women with a set of tools and resources including examples of textual evidence and initiatives being taken by Muslim women around the world to protect and promote each principle in the Compact.

WISE Compact

We, the women of WISE (Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality), declare gender equality to be an intrinsic part of the Islamic faith. As Muslims, we affirm our conviction that the Muslim woman is worthy of respect and dignity, that as a legal individual, spiritual being, social person, responsible agent, free citizen, and servant of God, she holds fundamentally equal rights to exercise her abilities and talents in all areas of human activity. Furthermore, we insist that these rights are embedded within the Qur’an and six objectives of Shari’a—the protection and promotion of religion (al-din), life (al-nafs), mind (al-‘aql), family (al-nasl), wealth (al-mal), and dignity (al-‘ird).

As WISE women, we embrace our collective and individual responsibility to work towards building a unified change movement of Muslim women – driven by compassion and justice – that will enable Muslim women to realize their full potential as individuals and in relationship to family, community, nation, and globe.