Siti Musdah Mulia facts for kids
Siti Musdah Mulia (born 1958) is an Indonesian activist who champions women's rights. She is also a professor of religion. Siti Musdah Mulia was the first woman to become a research professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences. Today, she teaches about Islamic political ideas at Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University.
Since 2007, Musdah has led the Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace. This group works to encourage different religions to talk and understand each other in Indonesia. She also used to be the director of the Megawati Institute. This was a special research group started by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri.
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Early Life and Education
Musdah was born in Bone, South Sulawesi, in 1958. She grew up in a Muslim family that followed traditional ways. Her father was a local Islamic leader. Her mother was the first girl from her village to finish an Islamic school.
In 1997, Musdah made history. She became the first woman to earn a PhD in Islamic thought from Syarif Hidayatullah Islamic State University.
Career Highlights
From 1999 to 2007, Musdah worked as a senior advisor. She served at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. During this time, she helped create a new legal plan in 2004. This plan aimed to change Indonesia's Islamic legal code.
Musdah suggested important changes. She wanted to stop child marriage and polygamy (when one person is married to more than one person). She also wanted to allow people of different faiths to marry. However, this new plan was not put into law. There were strong protests against it.
From 2000 to 2005, she led the research part of the Council of Indonesian Ulema. This council is a group of Islamic scholars.
Important Books and Ideas
Musdah has written several books. These books share her ideas about Islam and fairness.
- Islam Criticises Polygamy (2003)
- The Reformist Muslimah's Encyclopedia: Essence of Ideas for Reinterpretation and Action (2004)
- Islam and the Inspiration of Gender Equality (2005)
In 2020, she released an updated version of Reformist Muslimah.
Musdah holds modern views on Islamic topics. She believes that women do not have to wear the hijab. She also supports fairness for all people, including LGBTQ+ individuals. Musdah has stated that polygamy is considered haram, meaning it is forbidden in Islam. She also believes that Muslim women should be able to understand and explain Islamic teachings themselves. She thinks women can become ulama, which are religious scholars.
Awards and Recognition
Musdah has received important awards for her work.
- In 2007, she received the International Women of Courage Award. This award came from the United States government.
- In 2008, she won the Yap Thiam Hien Human Rights Award. This award recognized her efforts to encourage discussion and acceptance within Islam.
See also
In Spanish: Siti Musdah Mulia para niños
