%0 Journal Article %T Gender and Sexuality in Islam: An Interface of Patriarchy, Religion and Customary Practices %A Sabiha Huassain %J Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies %D 2017 %X This paper discusses some of the dominant discourses on womenĄŻs body and sexuality besides other structural and institutional factors which impact on womenĄŻs sexual rights and sexuality and the interplay between these factors and Islam. Also the focus is on the way womenĄŻs sexuality is constructed in Islam through various interpretations of the text (QurĄŻan and hadith), and how the traditional/customary practices curb womenĄŻs body and sexuality. The paper also highlights the issues and challenges for womenĄŻs movement in Muslim countries in raising the issue of womenĄŻs sexuality and reproductive rights. These issues are important mainly for two reasons: firstly, the emergence of conservative forces using religion to curb womenĄŻs rights and secondly, cultural or customary practices are overriding the textual Islam and thus, depriving women of their rights. The paper is mainly based on secondary sources. %K [sexuality %K Female Genital Mutilation %K political Islam] %U https://www.ajouronline.com/index.php/AJHSS/article/view/4972