This blog forms part of a series examining how different faith traditions embrace or reject the Divine Feminine in their teachings and representation of The Divine.
In part one, I reflect upon my own very masculine spiritual journey across Abrahamic traditions.
I look back at my childhood as a Christian and my conversion to Islam in my early 20s. I also discuss my interfaith exploration of the Jewish and Christian world as a post-Orthodox Liberal Muslim.
In this blog, I explore how the Divine Feminine is viewed across the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam).
In part three, I look at the representation of God and the Divine Feminine amongst the Dharmic faiths (Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism).
In part four, I highlight why the inclusion of the Divine Feminine is critically important, not simply in promoting spiritual inclusion, but embracing wider gender equality in sacred and secular spaces.
My trip to St. Melangell (Pennant Melangell) had been a meaningful one.
It had given me the time and space to reflect, pray and seek comfort in solitude during a major period of change in my life. But it also stirred much more.
It allowed me to reflect of who/what exactly God is, how we can seek and critically, embrace Him/Her.
God is our Creator, our Nurturer, the All Loving (Al Wadud). Just like St. Melangell, God too offers a womb of solace.
As a Muslim woman, I’ve also been on a long journey to feel confident and free in a progressive worldview. Yet this was still rather masculine up until my trip to Wales and before writing this blog.
For almost a decade, I typically found that the masculine narrative in my faith tradition dominates. For quite simple, there is often no mention of the Divine Feminine (least not in the circles I was in).
And so, as a Muslim woman, it was time to shake off old habits and re-embrace God for a more balanced, natural and beneficial experience of faith!
Between the divine and sacred: Islam’s forgotten femininity
In Islamic tradition, we learn that God is closest source of comfort to us:
“Indeed, it is We Who created humankind and fully know what their souls whisper to them, and We are closer to them than their jugular vein” (Qur’an, 50: 16)
Even in Orthodox spaces, this love and sense of closeness is compared to the relationship between a chid and one’s mother.
There’s actually a hadith that states:
“Verily, Allah created, on the same very day when He created the heavens and the earth, one hundred parts of mercy.
… and He out of this mercy endowed one part to the earth and it is because of this that the mother shows affection to her child…”
Yet, how often are we met with a masculine, patriarchal representation of God?
A God who judges, a God who punishes and a God that (apparently) creates as patriarchal set of rules for humanity – to the detriment of women?
Well, the Divine Feminine is not new in Islam – it’s just not voiced, taught or celebrated (as explained in part one of this series).
In Islamic history and Sufi tradition, the divine feminine has in fact always been present. But, not always embraced by Muslims.
Whilst the Sufi practice of sema (whirling) is a genderless ritual of becoming “at one with God”, God is generally very much represented as masculine across the Muslim world.
Today, whilst the Muslim community globally continues to refer to God as “He” in English (and the masculine “Huwa” in Arabic), change is however thankfully being called for!
Islamic feminists and scholars such as Amina Wadud (see part 1) and Professor Sa’diyya Shaikh are now actively incorporating the feminine pronoun “She” into the mix.
In her research, Professor Sa’diyya for example highlights explicit references to the Divine Feminine in Islamic history.
This includes those of thirteenth-century Muslim thinker Muhyi al-Din Ibn Arabi – a key figure in Sufi teachings:
“… one finds a distinctive and powerful poetics of creation, nurture, power, and spirituality that weaves together the earth, maternity, femininity, women, and the Divine Feminine. He states:
‘[The earth] gives all of the benefits from her essence [dhāt] and is the location [maḥall] of all good. Thus she is the most powerful [aʾazz] of the bodies… she is the patient [ṣabūr], the receptive one [qābila], the immutable one, the firm one… Whenever she moves from fearful awe of God, God secures her by means of (mountains as) anchors.
… it is the mother from whom we come and to whom we return. And from her we will come forth once again. To her we are submitted and entrusted. She is the most subtle of foundations [arkān] in meaning. She accepts density, darkness, and hardness only in order to conceal the treasures that God has entrusted to it.’
… Ibn Arabi unambiguously and explicitly links the earth to the divine… as the creative, benevolent, maternal source of the good…. He also brings into focus women’s procreative capacities and the Divine Feminine.
…by interweaving maternal, earthy, and generative qualities with the majestic attributes of strength, power, and immutability, Ibn Arabi urges… an integration and balance of what might be traditionally categorized as “masculine” and “feminine” attributes within the divine.”
These are not only very feminine descriptions but also a clear reference to the Qur’anic verse: “To God we belong, and to God we return” (2:156).
This is a fundamental source of reference to Muslims and to “the circle of life” itself.
And as Professor Sa’diyya also highlights, Ibn Arabi also uses traditionally feminine metaphors of pregnancy, childbirth to describe the origin of Creation.
This is in fact very much similar to my own personal journey of discovery of the Feminine Divine.
It was in my (male) friend Haroun (a native Arabic speaker) that first introduced me to the Divine Feminine in Islamic terms.
And it was exactly this reference that later rang true after visiting St. Melangell’s shrine.
In Islamic tradition, the most important chapter (surah) of the Qur’an is Surah al-Fatihah (The Opening). It’s the first chapter and is frequently repeated in daily ritual prayers.
One could perhaps compare it to the Lord’s Prayer in Christianity in terms of significance and meaning.
As Muslims, the wording in this prayer critically forms our understanding of God. Here, the first ayah (verse) declares:
“In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate (Al Rahman), the Most Merciful (Al Raheem)” (1:1)
The names Al-Rahman (The Most Compassionate) and Al-Raheem (The Most Merciful) in fact form two of the 99 Names of Allah.
And this fundamentally shapes how Muslims imagine and remember Allah: God (the Divine) is merciful and compassionate (above all others – e.g. humans).
However, as a non-native Arabic speaker myself, my friend explained how these two worlds hold an even deeper significance. For they share the same root “r-h-m” (“caring”/”mercy”) as the word “rahm” – meaning “womb”.
The womb – a gift from God for women to nurture life – is a beautiful description of a feminine divine that loves, nurtures and cares for us. This is in total contrast to perpetuating “masculine” traits of a judging, punishing, powerful “God”.
And it was in St. Melangell that I learnt of a woman who spent her life nurturing and loving for others in pursuit of God. I felt that energy in her shrine – a cubby, a mini womb: a sanctuary.
It was a wake-up moment: God is so much more than man-made masculine narratives.
As one male scholar so clearly expresses:
“…there is an ample space for Divine Feminine in Islam or Sufism, if not in the mainstream Sunni or Shia Islam’s conventional schools of thought. Not just the feminine descriptions but also clear Qur’anic references…”
And for that the work of Muslims, both male and critically also female scholars such as Dr Amina Wadud and Professor Sa’diyya Shaikh, is critical.
We need to embrace the Divine Feminine for a far more balanced approach to faith – and consequently, life.
Since exploring this blog series, I’ve taken to writing “She” more when referencing the Divine – in particular when thinking of Islamic tradition and imagining Allah’s qualities.
So, there’s room in Islam. But what does this mean for my childhood faith which introduced me to a male lens of divinity?
Well, there’s more of the Divine Feminine than I expected!
The Virgin Mary and Jesus: a very feminine pairing
Whilst my childhood experience as an Anglican was (on the surface) very masculine in reference to God, there is in fact a space for the Divine Feminine in the Christian world.
As my friend Matt (an Anglican familiar with the wide range of Christian denominations) pointed out: Jesus does appear as a male figure.
However, he presents a very feminine energy.
He’s a representation of love, forgiveness, and mercy. And those around him at the very end are all women.
It’s true! The New Testament is full of feminine representations of Jesus.
His comforting nature, compassion, determination (labouring), nurturing and perhaps “mother hen” all provide a very female image of God through Jesus.
And it was this sense of love in faith that I felt in Taizé – a Catholic community in France with both Catholic and Protestant roots.
The repeated chants reminded me of my school days and felt warm, inclusive and all-embracing (as well as nostalgic)!
In the Catholic world in fact, there is a reverence for a Divine Feminine – albeit being known as a patriarchal tradition.
The figure of the Virgin Mary for example is revered by Catholics all over the world.
Far more significant in Catholicism than in my own Anglican heritage, Mary is the ultimate symbol of the feminine: the “mother” of Jesus.
It’s something that fellow blogger Matt has embraced, for “whilst Christ demonstrates man of God’s male attributes, surely Mary reminds us of His female ones”.
To some, Her Lady is indeed a representation of the Divine Feminine, which has formed part of Matt’s journey of embracing the Divine Feminine as an (Anglican) Christian:
“[Catholicism] … was a religion often derided as being overly masculine (for example with an only male priesthood) that introduced me to female divinity.
And as the years have passed, I have grown to love that all the more…
Perhaps the most lasting impact though of my Catholic journey, has been the introduction of Mary into my spiritual life.
I wrote before that I found Marian devotion strange at first, but as the years have progressed, I have grown more comfortable with her presence and seeing God in female form.
The world is male and female, yin and yang and one half needs the other.”
The concept of Mary as the “feminine face of God” – as opposed to the very masculine “King”, “Lord” and “Father” – has however been denounced in certain Catholic spaces.
On a personal level too, until recently, I still perceived the portrayal of the Virgin Mary as one typical of a patriarchal society (e.g. as the ultimate symbol of “purity” and non-sexuality) – regardless of her endearing (feminine) qualities.
However, whilst Mary is typical of a gender role, my view has changed quite drastically.
Both my trip to Wales and writing this series of blogs has allowed me to reflect on the Divine Feminine in many ways – across time and traditions.
Growing up as a Christian, I have been increasingly reconnecting to my Christian heritage, which in my more conservative days I grew distant from.
On both a cultural and spiritual level, I now find solace in the statues of Mary I find in churches. I tap into the Feminine and I find solace in embracing a more balanced view of the Divine.
In such moments, spaces and practices, I’m taken back to my childhood (a tradition not far from my own as a Muslim) – a place of belonging, comfort and love.
I’m also and comforted by the reminder that, whilst my own mother has passed, God is with me.
And whilst God is not human (and neither a He or She), God’s Love for me is All Encompassing – for He/She blessed my parents with my birth, and likewise my life with a loving mother and father.
Yes, in Christian tradition the Divine Feminine exists – it’s not a new concept!
It can also be found in the Trinity, with some Catholic sects acknowledging the Holy Spirit as feminine.
Biblical scholar Marianne Widmalm in fact talks extensively about “Lady Wisdom” – a “personified heavenly female power” and it’s relation the Holy Spirit.
Holy Wisdom – “Sofia” – known as the “mother of Hope, Faith and Love (or Charity)” in early Christian tradition, is embraced in both Catholic and Orthodox traditions.
Traditions dating back to the 16th century even believed that Mary is the “earthly incarnation of Sophia”.
Marianne today argues that the Divine Feminine is ignored in Christianity, expressing how Lady Wisdom and the Holy Spirit are in fact one divine feminine force.
Whilst the Trinity is typically presented as a masculine concept, Marianne explains how the original Hebrew is in fact feminine.
And when it comes to Hebrew, we’re met with another Abrahamic tradition: Judaism.
So, how does the Jewish world represent God in its theology? Well, read on!
God in the Jewish tradition: between traditionalism, mysticism and modern feminism
Spending time with female Rabbis and learning about important female figures (such as Esther in the Purim story), I’ve seen the celebration and role of women in Jewish tradition.
Likewise, I’ve also learnt of a similar spiritual struggle for space, leadership and acceptance in more Orthodox spaces.
But what about the feminine divine in the Jewish world? How is God portrayed in Jewish teachings?
Well, very much like Islam, God in Judaism is genderless and not presented in a visual human form. Here, both faiths share a love of calligraphy – and very beautiful it is!
Yet, what about the text itself?
Well, again, there is a traditional “masculine” sense of God, as a divine “King”. The Hebrew Bible and Siddurim (prayer books) both traditionally refer to God as “He”.
So where does this leave Jewish women? Well, there’s not one answer!
Speaking for example to Rabbi Jackie Tabick of Reform Judaism here in the UK – whom I’ve enjoyed learning about Judaism for many years now – the Divine Feminine simply isn’t an issue:
“…to me God is wholly other so The Divine Feminine and gender issues are irrelevant. They just don’t concern me.”
Similar to the Muslim world, where a close friend of mine didn’t see the need to replace “He” with “She”, it’s quite a personal preference.
Likewise, another Jewish friend of mine, Doreen Samuels (Orthodox) also expressed how for her: “equality for us is much more about participation than language….”
And it’s true. This spiritual struggle is ultimately about value, inclusion about participation of women, not just changing texts.
And that’s exactly why for women like myself and Jewish feminists, the language DOES need to change. For it forms part of the wider egalitarian picture – not just the only piece.
Just like myself and likeminded thinkers in the Muslim world, there are also Jewish feminists who would also like to see a more balanced set of attributes to describe the divine.
Now, for traditionalists, changing language would alter dynamics. Why?
Well, in their view, they see the relationship between God and the Believer as akin to (the journey of) marriage.
The Song of Songs for example embodies this relationship. They are read on major festivals, and whilst usually chanted during Passover, some Sephardic and Chasidic Jews following the mystical tradition recite this each week on the night of Shabbat “as Shabbat serves as a renewal of loving vows between God and the Jewish People.”
In this journey of marriage, the festival of Sukkot as the consummation of said marriage.
Here, God is masculine and the Jewish people are the feminine, whilst also acknowledging a feminine aspect of divine:
“…all souls of Israel together is the Shabbat Queen, who is also the Shekhinah (feminine aspect of the Divine), who unites with her husband, G-d, on Shabbat.”
Whilst marriage should embrace a clear sense of love, nurturing and belonging (stereotypically “feminine” traits), it still presents a very male-to-female dynamic.
Marriage itself is often seen a patriarchal model and therefore some feminist writers reject this sense of Divine/human marriage.
Modern theologians have therefore instead interpreted texts to include a more divine feminine experience. The Kabbalistic concept of “Shekinah” has also been embraced by Jewish feminists.
Tracing its roots back to Jewish mysticism, Shekinah refers to the “divine feminine, or to the feminine aspect of God — God as mother, nurturer, protector and compassionate one”.
The term derives from the root r-h-m in Hebrew meaning “dwell” and “compassion”. And it shares the same link of compassion and mercy with the concept of “womb” as the Arabic in Islam!
In Judaism, the term is found throughout early rabbinic literature, referring to: “God’s presence among the people”, with no association to gender.
Fast forward to the modern day, Jewish feminists have since embraced this concept to counteract “prevailing masculine notions of God as king, father and judge”.
This includes people such as Kohenet (Priestess) Rachel Rose Reid, whom I’ve had the pleasure of listening to at storytelling events on several occasions.
Rachel, who co-founded the organisation Yelala with fellow Priestess Kohenet Yael Tischler, is promoting the Divine Feminine in Judaism to step away from masculine traditions:
“I like to think of the Divine as encompassing all genders, as well as being capable of surpassing all of them.
In Jewish sacred text and liturgy, there has been a dominant use of “He”, which can make some Jewish people feel like that is the ‘correct’ pronoun for God.
The use of multiple pronouns can feel for some like some form of polytheism, but that’s only if you think the Divine is somehow finite and confined on the matter of gender.
In our sacred texts there are a plethora of beautiful poetic descriptions of the Divine not just as mother, and as womb, but also as apple orchard, silkworm, gazelle, shadow, rock, a nursing child, and a rose.
The poets have tried so hard to reach for the Infinite with our limited language.
It is important for us all to feel that we are in the image of the Divine, since our sacred texts tell us this is the case.
Our sense of self should be buoyed by the knowledge that we, too, are a reflection of the One.”
(Rachel Rose Reid)
Through Yelala, Rachel and Yael are both creating and running a constellation of projects designed to help people connect with their women/femme/folk Jewish ancestors, as well as the Earth and the Divine Feminine in Jewish tradition.
Likewise, Kohenet Ketzirah Lesser (ordained from the same organization as Rachel and Yael from Yelala) has dedicated her work to embracing the Feminine Divine.
This critically includes the linguistic shift required to step away from male-dominated views of God:
“Even in traditional Judaism, if you ask, people will tell you that G!d/dess is neither male nor female. They will explain that Hebrew is a gendered language and so it’s just a grammatical thing.
But if you try to pray in feminine G!d/dess language (in Hebrew or English) reactions range from pleasant surprise to shock to horror and anger.
I was taught once, I wish I could remember by who, that the first five of the ten utterances (aka the Ten Commandments) relate to humanity’s relationship with the Divine and the other half humanity’s relationship to each other.
That means that ‘honour your father and mother’ is on the side of humanity’s relationship to the Divine. So I intentionally pray in feminine G!d/dess language in Hebrew and English to help bring balance and honour all aspects of G!d/dess.”
(Kohenet Ketzirah Lesser)
Language matters and that’s why Ketzirah hasn’t just been adopting feminine language in her personal worship, but also producing artwork to raise awareness and celebrate the Divine Feminine in the Jewish world.
It’s a critical linguistic (and visual shift) – just as we’ve seen in the Islamic and Christian traditions. Yes, feminism does indeed unite us all!
There is much needed room for the Divine Feminine in the Abrahamic world, as we’re witnessing from religious leaders and scholars alike.
But what about the Dharmic faiths? How do they present God? And how does this reflect upon the lived experiences of women?
Well, find out in part three, where I look at Sikhism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
This post was originally published on Voice of Salam.