DECONSTRUCTING SOCIAL REFORMATION: AN ISLAMIC FEMINIST CRITIQUE OF MUHAMMAD HANIF’S A CASE OF EXPLODING MANGOS

Abstract

The current research deconstructs the social reforms of Zia’s regime, depicted in Muhammad Hanif's A Case of Exploding Mangoes, notably the burning issue of Zinab’s stoning, which created chaos and unwanted debate. In contrast, the majority of the scholars are reluctant to reflect on the issue, leaving room for more vigilant and effective lenses to redress the matter, which is the central part of this research. The current study is qualitative. It focuses on an in-depth textual analysis of Muhammad Hanif’s A Case of Exploding Mangoes, which is also based on close reading and reading carefully rather than quickly, while Saad Al Sadhwi and Azhar Nafisi’s reflection of Islamic feminism with other Islamic teachings in the said have been used as the theoretical framework. In the research, Zinab’s case of rape has been re-evaluated with foremost and central references from the genesis of religion. It is found that rape cases or adulterous acts need more careful investigation beyond the witnesses, which also need materials grounds. In Zinab’s case, only one aspect has been redressed that is neither incorporated by the writer with expanded references from Islamic teaching for the said case nor Zia’s regime provided an effective and transparent investigation; if Zia could, the issue would not have been implicated as an unjust decision that can be deconstructed as the missing lenses or lack of exposition to Islamic teaching, was the primary factor at the time of the decision, though, the fact of dictatorial power was prominent that kept people zipped to remain silent to promote social reformation through Islam.