Another one of the common misconceptions is that Muslim women are being oppressed because of their religion that is said to be one of strict patriarchal hierarchy. This can been seen in many instances in A Palace Walk: Amina and her daughter not being allowed out of the house, Amina having to run everything by her husband for approval, and Amina having to wear the wrap and veil on her secret excursion to the temple. These very things that Amina and her daughters deal with are just some of the main concerns of Western Feminist in regards the treatment of women in Arab Muslim culture. A particular topic of debate would be the veiling and wearing of a hijab, Khimar, or a Burka, all of which are worn in various parts of the world by Muslim women.
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Amina and her daughters are especially easy to argue for as Al-Sayyid Ahmad is constantly watching their every move and keeping them in check. Amina is not allowed outside of the house unless it is to visit her mother and only then can she go with the escort of her husband (al-Sayyid Ahmad). The daughters, Aisha and Khadija, are also not allowed out of the house and must wait on the approval of their father if a suitor comes along to marry them. Even the sons, Yasin, Fahmy, and Kamal cannot escape the ever-watchful eyes of their father and face the wrath of his anger on occasions. The continuous presences of al-Sayyid Ahmad cause for secret activities and constant fear of having to deal with a said tyrannical father figure. This seems to be the picture perfect family setting that modern Western feminist are worried about when it comes to women who practice the Muslim faith in the Middle East and other regions. However, one must take a step back to look at the historical period and cultural context in which the novel was written to fully understand the al-Sayyid Ahmad’s true nature to his family. A Palace Walk takes place just after World War I and ends right about the time of the Nationalist movement in Cairo, Egypt. There was much political unrest during this time and going out on the streets could be dangerous for anyone and British soldiers took in even al-Sayyid Ahmad himself with many other men to build a deep trench that was to block the road (Mahfouz 446). Fahmy, the second youngest son, was even shot in a peaceful demonstration done by what were called the “freedom brothers.” Not to mention that during this time the women were still expects to uphold the strict laws held up by the government who misconstrued the Qur’an to keep women in their place. There was not a major women’s movement till about the 1950s when the National Charter was approved by
Amina and her daughters are especially easy to argue for as Al-Sayyid Ahmad is constantly watching their every move and keeping them in check. Amina is not allowed outside of the house unless it is to visit her mother and only then can she go with the escort of her husband (al-Sayyid Ahmad). The daughters, Aisha and Khadija, are also not allowed out of the house and must wait on the approval of their father if a suitor comes along to marry them. Even the sons, Yasin, Fahmy, and Kamal cannot escape the ever-watchful eyes of their father and face the wrath of his anger on occasions. The continuous presences of al-Sayyid Ahmad cause for secret activities and constant fear of having to deal with a said tyrannical father figure. This seems to be the picture perfect family setting that modern Western feminist are worried about when it comes to women who practice the Muslim faith in the Middle East and other regions. However, one must take a step back to look at the historical period and cultural context in which the novel was written to fully understand the al-Sayyid Ahmad’s true nature to his family. A Palace Walk takes place just after World War I and ends right about the time of the Nationalist movement in Cairo, Egypt. There was much political unrest during this time and going out on the streets could be dangerous for anyone and British soldiers took in even al-Sayyid Ahmad himself with many other men to build a deep trench that was to block the road (Mahfouz 446). Fahmy, the second youngest son, was even shot in a peaceful demonstration done by what were called the “freedom brothers.” Not to mention that during this time the women were still expects to uphold the strict laws held up by the government who misconstrued the Qur’an to keep women in their place. There was not a major women’s movement till about the 1950s when the National Charter was approved by