Negotiating rights through transnational puritan networks: Religious discourses; cyber technology and Pakistani women

Introduction The formation of transnational networks among Muslims has its origin in the early period of Islam, through traders, pilgrims traveling for Hajj , missionaries and travelers. Often these networks have been dominated by urban-based men, close to the centre of power and authority and the nature of urban life and access to the outside world. These networks were somewhat elitist as inclusion was largely based on location, access to various avenues of religious authority or even material resources. The new networks can be viewed as a continuation of the early epoch though the dynamics are diverse due to the use of cyber technology: electronic media; audio-visual materials; and publication of texts for distribution (free of cost). These networks have enabled women and minority groups to participate, though it is too early to make a fi nal conclusion on whether such participation has reformed or revolutionized the contents of the message and purpose of these networks. This chapter will endeavor to trace the history of women’s socio-legal status in Pakistan and analyse the networks of Muslim women. It will also explore the current role played by two major networks, Al-Huda and Tableeghi Jamat , in negotiating women’s rights, and their impact on the communities and gender relations in Pakistan and the diaspora.