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The Cairo International Book Fair, currently underway until February 6, has denied Le Fennec Editions the opportunity to sell the Arabic translation of Fatema Mernissi's book «The Political Harem - the Prophet and the Women». The fair organizers deemed the book «offensive to the reader» and prohibited its sale at the publisher's stand, even though a poster advertising its availability was initially displayed.
Despite the ban, the book remains accessible for online purchase and in pirated electronic versions. However, Le Fennec's Arabic edition represents the only legal translation respecting the author's rights. Additionally, book fairs serve as the only avenue for showcasing the work in the Arab world due to the absence of Le Fennec distributors in the region.
«The lack of a distributor means book fairs are our only chance to connect with readers here», a Le Fennec representative at the fair told Yabiladi. «In Morocco, the book is distributed by Sochepress, and in France, it's available at the Institute of the Arab World. Similar bans have occurred in the Middle East before. Most recently, we were forbidden from selling it at a Saudi Arabia book fair».
Le Fennec publicly denounced the Cairo fair's decision, questioning the state of freedom of expression in the region. The publisher emphasized that they had submitted a complete list of planned publications beforehand, including «The Political Harem», as required for participation in both Riyadh and Cairo fairs.
Despite the ban, some copies of the book were sold during the fair's first week.
Landmark work challenging feminist & islamic discourse
«The Political Harem» is considered a pivotal work by Fatema Mernissi, even an «inaugural» text according to philosopher Abdou Filali-Ansary. He notes that the book established Mernissi as a leading contemporary Muslim thinker challenging interpretations and implementations of the Prophet's message that deviate from its essence.
Mernissi achieved this by conducting deep dives into traditional sources, setting aside rigid interpretations and conventions. Filali-Ansary commends the book's boldness and lack of evasion as it delves into the Prophet's relationship with women.
Throughout her career, Mernissi, known for her intellectual fight for women's rights in the Arab world, challenged numerous taboos through her writings. She became the first Moroccan woman to publish analyses on the Quran, hadiths, and fiqh in the 20th century, questioning theological interpretations that perpetuate gender inequality.
Born in Fez in 1940 and passing away in 2015, Mernissi studied sociology at Morocco's Mohammed V University, political science at the Sorbonne University in France, and eventually obtained her doctorate in the United States. She authored numerous influential books on Islamic feminism, including «Beyond the Veil: Sex as Social Engineering», «The Political Harem - the Prophet and Women», and «The Harem and the West», all considered foundational works for a new feminist discourse in the Arab world.
