A Comparative Study of the Foundations of Women's Empowerment in the Face of the Harms of Emerging Religious Movements in Islamic Teachings and Contemporary Western Theories

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PHD student, Faculty of Theology and Education,Ferdosi University, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, education, Faculty of Theology and Education, Ferdosi University, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, education, Faculty of Theology and Education, Ferdosi University, Mashhad, Iran

4 Associate Professor, Social Sciences, Literature and Humanities, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

New religious movements (NRMs), characterized by fluid identity structures, charismatic leadership, and affective–cognitive attraction mechanisms, have in recent decades emerged as a significant challenge to contemporary religiosity. Women, due to psychological and social needs such as the search for meaning, belonging, and emotional security, are more vulnerable than men to sectarian recruitment processes. This study aims to elucidate the Islamic foundations of women’s empowerment in confronting such vulnerabilities and to compare them with contemporary Western theories of self-efficacy and psychological empowerment. Employing a descriptive–analytical and comparative method, data were collected through library research of religious texts (the Qur’an and Hadith) and theoretical sources in psychology and the sociology of religion. Findings indicate that Islamic teachings ground women’s empowerment in three fundamental principles: inherent human dignity, rationality and individual responsibility, and monotheistic, meaning-oriented identity. These principles, by strengthening self-awareness, spiritual reliance, and reason, foster cognitive and psychological immunity against manipulative persuasion and unhealthy emotional dependency. In contrast, Western theories, while offering useful tools for enhancing agency and coping skills, fall short in explaining the deeper dimensions of religious attachment and spiritual resilience. Accordingly, the study proposes an integrative model based on Islamic foundations that, while selectively incorporating Western psychological insights, provides a comprehensive framework encompassing cognitive, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of women’s empowerment against the challenges posed by NRMs.

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References

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Military Psychology
Volume 17, Issue 2 - Serial Number 66
Serial number 66. Summer 2026
July 2026
Pages 131-156

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History

  • Receive Date: 08 June 2026
  • Revise Date: 20 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 14 July 2026

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