FROM SURVIVAL TO HOPE: FEMALE MORAL LEADERSHIP IN ZOULFA KATOUH’S AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20126011Keywords:
Hope, Islamic Feminism, Leila Ahmed, Moral Leadership, Pious Agency, Saba Mahmood, Zoulfa KatouhAbstract
This study explores female moral leadership in Zoulfa Katouh’s As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow (2022) during the Syrian Civil War. It also discusses Katouh’s portrayal of female moral leadership through the protagonist’s journey from survival to hope within an Islamic feminist framework. By using the perspectives of Leila Ahmed’s Women and Gender in Islam (1992) and Saba Mahmood’s Politics of Piety (2005), this research investigates moral strength and ethical agency constructed in spaces fractured by violence and displacement. Ahmed’s framework situates Salama within the discourse of Islamic feminism by reflecting her ethical conviction and social duty. Meanwhile, Mahmood’s notion of pious agency emphasizes Salama’s ethical actions, which are rooted in sacrifice and endurance. Both frameworks articulate leadership within a moral and communal paradigm. Through qualitative textual analysis, this paper argues that Katouh’s portrayal of Salama reclaims female leadership as an act of hope and moral courage, while challenging Western narratives that equate empowerment solely with resistance. The findings of the study suggest the significance of moral agency in times of crisis and contribute to contemporary discussions on women’s voices, ethics, and leadership within Eastern contexts.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Iqra Manzoor, Rimsha Saeed (Author)
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