Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons
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Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, tsohuwar Gwendolyn Robinson, mataimakiyar farfesa ce a fannin addini a Jami'ar Florida,   inda ta yi bincike game da mata na Musulunci da kuma tasirin shari'ar Musulunci ga mata musulmi.Ta kasance mai fafutukar kare hakkin jama'a, tana aiki a matsayin memba na Kwamitin Gudanar da Haɗin Kai na Student (SNCC) da Nation of Islam (NOI).  Simmons ta karɓi manyan abokan tarayya,game da Fulbright Fellowship, USAID Fellowships, da Cibiyar Nazarin Gabas ta Amur Karen.

Kuruciya da ilimi 
An haifi Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons a Memphis, Tennessee, inda kakarta ta Baptist, Rhonda Bell Robinson ta girma.  Babbar jikanyar bawa, Simmons ta girma tare da sanin tarihin danginta da kuma hanyoyin da bauta da abubuwan da suka shafe ta.  Iyalinta suna daraja ta kuma suna ƙarfafa ta don neman ilimi, kuma ta zama ta farko a cikin danginta da ta halarci . 

Simmons ta yi rajista a Kwalejin Spelman a 1962. Ba da daɗewa ba bayan ta fara darasi, shugaban ɗalibai ya kira ta,wanda ya ɗauka cewa gashinta ya zama"abin kunya" ga makarantar da tsammanin dalibai su kasance "masu kyau."  Wannan zai zama ɗaya daga cikin rikice-rikice da yawa Simmons ta fuskanta tare da gwamnatin Spelman yayin da shigarta tare da gwagwarmayar ɗalibai ya fara karuwa.

A cikin 1989, Simmons ta kammala BA a Jami'ar Antioch,inda ta karanta Ayyukan Dan Adam.Ta ci gaba da karatu a Jami'ar Temple,inda ta sami MA da Ph.D. a addini tare da mayar da hankali kan Musulunci,da kuma takardar shaidar kammala karatun digiri a cikin karatun mata. Ta rubuta matsalarta a kan "Tasirin Zamani na Shari'a ga Rayuwar Mata a Jordan da Falasdinu."

Ƙaunar ɗalibi 
Simmons an yi wahayi zuwa gare ta don shiga cikin ƙungiyoyin 'yancin ɗan adam ta hanyar furofesoshi biyu, Staughton Lynd da Esta Seaton, waɗanda suka tsara tarihin gwagwarmayar Ba-Amurke. Har ila yau, masu tasiri a Simmons 'ƙara yunƙurin su ne Howard Zinn, Shugaban Sashen Tarihi na Spelman, Vincent Harding, da Rosemarie Freeny Harding, masu gudanarwa na Gidan Mennonite na Atlanta. Simmons ta fara aikin ta kai a hedkwatar Kwamitin Gudanar da Haɗin Kai (SNCC) da ke kusa tare da shugaban SNCC John Lewis, Sakataren zartarwa na SNCC James Forman, da ɗalibin Spelman Ruby Doris Smith-Robinson . Simmons ta yi taka tsantsan don shiga aikin ofis kawai,inda ba ta da yuwuwar jawo hankali daga danginta da kuma gwamnatin Spelman. Ta kuma shiga cikin kwamitin neman 'yancin ɗan adam tun da wuri lokacin da take a Spelman.

A cikin 1963, ta yi nasarar gudu don zama wakilin Spelman a kwamitin gudanarwa na SNCC. A farkon Janairu 1964, an kama Simmons tare da wasu ɗaliban Spelman don halartar zanga-zangar abincin rana a gidan cin abinci na Pickrick na Lester Maddox .Ta kwana a gidan yari kuma shugaban dalibai ya sake kiranta, wanda ya sanya ta a jarrabawar karatu saboda ta keta hani na Spelman na zanga-zangar 'yancin jama'a. Wannan bai hana Simmons shiga wani zama a wani gidan cin abinci na Krystal kwanaki ba, inda aka sake kama ta.  A wannan karon shugaban Spelman Manley ya tsawaita mata,kuma aka soke karatun ta. Dangane da waɗannan matakan ladabtarwa, abokai da ƴan'uwanmu masu zanga-zanga a duk faɗin Cibiyar Jami'ar Atlanta sun yi gangamin goyon bayan Simmons,tare da shirya tattaki zuwa gidan Shugaba Manley. Sakamakon haka,an bar Simmons ta ci gaba da zama a Spelman,ko da yake yana ƙarƙashin tsauraran gwaji. Simmons ta ci gaba da daukar darasi a lokacin bazara na 1964,kuma ta taimaka wa Staughton Lynd wajen haɓaka manhaja don aikin bazara na'Yanci na Mississippi mai zuwa da shirya kayayyaki don Jam'iyyar Democratic Freedom Democratic Party.

An haɗa shi da kayan bazara na 'Yanci da ƙarfafa ta 'yan'uwan ɗalibai, Staughton Lynd, da Vincent Harding, Simmons ta yanke shawarar ciyar da bazara na 1964 aikin sa kai tare da aikin 'Yancin Mississippi. Ma'aikatan Spelman sun sanar da dangin Simmons wannan shawarar, waɗanda ke tsoron amincin Simmons na aiki a yankin da aka sani da tashin hankalin Ku Klux Klan . Sun yi tsayuwar daka don hana ta fita, suka kawo ta gida suka sa baki daga SNCC. Ta hanyar musayar kuɗi na sirri daga SNCC, Simmons a ƙarshe ta sami damar tafiya zuwa Mississippi, wanda ya ba danginta mamaki. Duk da wannan rashin amincewa, Simmons ta yi tafiya zuwa Oxford, Ohio don daidaitawa, sannan ta wuce Mississippi. A Oxford, Simmons ta yi aiki a matsayin mai horar da ayyuka,tana aiki tare da Staughton Lynd a matsayinsa na darektan daidaitawa, da kuma Vincent Harding.

A Mississippi, an aika Simmons zuwa birnin Laurel a cikin gundumar Jones, yankin da ya shahara ga tashin hankalin Klan. A cikin wannan mahallin, Simmons ta ji tsoro don rayuwarta,a kai a kai tana fuskantar ƙiyayya da tsangwamar 'yan sanda .  Lokacin da aka tura darektan ayyukanta, Lester McKinney, gidan yari,an nada Simmons don maye gurbinsa,duk da rashin kwarewar shirya filin.Ta haka ta zama ɗaya daga cikin darektocin ayyukan bazara na Freedom Summer.A karkashin jagorancin Simmons, 'yan sa kai na Summer sun gudanar da Makarantar 'Yanci,sun buɗe kulawar rana,masu jefa ƙuri'a, da kuma kafa ɗakin karatu.

Hakkokin jama'a 
A ƙarshen Lokacin bazara, Simmons ta yanke shawarar zama a Laurel maimakon komawa Spelman.  Yayin da Simmons ke aiki a Laurel, ta zauna a kusa da birnin Hattiesburg, tunda Laurel yana da haɗari sosai don zama a ciki.Ta yi aiki a matsayin darektan makarantar 'yanci na aikin Laurel Mississippi na SNCC,yana kara haɓaka tsarin karatu don makarantun 'yanci.A matsayin matashiyar, baƙar fata,da shugabar mata a SNCC, Simmons ta fuskanci duka wariyar launin fata da jima'i . Ta kuma ji tsoron cin zarafin jima'i, saboda ita ce ke da alhakin gungun masu sa kai da galibi fararen fata ne kuma ta riga ta fuskanci cin zarafi yayin zamanta a Ohio.Don haka,ta ƙirƙiri wata manufa ta cin zarafin jima'i ga Laurel Project, wanda ta sanya wa suna"Amazon Project" manufar tana ɗaya daga cikin irinta na farko a SNCC.  A lokacin da take a Mississippi ne Simmons ta fara bayyana a matsayin mace .

A cikin 1965, bayan ta shafe watanni goma sha takwas a Laurel, Simmons ta koma Atlanta, saboda tashin hankali da ta gani.Bisa shawarar James Forman,ta huta daga shiryawa kuma ta yi aiki a matsayin mai tara kuɗi a ofishin SNCC na birnin New York.

Bayan shekara guda, Simmons ta koma gwagwarmaya a Kudu.A cikin 1966,an ɗauke ta aiki a matsayin mai ba da shawara a kan sabuwar kafa ta SNCC Atlanta Project tare da ɗan'uwan SNCC ɗan gwagwarmaya Bill Ware a unguwar Vine City .   The Atlanta  yayi aikin a farkon kungiyoyi magana na Black Power, mayar da hankali ga kokarin da siyasa motsi da kuma birane inganta. Simmons kuma ta ci gaba da aikinta tare da shirye-shiryen makarantar 'yanci tare da Aikin.   Simmons ta yi amfani da lokacinta akan Aikin Atlanta don kimanta dabarun ƙungiyoyin 'yancin ɗan adam da haɓaka ka'idodin farko na Black Power. Misali,ta taimaka wajen rubuta takardan matsayi na aikin akan Black Power, wanda ya zama mai kawo cece-kuce game da sharhinsa kan fararen fata na SNCC.

Simmons ta ɗauki baƙin ciki da yawa tare da masu shirya SNCC farar fata, waɗanda ta ji ba a mutunta ikonta kuma ta yi amfani da albarkatun wajen horar da su don yin aiki a cikin al'ummomin baƙi.Don haka ta ba da shawarar cewa farar fata su yi aiki a kan al'amurran da suka shafi adalci na launin fata a cikin al'ummomin fararen fata, inda za su iya aiki tare da masu shirya baƙi. Wadannan matakan, kamar yadda aka bayyana a cikin takardar matsayi na Black Power na aikin,sun kasance masu rikici kuma ba lallai ba ne su nuna ra'ayoyin shugabannin SNCC,ciki har da James Forman da shugaban bincike Jack Minnis . Simmons ta kuma bi sahun mata bakar fata masu fafutuka na SNCC wajen sukar karuwar alaka tsakanin bakaken fata da mata farare, wadanda aka dauka a matsayin kin mata bakar fata.

A lokacin da take a SNCC, Simmons ta fara jin Malcolm X akan rikodin kuma nan take ya jawo saƙonsa.Ta shiga kungiyar Nation of Islam (NOI) a hukumance a shekarar 1967 kuma ta musulunta.

Yayin da yake memba na NOI, Simmons kuma ta yi aiki a matsayin mai kula da yankin Midwest na Majalisar Matan Negro ta Kasa (NCNW) yayin da yake zaune a Chicago. Daga Chicago, Simmons da mijinta Michael Simmons sun koma New York,tare da shiga Masallacin Minista Louis Farrakhan na 7.

A cikin tunaninta na lokacin da ta yi tare da NOI, Simmons ta nuna rashin jin daɗinta da tsarin jinsi wanda ke tafiyar da iyakacin rawar da mata ke da shi a cikin tsari:

Simmons ta ci karo da koyarwar NOI kai tsaye ta hanyoyi da dama,alal misali,ta hanyar amfani da kariyar haihuwa duk da imanin shugaban NOI Iliya Muhammad, wanda ya kalli hana haihuwa a matsayin hari kan iyalai baƙar fata. Simmons ta kuma dena sanya rigar horar da 'yan mata musulmi da lullubi, inda ta zabi kada ta dagula yunkurinta na shiryawa da kalaman addini.

Sauran sukar Simmons da aka bayyana game da NOI sun shafi fifikon kuɗin da ke ɗora wa membobin matalauta nauyi,soja da matsayi na jinsi,da kuma amfani da hukunce-hukuncen jiki. Ta bar kungiyar a 1972.

Bincike da shawarwari na mata na Musulunci 
Tun daga shekara ta 1971, Simmons ta yi shekaru goma sha bakwai a matsayin almajiran Sufi Sheikh Muhammad Raheem Bawa Muhaiyaddeen,sanannen shugaban sufancin Musulunci.   Simmons ta sami sunan "Zoharah" daga Muhaiyaddeen.  Ta kasance ɗaya daga cikin ɗalibansa na farko na Amur Karen,  kuma ta kasance memba mai ƙwazo a cikin Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship da Masallaci. 

A matsayin wani ɓangare na aikinta a fannin ilimi, Simmons ta yi bincike game da tasirin Sharia na zamani akan mata musulmi a cikin al'ummomi daban-daban, tafiya zuwa Jordan, Masar, Falasdinu, da Siriya .Ta kuma zauna a Amman, Jordan,don gudanar da bincike don kammala karatunta na ilimi.

Koyarwarta a Jami'ar Florida ta shafi kabilanci,jinsi, da addini, musamman kan al'adun addini na Amurkawa da dangantakar mata da Musulunci. A cikin aikinta na yanzu,tana neman raba addinin Musulunci tare da fassarori daban-daban na al'adu, wani lokaci tana duba tarihi don tafsirin mantawa da watsi da su. Ta yi imanin cewa ta hanyar daidaiton jinsi ne kawai Musulunci zai iya samun nasarar bunkasuwa a Amurka,  kuma ta nuna rashin jin dadinta kan jahilcin al'ummomin musulmin Amurka na kungiyar mata ta Musulunci.  Har ila yau,ta yi imanin cewa addinin mata na Musulunci yana tunawa da mutunta mata da aka bayyana a cikin Alqur'ani da kuma koyarwar Annabi Muhammad (S A w)da aka manta da su a cikin fassarar zamani. 

Rubuce-rubucenta kuma sun yi magana game da batutuwan da ke fuskantar Amurkawa na Afirka,kamar juna biyu na matasa,da kuma manyan abubuwan da suka shafi rashin adalcin duniya na uku .

Rayuwa ta sirri 
Simmons ta kulla alaƙar soyayya da Michael Simmons, ɗan'uwan mai shirya ayyukan Atlanta,bayan ya ɗauke shi aiki a 1965 don yin aiki a yaƙin neman zaɓe na Julian Bond na kujerar majalisar dokokin jihar Georgia. An bukaci ma'auratan da su yi aure bayan sun shiga cikin al'ummar Islama don ci gaba da rayuwa tare. 

Suna da 'ya daya, Aishah Shahidah Simmons, wacce ta kasance mai shirya fina-finai na mata.  Dukansu Simmons da 'yarta sun yi magana game da abubuwan da Aishah ta fuskanta game da fyade da lalata.

Rubuce-rubuce 

 "Kokarin kare 'Yancin Mata Musulmi - Kafin da Bayan Beijing," Jami'ar Syracuse Press (2000)
 "Racism in Higher Education," Jami'ar Florida Journal of Law and Public Policy (2002)
 "Shin mun kai ga kalubale? Bukatar sake yin oda mai tsattsauran ra'ayi na maganganun Musulunci akan mata," Oneworld Publications (2003)
 "Musulunci na Ba'amurke a matsayin Bayyanar Bangaskiya ta Addini da Mafarki da Mafarki na Kasa," Jami'ar Texas Press (2006)
 "Daga Musulmai a Amurka zuwa Musulman Amurka," Journal of Islamic Law and Culture (2008)
 "Mama ta gaya mini kada in tafi," Pearson Prentice Hall (2008)
 "Martin Luther King Jr. Ya Sake Ziyara: Ƙwararrun Ƙwararrun Ƙwararru na Ƙarƙashin  Ƙaƙwalwar Mata (2008)
 "Daga Little Memphis Girl zuwa Mississippi Amazon," Jami'ar Illinois Press'' (2010)

Manazarta 

Haifaffun 1944
Rayayyun mutane