Religious Change Among Yemeni Women: The New Popularity of ‘Amr Khaled

While I was interviewing young, educated, employed Yemeni women regarding their religious practices, many conveyed to me that their favorite preacher was the charismatic Egyptian televangelist ‘Amr Khaled, whose show is broadcast in Sanaa and in many parts of the Middle East on a weekly basis. They also spoke of reluctance to take part in many of their mother’s communal religious practices and events. In this study I analyze the reasons for this generational change, and examine the impact of modernity and new forms of media, such as televangelism, on educated Yemeni women’s religious practices. Factors such as a newfound access to modern education, lack of time, fatigue with politics, and ‘Amr Khaled’s unique ability to reconcile tensions between tradition and modernity have contributed to his popularity among this group of Yemeni women.