Muslim women have often been stereotyped in Westernized civilizations as heavily veiled women who do nothing but take care of the home and children. According to Camilla Fawzi El-Sohl's book titled Muslim Women's Choices: Religious Belief and Social Reality, this is simply no longer true regarding contemporary Muslim women. This concept of Muslim women may have been true in the past or even true for some groups in certain Muslim societies, but it has little relevance to understanding the daily lives of these Muslim women. Indonesia, with a population of over 238 million, has the largest Muslim population. Muslim women on Indonesia's many islands have been scrutinized in the media and other Westernized settings. To fully understand the concept of modern Muslim women, you should analyze the history of Indonesia, the history of Islam, and gender relations regarding Islam. After examining these aspects, delving deeper into how Muslim women are viewed in Westernized society and societies and also their specific role in society can provide a deeper insight into the misconceptions perpetuated today. Finally, paralleling these concepts in Indonesia with those of American Muslim women can fully support the ideas of Muslim women around the world. A proper understanding of these aspects can further delve into the ways of Muslim women and their effects on their country. Indonesia, according to Wikipedia, is officially called the Republic of Indonesia and is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is made up of 17,508 islands and thirty-three provinces. It is the most populous country in the world, with over 238 million inhabitants, and governs under a republic, with an elected legislature... middle of paper... has as many rights as men, but since women do not have equal opportunities it does not mean that they live with means that are inconvenient or wrong for them. The westernized portrayal of these women leads us to believe these views and although there is an ideology of ideal “Islamic women” (El-Sohl), they do not live in a completely controlled lifestyle and there is some flexibility. Works Cited El-Sohl, Camillia Fawzi. 1994. “Muslim Women's Choices: Religious Belief and Social Reality.” Providence, RI: Berg Publishers Ltd. Karim, Jamillah Asira. 2009. “American Muslim Women: Negotiating Race, Class, and Gender within the Ummah.” New York and London: New York University Press. "Indonesia". Wikipedia. Retrieved June 13, 2011 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia). "Islam". Wikipedia. Retrieved June 12, 2011 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam).