Gender and Islam

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that "Islam, Gender and Social Change" is a collection of essays about eleven case studies of Muslim women in various countries and includes the issues facing women outside the Middle East in Muslim areas such as Pakistan and the Philippines. The author relates that, in contrast to historians who argue that fundamentalist reinterpretations of the Koran are to blame for the repressive nature of Islam in many countries, Ahmed, author of "Women and Gender in Islam" argues that the repression of women dates back to the expansion of Mesopotamian law and that Muslim women have always used informal channels to obtain education and property. The paper relates that, instead of urging Islamic governments to change voluntarily, particularly in countries where religious and political authorities are one and the same, women and other activists should open communication and dialogue within the already-existing religious frameworks.

From the Paper:

"In addition to the individual country studies, the first three overview essays in this volume set the tone for the book. In the opening essay, Haddad chronicles the impact of the changing Arab world on the modern-day Muslim women. The second essay by Barbara Stowasser continues the contemporary approach by examining relevant passages from the Koran. Nadia Hijab's article, the final one in the first half of the book, is a comprehensive discussion of how international women's organizations work within and against the strictures of Islamic law. Through the overview essays and the individual case studies, "Islam, Gender, and Social Change" provides good analysis and glimpses into how women are striving to both live under and challenge the prevailing interpretations of Islam."

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