Between ethical questions and legal answers: a critically contextualised approach to textual readings concerning gender relations in Islam

By Sidi Usman Bhally

Amina Wadud(b1952), a scholar of the Quran, Islamic studies and a Muslim feminist declares a ‘gender jihad’ (Esposito,(2010),121) which challenges those literalists who construe the Quran as a misogynistic text by their reading of Q4:34. She advocates a holistic re-reading of all Quranic verses that specifically deal with rights of women and infer them in their correct historical and social context. It appears that in such an approach, some of these literalists make others perceive the Quran as an austere scripture and Islam as an overtly patriarchal religion, thereby alluding to the Quran’s alleged advocacy of gender discrimination. This dissertation does not deny that the Quran at times can be subjectively read, thus leading to gender relations that in the eyes of some observers can appear patriarchal in nature or that repressive cultural norms found in many Muslim societies often stem from an uncritical fidelity to what are presumed to be islamically endorsed strictures and norms. Rather, it will discuss how the risks attached to this subjectivity can be lessened via a contextualized reading of the Qur’an.

For this dissertation I will focus on verse 34 of Surah Nisa (probably one of .... (click here read more)