Women in the Qur'An, Traditions, and Interpretation

Rating:
Summary: A Thorough Study, Wonderfully Written
Review: ...This title is incredible. I was very pleased with Stowasser's treatment of this sensitive issue. She has done an incredible amount of research in her own pursuit of understanding the role of women in Islam. I have come to the following conclusion based upon my own research, which benefitted greatly from her study. There is no role for women in Islam except the role that society develops for them. Women are not pegs that can be moved around on a board. They should be a part of the society, and frankly, Islamic tradition has not afforded them this right regardless of the many isolated instances cited by apologetic Muslims as 'proof' that women shared some equality with men. If women are not a part of the debate, then they are defined by men- and men, for the most part, would love to have their women bare-foot and pregnant. Or in the tradition of Islam, face-veiled and on house arrest. While I don't agree that this position is sustainable in the light of a critical approach to the sources of Islam, I do acknowledge that men interpreted these sources to suit what that they saw as needs. I don't take an ahistorical approach, but I acknowledge the historicity of the tradition itself. I don't support what Ibrahim Musa calls "Hermeneutic acrobatics" in the interpretation of the sources, but a fair-minded approach to the historicity of the revelation itself. Barbara Stowasser's research leads me to this conclusion because there was not a significant change in the social role for women except that the structure of lineage was clearly defined and regulated by the legislation of the Qur'an. Many women went on to be neglected, and the power hierarchies continues to exists, however transformed they might have been.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: What an amazing piece of work! So informative! Again it make syou look a the religous texts froma different angle!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: What an amazing piece of work! So informative! Again it make syou look a the religous texts froma different angle!