Feminism, Tradition and Change in Contemporary Islam - Negotiating Islamic Law and Gender

An insightful study of the role of gender in establishing the limits of interpretation and flexibility in the Islamic tradition

The Islamic tradition has always been flexible, changing over time and constantly adapting to the different societies Muslims find themselves in. Few Muslims today would abide by the fatwa against the printing press under the Ottomans. Moreover, although Islamic law legislates for slavery and child marriage, only a vanishing minority of Muslims consider these practices acceptable today – and some will even argue that Islam never permitted them. Yet some issues, like the prohibition on female-led prayer and female interfaith marriage seem curiously impervious to change. Why is that? Through a mixture of interviews with ordinary Muslims in Texas and critical analysis of contemporary and historical scholarship, Shehnaz Haqqani demonstrates the gendered dimensions of change and negotiation in Islamic tradition. She argues that a reliance on a mostly-male scholarly consensus means that the ‘tradition’ preserves male privilege at the expense of justice for Muslim women.

About the author

Dr. Shehnaz Haqqani is an assistant professor at Mercer University and specialises in Islam, with a focus on gender and sexuality. She is a host of the podcast New Books Network.

Product details

• Authors: Shehnaz Haqqani
• Publisher: Oneworld
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.08.2024
• EAN: 9780861548408
• ISBN: 978-0-86154-840-8
• No. of pages: 400
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Religion/theology > Other religions; RELIGION / Islam / Rituals & Practice, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Feminism & Feminist Theory, RELIGION / Sexuality & Gender Studies, Islamic Studies, Islamic Law, Feminism & feminist theory, Feminism and feminist theory, Islamic Life & Practice, Relating to Islamic / Muslim people and groups, LAW / Islamic, Islamic life and practice, Shariah law