Transcript Islam, Women, and Gender Justice

Islam, Women, and
Gender Justice
Argument



The Quran and basic principles of Islam
support gender justice
But the patriarchal societies have diminished
gender justice
So, have to look carefully at teachings of Islam
and authorities to discern authentic vs.
inauthentic teachings
Justice
Justice is a central concept in Islam




includes retaliation
But higher ideal is benevolence and forgiveness
includes concern for weaker members of society
Yet the idea of justice can change with new
social situations


How? What does this say about religious truth?
Authority

Quran




divine and immutable
Normative teachings more important than
contextual teachings
Doesn’t anticipate all circumstances; as social
setting changes, people confront new dilemmas
NOTE: fundamentalists do not agree with the
author
Authority, cont.

Ahadith
Some spurious
 Divine or human?


Analogy (qiyas)


Scholarly consensus (ijma)


Human reasoning process
Whose consensus counts?
Ijtihad: solving problems without guidance of
Quran and ahadith
Shari’ah
Based on:

1.
2.
3.
4.



Quran (divinely inspired)
Ahadith or sunna (divine or human? Forgeries?)
Analogy (qiyas)
Consensus (ijma)
3 and 4 (and perhaps 2) are human; therefore they
can change
However, the Ulama present it as divine and
immutable (122)
So, change is difficult
Quranic teachings on women
Full support for sexual equality (124) in several verses
Distinguish between “is” (historical setting) and “ought”
(ideal, eternal principle)


orthodox don’t accept this distinction, treat all the same (not historical)

Rights of wife equal to her husband’s

can demand a divorce

Women can inherit property (half of what the son inherits)
Some Quranic teachings are concessions to context


Example: polygamy



limitation on how performed (widows and orphans only, to protect them,
only 4, must treat justly)
tension: Quran suggests it is difficult to fulfill the command to treat them
all justly
Questions

What rights should women have, in Engineer’s reading
of Islam?

Why does Islam suppress women’s rights, according to
his reading?

How can one discern between the “is” and the “ought”
in sacred teachings?

What are the dangers in emphasizing the historical
context of sacred teachings?
Questions, cont.

Why, as he claims, do those orthodox Muslims most
resist change in teachings on women, when they accept
change in other teachings (like money, property) (p.
123)?

How significant is it that Islam improved women’s
situation in the 7th and 8th centuries? Is that still
meaningful today?

Is it proper to distinguish spirit and letter in Quranic
interpretation?