Qur.an And Woman: Rereading The Sacred Text From A Woman's Perspective
By Amina Wadud (Paperback, 1999)

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Fourteen centuries of Islamic thought have produced a legacy of interpretive readings of the Qu'ran written almost entirely by men Now with Qu'ran & Woman Amina Wadud provides a first interpretive reading by a woman a reading which validates the female voice in the Qu'ran & brings it out of the shadows Muslim progressives have long argued that it is not the religion but patriarchal interpretation & implementation of the Qu'ran that have kept women oppressed For many the way to reform is the reexamination & reinterpretation of religious texts Qu'ran & Woman contributes a gender inclusive reading to one of the most fundamental disciplines in Islamic thought Qu'ranic exegesis Wadud breaks down specific texts & key words which have been used to limit women's public & private role even to justify violence toward Muslim women revealing that their original meaning & context defy such interpretations What her analysis clarifies is the lack of gender bias precedence or prejudice in the essential language of the Qur'an Despite much Qu'ranic evidence about the significance of women gender reform in Muslim society has been stubbornly resisted Wadud's reading of the Qu'ran confirms womens equality & constitutes legitimate grounds for contesting the unequal treatment that women have experienced historically & continue to experience legally in Muslim communities The Qu'ran does not prescribe one timeless & unchanging social structure for men & women Wadud argues lucidly affirming that the Qu'ran holds greater possibilities for guiding human society to a more fulfilling & productive mutual collaboration between men & women than as yet attained by Muslims or non-Muslims