Believing Women in Islam: A Brief Introduction

by Asma Barlas, David Raeburn Finn

Is women's inequality supported by the Qur'an? Do men have the exclusive right to interpret Islam's holy scripture? In her best-selling book Believing Women in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur'an, Asma Barlas argues that, far from supporting male privilege, the Qur'an actually encourages the full equality of women and men. She explains why a handful of verses have been interpreted to favor men and shows how these same verses can be read in an egalitarian way that is fully supported by the text itself and compatible with the Qur'an's message that it is complete and self-consistent.

A Brief Introduction presents the arguments of Believing Women in a simplified way that will be accessible and inviting to general readers and undergraduate students. The authors focus primarily on the Qur'an's teachings about women and patriarchy. They show how traditional teachings about women's inferiority are not supported by the Qur'an but were products of patriarchal societies that used it to justify their existing religious and social structures. The authors' hope is that by understanding how patriarchal traditionalists have come to exercise so much authority in today's Islam, as well as by rereading some of the Qur'an's most controversial verses, adherents of the faith will learn to question patriarchal dogma and see that an egalitarian reading of the Qur'an is equally possible and, for myriad reasons, more plausible.

Genres: Islam, Nonfiction, Feminism

120 pages, Paperback

Published January 16, 2019

About the author

Asma Barlas (born 1950), is a Pakistani-American writer and academic. Her specialties include comparative and international politics, Islam and Qur'anic hermeneutics, and women's studies. Barlas was one of the first women to be inducted into the foreign service in 1976. Six years later, she was dismissed on the orders of General Zia ul Haq. She worked briefly as assistant editor of the opposition newspaper The Muslim before receiving political asylum in the United States in 1983. Barlas joined the politics department of Ithaca College in 1991. She was the founding director of the Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity for 12 years. She held Spinoza Chair in Philosophy at the University of Amsterdam in 2008.

Reviews

[Christy Bartel]

I read this book for my college course “Women and Politics” and learned so much!

In the Quran it is emphasized that God is not gendered (or called Father) because calling Him a He is not accurate or completely true. The Arabic language (and the English language) is limited so that God is addressed in that way, because “It” would not be appropriate. The author therefore posits that the Quran does not advocate for patriarchy. The first male and female were also believed to have been created from a non gendered being, meaning that women did not come from man but both were equal in creation.

The Quran also emphasizes that its verses should not be taken piecemeal, a word of advice I wish all Christians would listen to when examining our Bible.

I’d never heard of ahadith before, or supplemental texts that are accepted doctrine despite not being a part of the Quran. This reminded me a lot of certain church traditions, that while ancient and revered, don’t always have a direct root in the Bible.

Barlas emphasized that God could foresee a time when business women and single women exist, and that He is just and therefore would allow for their existence. To limit modern women based on 7th century Arabian traditions would be unjust. The wearing of the hijab was one example, one that Barlas argues doesn’t even mean to cover one’s head. She claims that it was a recommendation and not a law. This reminded me of the passage in 1 Corinthians when Paul says that women should cover their heads during worship. Few Christians uphold that recommendation, despite clinging to other recommendations of Paul.

I’m looking forward to reading more about this topic. I’m currently writing a research paper about women and the Christian church, so to learn that women of the Islamic faith are also discussing these things was very informative!

[Scrungle Gungle]

I won't assign a star rating given that this serves as a sort of introductory text for Believing Women in Islam, what I can comment though is its accessibility.

The book is extremely easy to peruse, clocking in under 150pgs, and while the chapters do vary in length - comparing chapter two and five for example - they are quite digestible. I will also say that along with the length, Asma Barlas and their co-writer David Raeburn Finn go through great effort to make the Arabic employed throughout understandable to those not proficient.

I think this serves as a great way to introduce readers into the larger work of Islamic Feminism in a digestible manner. If you like this, then the actual book is going to be your next stop alongside the bibliography provided at the end of this introduction.

[Z]

This book was very well written for the common person. Unfortunately, I am a man. But, I learned a lot from this book and it was written to be understood easily and was to the point. I did however, have to Google some words as my reading level is that of a middle school child from pretty much reading Captain Underpants books up until now. But, this book has given me a lot of debating points for my next argument with sexist Muslim men.

I urge every man and woman to read this book and understand how Islam has been ruined by men with sexist and patriarchal agendas overtime. And how when you read the Quran with an egalitarian (a new word I learned) lens, it is a beautiful book.

[delimatulis]

Have yet to make up my mind of her arguments (although this is the condensed version). She's a Quranist, for sure. A lot of her Quranic arguments are useful but most are borderline secular. Need to fact check with authentic sources.

[Nayema]

Both Asma Barlas and David Finn create compelling arguments towards an egalitarian interpretations of the Quran. Mainly specific versus surrounding the original sin of Eve, two for one witnesses when it comes to court dealings, the veil, and the ongoing patriarch agreements surrounding the Tafsir. I am definitely reading the subsequent book "Believing Women in Islam" after this epic introduction book!

[Asri Umniati]

This is a highly recommended book. I really enjoy reading how Asma Barlas and David Raeburn explicate the proof of God's knowledge of compassion for all subsequent humanity while still there is common traditionalist implying some verses in Quran as fixed religious meaning singularly addressed to the seventh century.

[Sajal]

If you've already read Asma's "Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur'an, then you'll be familiar with the content of this book. That being said, I'm glad I picked this up because it's made me curious to read the revised version of Believing Women.

[Tahmina]

Actually blew my mind

[Nyssa Sylvania]

This was a great introduction to the main book. I highly recommend it.

[Sadia Noor]

A very well-written Book. Good read.

[Shanon Brouillet]

I recommend it! The only two negatives are that it can be a hard read and a bit repetitive.