Feminist Edges of the Qur'an (Book report)
The title is a book by Aysha A. Hidayatullah and published by Oxford University Press. The following is a report of the book.[1]
Overview
• First comprehensive study of the field of feminist interpretation of the Qur'an
• First extended critique of the techniques of feminist interpretation of the Qur'an
Description
Aysha Hidayatullah presents the first comprehensive analysis of contemporary feminist interpretations of the Quran. Synthesizing prominent feminist readings of the Quran in the United States since the late twentieth century, she provides an essential introduction to this nascent field of Qur'anic scholarship and engages in a deep investigationas well as a radical critiqueof its methods and approaches. With a particular focus on feminist impasses in the Quranic text, she argues that many feminist interpretations rely on claims about feminist justice that are not fully supported by the text, and she proposes a major revision to their exegetical foundations. A provocative work of Muslim feminist theology, Feminist Edges of the Quran is a vital intervention in urgent conversations about women and the Quran.
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Part I
Historical Emergence of Feminist Qur'anic Interpretation
Chapter 1: History of Tafsir
Chapter 2: The Frames of Feminism
Chapter 3: Relationships to Co-Religionists and the State
Part II
Three Interpretive Methods of Feminist Qur'anic Interpretation
Chapter 4: Historical Contextualization Method
Chapter 5: Intra-Textual Method
Chapter 6: The Tawhidic Paradigm
Part III
Critiques of Feminist Qur'anic Interpretation
Chapter 7: Initial Conclusions
Chapter 8: A Critical Reassessment
Chapter 9: Confronting Feminist Edges
Appendix of Qur'anic Verses
Notes
Bibliography
Author Information
Aysha A. Hidayatullah, Assistant Professor, Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of San Francisco
Aysha A. Hidayatullah is Assistant Professor in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit Catholic institution where she teaches courses on Islam, gender, and race.
Reviews and Awards
"forays into scriptural interpretation, analyzes and critiques their assumptions and methods, and proposes strategies for moving past the aporias generated by existing exegetical approaches. Combining historical explication, lucid analysis, and theologically constructive critique, Feminist Edges of the Quran is a landmark contribution to scholarship and a must-read for anyone interested in gender, authority, and Islam." - Kecia Ali, author of Sexual Ethics and Islam
"This book is a comprehensive introduction to the American Islamic feminist debate." - Dorieke Molenaar, Sehepunkte