Table of Contents
Acknowledgements vii
Note on Transliteration and Translation ix
Introduction 1
The Search: Out of This Dead End 2
The Making of Musawah 10
Conversations: Organization of the Book 12
1 The Issues at Stake: Shari'a, Justice, Gender Equality 21
Perspectives on Shari'a and Gender 22
Challenging Patriarchy: Three Precursors 30
Summary 48
2 Abdullahi An-Na'im 51
Personal, Spiritual and Intellectual Career 55
From Toward an Islamic Reformation to Islam and the Secular State 63
Shari'a and Fiqh: Language and Strategy 71
An Update 81
3 Amina wadud 85
Coming to Islam and the Qur'an 87
The Journey to Qur'an and Woman: Reading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective 93
Involvement in Activism, and the Tawhidic Paradigm 100
Leading a Mixed Prayer 103
An Evolving Relationship with Feminism 111
An Update 115
4 Asma Lamrabet 117
From Secular to Islamic Feminism 119
Evolving Relationship with Hijab, Khimar and Rabita 134
An Update 143
5 Khaled Abou El Fadl 149
Major Influences: Mother, Teachers and Grace 153
Reasoning with God 163
Implications for Gender Justice 168
An Update 176
6 Mohsen Kadivar 179
Becoming a Reformist Mujtahid 182
Reform Methodology: Structural Ijtihad 192
Implications for Gender Rights 198
7 Sedigheh Vasmaghi 209
Choosing to Study Fiqh 213
Rethinking Shari'a 218
Implications for Gender Equality 227
An Update 231
Conclusion: Looking Back to Look Forward 237
Bibliography 243
Index 253
