Overview

In an attempt to create a working prevalent theory about gender in Islam, this work deconstructs the religio-political writings and political practices of the nine Islamic ideologies of the 20th century who masterminded the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism - Hasan al-Banna, Abu al-'la al-Mawdudi, Sayyid Qutb, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ayatollah Mortaza Mutahhari, Zaynab al-Ghazali, Hasan al-Turabi, Rashid al-Ghannoushi, and Sheikh Hussein Fadlallah. It shows that although these ideologies have individual peculiarities, their consistent emphasis on the subordinate status of women in society and their relation to men constitute a vehicle for attaining political power. By examining the spectrum of 20th century Islamic fundamentalist discourse on the subordinate role of women, this work builds a bridge between political ideology and gender theory. It determines how the diversity of political, social, and economic domains within the discourse of the nine ideologies - male or female, Sunni or Shi'ite, radical or moderate - applies to gender relations, and whether their discourse is distinctive or remains within the classical or traditional mould of Islam.

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9780813026060

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Reviews

Lamia Shehadeh gathers so many loose threads, provides definitive answers, and offers bold analysis... from her deconstruction of significant Islamic texts and intelligent critique of these works. So far studies on Muslim women have oscillated between the apologetic and the titillating. This is a very focused piece produced by an expert on Islamic thought and Western gender theory as well. - Ghada Talhami, Lake Forest College

Author Information

Lamia Rustum Shehadeh is associate professor in the Civilization Sequence Program at the American University of Beirut. She is the editor of Women and War in Lebanon (UPF, 1999).

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