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A review by indahmarwan
"Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur'an by Asma Barlas
5.0
This is the first book in gender in Islam I finally managed to finish with the help of Sofia who organised the readalong with each week goal of one chapter. Every Sunday for 8 weeks, the group discussed what we thought or questioned about the book when reading it. It wasn’t an easy read indeed, so I was so happy to join each zoom call hearing others experience in comprehending Prof. Asma’s arguments and explanation. Those 8 Sunday’s are the best ones I had during this uncertain time.
I remember came across this book (the 1st ed) when a friend of mine sent his compilation of ebooks on women and Islam as I spoke to him about my dissertation of Islamic feminism. I ordered a copy from Amazon and I read a few first chapters but didn’t finish it.
When I did the readalong, I read the book from the start and I had awe moments with me for so many times. I decided to share the highlights of the first chapter in my instagram stories too.
I personally think in this book Professor Barlas successfully read the Quran in non-patriarchal interpretations. Earlier in the book, she defines what patriarchy in a narrow and a broad sense that makes her explanation through the rest of the chapters comprehensive.
What is different in the second edition of the book is it divided into three parts with two additional chapters.
I’m with @sofiareading that the most mind-blowing part of the book is when she offers a new perspective in reading Ibraham’s (AS) sacrifice story in the Quran. My favorite quote in which I think summarises the chapter is “in order for God’s will to be done, believers must submit to it voluntarily. And since God is not Father, one cannot view God’s rule (monotheism) as a divine surrogate for father’s rule (patriarchy).”
The last chapter is dedicated to respond to the critique she has faced since she published the first edition in which I think she used it to underline her position in the midst of secular/-feminism/liberal accusation to people who promote egalitarian readings of the Quran.
This is the kind of books I need to read twice (or more) to get the hang of it.
I remember came across this book (the 1st ed) when a friend of mine sent his compilation of ebooks on women and Islam as I spoke to him about my dissertation of Islamic feminism. I ordered a copy from Amazon and I read a few first chapters but didn’t finish it.
When I did the readalong, I read the book from the start and I had awe moments with me for so many times. I decided to share the highlights of the first chapter in my instagram stories too.
I personally think in this book Professor Barlas successfully read the Quran in non-patriarchal interpretations. Earlier in the book, she defines what patriarchy in a narrow and a broad sense that makes her explanation through the rest of the chapters comprehensive.
What is different in the second edition of the book is it divided into three parts with two additional chapters.
I’m with @sofiareading that the most mind-blowing part of the book is when she offers a new perspective in reading Ibraham’s (AS) sacrifice story in the Quran. My favorite quote in which I think summarises the chapter is “in order for God’s will to be done, believers must submit to it voluntarily. And since God is not Father, one cannot view God’s rule (monotheism) as a divine surrogate for father’s rule (patriarchy).”
The last chapter is dedicated to respond to the critique she has faced since she published the first edition in which I think she used it to underline her position in the midst of secular/-feminism/liberal accusation to people who promote egalitarian readings of the Quran.
This is the kind of books I need to read twice (or more) to get the hang of it.