Gender Egalitarian in Islam

Abstract

Women’s position is determined mainly by social practices. Theologically, Islam tends to assert the equality of the male and female while social structures create a distinction. To understand this paradox is to understand the essence of the Islamic philosophy of gender, which constructs roles from below, not from above. Even though Muslim women directly experience the consequences of oppressive misreading of religious texts, few question their legitimacy and fewer still have explored the liberatory aspects of the Qur’anic teachings. The same holds true for South Asian and many eastern societies. In the context of Islamic society: a) This study analyzes the contradiction between public conceptions of the ideals prescribed in the Holy Scriptures as to its implications for gender equity and development of society. b) It would focus on ways to popularize progressive interpretation in order to improve Muslim women’s status. The study is based on three sources of Islam: Qur’an, hadith, and writings of modern Muslim thinkers. Findings prove that it is not the revealed Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah that need revision. What need to be re-examined are fallible human interpretations and practices and the system of socialization and internalization so that proper ways of inducting new concepts and practices concurrent to the Islamic spirit are devised.