Customer Reviews

"Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Quran

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book by Asma is a liberating phenomenon for Muslims who have suffered from misinterpretation of the Quranic text. Beyond liberating women, Asma also shows the magnificence of Islam as a liberating religion for the human race. Translating this work to other languages, especially Arabic, should be a priority. The book's only setback is its academic language which will make it hard to follow by the layperson. I believe that a simplified version of the book will help spread its message to the masses. Thank you Asma.

This book is the most excellent attempt to explain and differentiate the inconsistencies that have led to large-scale mis-interpretation and abuse of Quranic precepts. Ms. Barlas has done a brilliant job in writing to both Muslims and Non-Muslims. To those of you who are eager to dismiss her as an 'apologist', this book is not meant to make excuses: it simply presents a very valid view point that is defensible, even in the most rigorous academic discourse.

Recognizing that men and women belong to a different sex
doesn't mean that they are unequal or that particular qualities can only be found in one sex.She offers a summary about where and when shariah was created and how the hadith were compiled. A few chapters of the book offer explanations on all of those verses that many Muslims and non Muslims read as saying that men are superior to women,polygamy, hijab, "wife beating", creation of man and woman, etc. However, I was surprised that she didn't cover the 2 women=1 male witness verse. Also, the problem with this book is that it is very hard to read. As a Muslim who knows a fair amount of information about Islam's history I still had trouble following her while she jumped around to various points in time and the vocabulary that's used.

I enjoyed reading the book. It was written after a detailed investigation about the religion of Islam and how God's revelations were interpreted over many centuries. It is clear from that book that Islam does not dictate the Arabic customs as the principles of Islam. God's ayets about women should be carefully read and interpreted, as this book has explained so. I see this book as a valuable contribution to humanity.

There's an old arabic saying, loosely translated, which says that the heart is a mirror.

Usually this is taken to mean that we love those who love us but here I'm reminded of the rendering because Dr. Barlas not only brought her considerable intellect to bear on her reading of Qur'an but from the text of her book it's also clear that she brought her heart along as well.

Though there are admittedly those who believe that their reading should stop at the end of tafsir (an extended qur'anic commentary completed around a thousand years ago) and the ahadith (or extra qur'anic sayings of the prophet which was also completed about a thousand years ago), that should not prevent those, like Barlas, who wish to continue to write and reflect with their hearts on Qur'an.

In this book, "Believing Women in Islam", Asma Barlas undertakes the awesome task of re-reading the Qur'an and developing the feminine exegesis that is missing from most modern and pre-modern ijtihad. Barlas deconstructs the misogyny that patriarchal entities have assigned to the Qur'an and continues the work of Amina Wadud in her re-reading of the Qur'an. Bestowing upon the Holy Qur'an the feminine voice and a feminine reading allows women to re-claim the text from patriarchal alimeen. Through Barlas's book, women can endeavor to discover and share the sacred feminine that is embodied within the Qur'an itself.

I give 5 stars to books that were life changing or else supremely entertaining. This book is one that helps turn tospy turvy archaic patriarchical ideas that may not really have had any palce in Islam in the first place.

Great book. Asma Barlas goes into the Qur'an and verses which are used to exploit women. She shows what the verses really mean.

Great book, of which not too many are written these days. She goes to the heart of all the important aspects of Quraan as well as being more balanced in her judgement. I was hesistant about reading this book as I felt it would potray a wrong image of Islam and the Quraan. Its a well known fact amongst muslim women that its not Islam that oppresses them BUT muslim men!

One major problem with the book was at times she makes sweeping jugments of Hadiths and their authors. Although I am sometimes critical of many hadiths that have gone mainstream I would certainly not discredit them with an off hand comment.

Overall an essential read for every muslim women trying to make sense of the Ummah and Shariah Law.

"Believing Women in Islam" is a must read for every individual, Muslim or non-Muslim, who labors under the misapprehension that God has spoken to the Muslims in patriarchal terms, or that Islam's holy book, the Qur'an, sanctions gender inequality. For Muslim women who already trust in their equal status before God, "Believing Women" is a tremendously satisfying read.

In thoughtful and convincing tones, Asma Barlas has rigorously examined and meticulously documented the radically egalitarian text of the Qur'an. Reminding us that the Qur'an itself instructs us to read it for its best meaning and in light of its thematic whole, Dr. Barlas turns misogynistic interpretations rather definitively on their head.

With this book, Dr. Barlas has performed an invaluable service to Muslim women and their struggle both within and outside of the Muslim community. Passage by passage, sometimes even word by word, she confronts patriarchal exegesis of the Qur'an and reclaims an egalitarian reading. Skeptics who argue that Islam in practice too often fails women, as well as those who sincerely believe in misogynistic interpretations of Islam will be hard-pressed to engage Dr. Barlas' argument on its own terms--in light of a Qur'anic framework and with the premise that, while people are fallible and often self-interested, God is infallible and always just.

As a Muslim woman, the journey through "Believing Women" was self-affirming and empowering. I also believe it would be of great value to my cherished and well-meaning non-Muslim friends and family who, in honest moments, no doubt still wonder how a feminist and an attorney like myself could convert to Islam.

For the same and sound reason many Muslims prefer that the Qur'an be interpreted and taught by Muslims, Muslim women have the right to hear their own voices in the ongoing discussion of what the Qur'an says about and to women. Dr. Barlas' book is an excellent place to start, and I urge everyone interested in Islam and women to buy this book.