Women in Islam/from Medieval to Modern Times [Paperback]

Wiebke Walther (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1558760539 | ISBN-13: 978-1558760530 | Publication Date: April 1, 1993

A study of women in Islam. The text does not pretend that the society of Islam was dominated by women but illustrates that the world from the classical period to modern times is also a woman's world. There are tales of A'isha, who joined the forces of early followers of Mohammed in the disastrous Came Battle; the fighter Umm Omara, who lost a hand in battle; the scholar of mysticism and freed slave Rabi'a al-Adawiyya; Khayzuran, the richest and most powerful woman; the poet Wallada, daughter of the Spanish Khalif. Slave dancers and "boy-girls", students, wives, and occasionally even career women, are all featured. The book also contains a collection of illustrations showing how women both represented themselves and were represented. The book interweaves the history of Islam with the role of Muslim women in traditional Islamic countries.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The Western misconception of all Muslim women as robed and veiled, languishing unfulfilled in harems under the harsh rule of polygamous husbands, is dispelled in this new translation of Walther's 1981 book, originally issued by an East German publisher ( LJ 2/1/82). The veil and arranged marriage predated Islam by centuries, but Islam did not enforce them and gave women the right to property and to divorce. During the ascendance of Islam, women played an active role professionally and on the battlefield, but as Islamic society fell into disarray, their rights eroded. The 20th century opened Islamic countries to secular ideas, and Turkey led the way to change. The Shah of Iran forbade the veil in 1926. Customs do not die overnight, but women at last are regaining some rights. Libraries that already own the first edition of this work need not buy this new edition, since the text is only slightly amended (although the new publisher claims it's completely revised and enlarged), but others should consider this a valuable purchase.
- Louise Leonard, Univ. of Florida Libs., Gainesville
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 281 pages
• Publisher: Markus Wiener Publishers (April 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558760539
• ISBN-13: 978-1558760530
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,161,882 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Women in Islam, June 24, 2006

By 

Scheherazade Mehdi - See all my reviews

This review is from: Women in Islam/from Medieval to Modern Times (Paperback)

The most fantastic book on the subject of women in Islam. Walther gives us the world of Muslim women in a detailed, readable manner and within a fascinating historical context. The text is rich with information about women, their poetry, their words, lives, and positions within Muslim Society across history. She does not isolate women according to the "traditional" areas of the Islamic World, but rather expands her history to include Andalusian poetesses and Mughal Queens. An outstanding book for mythbusting about Muslim women.

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The very best book on this topic., April 5, 2005

By 

J. Bentley "Persian Maven" (Tucson Az) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Women in Islam/from Medieval to Modern Times (Paperback)

I find that many books on this subject are about as interesting as reading stereo insructions. This book is like reading the most engrossing novel ever. I hardly have the oppurtunity to read it because I find myself forcing it on my friends and saying "You HAVE to read this!!" They finish it in mere days and love it! This is THE book to own if you have a middle eastern SCA persona. The imagery is beautiful and the illustrations are useful. It is imformative and very easy to interperate into an SCA context. The definative work on this subject as far as Im concerned.