Abstract
AbstractSome verses of the holy Qur’an speak of a preference of man over woman such as 2:228, 4:34 and 43:18. One can ask whether man and woman have the same essence or whether man has certain characteristics that make him own a different and superior essence. How have exegetes understood these verses through history? Research on more than 100 classical and contemporary Shia and Sunni exegeses demonstrates that understanding of these verses was constant for centuries but was subject to evolution in the twentieth century. In this evolution, the inferiority of women in earlier exegeses was largely replaced by exegeses that provide respect and reverence for women. This change in understanding of the verses has been undoubtedly influenced by improvement in the cultural, social and economic situation of women in the twentieth century. A finding of this research is that some Qur’anic verses have the potentiality for different, and sometimes contradictory, understandings. On the other hand, the cultural and historical frameworks of the exegetes have played a crucial role in their understanding of the Qur’an. Therefore, understanding and interpreting the Qur’an is a dynamic process that should be reviewed according to the needs of the time.
Highlights
The position of women in the Islamic worldview is an important problem in the contemporary world
How have exegetes understood these verses through history? Research on more than 100 classical and contemporary Shia and Sunni exegeses demonstrates that understanding of these verses was constant for centuries but was subject to evolution in the twentieth century
The second verse that helps in understanding the nature of women in Islamic tradition speaks of preference: Men are the managers of the affairs of women for that Allah has preferred in bounty some of them over others, and for that they have expended of their property
Summary
The position of women in the Islamic worldview is an important problem in the contemporary world. In the Qur’an, the first and most important Islamic text, there are three groups of verses regarding the status of men and women. Men have polygamy rights; a man’s share in inheritance is more than a woman’s; the witness of two women equals that of one man; and in the case of a woman being disobedient to her husband (nushūz), her husband has permission to beat her. These verses have the potential to be interpreted in such a way that men and women have the same human worth and dignity but different rights. “As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them” (4:34). 2:228. 4:34. 43:18
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