Amina Wadud Research Articles

Women on The Text According To Amina Wadud Muhsin in Qur’an and Women

This article explains hermeneutic concept of Amina Wadud stating that men and women are equal. It is based on the interpretation of both Qur'anic keywords ( nafs, min and azwaj) and Qur'anic concepts ( qiwamah, angel and nusyuz) . Wadud reasoned that those key words and concepts were, unfortunately, red partially by most of commentators and resulted gender biased exegetical works. Using the method of descriptive and critical, this article aims to elaborate how Wadud argued against the pathriarcal exegesis of the Qur’an in her book, Qur’an and Women. At the conclusion, it is found that Wadud criticized the biased works using two steps of hermeneutical approach. The first is by examining on how The Qur’an mentions some relating issues and second is by creating generalization on special respons about historical background

Women on The Text According To Amina Wadud Muhsin in Qur’an and Women

This article explains hermeneutic concept of Amina Wadud stating that men and women are equal. It is based on the interpretation of both Qur'anic keywords (nafs, min and azwaj) and Qur'anic concepts (qiwamah, angel and nusyuz). Wadud reasoned that those key words and concepts were, unfortunately, red partially by most of commentators and resulted gender biased exegetical works. Using the method of descriptive and critical, this article aims to elaborate how Wadud argued against the pathriarcal exegesis of the Qur’an in her book, Qur’an and Women. At the conclusion, it is found that Wadud criticized the biased works using two steps of hermeneutical approach. The first is by examining on how The Qur’an mentions some relating issues and second is by creating generalization on special respons about historical background

KRITIK ISTIHSAN TERHADAP KONSTRUKSI FARAID AMINA WADUD

This paper is a bibliographical research on Amina Wadud’s thought about faraid with istihsan theory. The main problem is about the style of Amina Wadud’s thought which is considered by some people to be contrary to the building of the Shari’ah. The construction of Amina Wadud's thoughts on faraid is built on the foundations of hermeneutical analysis with a justice and gender equality approach. She focuses on the Qur’an in chapter al-Nisa’ verses 11 and 12. The author finds that although Amina Wadud used the hermeneutic approach and the principle of justice and gender equality, there is still much room for criticism when viewed from the perspective of istihsan . First, Amina Wadud does not write that Islamic law is in fact flexible, as evidenced by the takharruj mechanism which is essentially an istihsan product. Second, less exploration of the shari’s proposition. Amina Wadud has a remarkable rhetoric and depth of philosophy. But in the field of faraid discussion he narrows himself to the use of the Qur’an without considering any other propositions. Third, istihsan bi al-nas-one kind, istihsan-writer uses to fight her improper argument about the concept of naf’a which he introduced herself by referring to chapter al-Nisa’ verse 11.

Muslim Feminists` Reading of the Quran: A Juristic Analysis on Family Law Issues

Muslim feminist movement represents an indigenous voice among the contemporary literature on women and family. Its main contention is that women in Muslim society are accorded less favourable treatment especially in terms of legal rights. To remedy the situation, feminist scholarship`s main argument is that there is a need for feminist-reading of the sacred texts so as to purge the juristic legacy of male-biased views and achieve justice and equality for Muslim women in contemporary families. One principal methodological framework for this idea to materialise is to embark on the re-reading of the Qur`an from the women`s perspective. In this context, this paper presents issue-based analysis of Amina Wadud`s reading of the relevant Qur`anic passages on family law matters and finds that in spite of its merits, its main handicap lies on its methodological flaws, both in terms of approach and outcome. Methodologically, it is regarded as selective and ultra-vires of Islamic methodology of legal reform. It terms of impact, it is suspected as being tainted with Western inspired assumptions of rights in terms of justice and equality between the genders. To overcome this impasse, the paper argues for a mediated holistic approach to harmonise relations between men and women in the family. Keywords: Family law, gender equality, justice, Muslim feminist.

Muslim Feminist Hermeneutical Method to the Qur'an (Analytical Study to the Method of Amina Wadud)

Muslim feminist hermeneutical methods to the Qur’an is a response to the conservative interpretations which hegemonizes knowledge construction to shape the tradition and the methodology of the patriarchal reading of the texts. This approach demonstrates that the Qur’an is compatible with modernity and supports gender equality. This article explores one of the leading Muslim feminisit scholar, Amina Wadud, and examines her Qur’an feminist hermeneutical method. Amina Wadud is a Muslim feminist who proposes feminist hermeneutical method to interpret the Qur’an which she called ‘tawhidic paradigm.’ This article shows that Wadud’s hermeneutical approach interrogates the patriarchal reading of the Qur’anic verses that privileges one sex over another. According to her, in understanding the Qur’an three principles should be considered, namely: first, the context in which the Qur’an was revealed; second, the grammatical composition of the text; and third, the whole text, that is its weltanschauung or world-view.

REFLEKSI ABDULLAH SAEED TENTANG PENDEKATAN KONTEKSTUAL TERHADAP AYAT-AYAT ETHICO-LEGAL DALAM ALQURAN

Awareness of the relationship between text, context and interpreters always experiences dynamics from time to time. From the classical to contemporary times, every interpreter always tries to present the results of interpretations that give benefit to anyone. The same is true for contextual interpreters, such as Fazlur Rahman, Amina Wadud, Muhammad Syahrur, and Khaled Abou El Fadl who will be briefly reviewed in this article. This article is the result of Abdullah Saeed's reflection on four contemporary commentators in interpreting the verses of legal ethics. Abdullah Saeed is an Australian scientist from the Maldives. Abdullah Saeed is also present to give a new color in understanding the Qur'an by taking into account the context of the revelation and context when the Qur'an was interpreted. This article is adapted from Abdullah Saeed's article entitled "Some Reflections on the Contextualist Approach to Ethico-legal Texts of the Quran" which he published in the Bulletin of SOAS. Therefore, this article seeks to find the vertices of Abdullah Saeed's reflection on some contextualist thinking ideas.

Through the Lens of Gadamer’s Hermeneutics: In comparison between Amina Wadud’s and Mohammed Talbi’s Interpretations of Q. 4:34

Most of traditional Muslim exegetes interpret Q. 4:34 in terms of maintaining the superiority of men over women. Some progressive Muslim scholars then insist a contextual approach to the verse to criticize gender inequality. Among some progressive Muslim scholars, this article comparatively examines the interpretations of Amina Wadud and Mohammed Talbi of Q. 4:34. Although both of them propose a contextual reading of the verse, they have different intellectual background, approach and method in interpreting the Qur’ān. The questions are to what extent the similarities and differences of both Wadud’s and Talbi’s interpretation of Q. 4:34 and how far their interpretations reflect their respective intention and perspective? Applying Gadamer’s hermeneutical approach, the article concludes that [1] Both Wadud and Talbi argue that the verse does not establish the superiority of men over women, but acknowledges duties division among married couple; [2] the difference among their interpretations is on the status of relationship among married couple; [3] Wadud’s and Talbi’s interpretations represent their respective hermeneutical situations and the way they define ontologically the nature of interpretation and Qur’anic hermeneutics affect on producing the meanings of the verse.

Autonomous Histories of Muslim Women Cultural Poetics; A Critical Reading of the Personal/Academic Narratives of Leila Ahmed and Amina Wadud

Louis Montrose's "Professing the Renaissance: the Poetics and Politics of Culture" renewed concern with the historical, social and political conditions of literary productions (1989). He suggested a platform through which autonomous aesthetics and academic issues to be understood as inextricably linked to other discourses. While autobiography is considered as a "writing back," I argue here that it is rather a strategic transitional act that connects the past with the present and remaps the future. Though a very personal opening, autobiography is seen as a documentation of public events from a personal perspective. Academic autobiographies like Arab American history professor Leila Ahmad's A Border Passage from Cairo to America; A Woman’s Journey (2012) and African American theology professor Amina Wadud’s Inside the Gender Jihad (2008) are two examples of the production of interwoven private and public histories. The personal opening in such narratives is an autonomous act that initiates cross-disciplinary dialogues that trigger empowerment and proposes future changes. In that sense, these autobiographies are far from being mere stories of the past. Conversely, they are tools of rereading one's contributions and thus repositioning the poetics and politics of culture as testimonial narratives. Employing post-colonial, Islamic feminism and new historicism, the aim of this study is to critically read the above academic/personal two autobiographies as examples of the private/ public negotiations of culture. It also aims to explore the dialogue between the literary, historical and social elements as they remap the future of women in Muslim societies and the diaspora.Keywords: New Historicism, Women in Islam, personal narratives, Amina Wadud, Leila Ahmed, post-colonialism, autobiography, non-white feminism

Równouprawnienie w myśli zachodnich intelektualistek muzułmańskich

The idea of reforming Islam is gaining more and more popularity with West European and American Muslim intellectuals. Although the kind and magnitude of the suggested changes may vary, yet the necessity to alter the status of women in Islamic societies and communities is being widely admitted. In this context the studies and analyzes prepared by the Muslim women, who by exploring the sources of Islamic religion and legislation indicate the direction of such changes, deserve a special attention. By living in the Western Europe they rely on Muslim and European tradition alike, thus adding a new dimension to the discussion upon the role and position of women in Islam. The article deals with the pro equal rights activity undertaken by Amina Wadud, Leila Ahmed, Zahra Ali and Fadela Amara.

Letter to the Editors

Letter to the Editors Margot Badran (bio) December 1, 2016 Asma Barlas, in her roundtable essay, “Secular and Feminist Critiques of the Qur’an: Anti-Hermeneutics as Liberation?” published in the fall 2016 issue of the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion (JFSR) makes erroneous and misleading comments concerning my work as a historian of Islamic feminism.1 Moreover, she recycles a narrative whereby I have concocted the term Islamic feminism and trapped her in its web. In the 1990s—a good decade before Barlas appeared on the scene—some Muslim women in Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa—including, for example, Iranian legal anthropologist Ziba Mir-Hosseini, who went on to become a leading scholar of Islamic feminism—observed an emergent phenomenon they simultaneously and spontaneously called “Islamic feminism.” I was eager to know more. As a historian, I had previously researched early twentieth-century feminism in Egypt that Muslim and Christian women had jointly created. It was often referred to in Egypt as “secular feminism,” indicating its nationalist frame. This feminism was informed by religious ideals, especially as enunciated by Islamic modernism, and affirmed the equality of all citizens (whatever their religious identity). The Muslim women in the late twentieth century who first drew attention to emergent Islamic feminism were liberals, progressives, and feminists; they were known as “secular” because they did not employ religious language in their public discourse. The label “secular” did not imply being anti-Islam or deficiently Muslim. Islamic feminism articulated a gender-egalitarian Islam based on rereadings of the Qur’an and other religious sources. It sparked considerable attention from day one and was both enthusiastically welcomed and defiantly contested. As a label of identity, “Islamic feminist” was especially contentious, and for many years, women who produced what was seen as Islamic feminist discourse [End Page 5] firmly rejected the label. In time, however, many came to accept it, such as African American theologian and author of the groundbreaking Qur’an and Woman, amina wadud.2 Thus, only after I had found the term Islamic feminism in circulation by Muslim women did I start to use it myself. Moreover, I have written and spoken repeatedly on the controversy surrounding the use of the term Islamic feminism and especially Islamic feminist as an identity label. I have been scrupulous, as those attentive to my work know, about not calling anyone an Islamic feminist who rejects the label.3 In 2002, when her book first appeared, Barlas (we did not know each other at the time) emailed me to share the news. Why me? In 2003, when the Provost of Trinity College at the University of Toronto invited me to form a panel of two on Islamic feminism, I asked Barlas to join me and she readily accepted. I spoke about Islamic feminism and Barlas spoke about her book. In 2006, she invited me to Ithaca College to present my work on Islamic feminism, as one of a small series of guests to speak on various subjects. In 2007, when I was invited as one of two senior scholars to give a keynote at a conference on Islamic feminism at Tampere, I suggested that Barlas be the other keynote speaker. She used the occasion at Tampere to repudiate the label “Islamic feminism” and to accuse me of wantonly imposing this label on her and thereby hijacking her agency.4 [End Page 6] Barlas casts “feminism” as a “master narrative” born and bred in the West. She ignores that “feminism” was born in “the West” and “the East” simultaneously in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and that anticolonial nationalist discourses were integral to the feminisms in the East, which Muslims, together with other compatriots, constructed.5 Nonetheless, having made her disaffection with the idea of Islamic feminism emphatically known, Barlas could have simply turned her back on the idea of Islamic feminism, avoided future association with it, and looked for more agreeable contexts in which to present her work. She did not do this, but rather used (and continues to use) the platform “Islamic feminism” provided. In her JFSR roundtable essay, Barlas repeats the claim that I imposed the label “Islamic feminism” on...

Interfaith Marriage for Muslim Women: This Day are Things Good and Pure Made Lawful Unto You

Interfaith Marriage for Muslim Women: This Day are Things Good and Pure Made Lawful Unto You Johanna Marie Buisson Introduction The issue of interfaith marriage in Islam is no frivolous question. It has long been neglected, even purposely occulted, inasmuch it touches upon two extremely sensitive topics in Islamic tradition, namely the close relationship with believers of other religions (specifically the Jews and Christians) on the one hand and the autonomous status and free choice of Muslim women on the other hand. Islamic tradition generally accepts interfaith marriage for Muslim men as lawful (halal), while it clearly prohibits interfaith marriage to Muslim women. This lack of reciprocity, Islamic scholars argue, would be supported by their interpretation of one Qur'anic verse (5:5) and by some ahadith (Prophetic sayings). The Sirah of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) also indicates that the Prophet of Islam married a Christian woman (Maria, a Coptic Egyptian) and a Jewish woman (Safiyya), which, instead of being interpreted as a sign of reciprocal openness, is traditionally understood as the confirmation of the permission given to Muslim men only, by analogy to the maleness of Prophet Muhammad, to the exclusion of Muslim women. Now, some contemporary authors, Muslim thinkers, and exegetes of the Qur'an (such as Asma Barlas (), Amina Wadud, Riffat Hassan, Khaleel Mohammed based in the United States, Asma Lamrabet in Morocco, Amel Grami in Tunisia, Abdel Kader Merabet in Algeria, Kussay Fakhir Al‐Mousawi in the United Kingdom, and many others) challenge the classical interpretation of verse 5:5 in the name of Qur'anic internal consistency and coherence, linguistics, and reason. This is a burning issue as the disclosure of the Qur'anic meaning may have dramatic consequences on the lives of innumerable Muslim women today, all over the world, but especially in multi‐confessional countries such as Western secular states as well as many African and Middle‐Eastern countries (Egypt, Lebanon, Israel), but also in Asia and Indonesia, where interfaith marriages remain a sensitive topic. In many countries where national law is based on Islamic legislation, on such or such Fiqh, depending on the particular school of law this country adheres to, female nationals are formally prohibited by law to get married to a non‐Muslim man, regardless of his other faith. In many Western secular countries, many Muslim women are being restricted in their marriage choice too, if not coerced into marriage, on the grounds of this religious formal prohibition, cautioned by most religious scholars, therefore also preventing them from socially and culturally mixing further into the society they live in and belong to. In the United States, such interfaith unions are still met with disapproval: In a 2007 survey (conducted by the Pew Research Centre), 30 percent of Muslim men and 46 percent of Muslim women said they oppose interfaith marriage. Religiosity distorts the intolerance further: Many more devout Muslim men (70 percent) than Muslim women (54 percent) think marrying a non‐Muslim is acceptable. Worse, in many majority‐Muslim countries, cases of interfaith marriage often lead to the so‐called honor killings (Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Pakistan, and others) as Muslim family members and neighbors do not tolerate such unions for their female relatives. Here is the verse at stake (Holy Qur'an, verse 5:5), in a standard contemporary English translation by Yusuf ‘Ali: This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them. (Lawful unto you in marriage) are (not only) chaste women who are believers, but chaste women among the People of the Book, revealed before your time—When ye give them their due dowers, and desire chastity, not lewdness, nor secret intrigues. If anyone rejects faith, fruitless is his work, and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good). Religious authority and the prohibition of interfaith marriage for Muslim women: the verdict of hegemonic patriarchal authority Classical Qur'anic interpreters and commentators, in their vast majority, both Sunni and Shi'ah, stated the prohibition of interfaith marriage for Muslim women, while recognizing interfaith marriage...

Towards a neo-modernist Islam

Fazlur Rahman was one of the most significant Muslim intellectuals in the second half of the twentieth century. This is partly due to his original contribution to a re-thinking of Islamic tradition and classical theological concerns. He initiated a new hermeneutic interpretation of the Qur’an and a critical analytical study of the Sunnah which has come to inspire a number of modern and contemporary intellectuals (including for instance Nurcholish Majid, Amina Wadud, Mohammad Talbi, Ebrahim Moosa and Abdullah Saeed). His reform ideas, primarily known and discussed within Muslim intellectual circles, became the subject of widespread interest in countries such as Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey. Rahman represents a transitional figure between Islamic modernism (from the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century) and “neo-modernism”, a term coined by himself and introduced in order to highlight a critical approach to the early reform-thought and to actualize Islam’s potential in a present context. Rahman’s contributions include works on theology, philosophy, law, ethics, education and many of them are now available in several languages.

Production of knowledge by translating ‘Islamic feminist’ works: The case of Amina Wadud’s Work

Production of knowledge by translating ‘Islamic feminist’ works: The case of Amina Wadud’s Work

Reinterpretation of Sexual Violence Theology: Case Study of Amina Wadud’s Tafsir

Sexual violence in the history of humankind is a common phenomena. Ironically the object of violence is frequently women. Unfortunately, those violence are legitimated with doctrine. Cases of husband beating wife as nusyuz and other violences are legitimated with holytexts. Muhamad’s personality to his wives even being used as legitimation of theology. This made interpretation becomes bias. Amina Wadud’s tafsir indicated that there is a need to re-evaluate and reinterprete those bias tafsir.

METODOLOGI ANALISIS TEKS BERWAWASAN GENDER: Perspektif Hermeneutik

<p><span>Abstract</span></p><p><span>Problems of women when seen through the eyes of faith will continue to look<br /><span>sexy. Because religion is often considered "bridging" role of women as both have <span>the mission of humanity and divinity like a man, but it makes the subordinate <span>position of women and marginalized. In response to the discourse on gender, <span>this article tries to make the methodology mewacanakan idea as the basis of <span>modern thinkers, namely Amina Wadud and Khaled Abou El-Fadl. Amina <span>Wadud hermeneutics tauhidi introduced that can be used at the same paradigms and methodologies. While Abou El-Fadl introduce dialogical hermeneutical methodology to bridge the gap in the elements of subjectivity that often <span>occur in the interpretation of gender.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /><span><strong>Keyword:</strong><em> Amina Wadud, Khaled Abou El-Fadl, hermeneutik</em></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></span></p>

Where the Prophet’s Wife Rode a Camel: a Review of the Feminist Perspectives and Orientations Rooted in Islam

TEXT The ethical project of Islamic feminism shares the central ideals and values of Islam itself —of justice, egalitarianism, equity, compassion, and tolerance. By opening up the question of who has the authority to interpret scripture, and by challenging the power of traditional interpretive communities and the producers of religious knowledge, Islamic feminists are at the forefront of the contemporary reformist movement. Writers such as Amina Wadud and Asma Barlas are conferring upon themselves the authority to challenge the monopoly of traditional interpreters of the Quran, whilst scholars such as Fatima Mernissi are engaged in contesting received notions of Hadith literature. All such scholars are engaged in revisiting Islamic sources and actively furthering what has been succinctly termed the ―democratization of ijtihad. 1 Working within Islamic jurisprudence, this entails the use of an interpretive methodology, ijtihad (to strive or) to dynamically reinterpret foundational Quranic principles in order to bring about equal rights for women. 2

Kesetaraan Gender dalam Pandangan Amina Wadud dan Riffat Hassan

<p>This article will explore the similarities and differences between women with conceptually men voiced by Amina Wadud and Riffat Hasan. An important point that can be drawn from this is Amina Wadud thinking that he wants to dismantle the old thinking or even myths caused by biased interpreta-tion of the reconstruction methodology patriarchy through his commentary. Because it is not really in line with the basic principles and spirit of the Qur’ân. The Qur’ân actually very fair in the seated men and women. It’s just that this has become distorted by the presence of a biased interpretation of patriarchy, the more reinforced by the political system and society is very patriarchal. While Riffat Hassan argues that religious texts produced scientists and theologians influenced by a proven classic patriarchal culture. This then led to the emergence of theological arguments were dug from the Qur’ân as the primary text of Islam called feminist theology.</p>

Menggugat Syirik Intelektual Bersama Nasr Hâmid Abû Zayd dan Amina Wadud

<p>The article discusses gender issue which has still become a global discourse within 21st century. The discourse will always become an actual issue as it constantly emerges from women and community’s consciousness who find strategic discrepancy and injustice, in regard with the relation between men and women, in which they might lead to relational discrimination, subordination, stereotype, and inequality. The writer, at this point, attempts to bring about comparative analysis between two interpretation paradigms on gender issue promulgated by Nasr Hâmid Abû Zayd and Amina Wadud. Both people share a common academic apprehension when they observe backwardness of the Muslim women in many aspects of life (as a fully human agency) caused by patriarchy tradition, gender injustice, and problem of minority in the Muslim world. This has subsequently caused the two authors to reconstruct methodological paradigm of Quranic exegesis on gender issue in order to generate a just interpretation. They see the importance of having high social consciousness which properly considers women’s existence based on sacred values of humanity. However, this view faces obstacles from other Muslim scholars as they consider Zayd and Wadud heretics and have conducted what so-called “an intellectual shirk”.</p>

Female Personalities in the Qur’an and Sunna

This seemingly modest volume is in fact the first comprehensive study ofwomen in the Twelver Shi‘i scriptural sources. While studies on womenabound, the vast majority are implicitly or explicitly grounded in the Sunnitradition; the infrequent Shi‘i expositions on women tend to be politicized,arcane, or even erroneous. In contrast, this groundbreaking work solidly introduceswhat the core Twelver Shi‘i sources say about women and integratescontemporary views.The sources of hadith and tafsīr used in this work represent mainstreamhistorical currents of Shi‘i thought. For hadith, the author uses the Four Books,which were compiled in the tenth and eleventh centuries. While not consideredinfallible, they are treated as the most influential and reliable Shi‘i hadith collectionsand have had a formative impact on Shi‘i thought. Of course, this selectionis not exhaustive; an even greater diversity of hadith appears in earlieras well as later compilations, especially the seventeenth-century encyclopaedicwork Biḥār al-Anwār. In addition, the possibility exists that the Four Books’treatment of women differs from that in other works. Therefore, this bookshould be seen as foundational and an invitation for further study, rather thanas the final word on the subject. Note that this is not a criticism: Since manysections could easily be expanded into their own volume, it would not havebeen feasible to survey all extant Shi‘i hadith in a volume this size. Authorsare, after all, only human.For tafsīr, the author uses Ali ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi’s Tafsīr al-Qummī(tenth century), al-Tusi’s Tibyān (eleventh century), al-Tabrisi’s Majma‘ al-Bayān (twelfth century), al-Huwayzi’s Nūr al-Thaqalayn (twelfth century),and Allamah Tabataba’i’s Tafsīr al-Mizān (twentieth century). This solid selectionrepresents different time periods and approaches – the old and the new,the narrative and the analytical – but, again, is not absolutely comprehensive.In particular it omits mystical tafsīr, which might be expected to take a lessearthly approach to gender.Additionally, the author gives her work a modern twist by consideringideas from contemporary writers on women in Islam who do not engage withthe Shi‘i tradition, such as Amina Wadud, Fatima Mernissi, and Asma Barlas.She also frequently engages with the views of the Lebanese scholars Sayyid ...

TAFSIR AYAT-AYAT GENDER ALA AMINA WADUD PERSPEKTIF HERMENEUTIKA GADAMER

In the interpretation of the verses of the Qur’an, gender has undergone considerable and dynamic developments. The classical commentators tend to interpret verses textually – normatively, while feminists tend to interpret the verses contextually – sociologically. Along with the developments in the methods or approaches to the contemporary interpretation of the Qur’an, one of the methods or approaches used by feminists is hermeneutics. Through this method or approach, Amina Wadud tries to interpret verses related to the creation of women, women’s leadership, and the problems of polygamy. The result is that the origin of human beings, both males and females, came from a single nafs which is part of the system pairs (nafs itself and its zawj). The leadership clause should be understood in the context of society as a whole through the concept of “functionalist”. On polygamy, there is no direct evidence from the Koran about the permissibility of polygamous marriage, especially in regard to the three validations often cited by proponents, namely financial reasons, reasons of infertility, and the reason the fulfillment of lust or sexual needs.