Islamic Feminism and the Law

This timely collection of essays explores what is meant by the term 'Islamic feminism', a phrase used to define a world-wide contemporary movement of scholars and activists engaged in effecting a reconciliation between the terms 'Islam' and 'feminism'. Broadly speaking, this group of scholars is developing a feminist re-interpretive schema of scriptural sources and is heralding such developments as having the capacity to effect radical change in the reconfiguration of gendered social and political rights as well as in Islamic law, or Shari'a. Consequently, this collection adopts a multi-disciplinary approach and includes contributors from the areas of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies, women's studies, political science, anthropology and sociology, as well as law. Many of the contributors are leading internationally-known scholars in this field - from Africa, Europe and North America - as well as newer scholars exploring issues often outside the purview of mainstream Islam such as Sufi Islam.