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Description: This challenging book reviews the ethical foundations of the Islamic legal system, suggesting that an authoritarian reading of scripture has often had grave consequences for parts of Muslim society.
Drawing upon both religious and secular sources, Islamic legal expert Khaled Abou EI Fadl argues that divinely ordained law is frequently misinterpreted by Muslim authorities at the expense of certain groups, especially women. Citing a series of injustices in Islamic society, from the ban on women driving to the restrictions governing female clothing, Abou EI Fadl’s thoughtful and cogent study proposes instead a return to the original ethics at the heart of the Muslim legal system.
Combining the very latest scholarship with an accessible writing style and a useful glossary, this provocative and passionate book is required reading for all those interested in the contemporary landscape of Islam, law and women’s rights.
Contents: Introduction • The authoritative • Background note • The notion of authority • The authoritative in Islam • A summary transition • Competence • Determination • The authoritarian • The text and authority • The Qur’an and Sunnah • Text, determination, and authority • Unreasonable interpretations and the authoritative • The construction of the authoritarian • The iron law of authoritarianism • Islamic law as a work in movement • The fundamentals of religion and burdens of proof • Moral objections and authoritarianism • The anatomy of authoritarian discourses •The demise of the juristic tradition • Consistency • Selectivity of evidence • Balancing of interests and the use of discretion • Faith-based assumptions and determinations demeaning to women • Prostrating to husbands, licking their ulcers while struggling with Hadith methodology • Keeping husbands and God happy, and making it to heaven • Bargaining with crooked-ribs, defective intellects, bad omens, dogs, and women • Praying in closets, hugging the wall, and the dangers of seduction • Racism, sexism, and a sense of beauty • Conclusion: Resisting the authoritarian while searching for the moral • Appendix: Translated legal opinions by C.R.L.O. jurists • Glossary of terms • Bibliography • IndexISBN - 9781851682621
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Pages : 360
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