Etin Anwar: Gender and Islam

The issue of women’s rights in Islam has been a contentious area of discussions and intense debates both in the Muslim world and in the West. One the one hand, Muslim scholars have strictly interpreted verses of the Qurʾān and ḥadīth to emphasize “traditional” roles that women should play in society. More liberal scholars in the East and West have tried to interpret the Qurʾān, ḥadīth, and other religious sources to empower women and give them a larger place in society. Etin Anwar will address the role of women throughout the history of Islam, and their larger place in the contemporary world.