Women in Islam/from Medieval to Modern Times - Softcover

Wiebke Walther

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1558760539 ISBN 13: 9781558760530

Publisher: Markus Wiener Publishers, 1993

Synopsis

A study of women in Islam. The text does not pretend that the society of Islam was dominated by women but illustrates that the world from the classical period to modern times is also a woman's world. There are tales of A'isha, who joined the forces of early followers of Mohammed in the disastrous Came Battle; the fighter Umm Omara, who lost a hand in battle; the scholar of mysticism and freed slave Rabi'a al-Adawiyya; Khayzuran, the richest and most powerful woman; the poet Wallada, daughter of the Spanish Khalif. Slave dancers and "boy-girls", students, wives, and occasionally even career women, are all featured. The book also contains a collection of illustrations showing how women both represented themselves and were represented. The book interweaves the history of Islam with the role of Muslim women in traditional Islamic countries.

About this title

Language Notes:

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German

From Library Journal:

The Western misconception of all Muslim women as robed and veiled, languishing unfulfilled in harems under the harsh rule of polygamous husbands, is dispelled in this new translation of Walther's 1981 book, originally issued by an East German publisher ( LJ 2/1/82). The veil and arranged marriage predated Islam by centuries, but Islam did not enforce them and gave women the right to property and to divorce. During the ascendance of Islam, women played an active role professionally and on the battlefield, but as Islamic society fell into disarray, their rights eroded. The 20th century opened Islamic countries to secular ideas, and Turkey led the way to change. The Shah of Iran forbade the veil in 1926. Customs do not die overnight, but women at last are regaining some rights. Libraries that already own the first edition of this work need not buy this new edition, since the text is only slightly amended (although the new publisher claims it's completely revised and enlarged), but others should consider this a valuable purchase.
- Louise Leonard, Univ. of Florida Libs., Gainesville
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Markus Wiener Publishers
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 1558760539
• ISBN 13: 9781558760530
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 281