Program Overview

ISL454 Women in Islam and Islamic Cultures

This subject will address critically the modern paradigms concerning women and gender roles within contemporary society. Developing arguments within a critical framework of an Islamic set of paradigms and values, it will take a fresh look at women in Islam by examining the status and role of women in scripture, exploring heroines in the mystic world, and discussing critically the authentic status of Muslim women in Islamic societies. The subject will address critically the conditions of women in both contemporary Islamic and non-Islamic cultures. In addition, Muslim feminists' viewpoints and arguments will also be considered within this subject.

Availability

• Session 2 (60)
• Online
• United Theological College

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation

Subject Relationships

• ISL355 Paired Subject

Incompatible Subjects

• ISL355

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

• be able to assess critically women's status in Islam
• be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of contemporary Muslim women's experience in Islam
• be able to discern critically the gender factor in social and interpersonal space for men and women
• be able to develop a critical approach to patriarchal as well as counter-patriarchal discourses regarding women's status in Islam
• be able to understand critically non-Islamic factors contributing to women's status in Islamic cultures and societies
• be able to analyse critically widely discussed issues of inheritance, divorce, hijab (veil) and polygamy in Islamic societies
• be able to articulate critically contemporary Muslim women's experience in social and religious activism
• be able to research interdisciplinary topics and apply critical reasoning while presenting arguments in oral and written (essay) forms

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

• Introduction to the topic, terminology and paradigm shift
• Women in non-Islamic civilisations, Abrahamic religions and Islam
• Women's roles and responsibilities according to the Qur'an
• Women around Prophet Muhammad
• Women in the Medieval Age
• Women and nation building
• Women and jurisprudence
• Women, reform and ijtihad (new legal ruling)
• Rise of feminism in the Islamic cultures and communities
• Women in the contemporary Islamic and Western societies
• Muslim women in the West

Residential School

This subject contains a 2-day Optional Residential School. The purpose of the residential school is to provide an opportunity for exploration of the coursework covered and assessment of student learning. In addition to content review, this part of the course aims to facilitate an interactive session between the teaching academics, students, and sections of the Islamic community.