Women In Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Quran with Asma Barlas

Islam's perceived endorsement of gender inequalities has made it the subject of countless criticisms and intense scrutiny. Yet Dr. Asma Barlas, professor in the Politics Department at Ithaca College, believes that Islam and women's rights are not at odds with each other. Barlas takes the debate to the very heart of Islam itself, the Quran, and the scholarly interpretations that provide the basis for Islamic law. For Barlas, a process of empowering females in Islam requires a return to the original values enshrined in Islam's sacred scripture and the rejection of an imposed patriarchal reading of what Muslims believe to be the words of God. Dr. Barlas provides a powerful voice to the controversial and heated debate on the Muslim world's struggle to come to terms with modern values and still retain the tenets of their faith.