American Muslim women, religious authority, and activism : more than a prayer / Juliane Hammer.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hammer, Juliane.

Series:

Louann Atkins Temple women & culture series ; bk. 28.

Louann Atkins Temple women & culture series ; bk. 28

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Women in Islam--United States.

Women in Islam.

Muslim women--Political activity--United States.

Muslim women.

Feminism--Religious aspects--Islam.

Feminism.

Physical Description:

xiii, 271 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Austin : University of Texas Press, 2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Following the events of September 11, 2001, American Muslims found themselves under unprecedented scrutiny. Muslim communities in the United States suffered from negative representations of their religion, but they also experienced increased interest in aspects of their faith and cultures. They seized the opportunity to shape the intellectual contribution of American Muslims to contemporary Muslim thought as never before. Muslim women in particular—often assumed to be silenced, oppressed members of their own communities—challenged stereotypes through their writing, seeking to express what it means to be a Muslim woman in America and carrying out intra-Muslim debates about gender roles and women’s participation in society. Hammer looks at the work of significant female American Muslim writers, scholars, and activists, using their writings as a lens for a larger discussion of Muslim intellectual production in America and beyond. Centered on the controversial women-led Friday prayer in March 2005, Hammer uses this event and its aftermath to address themes of faith, community, and public opinion. Tracing the writings of American Muslim women since 1990, the author covers an extensive list of authors, including Amina Wadud, Leila Ahmed, Asma Barlas, Riffat Hassan, Mohja Kahf, Azizah al-Hibri, Asra Normani, and Asma Gull Hasan. Hammer deftly examines each author’s writings, demonstrating that the debates that concern American Muslim women are at the heart of modern Muslim debates worldwide. While gender is the catalyst for Hammer’s study, her examination of these women’s intellectual output touches on themes central to contemporary Islam: authority, tradition, Islamic law, justice, and authenticity.

Contents:

A woman-led Friday prayer: March 18, 2005

Women leading prayers: tracing the debate

Gender justice and Qur'anic exegesis

History, women's rights, and Islamic law

Authority, tradition, community

Space, leadership, voice

Media, representation(s), politics

Memoirs, narratives, and marketing

Covers and other matters: concluding thoughts.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0-292-73557-X

OCLC:

784960278