|
Issue
|
Jahiliyya
|
"Classical Islam"
|
Reforms
|
|
Marriage
|
?unlimited polygyny?
|
Islam limits polygyny to
4 wives maximum
|
Qur'an outlaws polygyny
("One cannot be just to more than one
wife;")
some Muslim countires
have outlawed polygyny
|
|
Mahr / dowry
|
?"bride-price"?
|
Dowry belongs to the wife (though oftentimes right
to dowry not practiced)
|
different interpretations of dowry: "commodification of reproductive capabilities," but
also dowry as empowering women economically
|
|
Authority
|
?women "sold" into marriage?
|
Male "wali," guardian, represents non-married woman's /
family's interest
|
power of wali is limited, no marriage against woman's will
|
|
divorce
|
?unilateral male right?
|
Qur'an argues against unilateral divorce,
encourages reconciliation, protects divorced woman, introduces waiting
period
|
some Muslim countries have introduced arbitration
councils
|
|
|
|
"khul'"
divorce with husband's consent: divorce in return for dowry
|
Khul divorce
possible without husband's consent
|
|
Inheritance
|
?no rights to inheritance for women
?
(contra: Khadijah)
|
Typically, a female receives about half of what
her male counterpart receives
|
modifications to Qur'anic
stipulation. Qur'anic injunctions assume
that males are responsible for the upkeep of the family
|
|
Modesty / Veil
|
"exposure" of
pre-Islamic women ?
(contra: Veiling as
a pre-Islamic practice?)
|
Modesty for men and women;
“Hijab verse”
for wives of Muhammad.
|
Different readings on the veil and modesty /
understanding of modesty varies greatly
|