Gender Relations in the Qur’an: Conceptualising Space and Male–Female Interaction
Author(s): F. Redhwan Karim (Author)
- Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
- Publication Date: May 31, 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 272 pages
- ISBN-10: 1399561340
- ISBN-13: 9781399561341
Book Description
A constricting attitude towards the relationship between non-maḥram (marriageable) men and women is often either politically enforced or self-imposed in Muslim societies, with notions of separation and segregation upheld as normative ideals. This book challenges such interpretations, delineating a more permissive and nuanced position rooted in the Qur’an. Responding to the oft-held notion of men occupying the public sphere while women are restricted to the private, the book explores whether the Qur’an adopts a conception of gendered space and gendered roles.
The book analyses the various forms of male–female interaction in the Qur’an, providing a comprehensive overview of gender relations and a critical dissection of restrictive readings. It also discusses clothing, offering a thorough overview of sartorial prescriptions in the Qur’an. Engaging with both classical and modern scholarship to provide a contextual reading, this book offers a comprehensive and expansive analysis of gender relations within a Qur’anic context.
Editorial Reviews
Review
This is a work of rigorous scholarship and analytical clarity. Through a careful engagement with the Qur’anic narrative, the author addresses the persistent question of whether the Qur’an mandates or assumes the seclusion of women. The result is an important and timely contribution to the study of gender in Islamic thought. This book is required read for anyone interested in what the Qur’an actually says about women’s participation in public life. — Khaled Abou El Fadl, UCLA
A lucid and meticulously argued analysis of the Qur’an and foundational Islamic texts, Karim emphasizes female agency and probes overly restrictive interpretations of cross-gender interactions in Muslim sources. In addition to being a helpful classroom resource, the scholarship is valuable for specialists in gender studies and mandatory reading for those in positions of contemporary Islamic religious authority. — Celene Ibrahim, Harvard University
About the Author
F. Redhwan Karim is Senior Lecturer in Islamic Studies and Course Leader for the BA Islamic Studies program at the Markfield Institute of Higher Education. He is the editor of History of the Qur’an: Approaches and Explorations (2024), and has published under peer-reviewed in the Journal of Islamic and Muslim Studies, ReOrient: The Journal of Critical Muslim Studies, The Muslim World Review and the Journal of Islamic Ethics.
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