Woman in Islam (1994) is Ram Swarup’s detailed study of the status of women in Islamic law as derived from the Quran, Hadis, and classical Sunni jurisprudence (Fiqh), particularly the Hanafi school prevalent in India.

Contents

The book covers:

  • Woman in Islam — Overview of woman’s position in pre-Islamic Arabia vs. under Islam; the Quran’s explicit subordination of women
  • Marriage in Islam — Marriage as a civil contract rather than sacrament; prohibitions; temporary marriage (mut’ah); equality (kifa’t) and ranking
  • Marriage: Rights and Duties — Husband’s right to sexual access; wife’s right to maintenance; zinā (adultery/fornication) and its penalties including stoning (rajm)
  • Polygamy and Concubinage — Limits of four wives plus unlimited concubines; the institution’s role in Islamic imperialism
  • Dower (Mehr) — Dower as “hire” or purchase price; its relationship to sexual access and divorce
  • Divorce (Talaq) — Forms of divorce; custody of children; the problem of reform

Key Arguments

  • Islamic laws on women are not merely social legislation but revealed truths (Allah’s commands) and therefore presented as unalterable
  • The position of women in Islam worsened compared to pre-Islamic Arabia
  • Wife-beating receives heavenly sanction in the Quran (4:34)
  • Women’s testimony is worth half that of men; women inherit half of what men do
  • Polygamy and concubinage were political institutions serving Islamic imperial expansion
  • Meaningful reform is impossible within the Quranic framework; the Quran needs “reviewing and re-examination, not revision”

Taslima Nasrin

The preface discusses Taslima Nasrin, the Bangladeshi writer who faced a fatwa for her views on Islam and women’s liberation. Swarup notes her courage and agrees with her that reform is not possible within Quranic morality.

See Also