Qur’an Verse Analysis re: Men’s Authority in Marriage, Women’s Rebellion, & Wife-Beating

Direct Link to Full 42-Page 2015 Dissertation:

https://www.wunrn.org/pdf/devos.pdf

The Feminist Challenge of Qur’an Verse 4:34: An Analysis of Progressive and Reformist Approaches and Their Impact in British Muslim Communities

By Siel Devos*

Abstract

In this dissertation, I firstly analyse the approaches of progressive and reformist scholars toward the controversial Qur’anic verse 4:34 and secondly, assess the ways these approaches impact British Muslims’ daily lives. Through this analysis, I argue that although progressive scholars have presented strong new interpretations and translations of concepts like men’s authority in marriage (‘qawwamuna’), women’s rebellion against that authority (‘nushuz’) and practicing wife-beating (‘idribuhunna’) that challenge traditional understandings of the marital relationship, they do not fully succeed in denouncing the Qur’anic permission for wife-beating.

Reformist scholars on the other hand propose a rejection of this verse based on moral objections rather than on re-interpretations rooted in Islamic tradition, which might prove to be the only way to denounce wife-beating in a contemporary context. Finally, based on qualitative interviews I conclude that British Muslims are aware of different feminist approaches to verse 4:34, and that they have implemented both progressive and reformist arguments and methodologies in their teachings and daily lives.

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*MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies

This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MA Near and Middle Eastern Studies of SOAS, University of London.

11/09/2015