The perspective of Islamic feminism on the revision of Sunni fiq; a comparative study of Aziza Al-Hibri and Kecia Ali

Abstract: “Islamic feminism” is an analytical-descriptive title by witch western observers identify the intellectual activities of Muslim women. Muslim female scholars of “Islamic feminism”, though there is no consensus among them about this label, have various approaches and subjects of study in relation to the field of Islam and gender. Aziza Al-Hibri and Kecia Ali are two of these Muslim scholars whose research focus have been on the revising and criticizing of Islamic (Sunni) jurisprudence. Sharing some characteristics in their study of fiqh, they represent two different intellectual positions on the Islamic jurisprudence among the scholars of “Islamic feminism”. Both Al-Hibri and Ali consider the social contexts and intellectual dynamism of the formation era of Islamic jurisprudence. However, while Al-Hibri tries to activate the capacities of the existing fiqh to seek gender equality, Ali tries to deconstruct what she observe as the roots of gender inequality in fiqh and uncover methodological instruments (e.g. Qias) that established inequality and hierarchal gender and sexual relations and ethics. Ali considers the approach of scholars like Al-Hibri destined to failure because of a lack of deconstruction of the essential formulations of inequality in the formation era of sunni fiqh. A comparative study of different suggestions these two scholars have offered, unveil the horizons of “Islamic feminism” on revising and criticizing the Islamic (Sunni) jurisprudence.