Nova Feminism and Islamic Concepts (Religion and Society)

Feminism and Islamic Concepts offers a much-needed intervention by presenting a nuanced academic examination of how feminist concerns intersect with Islamic principles. Rather than viewing these two frameworks as inherently opposed, the book encourages readers to explore how meaningful engagement between them can lead to greater understanding, reform, and equity within Muslim societies. The book is relevant given the rising calls for gender equality across the Muslim world, especially in regions like South and Southeast Asia, where Islamic values are deeply embedded in law, culture, and governance. Simultaneously, people often falsely attribute many persistent issues affecting women, like discriminatory laws, harmful customs, and limited access to justice, to Islam itself. Many of these practices are cultural rather than religious in origin. This book responds to such misconceptions by offering scholarly perspectives rooted in both Islamic jurisprudence and contemporary human rights thinking. This book aims to engage general readers seeking a clearer understanding of the complex and often misrepresented relationship between feminism and Islam. By combining academic rigor with cultural and religious sensitivity, the book offers a thoughtful framework for informed reform—one that upholds both the ethical commitments of faith and the principles of human dignity. With contributions from experts in Islamic studies, legal theory, gender studies, and digital media, the volume presents critical perspectives and nuanced analysis on how feminist thought can be meaningfully aligned with Islamic values in the context of twenty-first-century challenges.