ARBC 3501 - Men and Women in Islam

ARBC 3501: Men and Women in Islam is a 3 credit course that focuses on contemporary gender egalitarian and anti-patriarchal interpretations of the Qur'an by Muslim scholars.

Workload

For the asynchronous version of the course in spring 2021, the course consisted of weekly articles or videos and 300–400 written reflections on the discussion board. There was also a midterm essay assignment and a final assignment which could take a variety forms, such as an essay following an interview with a Muslim woman regarding the course topics. Each student presents at one point during the semester on the topic for the week. Grading is generally very generous.

Topic List

• Qur'an and hadiths
• Creation of Adam and Eve
  • Was Eve created from a rib?

• Arab women before Islam
• Women stories in the Qur'an
  • Balkis, Queen of Sheba
  • Sarah and hagar
  • Zulaykha
  • Mother of Moses
  • Asiah, wife of Pharaoh

• Polygamy around the world and in Islam
• Khadijah and Aisha
• Domestic violence
• Maryam
• Hijab
• When the Qur'an speaks to women
  • Khawlah bint Tha'labah, who successfully pleaded with God

• De-linking FGM from Islam
• Divorce and inheritance rights
• Afterlife

This topic list is from spring 2021.

Registration

ARBC 3501 is not a linked course and has no recitation.

Resources

Required books:

• Wadud, A. (1999). Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective.
• Lamrabet, A. (2016). Women in the Qur'an: An Emancipatory Reading.

These books are available online from the Georgia Tech Library.