By Dr. Lyth Suud Jasem and Dr. Sohirin Mohammad Solihin
Abstract
It attempts to study the views of contemporary Qur’anic exegesis related to the rights, obligation, and equality between male and female from Islamic perspective. At present, Muslim women are subjected to criticism especially from the Western scholarship which demands equality in its overall aspects. They keep on echoing the accusation as if Islam discriminates the right of women. The Qur’an mention that woman should play the role in socio-economic and political participation in the community. The liberal thought regards equality between men and women becomes the main the teaching of Islam to ensure justice regardless of gender, cultural and even ethnical background. Among the things that they demand is related to right of inheritances to be divided equally, divorce, leadership in all levels up to the head of the government. Even religious posts such the right of imam in term of the leading the prayer and post of muftis are also to be handed over to Muslim women whenever they are competent to do it. They demand new interpretation of religious texts (the Qur’an and the Sunnah) which promotes men domination against the right of women.
Thus, the paper attempts to analyze their approaches toward the textual evidences from the Qur’an and their ways of interpretation. In addition, it analyzes the views of both traditional and contemporary Muslim scholars how they deal with women right and equality.