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Background
The written word has been subject to reinterpretation for as long as it has existed. As recently as 1755, the first modern English dictionary defined lunch as "as much food as one's hand can hold." A parasite was defined as "one who frequents rich tables and earns his welcome by flattery."
In all languages, the origins of words, phrases, and even laws are a direct reflection of the time and culture in which they were written. As cultures evolve and change, so do their languages. People use words differently; meanings shift in the translation from one language to another. For example, the original Hebrew word for sin was himarita; literally translated, it means "to miss the mark." Often, the older the word is, the harder it is to uncover its original meaning, and so the study of hermeneutics is devoted to interpreting ancient texts.
The Quran is the holy text of Islam, just as the Bible is for Christianity and the Torah for Judaism. And just as the Bible and Torah establish rules of behavior -- what is and is not acceptable in a society -- so, too, does the Quran. All of these texts were written more than 1,000 years ago, and all are the subject of ongoing interpretation by hermeneutic scholars. In the Quran, many areas are open to interpretation, such as the wearing of the veil among women and the practice of taking more than one wife. This latter practice, known as polygyny, can be used to examine how different scholars interpret the same text to mean different things.
 | Ask students to read excerpts
that provide different interpretations of Quranic verses on polygamy
(the practice of taking more than one spouse), and specifically
polygyny (having more than one wife). They will learn how scholars
interpret the same text in different ways to justify opposing views of
polygyny.| Working alone or in small groups, students will
answer a series of questions to understand the era and culture in
which the Quran was written. Discussion questions may include the
following: |
Ask each group to record their findings, summarize
what they learned, and present it to the class. Through discussion of
these issues, students should be able to identify some of the cultural
norms and practices that influence the interpretation of religious
texts and the establishment of cultural norms. | |
| How well can the student explain the different ways
the Quran has been interpreted to support or oppose polygyny in
Islamic societies?| How well can the student give examples of factors
that influence the interpretation of the Quran and the practice of
polygyny? | How well can the student make the link between
understanding that interpretations vary on the Quran and the negative
effects of stereotyping Muslims as a monolithic culture? | |
Core Resources:
| Portraits of Ordinary Muslims - Malaysia http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/portraits/malaysia.html This Frontline article is about a Muslim Malaysian woman who is divorcing her husband because of polygyny. The Quran on Women, Polygamy, and Terrorism | http://www.ummah.net/islam/taqwapalace/islam/set6.htm This essay debunks several myths about Islam's view on women, polygamy, and terrorism. Polygamy | http://www.jamaat.org/islam/WomanPolygamy.html This essay explores justifications for polygamy. Koran and the Liberation of Women | http://women.rationalreality.com This paper clarifies the position of the Quran that has been "distorted and misrepresented through the ages, by those having vested interests." Islam and Polygamy | http://www.muslimtents.com/sistersinislam/resources/lpoly.htm This article praises a decision of the Selangor Syariah appeals court judgment, which dispels the popular belief that the Quran gives blanket permisson for polygyny. |
Internet Resources:
| Islamic Feminism Finds a Different Voice http://www.afsa.org/fsj/may00/fernea.html An essay on the distinction between Islamic and Western feminism Gender Equity in Islam | http://www.jannah.org/genderequity/ Dr. Jamal Badawi's book on gender equity in Islam The Noble Quran | http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ Three side-by-side interpretations of the Quran in English 177 Ayahs that Refer to Women | http://www.jannah.org/sisters/177.html A compilation of all the verses of the Quran that contain the word "woman" This and That: Feminist Muslims | http://www.crescentlife.com/thisthat/feminist_muslims.htm Feminist Muslim interpretations of Quranic verses about women This and That: Women and Interpretation of Islamic
Sources | http://www.crescentlife.com/thisthat/women_and_interpretation_of_islamic_sources.htm Can there be a feminist interpretation of Quran and Sunna? Was there one in the past, and if not, can we initiate one in the future? |
Print Resources:
| Whaud, Amina. Qu'ran and Woman: Rereading the
Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Ahmed, Leila. Women and Gender in Islam:
Historical Roots of a Modern Debate. | New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992. |
Related Activities:
| Gender Issues in Islam http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/muslims/ Students will compare and contrast the roles of men and women with regard to various topics in the six countries featured in the film. An Introduction to Islam and Muhammad | http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/lesson1.html Students will compare the major monotheistic belief systems of the world. |