The Prophet Muhammad’s reported traditions have evolved significantly to affect the social, cultural, and political lives of all Muslims. Though centuries of scholarship were spent on the authentication and trustworthiness of the narrators, there has been less study focused on the contents of these narratives, known as Hadith or Sunnah, and their corroboration by the Qur`an.

In addition, there is an urgent need to re‐think the authority of the Hadith. This is a very sensitive subject for Muslims. However, given the facts that the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, himself strongly discouraged his companions from documenting in writing his sayings, and that after his death the four caliphs also forbade the writing of his sayings, we are required to address this issue. Clearly, the Qur`an is the only divine source of Islam.

Hence, this book is a first step in a comprehensive attempt to contrast Hadith with the Qur`an in order to uncover some of the unjust practices by Muslims concerning women and gender issues. Using specific examples the author helps the reader appreciate and understand the magnitude of the problem. It is argued that the human rights and the human development of Muslim women will not progress in a meaningful and sustainable manner until the Hadith is re‐examined in a fresh new approach from within the Islamic framework, shifting the discourse in understanding Islam from a dogmatic religious law to a religio‐moral rational worldview.

First Review: The author argues that such re‐examination requires the involvement of women in order to affirm their authority in exegetical and practical leadership within Muslim societies, and she encourages Muslim women to stand up for their rights to effect change in understanding the role of sunnah (his tradition) in their own life.

See Links to invited lectures about the book.