The Veil and the Male Elite

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Marvelous inquiry into the sources of Islamic traditions - Rated
Fatima Mernissi's careful research is fascinating and challenging. Here is a brilliant Muslim woman on a quest to separate the wheat from the chaff in her tradition. Like the great scholar Al-Bukhari, she exposes cases of fraudulence, where self-interested parties tried to impose their own prejudices as articles of faith. But at the same time Mernissi reveals an inspiring earlier version of Islam, where devotion to real partnership and equality prevails. I think Mernissi's work is at least as important as any recent writing by Christian scholars toward uncovering the historical Jesus and the original face of Christianity.

powerfully written and well researched - Rated
like few other current muslim scholars, mernissi goes back to old sources such as tabari to proove her point. its a wonderful look at what has been lost in the message of islam. and what can be.

Well-written, but weak proofs - Rated
I agree with her point, that men, have misused Islam to opress woman. I love her writing, so clear, so lucid. But, her proofs are very, very flimsy, getting weaker as the book progresses, citing more speculation and emotion than hard evidence. This is the first book that I read in my quest to learn about Islam. Thankfully, I've read many since then. The writing is slick enough to make me want to read her other books, but I am hesitant, because this one is a failure.

An important work - Rated
I find it interesting that another reader found, within the pages of this book, justification for a Muslim woman wearing a piece of cloth to cover her head. My perception of Ms. Mernissi's views is quite the opposite. What she was trying to say throughout the whole book can be summed up in one of the final questions she asks in her conclusion: "How did the tradition succeed in transforming the Muslim woman into that submissive, marginal creature who buries herself and only goes out into the world timidly and huddled in her veils?" Mernissi then questions why a Muslim man needs such a "mutilated companion." These ideas are what make this book so important. Mernissi clearly reveals the reasons why the tradition of hiding under a veil came about. Many Muslim women feel honored to wear a hijab (head covering) because, for one reason, they feel it earns them greater respect. Mernissi's view is that when the tradition first started, most (if not all) women were considered slaves. The covering of the head signified a woman was not to be considered a slave, but someone who had converted to Islam. I highly recommend this book to every woman, Muslim and non-Muslim, (and man, for that matter) who questions the present treatment of women in the Islamic religion.

Excellent book. - Rated

The book shows how the Holy Prophet treated women and how kind he was to them. The book is an excellent guidence for any woman who is thinking of starting to wear the hijab (the Muslim head scarf). It will show her in a step by step historical journey why wearing the hijab is very important to followers of Islam.

The role of women leaders in Islam, such as Aisha, is examined in the book in order to show that women are allowed to be strong and to lead. The entire book is based on the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Hadiths' (the traditions of the Holy Prophet).