A Linguistic Approach towards Gender Equality in the Holy Quran; a Critical Study of Islamic Feminism

Confirming "gender equality" as a basic Quranic teaching, hermeneutic branch of Islamic Feminism makes effort to offer new interpretations of the Holy Quran in the recent decades. Since linguistic evidences play an important role in approving "gender equality", Muslim feminists insist on this principle based upon some concepts like "pairing" (Zawjiyya) and "male / female" (Dakar/Untha) in the Quranic verses. Taking linguistic approach towards feminist interpretations, this essay attempts to recognize the semantic field related to "sex" and "gender" in the Holy Quran, and then judges the validity of the principle "gender equality" from the view point of this sacred book. This study shows that the Holy Quran distinguishes sexual affairs from gender ones, and also explains the relationship between men and women in two different stages, family and society. Despite the improving the status of women, the Holy Quran gives a complementary role instead of equal one to them.