Scholarly work brings historical commentaries spanning 1,300 years into dialogue with contemporary perspectives
• English-speaking educational institutions across the world that offer courses in Islamic studies can access primary source-material only previously available in Arabic
• Volume II of the Anthology celebrates the diversity tradition of Islam and the centrality of women in Muslim tradition
Dubai, UAE: University of Wollongong in Dubai’s (UOWD) Dr Feras Hamza, Head of the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences, has co-authored a volume of an Anthology demonstrating the importance of women in Muslim tradition and making it available in English for the first time.
The book, titled An Anthology of Qur’anic Commentaries, Volume II On Women has been co-authored with Dr. Karen Bauer, a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Ismaili Studies, London.
Building on the success of the first volume – An Anthology of Qur’anic Commentaries, Volume I: On the Nature of the Divine, the second volume showcases the intellectual variety of Muslim interpretations on verses dealing with women in the Qu’ran and is to be used in classrooms in any educational institution worldwide that teaches Islamic studies in English.
Dr Feras Hamza, Head of the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences at UOWD, said: “Empowering women is more important than ever, especially in Muslim geographies, and it is imperative that Muslim women have a voice in the future of Islamic society as a whole.”
“Students and scholars from across the world learning about the tradition of Qu’ranic commentary will greatly benefit from the book, which samples texts covering over 1,300 years of Islamic history. I am delighted to have contributed to the volume through a collaboration with an established research institution that promotes the study of Muslim cultures and societies to foster a greater understanding of their relationships with other faiths.”
An Anthology of Qurʾanic Commentaries, Volume II: On Women is the first volume of its type: a work which combines a comprehensive analysis of the Qurʾan’s discourse on women with a focus on key verses through critically annotated translations of some seventeen commentaries spanning the eighth to the twentieth centuries.
This presentation of the written tradition is supplemented with interviews of significant contemporary Muslim scholars, both reformist and traditionalist. Moving from the Qurʾan, through the medieval commentarial tradition, to the living interpretations of women, the book addresses sociocultural and legal issues that impact Muslims’ daily lives.
A livestreamed event was set up by the Institute of Ismaili Studies in London on 8 November 2021 where over 100 people joined from as far as India and the USA to celebrate the launch of the book.
Prior to the launch of this volume, English-speaking students learning Islamic Studies were unable to reference commentarial texts about the Qu’ran as this was only available for those who could read and write in Arabic.
The volume is now available from Oxford University Press.
About University of Wollongong in Dubai:
University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) is the first international university in the UAE and the premier Australian university in the region. Established in 1993 by the University of Wollongong Australia, UOWD is accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the UAE Ministry of Education and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) and is licensed by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).
UOWD is the highest ranked Australian university in the UAE – its curriculum and teaching practices reflect those of UOW Australia, which ranks among the top 1% of universities worldwide. Offering over 40 higher education programmes across 10 industry sectors, the university has over 3,500 students from 108 nationalities and a global community of 152,000 alumni.
As part of its continued pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, industry engagement and student experience, UOWD inaugurated its new purpose-built 200,000-square-foot campus at Dubai Knowledge Park in 2020. Featuring cutting-edge technologies, modern architecture, and a mix of traditional and innovative learning spaces, the campus provides an enriched experience to meet the demands of today’s student population, while supporting the teaching staff and community research projects.
