Amina Wadud (born September 25, 1952) is an American Muslim theologian. Wadud serves as Professor Emeritus of Islamic Studies at
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virginia in 1854. In 1968, the Virgini ...
and is also a visiting scholar at
Starr King School for the Ministry
Starr King School for the Ministry is a Unitarian Universalist seminary in Oakland, California. The seminary was formed in 1904 to educate leaders for the growing number of progressive religious communities in the western part of the US. The scho ...
. Wadud has written extensively on the role of women in Islam.
Born and raised as a Methodist in
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...
, Wadud converted to
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
in 1972 while studying at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
. She went on to study
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
and Islamic studies, first in the United States and later in Egypt. Wadud made international headlines in 2005 when she led Friday prayers at a mixed congregation in New York, stirring controversy in some spheres of the Islamic world. Regardless, Wadud has continued to lead prayers at various congregations around the world.
Early life
Wadud was born Mary Teasley in
Bethesda, Maryland
Bethesda () is an unincorporated, census-designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland. It is located just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House (1820, rebuilt 1849), which in ...
. Her father was a
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
minister. With her father she attended the March on Washington with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King in 1963. It was her first encounter with religion as motivation for justice and equality.
In 1972, she
converted to Islam
Religious conversion is the adoption of a set of beliefs identified with one particular religious denomination to the exclusion of others. Thus "religious conversion" would describe the abandoning of adherence to one denomination and affiliatin ...
, while a student at the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
, which she attended from 1970 to 1975.
She legally changed her name along with her then husband and eventually retained 'amina wadud' as her name, which she chose to spell without capital letters.
Education
In 1975, Wadud graduated from the
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and became a certified teacher. Then she moved to El-Beida,
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
for two years where she taught English at the university.
She received her M.A. in
Near Eastern Studies
Oriental studies is the academic field that studies Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology. In recent years, the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Middle Eastern studie ...
followed by her Ph.D. in
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
and
Islamic Studies
Islamic studies refers to the academic study of Islam, and generally to academic multidisciplinary "studies" programs—programs similar to others that focus on the history, texts and theologies of other religious traditions, such as Easter ...
from the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
in 1988. During
graduate school
Postgraduate or graduate education refers to Academic degree, academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by higher education, post-secondary students who have earned an Undergraduate education, un ...
, she studied in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, including advanced Arabic at the Center for Arabic Studies Abroad program for advanced Arabic at the
American University in Cairo
The American University in Cairo (AUC; ar, الجامعة الأمريكية بالقاهرة, Al-Jāmi‘a al-’Amrīkiyya bi-l-Qāhira) is a private research university in Cairo, Egypt. The university offers American-style learning programs ...
, Qur'anic studies and ''
tafsir
Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
'' (
exegesis
Exegesis ( ; from the Ancient Greek, Greek , from , "to lead out") is a critical explanation or interpretation (logic), interpretation of a text. The term is traditionally applied to the interpretation of Bible, Biblical works. In modern usage, ...
or religious interpretation) at
Cairo University
Cairo University ( ar, جامعة القاهرة, Jāmi‘a al-Qāhira), also known as the Egyptian University from 1908 to 1940, and King Fuad I University and Fu'ād al-Awwal University from 1940 to 1952, is Egypt's premier public university ...
, and philosophy at
Al-Azhar University
, image = جامعة_الأزهر_بالقاهرة.jpg
, image_size = 250
, caption = Al-Azhar University portal
, motto =
, established =
*970/972 first foundat ...
.
Work
wadud's research focus has been on Qur’an, Qur'anic studies, tafsir, hermeneutics, gender and sexuality
From 1989 to 1992, she worked as an assistant professor in faculty of Revealed Knowledge at
International Islamic University, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
for a three-year contract. While there, she published an edited volume of her dissertation ''Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective'' That first publication was followed by an expanded edition from
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
in 1999 with the additional subtitle: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective. The first book has been used extensively in the modern academic study of Islam, Muslim women and Qur’anic Studies in all parts of the world.
In 2006 she published her second monograph, Inside the Gender Jihad: Women's Reform in Islam by One World Publications.
Most recently, in 2022, she has published a spiritual memoir called Once in a Lifetime from Kantara Press.
This book provides and introduction to the five pillars of Islam from a progressive perspective.
While in Malaysia she joined 7 other women as founders of the non-governmental organization Sisters in Islam.
SIS would spear head the creation of an international advocacy group called Musawah (www.Musawah.org) in 2009.
After retirement in 2006 she took up a position as a visiting professor at
Starr King School
Starr may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Starr (surname), a list of people and fictional characters
* Starr (given name), a list of people and fictional characters
Places
United States
* Starr, Ohio, an unincorporated comm ...
for the Ministry in California. She traveled to
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
in 2008 where she took up a visiting professor position at the Center for Religious and Cross Cultural Studies at
Gadjah Mada University
Gadjah Mada University ( jv, ꦈꦤꦶꦥ꦳ꦼꦂꦱꦶꦠꦱ꧀ꦓꦗꦃꦩꦢ; id, Universitas Gadjah Mada, abbreviated as UGM) is a Public university, public research university located in Sleman Regency, Sleman, Yogyakarta (special region) ...
in
Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta (; jv, ꦔꦪꦺꦴꦒꦾꦏꦂꦠ ; pey, Jogjakarta) is the capital city of Special Region of Yogyakarta in Indonesia, in the south-central part of the island of Java. As the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarchy, ...
,
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
in 2009.
Wadud would return to Yogyakarta in 2020 to hold visiting professor positions at the National Islamic
University Sunan Kalijaga,
and at the International Consortium of Religious Studies, at
Gadjah Mada University
Gadjah Mada University ( jv, ꦈꦤꦶꦥ꦳ꦼꦂꦱꦶꦠꦱ꧀ꦓꦗꦃꦩꦢ; id, Universitas Gadjah Mada, abbreviated as UGM) is a Public university, public research university located in Sleman Regency, Sleman, Yogyakarta (special region) ...
.
She has held visiting positions at
Harvard
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
Divinity School,
Melbourne University
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
and other universities. She has given hundreds of lectures, workshops and presentations in grassroots, government, non-government and academic forums throughout the United States, the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe.
Her speaking engagements include the keynote address "Islam, Justice, and Gender" at the 2008 international conference''Understanding Conflicts: Cross-Cultural Perspectives'', held at
Aarhus University
Aarhus University ( da, Aarhus Universitet, abbreviated AU) is a public research university with its main campus located in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the second largest and second oldest university in Denmark. The university is part of the Coimbra Gr ...
, Denmark; a paper titled “Islam Beyond Patriarchy Through Gender Inclusive Qur’anic Analysis” at the 2009 ''
Musawah
Musawah ('equality'; in Arabic: ) is a global movement for equality and justice in the Muslim family and family laws, led by 'Islamic feminists' "seeking to reclaim Islam and the Koran for themselves", applying progressive interpretations of sac ...
- Equality and Justice in the Family'' conference; the Regional Conference on Advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Muslim Societies, hosted by
United Nations Development Fund for Women
The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM, french: Fonds de développement des Nations unies pour la femme, ) was established in December 1976 originally as the Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women in the International ...
(UNIFEM) and the International Centre for Islam and Pluralism (ICIP) in
Jakarta
Jakarta (; , bew, Jakarte), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta ( id, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta) is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Lying on the northwest coast of Java, the world's most populous island, Jakarta ...
, Indonesia, in March 2009; a workshop on "Sharia and Human Rights" at the
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen ( no, Universitetet i Bergen, ) is a research-intensive state university located in Bergen, Norway. As of 2019, the university has over 4,000 employees and 18,000 students. It was established by an act of parliament in 194 ...
, Norway in late November 2009; a public lecture titled "Muslim Women and Gender Justice: Methods, Motivation and Means" to the Faculty of Arts, Asia Institute, at the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
, Australia in February 2010; a lecture on “Tawhid and Spiritual Development for Social Action” at
Muslims for Progressive Values
Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) was founded and incorporated by Zuriana (Ani) Zonneveld and Pamela K. Taylor in 2007, headquartered in Los Angeles with a regional office in Malaysia and The Netherlands.
It is a grassroots human rights org ...
at the
Pacific School of Religion
The Pacific School of Religion (PSR) is a private Protestant seminary in Berkeley, California. It maintains covenantal relationships with the United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church, and the Disciples of Christ, ensuring the schoo ...
in
Berkeley, California
Berkeley ( ) is a city on the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay in northern Alameda County, California, United States. It is named after the 18th-century Irish bishop and philosopher George Berkeley. It borders the cities of Oakland and Emer ...
in July 2011.
wadud was awarded a three-year research grant from the Arcus foundation to do an in depth study of Classical Islamic discourse about sexual diversity and human dignity. She identified as Queer and has openly advocated "pluralism" and "equality" including dignity for LGBTQ+ persons rights.
Controversy
1994 sermon
In August 1994, wadud delivered a Friday pre-''
khutbah
''Khutbah'' ( ar, خطبة ''khuṭbah'', tr, hutbe) serves as the primary formal occasion for public preaching in the Islamic tradition.
Such sermons occur regularly, as prescribed by the teachings of all legal schools. The Islamic traditi ...
'' (sermon) on "Islam as Engaged Surrender" at the Claremont Main Road Mosque in
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. Women delivering even a pre-khutbah talk was unheard of in the
Muslim world
The terms Muslim world and Islamic world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is practiced. I ...
.
2005 prayer leadership
More than a decade later, Wadud decided to lead Friday prayers (''
salat
(, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba wit ...
'') for a congregation in the United States breaking breaking with conservative Muslim practice. (See
Women as imams There is a difference of opinion among Muslims regarding the circumstances in which women may act as imams, i.e. to lead a mixed gendered congregation in ''salat'' (prayer). The orthodox position is that women cannot lead prayers for men, which is ...
for a discussion of the issue.) On Friday 18 March 2005, Wadud acted as imam for a congregation of about 60 women and 40 men seated together, without any gender separation. The
call to prayer
A call to prayer is a summons for participants of a faith to attend a group worship or to begin a required set of prayers. The call is one of the earliest forms of telecommunication, communicating to people across great distances. All religions ...
was given by another woman, Suheyla El-Attar. It was sponsored by the Muslim Women's Freedom Tour, under the leadership of
Asra Nomani
Asra Quratulain Nomani (born September 7, 1965) is an American author and former Georgetown University professor. Born in India to Muslim parents, she earned a BA from West Virginia University in liberal arts in 1986 and an MA from the American U ...
, by the website Muslim WakeUp!, and by members of the
Progressive Muslim Union
The Progressive Muslim Union of North America (PMU) was a liberal Islamic organization. The group officially launched on November 15, 2004 in Manhattan but was disbanded in December 2006.
''The Progressive Muslim Union (PMU) is the result of a ...
.
The gathering was held in the
Synod House
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin word meani ...
, owned by and adjoining the
Episcopal
Episcopal may refer to:
*Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church
*Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese
*Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name
** Episcopal Church (United State ...
Cathedral of St. John the Divine
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine (sometimes referred to as St. John's and also nicknamed St. John the Unfinished) is the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. It is at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue in the Morningside Heights neighborhood ...
, in Manhattan's
Morningside Heights
Morningside Heights is a neighborhood on the West Side of Upper Manhattan in New York City. It is bounded by Morningside Drive to the east, 125th Street to the north, 110th Street to the south, and Riverside Drive to the west. Morningside ...
, after three
mosques
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, i ...
had refused to host the service and including the
Sundaram Tagore Gallery
Sundaram may refer to:
People with the surname
* Anjan Sundaram, journalist and author
* Jomo Kwame Sundaram, Malaysian economist
* Kalyan Sundaram (1904–1992), Indian civil servant
* Mugur Sundar, choreographer in South Indian cinema
* Raghu Su ...
that withdrew its offer following an anonymous bomb threat. Wadud stated her preference to hold the prayer in a sacred place.
She was not an organizer of the prayer and played no part in what venue was eventually selected. She said, "I don't want to change Muslim mosques. I want to encourage the hearts of Muslims, both in their public, private and ritual affairs, to believe they are one and equal."
Response
The prayer service drew controversy from the Muslim community.
Over 100 men and women attended the prayers, and about half dozen people protested outside the church.
[
]
Yusuf Al-Qaradawi
Yusuf al-Qaradawi ( ar, يوسف القرضاوي, translit=Yūsuf al-Qaraḍāwī; or ''Yusuf al-Qardawi''; 9 September 1926 – 26 September 2022) was an Egyptian Islamic scholar based in Doha, Qatar, and chairman of the International Union of ...
of Qatar said that, while a woman could lead other women and even possibly her young children in ''
salat
(, plural , romanized: or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːh, ( or Old Arabic ͡sˤaˈloːtʰin construct state) ), also known as ( fa, نماز) and also spelled , are prayers performed by Muslims. Facing the , the direction of the Kaaba wit ...
'', she could not lead a mixed group including non-
mahram
In Islam, a ''mahram'' is a family member with whom marriage would be considered permanently unlawful (''haram''). One's spouse is also a mahram. A woman does not need to wear hijab around her mahram, and an adult male mahram may escort a woman ...
males.
Grand Imam of Al-Azhar The Grand Imam of al-Azhar ( ar, الإمام الأكبر), also known as Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar ( ar, links=no, شيخ الأزهر الشريف), currently Ahmed el-Tayeb, is a prestigious and a prominent official title in Egypt. He is consid ...
Sayyid Tantawi
''Sayyid'' (, ; ar, سيد ; ; meaning 'sir', 'Lord', 'Master'; Arabic plural: ; feminine: ; ) is a surname of people descending from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, sons of Muhamma ...
criticized the prayer in the Egyptian newspaper ''
Al-Ahram
''Al-Ahram'' ( ar, الأهرام; ''The Pyramids''), founded on 5 August 1875, is the most widely circulating Egyptian daily newspaper, and the second oldest after '' al-Waqa'i`al-Masriya'' (''The Egyptian Events'', founded 1828). It is majori ...
'': "When she leads men in prayer, in this case, it is not proper for them to look at the woman whose body is in front of them."
Some Muslim academics supported wadud. Egyptian academic
Gamal al-Banna
Gamal al-Banna (also: ''Jamal al-Banna'', ar, جمال البنا; 15 December 1920 – 30 January 2013) was an Egyptian author, and trade unionist. He was the youngest brother of Hassan al-Banna (1906–49), founder of the Muslim Brothe ...
argued that her actions were supported by Islamic sources.
[New Straits Times - The day I met Amina Wadud](_blank)
By Siti Nurbaiyah Nadzmi Writer and Harvard Divinity School professor
Leila Ahmed
Leila Ahmed ( ar, لیلى أحمد); (born 1940) is an Egyptian-American scholar of Islam. In 1992 she published her book ''Women and Gender in Islam'', which is regarded as a seminal historical analysis of the position of women in Arab Muslim s ...
said it brought attention to the issue of women in Islam.
Khaled Abou El-Fadl
Khaled Abou el Fadl ( ar, خالد أبو الفضل, ) (born October 23, 1963) is the Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Distinguished Professor of Law at the UCLA School of Law where he has taught courses on International Human Rights, Islamic jurisprude ...
, professor of Islamic Studies at
UCLA
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
said: "What the fundamentalists are worried about is that there's going to be a ripple effect not just in the U.S. but all over the Muslim world. The women who are learned and frustrated that they cannot be the imam are going to see that someone got the guts to break ranks and do it."
The police and her employer, fearing for her security and potential collateral damage followed parents’ concern and permitted her to conduct her classes from home through a
video link
Videotelephony, also known as videoconferencing and video teleconferencing, is the two-way or multipoint reception and transmission of audio signal, audio and video signals by people in different locations for Real-time, real time communication. ...
. In her first interview after the prayer, wadud denied receiving any death threats and described them as media hype.
[
wadud continues her speaking engagements research, writing and advocacy across the world. She accepts select invitations to lead mixed-gender prayers and to perform Friday prayer services. On October 28, 2005, following her talk at the International Congress on Islamic Feminism in ]Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
, Spain, she was invited to lead a congregation of about thirty people. Following an invitation by the Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford, she led a mixed-gender prayer in the United Kingdom, even though Muslims planning to attend were threatened with being disowned by conservative imams through personal visits from mosques.
2013 Madras University controversy
Wadud was to deliver a lecture on 29 July 2013 on 'Gender and Reform in Islam' at the University of Madras
The University of Madras (informally known as Madras University) is a public university, public State university (India), state university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Established in 1857, it is one of the oldest and among the most prestigiou ...
in Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
, India. The scheduled lecture was cancelled because police cited possible law and order problems in view of opposition by Muslim groups. S.M. Syed Iqbal, state secretary of India Towheed Jamad, said that she comes with the backing of the US government and offers so-called progressive views that are against the basic tenets of Islam, and that his outfit would protest in front of the venues if she were allowed to talk.
Awards
In 2007, Wadud received the Danish Democracy Prize.
Personal life
Amina Wadud has five children and three grandchildren. She lives in Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
.
She identifies as non-binary with the use of pronouns she/her and they/them. Wadud prefers her name be written in lowercase as Arabic does not utilize capital letters.
Media appearances
Wadud was an advisor to the documentary '' Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet'' (2002), produced by Unity Productions Foundation and broadcast on PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
.
Wadud was interviewed on WNYC
WNYC is the trademark and a set of call letters shared by WNYC (AM) and WNYC-FM, a pair of nonprofit, noncommercial, public radio stations located in New York City. WNYC is owned by New York Public Radio (NYPR), a nonprofit organization that di ...
radio on July 14, 2006, to discuss her book ''Inside the Gender Jihad''. She responded to questions and comments about other activities including women in gender-mixed Friday prayer service.
In 2007, Wadud was the subject of a documentary by Iranian-Dutch filmmaker, Elli Safari, called "''The Noble Struggle of Amina Wadud''".
Selected bibliography
Books
* Contributes a gender-inclusive reading to one of the most fundamental disciplines in Islamic thought, Qu'ranic exegesis.
* Continues Wadud's Qur'anic analysis and provides extensive details about her experiences as a Muslim, wife, mother, sister, scholar, and activist.
Chapters in books
*
See also
*Asma Barlas
Asma Barlas (born 1950) is a Pakistani-American writer and academic. Her specialties include comparative and international politics, Islam and Qur'anic hermeneutics, and women's studies.
Early life and education
Barlas was born in Pakistan in ...
*Asma Lamrabet
Asma Lamrabet (Rabat, Morocco, 1961) is a Moroccan doctor, Islamic feminist, scholar and author.
Personal life
Asma Lamrabet was born in Rabat. She currently resides in Rabat, Morocco. She considers her education to be occidental. She is married ...
*Fatema Mernissi
Fatema Mernissi ( ar, فاطمة مرنيسي, Fāṭima Marnīsī; 27 September 1940 – 30 November 2015) was a Moroccan feminist writer and sociologist.
Biography
Fatema Mernissi was born on 27 September 1940 in Fez, Morocco. She grew up in t ...
*Ziba Mir-Hosseini
Ziba Mir-Hosseini ( fa, زیبا میرحسینی; born 3 April 1952) is an Iranian-born legal anthropologist, specialising in Islamic law, gender and development. She received her PhD in anthropology from Cambridge University and is the author o ...
*Azizah Y. al-Hibri
Azizah Y. al-Hibri ( ar, عزيزة يحيى الهبري; born 1943) is an American philosopher and legal scholar who specializes in Islam and law.
Biography
Al-Hibri is professor emerita at the T. C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmo ...
*Inclusive Mosque Initiative
The Inclusive Mosque Initiative (IMI) was founded in 2012, in London, UK. It is a grassroots activist organisation which works towards promoting the understanding of an intersectional feminist Islam. In practice, this means that IMI spaces and ...
Further reading
*
References
External links
Amina Wadud
California Institute of Integral Studies
"Muslims" episode of ''Frontline''
Amina Wadud interview
Halal Monk
A’ishah’s legacy
by Amina Wadud in ''New Internationalist'' magazine (Issue 345, May 2002)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wadud, Amina
1952 births
Living people
African-American Muslims
African-American former Christians
Al-Azhar University alumni
American feminists
The American University in Cairo alumni
Cairo University alumni
Converts to Islam from Protestantism
Feminist studies scholars
American former Protestants
Gadjah Mada University faculty
International Islamic University Malaysia faculty
Proponents of Islamic feminism
Muslim reformers
People from Richmond, Virginia
University of Michigan alumni
University of Pennsylvania alumni
Virginia Commonwealth University faculty
People with non-binary gender identities
LGBT Muslims
LGBT African Americans
American LGBT writers
LGBT feminists
Non-binary writers
American Islamic studies scholars
21st-century LGBT people