Women and The Glorious Quran: An Analytical Study of Women-Related Verses of Sura An-Nisa

248 Pages·2011·1.76 MB·English

by  Gunawan Adnan

Gunawan Adnan
Women and The Glorious QurÞÁn:
An Analytical Study of Women-RelatedVerses of SÙra An-NisaÞ
erschienen in der Reihe der Universitätsdrucke
des Universitätsverlages Göttingen 2004
Gunawan Adnan
Women and The Glorious QurÞÁn:
An Analytical Study of Women-
RelatedVerses of SÙra An-NisaÞ
Universitätsdrucke Göttingen
2004
Die Deutsche Bibliothek – CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Ein Titelsatz für diese Publikation ist
bei der Deutschen Bibliothek erhältlich.
©Alle Rechte vorbehalten, Universitätsverlag Göttingen 2004
ISBN 3-930457-50-4
Respectfully dedicated to
My honorable parents
...who gave me a wonderful world.
To my beloved wife, son and daughter
...who make my world beautiful and meaningful as well.
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Acknowledgements
All praises be to AllÁh for His blessing and granting me the health, strength,
ability and time to finish the Doctoral Program leading to this book on the right
time.
I am indebted to several persons and institutions that made it possible for this
study to be undertaken. My greatest intellectual debt goes to my academic
supervisor, Doktorvater, Prof. Tilman Nagel for his invaluable advice,
guidance, patience and constructive criticism throughout the various stages in
the preparation of this dissertation. My special thanks go to Prof. Brigitta
Benzing and Prof. Heide Inhetveen whose interests, comments and guidance
were of invaluable assistance.
The Seminar for Arabic of Georg-August University of Göttingen with its
international reputation has enabled me to enjoy a very favorable environment
to expand my insights and experiences especially in the themes of Islamic
studies, literature, phylosophy, philology and other oriental studies.
My thanks are due to Dr. Abdul RazzÁq Weiss who provided substantial advice
and constructive criticism for the perfection of this dissertation. My special
thanks go also to Prof. Thomas Crozier and Mrs. Christine Crozier Mrs. Linda
North who corrected the English. The same applies to colleagues and society
members of Seminar for Arabic who had been very pleasant partners in
everyday discussions. Without the technical support of the Library and its
Librarian of the Seminar for Arabic, Central University Library (SUB) and
Göttingen University Computer Centre (GWDG), this dissertation would not
have been technically feasible. To these institutions I express my deep
gratitude and special appreciation.
I owe my deepest thanks and appreciation to the German Academic Exchange
Service (DAAD) that has provided me with stipend and my financial supports.
Special thanks are due to Dr. Dorothea Rüland, Dr. C. Klaus, Dr. J. Schneider,
Mrs. Barbara Schwarz, Mr. Joachim Apweiler and all administrative staffs at
the DAAD Referat 424 in Bonn for their kindly support and encouragement.
My special gratitude and appreciation goes to The Institute for Islamic Studies
(IAIN) Ar-Raniry Banda Aceh, particularly The faculty of Education and
Arabic Department where I lecture, for giving the valuable chance for me to
study abroad.
Finally and most of all, I would like to express my deepest and heartfelt thanks
to my beloved wife, Dr. med. Fita Drisma, my son, ÝAidil FigurraÎmÁn, my
daughter, Natasha Rafflesia, my beloved parents, MuÎammad ÝAdnÁn Ali and
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NurÝaini and my respectful parents in law, Zulkifli Husin and Ellyza as well as
to all member of my big family in Aceh, Bengkulu and Jakarta. Without their
patience, sincere love, tolerance and supports as well as prayer this dissertation
could not have been completed.

Gunawan Adnan
Göttingen, 2004

Although my specialty is medicine and not Arabic studies, when I came into
contact with this book while it was still in the manuscript stage, I took the
opportunity to read it. It was pure curiosity on my part to learn whether
women's position in Muslim society today is actually based on the scripture of
the Qur'an itself. I had read parts of the Qur'an over the years and had noted the
very pragmatic approach it took to matters of daily life, such as the
responsibilities of a person who can read and write towards those who cannot,
or how an inheritance is to be divided amongst the male and female members
of a family. The latter and other parts of the Qur'an seemed to confirm the
general opinion that women always play a subordinate role in Muslim society.
Reading this book I was surprised to find that there is a diversity of opinions
regarding woman's role and that in some instances and in some social contexts,
rules that appear at first glance to discriminate against women, actually give
them a measure of protection and social standing. I was also quite amazed to
learn from discussions with the author - a very enthusiastic young man - that
the concept of polygyny, which one tends to regard as an integral part of
Muslim society, was originally conceived as a measure of expediency to
protect orphaned or widowed women when men were in short supply, and not
as a standard practice. On the whole and in many ways I found this book and
the discussions with the author informative and very illuminating.

Prof. Thomas A Crozier
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BismillÁhir-rahmÁnir-raÎÐm
(In the Name of AllÁh, the Most Gracious, The Most Merciful)
“…And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little”
Q.S. Al-IsraÞ / 17: 85
Say (O Muhammad pbuh) to mankind: “If the sea were ink for (writing) the
words of my Lord, surely, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my
Lord would be finished, even if We brought (another sea) like it for its aids.”
Q.S. Al-Kahf / 18: 109
To AllÁh belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. Verily, AllÁh, He
is al-GhÁnÐ (Rich, Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise. And if all the trees
on the earth were pens and the sea (were ink wherewith to write), with seven
seas behind it to add to its (supply), yet the Words of AllÁh would not be
exhausted. Verily, AllÁh is All-Mighty, All-Wise.
Q. S. LuqmÁn / 31: 26-27
“…AllÁh will exalt in degree those of you who believe, and those who have
been granted knowledge. And AllÁh is Well-Acquainted with what you do.”
Q. S. Al-MujÁdilah / 58: 11
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