Feminist Theology and Social Justice in Islam with Dr. Mahjabeen Dhala

Join us for a webinar on October 1, 2024 with Dr. Mahjabeen Dhala. Dr. Hossein Kamaly and Dr. David D. Grafton from Hartford International University for Religion and Peace will moderate the Q&A after the presentation of the book Feminist Theology and Social Justice in Islam.

Dr. Mahjabeen Dhala is Associate Professor of Islamic Studies and Director of the Madrasa-Midrasha Program at the Graduate Theological Union. Dr. Dhala’s work focusses on the contributions and challenges of pre-modern Muslim women viz-a-viz Islamic understandings of faith, philosophy, and justice. Having served as spiritual guide on several Muslim pilgrimages, she continues to be passionate about pilgrimage as embodied documentation and commemoration of counter narratives by Muslim minorities and as sites of religious and interreligious encounters with art and material culture.

Register via Zoom HERE

Description of Feminist Theology and Social Justice in Islam from the publisher:

Fatima, the daughter of Mohammed, is best known for her protest sermon, an important document from the early Islamic era. Mahjabeen Dhala here offers an in-depth analysis of this captivating narrative, which lies at the intersection of theology and women's studies. A fresh and deep study of Fatima's sermon from feminist and social justice perspectives, she reclaims the voice of a seventh-century Muslim woman theologian and female inheritance rights activist from patriarchal, sectarian, and secular biases. Dhala unveils a rich tapestry of empowerment for women and political minorities within the Islamic tradition. She also uncovers the early origins of female agency and empowerment in Islam, shattering prevailing Western misconceptions and challenging the notion that Muslim women are passive bystanders. Additionally, Dhala's book contributes to our understanding of the role of women in Islamic theology and ethics, revealing their active engagement in promoting social justice and fostering transformative change.

• A fresh and faithful study of Fatima's sermon from a feminist and social justice perspective
• Reclaims the voice of a seventh-century Muslim woman theologian and female inheritance rights activist, exploring her contribution to Islamic thought and practice
• Explores Fatima's exposition of Islamic ethics and metaphor for servant leadership which makes room for the inclusion of labor of gendered and racial minorities

This event is sponsored by the Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations.