1. How does Islam formulated in four schools of law differ from the Quran’s ethical message on the equality of sexes? Do you think the fact that Islam became a state religion during the Abbasid period has anything to do with the consolidation of patriarchy via Islam?
The four legal schools of Islam each interpreted the Qu’ran in different ways, so it was possible to stray from the message of equality of sexes. Although each school’s interpretations are unique, they tend to afford men greater power and dominance over women, e.g. in their perspectives on the ethics of marriage. Also, they could chose to interpret the Qu’ran’s ethical messages as moral instructions for the individual conscious, rather than as legally enforcable rules.
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The four legal schools of Islam each interpreted the Qu’ran in different ways, so it was possible to stray from the message of equality of sexes. Although each school’s interpretations are unique, they tend to afford men greater power and dominance over women, e.g. in their perspectives on the ethics of marriage. Also, they could chose to interpret the Qu’ran’s ethical messages as moral instructions for the individual conscious, rather than as legally enforcable rules.
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