Gendering the Hadith Tradition: Recentring the Authority of Aisha, Mother of the Believers

Gendering the Hadith Tradition is a partial translation and study of Imam Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi's work, al-Ijaba li-Iradi ma Istadraktahu Aisha Ala al-Sahabah-The Corrective: Aisha's Rectification of the Companions. It critically analyses Aisha's refutations and corrections of key Companions, applying classical hadith methodology to re-construct and re-present her as a central authority in Islamic knowledge production. The study elicits a methodology for hadith criticism that challenges classical approaches and contributes to expanding the horizons of multiple Islamic disciplines. It also develops a framework for the Muslim legal tradition based on Aisha's approach to juridical matters, with implications for women and their spiritual and daily life and practice.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 20 February 2024
Publisher: Oxford University Press

Gendering the Hadith Tradition is a groundbreaking work that presents a partial translation and comprehensive study of Imam Badr al-Din al-Zarkashi's seminal work, al-Ijaba li-Iradi ma Istadraktahu Aisha Ala al-Sahabah-The Corrective: Aisha's Rectification of the Companions. This critical analysis delves into various sections where Aisha refutes and corrects key Companions, such as Umar b. al-Khattab, Abdullah b. Abbas, Zayd b. Thabit, and Abu Hurayra, employing classical hadith methodology to scrutinize narrators through impugnment and validation (al-jarh wa al-tadil). By re-constructing and re-presenting Aisha as a central authority in Islamic knowledge production, this work constitutes a significant rethinking of the Muslim hadith and jurisprudential traditions.

Through her critique of overwhelmingly male Companions of the Prophet, the study elicits a methodology for hadith criticism that challenges classical approaches. Sofia Rehman sheds light on the scholarly acumen of this great female Companion and mother of the believers by discussing several legal positions that Aisha held in contrast to many male authorities among the Companions. This interdisciplinary study serves as a model for how the voice of Aisha can be given renewed life and significance, re-centering her traditions and thinking.

Moreover, Gendering the Hadith Tradition contributes to expanding the horizons of multiple Islamic disciplines. By developing an emergent methodology of Aisha in the scrutiny of the actual statements (matn) of traditio, this work makes a substantial contribution to the study of hadith.

In conclusion, Gendering the Hadith Tradition is a groundbreaking work that offers a fresh perspective on the role of Aisha in Islamic knowledge production. Through its critical analysis, methodology development, and interdisciplinary approach, it provides valuable insights into the study of hadith and contributes to the re-emphasis of Aisha's voice and significance in Islamic scholarship.

Weight: 494g
Dimension: 162 x 242 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192865984