Editors Reads Verdict
A landmark of Islamic feminist scholarship — Mernissi's close reading of the Hadith and early Islamic history to show that gender inequality was a political construction, not a religious necessity.
What We Loved
- Rigorous scholarly argument
- Essential for understanding Islamic feminist thought
- The historical argument is compelling and well-supported
Minor Drawbacks
- More demanding than her popular works
- Requires some knowledge of Islamic history
Key Takeaways
- → The veil as a political decision, not a divine command
- → Early Islamic society and the position of women
- → The male elite's control of religious interpretation
| Author | Fatema Mernissi |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Perseus Books |
| Pages | 224 |
| Published | January 1, 1987 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Non-Fiction, Feminist Theory, Islamic Studies |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Best For | Readers interested in Islamic feminism, gender and religion, or the scholarly arguments behind Mernissi's more popular works |
Fatema Mernissi’s most scholarly and most controversial work begins with a question: if the Prophet Muhammad’s message was one of equality, how did the Islamic world arrive at such comprehensive female subordination? Her answer, worked out through close reading of the Hadith (the collected sayings of the Prophet) and the early history of Islam, is that the seclusion and veiling of women were political decisions made by the male elite in the years after Muhammad’s death — decisions that served the interests of power and were subsequently sanctified as divine commandment.
The Veil and the Male Elite is the argument that underlies all of Mernissi’s more accessible writing. Where Dreams of Trespass shows the lived experience of women within the harem system, and Scheherazade Goes West explores the cultural meanings attached to Muslim women, this book goes to the textual sources and makes the historical case. It is demanding — it requires engagement with Islamic jurisprudence and the historical debates about which Hadith are authentic — but it is the foundation of Islamic feminist thought.
The book was banned in several countries on publication and remains controversial. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how feminist scholars have engaged with Islam from within the tradition rather than from outside it.
Reading Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "The Veil and the Male Elite" about?
Mernissi's most scholarly work — a feminist reading of Islamic sacred texts arguing that the veil and the seclusion of women were political decisions made by the male elite in the early Islamic period, not divine commandments.
Who should read "The Veil and the Male Elite"?
Readers interested in Islamic feminism, gender and religion, or the scholarly arguments behind Mernissi's more popular works
What are the key takeaways from "The Veil and the Male Elite"?
The veil as a political decision, not a divine command Early Islamic society and the position of women The male elite's control of religious interpretation
Is "The Veil and the Male Elite" worth reading?
A landmark of Islamic feminist scholarship — Mernissi's close reading of the Hadith and early Islamic history to show that gender inequality was a political construction, not a religious necessity.
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