Over the last few decades the debate over the role of women and the contours of gender relations in an Islamic society has led to a number of divergent outlook among the school of feminist thought in the Arab world and other Muslim countries. In response to this phenomenon, Muslim scholars have attempted to construct the role of the modern women woman within the framework of Islamic scholarship. This paper seeks to analyse and compare the view of Sayyid Qutb and ‘Â’ishah ‘Abd Rahmân in regard to women. The examination of their views will center around what the value of functional differentiations between individuals, and the question of whether or not these functional distinctions and their values delineate specific values for both sexes in society, as well as whether or not these values are intra or extra-Qur’anic. Various books as well as novel written by the respective authors will be taken into consideration. Sayyid Qutb was the main ideologue of the Muslim Brotherhood, while ‘Â’ishah ‘Abd Rahmân was an independent scholar. They were contemporaries who both produced a number of pieces of literature. However, although Sayyid Qutb was actively involved in politics and Bint al-Shâti’s was not, her writings nonetheless exhibit a certain agenda, and she has consistently gained the favour and respect of a succession of consecutive Egyptian regimes.
Keywords: Islamic thought, tafsîr, gender, Sayyid Qutb, ‘Â’ishah ‘Abd Rahmâ
