No Truth Without Beauty: God, the Qur’an, and Women's Rights (Sustainable Development Goals Series)

No Truth Without Beauty: God, the Qur’an, and Women's Rights (Sustainable Development Goals Series)

In this comprehensive open access book, written for readers from any or no religious background, Leena El-Ali does something remarkable. Never before has anyone taken on every last claim relating to Islam and women and countered it not just with Qur’anic evidence to the contrary, but with easy-to-use tools available to all. How can a woman’s testimony be worth half of a man’s? How can men divorce their wives unilaterally by uttering three words? And what’s with the obsession with virgins in Paradise? Find the chapter on any of the seventeen topics in this book, and you will quickly learn a) where the myth came from and b) how to bust it. The methodology pursued is simple. First, the Qur’an is given priority over all other literary or “scriptural” sources. Second, the meaning of its verses in the original Arabic is highlighted, in contrast to English translations and/or widespread misunderstanding or misinterpretation. “Leena El-Ali’s work under review is a substantial, extensive elaboration on gender parity in the Qurʾān. ... This highly user-friendly work is divided and subdivided into 5 parts, 21 chapters, and a summary of each part devoted to the following themes: the nature and the rights of women, some problematic issues and carnal matters. Appended to the work are a note on contraception and abortion and an index. ... El-Ali’s sweep over the relevant material is astounding.” (Abdur Raheem Kidwai, The Muslim World Book Review, Vol. 45 (3), 2025) “With enviable clarity and perspicuity, Leena El-Ali has written a very personable and highly readable book on what the Qur’an has to say about women. She does not shy away from any topic, and does it with remarkable strength, grace, and dignity. She brings an honest and brave voice and with admirable integrity and transparency, she analyzes what God’s book has to say. I submit that millions around the world will not only agree with her analysis, but feel enlightened and inspired by her intellectual and ethical example.” ―Khaled Abou El Fadl , Omar and Azmeralda Alfi Distinguished Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law “Readers who think they know all there is to know about Qur'anic verses that supposedly deny women's equality with men will derive enormous pleasure from Leena El-Ali's work. She reads the Qur’an both intra-textually and contextually, juxtaposing verses so as to yield a more comprehensive understanding of a specific subject. Ona personal note, her book allows us to see how her own spiritual journey shaped her encounters with the Qur'an. The writing is terrific.” ― Asma Barlas , Professor Emerita of Politics, Ithaca College, USA and author of “Believing Women” in Islam: Unreading Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur’an “Much ink has already been spent on “Islam and women.” But in this honest, witty, and erudite book, Leena El-Ali presents something really new and important: a brave overview of all the thorny issues, with sharp insights and even new interpretations. With sincere faith in the Qur’an, as well as reverent criticism toward the religious tradition, she shows how gender justice is foundational to a truly Islamic worldview. A must-read.” ― Mustafa Akyol , Senior Fellow in the Center for Global Security and Prosperity, Cato Institute and author of Reopening Muslim Minds: A Return to Reason, Freedom,and Tolerance “This is a book the world needs. Everyone in the diplomatic corps and international affairs at large will want to read it.” ―Aud Lise Norheim , Norwegian Ambassador to Iceland and former Ambassador to Iran (2014-2017), Lebanon (2007-2010), and Bangladesh (2003-2006) “Outside Muslim communities not many have heard the multitudes of Muslim voices, women and men, calling for equality. The author of this book is a lively representative of these muted voices. Based on years of work in organizations developing international and interreligious understanding, Leena El-Ali now turns her attention to what it means to be a Muslim woman in a modern society. She finds and builds on the extensive literature which takes the classical tradition to task. She shows that conservative interpretations favouring men do so because they were written by men in male-dominated cultures. The book is formulated in a language which is clear and unencumbered by excessive jargon or Arabic formulations. It will be a useful learning tool for young people facing these issues as they grow up. Book clubs and discussion groups in communities religious or not will find it a text worth studying and discussing.” ―Jorgen Nielsen , Professor Emeritus of Contemporary European Islam in Department of Theology and Religion, University of Birmingham, UK and Affiliated Professor of Islamic Studies, University of Copenhagen, Denmark “In this unique book, Leena El-Ali weaves her cumulative experience as a development professional with her diligent review of Islamic jurisprudence and history to produce a tapestry of grounded, well-informed perspectives on women’s issue