Echoes of the Past

Echoes of the Past is an examination of the debate within the 7th century Islamic community over the role of women in public life. Using primarily the Qur''an, sunna, hadith, and early histories of the period, Fritz attempts to use a dispassionate, historical approach in examining this issue. In so doing, he finds that the early Islamic community was heavily divided on the role of women in the public spehre, much like the modern community, rather than universally liberating or oppressive toward women.