Foreword ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xxi Note on Language xxiii Introduction 3 Gender in Islam: The Need for Clarity 3 Perspectives on Women in Post-Revolutionary Iran 7 Narrative and Debate in Ethnographic Writing 10 Religious Authority and Knowledge in Post-Revolutionary Iran 11 Ethnography of Gender Debates in Qom: The Organization of the Book 17 PART ONE: THE TRADITIONALISTS: GENDER INEQUALITY 21 Introduction to Part One 23 One Women Ignored: Grand Ayatollah Madani 26 "The Way of Rulings on Marriage and Divorce" 30 "Newly Created Problems" 31 Ayatollah Madani in 1997 47 Two Women Politicized: Ayatollah Azari-Qomi 49 "Women's Image in the Islamic Order 51 "The Personality of Wooman in Comparison to Man" 58 "Duties of Wives and Husbands toward Each Other" 63 The "Culture of Hejab" 65 "Response to Your Questions" 71 Ayatollah Azari-Qomi in 1997 78 PART TWO: THE NEO-TRADITIONALISTS: GENDER BALANCE 81 Introduction to Part Two 83 Three Women Represented: Discussions with Payam-e Zan 86 The Discussion Begins 88 A Visit to the Shrine in Qom 110 Four Equality or Balance: Redefining Gender Notions in the Shari'a 112 The Second Session with Payam-e Zan 115 Five Women Reconsidered: Ayatollah Yusef Sane'i 144 Discussion with Ayatollah Sane'i 147 After the Meeting 168 Six Agreeing to Differ: Final Meeting with Payam-e Zan 170 The Final Session 172 A Second Visit to the Shrine 207 Payam-e Zan in 1997 208 PART THREE: THE MODERNISTS: TOWARD GENDER EQUALITY 211 Introduction to Part Three 213 Seven Challenges and Complicities: Abdolkarim Sorush and Gender 217 Sorush's Lectures on Women 222 Sorush in London 237 Eight Gender Equality and Islamic Jurisprudence: The Work of Hojjat ol-Eslam Sa'idzadeh 247 Sa'idzadeh in 1997 268 Conclusion 273 Glossary 281 Bibliographic Essay 283 Bibliography 287 Index 303.