Book Reviews 135 

"Believing Women" in Islam: Unreading 

Patriarchal Interpretations of the Qur'an 

Asma Barias 

Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, 2002. 254 pages. 

Does the Qur'an permit the oppression of women? Can women pursue 

equality and remain within the framework of its teachings? In this original 

and thought-provoking work, Barias attempts to address these controversial 

questions.