Künkler, Mirjam2019-01-292019-01-292018Künkler, Mirjam. "Women as Religious Authorities: What A Forgotten History Means for the Modern Middle East." <i>Issue Brief,</i> 10.02.18, (2018) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy: <a href="https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/women-religious-authorities/">https://www.bakerinstitute.org/research/women-religious-authorities/</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/105139Given the current dearth of women exercising Islamic authority, it may be assumed that for most of Islamic history, questions of religion and religious law were the near-exclusive domain of men. This brief discusses the various roles and contributions of women in Islam and religious scholarship and outlines recommendations for improving attitudes towards women in religious leadership in Muslim countries. This is one of 10 briefs in a series on pluralism and inclusion in the Middle East after the Arab Spring. The project is generously supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.This material may be quoted or reproduced without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given to the author and Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.Report