Muslim Sexual Ethics:
Religious Texts and Interpretation
The Qur'an: Numerous English renderings are available, and they vary tremendously in how accurately and usefully they translate the verses discussing marriage and divorce. The relevant verses have been excerpted by Nicholas Awde (Women in Islam: An Anthology from the Qur' an and Hadiths, New York: St. Martin's Press, 2000), along with selections from the collections of prophetic traditions known as hadith. He is generally accurate, but fails to include some hadith that present more "woman-friendly" perspectives and interpretations. As with any translation, his depend to a certain extent on subjective interpretations of the Arabic. For those who wish to explore the collections themselves, there are numerous English translations of the two most respected collections of Sunni hadith: Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Awde, Nicholas, translator and editor. 2000. Women in Islam: An Anthology from the Qur'an and Hadiths. New York: St. Martin's Press.
Stowasser, Barbara. 1994. Women in the Qur'an, Traditions, and Interpretation. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wadud, Amina. Qur'an and Woman. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbit Fajar Bakti Sdn. Bhd, 1992; republished by Oxford University Press.