"Bloomsbury Publishing Plc"--Title page verso. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
Part I: Mothers -- Umms and Wombs: How and (Maybe) Why Shi'is Reckoned Descent Through Fatima -- Other Mothers, Other Sons -- Part II: Heiresses -- Heiress to the Prophet: Fatima, Fadak and Female Inheritance -- Endowing Agency: Daughters, Waqfs, and Semi-Matrilineal Inheritance -- Part III: Successors -- Speaking in Her Father's Name: Fatima as Successor to the Prophet Muhammad -- Fatima's Royal Shadow: Muslim Female Rulers' Quest for Legitimacy and Sovereignty -- Epilogue: Whither Fatima?
Summary:
"In [this book] Alyssa Gabbay examines episodes in pre-modern Islamic history in which individuals or societies recognized descent from both men and women. Fatima, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, features prominently in this study, for her example constituted a striking precedent for acknowledging bilateral descent in both Sunni and Shi'i societies, with all of its ramifications for female inheritance, succession and identity. Covering a broad geographical and chronological swath, [this book] presents alternative perspectives to patriarchal narratives, and breaks new ground in its focus upon how people conceived of family structures and bloodlines. In so doing, it builds upon a tradition of studies seeking to dispel monolithic understandings of Islam and gender"--Back cover.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.