The veil, the Koran, and the Muslim women's movement

"Muslim women who want equal rights are turning to Islam’s primary authority – the Koran. It’s a smart strategy.

In Islam, a woman who chooses not to wear a head scarf in public has a strong defense: the Koran. Nowhere does Islam’s primary text mandate that she cover her head.

A Muslim woman, then, should have the freedom to cover her hair – or not. But that is not the case in a country like Saudi Arabia. The Koran also supports a woman’s right to own and inherit property, to be educated, and to choose her husband – but not all societies in the Muslim universe of 1.5 billion people recognize these rights.

The disconnect lies in the interpretation of Islam, done for centuries by men. In the interest of achieving gender equality, Muslim women activists and scholars are challenging the male interpretation. Wisely, they are using the Koran to do it."

More here:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2009/1213/The-veil-the-Koran-and-the-Muslim-women-s-movement/(page)/2