Reinterpreting Nushuz beyond Patriarchal Exegesis: An Ethical Humanistic Analysis of Laleh Bakhtiar’s Interpretation of Qur’an 4:34

Muhamad Khabib Imdad; Ahmad Aqiel Azkiya'

Authors

Muhamad Khabib Imdad Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung
Ahmad Aqiel Azkiya'

Keywords:

Laleh Bakhtiar, Nush?z, Feminist Tafsir, Ethical Hermeneutics

Abstract

Interpretations of Qur’anic discourse on marital relations, particularly QS al-Nis?’ [4]:34, have largely been framed within legalistic paradigms that normalize hierarchical authority and, in some readings, the permissibility of domestic violence. While feminist exegetes have critically engaged these interpretations, much of the existing scholarship remains descriptive and has not sufficiently articulated alternative conceptual models for resolving nush?z. This article re-examines the concept of nush?z through Laleh Bakhtiar’s reinterpretation of the term ?araba in The Sublime Qur’an, positioning her reading not merely as a linguistic deviation from classical consensus but as an ethical–relational framework for addressing marital conflict. Employing qualitative library research and gender-oriented hermeneutical analysis, this study places Bakhtiar’s interpretation in critical dialogue with classical and modern tafsir traditions to examine its methodological foundations and ethical implications. The analysis demonstrates that Bakhtiar’s approach represents a paradigmatic shift from disciplinary and legalistic models toward a non-violent, ethically grounded understanding rooted in Qur’anic principles of justice, compassion, and human dignity. Although often criticized for prioritizing ethical considerations over established exegetical authority, this study argues that such prioritization constitutes a productive intervention that reopens the discourse on nush?z to normative ethical critique. By framing Bakhtiar’s interpretation as an ethical intervention rather than a merely feminist reinterpretation, this article contributes to the development of a more relational, context-sensitive, and socially responsive paradigm in contemporary Qur’anic hermeneutics.

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