Amina Wadud papers

Biographical / Historical

In 1972, American born Mary Teasley converted to Islam and by 1974 her name was officially changed to Amina Wadud to reflect her chosen religious affiliation. Coinciding with her conversion, was a shift in her university studies from education to Islam. Over the next few years, Wadud would become fluent in Arabic and earn her master's and PhD degrees from the University of Michigan in Near Eastern Studies and Philosophy while raising her five children. Before Wadud accepted a position in 1992 as Professor of Religion and Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), she spent time studying and teaching in both Libya and Malaysia. While still in Malaysia, Wadud wrote and published the first gender-inclusive critical interpretation of the Qur'an. Her 1992 book, Qur'an and Women, brought her international scholarly recognition. Following this publication, Wadud was invited to deliver papers and speak at conferences and events across the United States and around the world.

Among Wadud's other achievements is her early membership in Sisters in Islam, an organization created by Muslim women who were concerned with the oppression many women faced in the name of Islam. The group's weekly meetings examine the Quran's language and promote equality and justice for Islamic women. Wadud's activism and scholarship for women and Islam extends beyond the academic boundaries. In 2001, she was invited by Colin Powell to attend a Ramadan dinner at the White House. Of significance to her career and writing are the occasions in 1995 in South Africa and again in 2005 in New York City where Wadud led prayers and ritual services within the mosque. The responses that followed her leading the midday Muslim prayer, salat-al-jumu'ah, on March 18, 2005, included numerous threats that resulted in VCU requesting that she teach by video link for security reasons.