KARACHI, Jan 6: The Oxford University Press hosted a talk by a feminist Islamic thinker, Dr Riffat Hassan, on Monday, says a press release.

The talk, which was an extension of a previous discourse on women and Islam organized by the publishing house, addressed the views pertaining to the status and rights accorded to women by Islam.

Dr Hassan’s interpretations of the Quranic texts relating to women are founded on a meticulous study of the Holy Quran in which she has analyzed the differences between the actual Quranic texts and the ways in which patriarchal biases have crept into its interpretation over the years.

She pointed out that the Holy Quran do not discriminate against women in any way, and said that evidence can be found in the Holy Quran and the Islamic tradition for affirming women’s rights and the equality of men and women both in relation to God and to each other.

With regard to women-related norms and values, Dr Hassan stressed that it is necessary to know that of all the challenges confronting the Muslim world today, the greatest is that of modernity. She strongly advocated the need to inculcate the spirit of social justice and compassion as embodied by Islam and to reinterpret the foundational principles of Islam in the modern context so that a culture is created in which the rights of all human beings are recognized, safeguarded and implemented.

Earlier, Ameena Saiyid, the managing director of the Oxford University Press, welcomed the guests and introduced Dr Hassan.

She also spoke about some of the forthcoming titles of the publishing house.