al-Afkar, Journal For Islamic Studies
Vol. 9 No. 3 (2026)

Wasathiyyah and Liberation Theology: A Comparative Analysis of Women’s Public Roles in the Thought of Yusuf Al-Qardawi and Asghar Ali Engineer

Qurrotul A’yuni (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang,)
Istiadah Istiadah (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang)
Jamilah Jamilah (Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang)



Article Info

Publish Date
02 Aug 2026

Abstract

The discourse on women's public roles in Islam is often trapped in a polarization between patriarchal classical interpretations and contemporary feminist critiques. This study aims to analytically compare the thoughts of two prominent Muslim intellectuals, Yusuf al-Qardawi and Asghar Ali Engineer, regarding the legitimacy of women's participation in the public sphere. Utilizing a qualitative research method through library research and a comparative content analysis model, this study dissects the primary works of both figures as the basis for analysis. The findings indicate that both al-Qardawi and Engineer share a similar commitment to supporting women's public rights through a reinterpretation of texts responsive to modern changes. However, a significant methodological divergence exists. Al-Qardawi employs a wasathiyyah (moderate) approach based on maqasid al-shari’ah that maintains the authority of the usul fikih tradition, while Engineer applies a critical-contextual hermeneutics that deconstructs the text through the lens of historical materialism and liberation theology.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

Afkar_Journal

Publisher

Subject

Social Sciences

Description

al-Afkar, Journal for Islamic Studies is published by Association of Secondment Lecturers (Asosiasi Dosen DPK) UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung Indonesia. Focus of al-Afkar, Journal for Islamic Studies is on publishing original empirical research articles and theoretical reviews of Islamic Studies, ...