Mothhari and the Question of Women: A Review of Newly Published Notes

The most recent volume of the collected works of the late martyr-scholar Mortaza Motahhari, Volume 35, is devoted entirely to the subject of women in Islam. Serving as a continuation of his well-known works The System of Women’s Rights in Islam and The Question of Ḥijāb, this volume brings together material from a series of lectures as well as previously unpublished notes left by Motahhari. As such, it may be regarded as a significant complement to his views on women and gender-related issues. The book is characterized by Motahhari’s defense of Islamic perspectives on women, coupled with his criticism of certain prevailing social traditions and, at the same time, his critique of what he regarded as the destructive tendencies and inconsistencies of modern Western approaches to women. As a thoughtful scholar and intellectual, Motahhari addresses these issues with a depth and command that distinguish his work from many other writings on the subject. This article provides an overview of the principal themes and arguments presented in this newly published volume and examines its significance within the broader context of Moṭahharī’s thought on women and society.