Women and Discursive Production: A Study of the Criteria for Intellectual Participation and Its Manifestations in Tradition and Contemporary Reality

Abstract

                 This research aims to critically re-examine, from a historical perspective, the claim that women were absent from the tradition of Islamic *kalām* (theological discourse). It seeks to delineate the contours and criteria of women’s participation across the realms of scholarly acquisition, authorship, and intellectual innovation. In doing so, it distinguishes between mere reception or an interest in doctrinal matters, on the one hand, and systematic engagement with the mechanisms of reasoning and argumentation that underpin the discipline of *kalām*, on the other. The central problem addressed by this study concerns the nature of this presence: was it merely pedagogical—centered on the dissemination of doctrine—or did it constitute a substantive, productive contribution to the formulation of theological issues and the application of dialectical tools within the *kalām* framework? The research employs an analytical approach with an epistemological dimension to categorize these levels of engagement and to critically assess existing scholarship. The study is organized into three main thematic sections: The first of these involves redefining the criterion for intellectual participation—shifting the focus from mere academic attainment to active, dialectical engagement. The second entails evaluating feminist scholarly production and authorship, and determining its place within the structure of the discipline. The third addresses the challenge of renewing *‘ilm al-kalām* (Islamic theology/discursive theology) within contemporary feminist discourse. The study concludes that women’s participation in *‘ilm al-kalām* has remained limited in scope, manifesting primarily through specific forms of dialectical involvement and partial contributions to the literature. Historically, however, this participation has not evolved into a force capable of significantly shaping the trajectory of the discipline. Furthermore, the relative scarcity of such scholarly output is not attributable to a lack of aptitude, but rather to a complex interplay of historical, social, and methodological factors. The question of women’s participation remains closely linked to the question of the identity of *‘ilm al-kalām* (Islamic theological discourse) and its epistemic function within the contemporary civilizational context.