The issue of the “credibility of women’s testimony” is a challenging issue in Islamic jurisprudence and interpretation, and has always been at the center of attention in Quranic research and gender studies. Karen Bauer, in her book Gender Hierarchy: Ancient Interpretations, New Responses with a Historical Analysis of the Development of Interpretations, clarifies that inequality in women’s testimony arises from the social and epistemological backgrounds of the interpreters, because, in her opinion, earlier interpretations were mainly based on linguistic and syntactic analyses and did not show any sign of women’s inherent shortcomings. However, from the fifth century AH onwards, with the stronger influence of jurisprudence and hadith, gender-oriented attitudes were established in interpretative texts. Focusing on verse 282 of Surah Al-Baqarah and relying on the foundations of Islamic theology and valid methods of interpretation, this study criticizes Baer's approach on three levels: relativizing the implication of revelation and the precedence of the interpreter's preconceptions over divine intent, neglecting the role of tradition, valid narrations, and fundamental rules in deriving meaning, and generalizing social contexts or modern values instead of analyzing the stipulated cause and thematic structure of the verse. Based on this assessment, although Baer raises new questions in gender studies and Quranic interpretation, his explanation of the connection between text, tradition, and social context faces serious methodological challenges.
Askar semnani, P. and mohases, M. (2026). Criticism of Karen Bauer's intellectual foundations regarding the validity of women's testimony in the Quran. The Quran from Orientalists Point of View, 21(40), 355-394. doi: 10.22034/jqopv.2026.22963.1465
MLA
Askar semnani, P. , and mohases, M. . "Criticism of Karen Bauer's intellectual foundations regarding the validity of women's testimony in the Quran", The Quran from Orientalists Point of View, 21, 40, 2026, 355-394. doi: 10.22034/jqopv.2026.22963.1465
HARVARD
Askar semnani, P., mohases, M. (2026). 'Criticism of Karen Bauer's intellectual foundations regarding the validity of women's testimony in the Quran', The Quran from Orientalists Point of View, 21(40), pp. 355-394. doi: 10.22034/jqopv.2026.22963.1465
CHICAGO
P. Askar semnani and M. mohases, "Criticism of Karen Bauer's intellectual foundations regarding the validity of women's testimony in the Quran," The Quran from Orientalists Point of View, 21 40 (2026): 355-394, doi: 10.22034/jqopv.2026.22963.1465
VANCOUVER
Askar semnani, P., mohases, M. Criticism of Karen Bauer's intellectual foundations regarding the validity of women's testimony in the Quran. The Quran from Orientalists Point of View, 2026; 21(40): 355-394. doi: 10.22034/jqopv.2026.22963.1465
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