Much of the lively and often heated debate on the role of women in Islam and Middle Eastern society is grounded in different readings of the primary Arabic, Persian, Turkish and other sources and historical precedents. These key texts remain inaccessible to English- speaking readers. "Women in Islam and the Middle East" fills this gap by gathering material from a wide range of sources, from the early Islamic period to today. The readings cover various aspects of women's experience - legal, domestic, political, religious and cultural. They are accompanied by introductions that explain the background of each source and discuss some of the questions raised. Bibliographies direct readers to additional material. This reader has been compiled with both undergraduate and graduate students in mind, but it will also be of interest to anyone concerned with issues of gender and Islamism.