Wilāyah : la tutela maschile sulle donne in Iran e in Egitto tra religione e riforma sociale

Wilāyah : Male Guardianship over Women in Iran and Egypt between Religion and Social Reform · The current article deals with the notion of wilāyah, which is the conceptual basis of the male guardianship system in Islamic countries. Here the cases of Iran and Egypt have been briefly examined in two sections to demonstrate the Shi’a and Sunni approaches to one of the thorniest issues of Islamic law that curtails women’s rights and fuels gender violence. The case studies synergize historical overview and jurisprudential analysis through available Persian, Arabic, Italian and English documents. The Iranian case investigates male guardianship also from the viewpoint of medieval scholars, whereas the Egyptian section is dedicated to modern feminist movements. The article underlines the endeavour of jurists, theologians, and activists to present an alternative understanding of the aforementioned concept, which can foster women’s access to justice and strengthen gender equality.