Reforming the Egyptian Personal Status Laws. A case for Islamic feminism

Abstract

The personal status law (PSL), also known as the family law code, of Egypt plays an essential role in defining, framing, and controlling socio–economic relations and gender dynamics in the country. By delineating the framework of marriage, divorce, custody, and inheritance through a rigid patriarchal hierarchy, the law determines the rights and duties of citizens toward each other in their everyday life. The PSL is based on the codification of Islamic jurisprudence, mostly from the Hanafi School, on all issues related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and child custody. Islamic jurisprudence, including the Hanafi School, sustains a hierarchical regime of gendered spousal roles and rights to the advantage of the husband and the father in the family.