Introduction: Shariʿa in Revolution? A Comparative Overview of Pre- and Post- Revolutionary Developments in Shariʿa-Based Family Law Legislation in Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, and Tunisia

In 2011, the world witnessed how massive civil resistance by men andwomen alike led to the forced departure of long-serving authoritarian leaders in the Arabworld. In the present transitional period in which constitutions have been suspended and newdefinitions of citizenship are being debated, women’s rights and family law have neverthelessemerged as contentious areas in the Arab World. These have been portrayed as symbols ofthe old regime and as deviating from the principles of shariʿa. Calls to amend women’srights abound. By comparing both pre- and post-revolutionary family law developments infour Muslim-majority countries, this special series of articles explores the implications ofthese controversies on the rights of men and women in the political transition processes ofEgypt, Indonesia, Iran, and Tunisia.