In her book "Qur'an and Woman: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman's Perspective," pioneering Muslim feminist Amina Wadud writes, “What concerns me most about 'traditional' tafasir [interpretations of the Quran] is that they were exclusively written by males. This means that men and men's experiences were included and women and women's experiences were either excluded or interpreted through the male vision, perspective, desire or needs of a woman.”

For many who agree with Wadud, the active participation of women in the interpretation of Islamic scripture is necessary to transform the current patriarchal ambience in Islam. Throughout Islamic history, women have never been systematically trained in religious studies. The majority of Shiite religious scholars also consider masculinity an essential requirement for being a grand ayatollah or marja al-taqlid (source of emulation), which is the highest religious authority in Shiite Islam. Within the last few decades, however, things have changed in an unprecedented manner.

Perhaps the most extensive institutional change is underway in Iran. Its scale is stunning: In 2016, 70,000 women studied at more than 500 seminary schools nationwide. More than 90,000 women have graduated from these seminaries, excluding women who study various disciplines of religious studies at hundreds of other institutes of tertiary education. In Tehran province alone, more than 1,600 new students will be admitted into 52 seminary schools the next academic year.

But will these developments improve the situation of women in Iran and result in a more egalitarian attitude toward women in traditional seminaries?