"The book attempts to analyse the position of women in pre-Islamic Arabia alongwith the impact of advent of Islam and the Islamic law in the areas of marriage, dower, divorce and maintenance under Muslim Personal Law in India. It also highlights the contribution of Islam towards amelioration of the status of women. The study reveals that the male-dominated interpretation of the sources of the Islamic matrimonial jurisprudence have jeopardised the virtual status and rights of Muslim women. The closure of the gate of ijtehad and its perpetuation has also denounced the practice of fresh interpretation of original laws to meet the modern challenges successfully. To ascertain the truthful status and rights to women in Muslim Personal Law, the relevant provisions of the Quran, their amplification in authentic commentaries, relevant Hadith literature, opinions of classical jurists, related Indian legislations and landmark judicial pronouncements are perused duly. The study is intended to be a