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STATUS
OF WOMEN IN ISLAM
Mitra
Abdur Rashid
I
am by no means an “authority” on Islam but I do come from a place where
there is a spectrum of views on the subject of women in Islam.
I grew up in Iran seeing my mother practice Islam in a pure and quiet
way, with tolerance, care and concern for everyone
Later I learned about political Islam and from that point on, the images
between what “is” and what “should be” became apparent.
Many
of us - those from the West and the
East - have negative images of women in Islam:
the uneducated woman who has no say in decision making, the pregnant
mother who does household chores
all day, the subservient wife who suffers under the abuse of her
dictatorial husband . The
western perception in general, and the western media in specific have
specialized in portraying these images. In all honesty, in the East, where I
come from, although the images may not be as harsh, the prejudices somewhat
remain. In the East, at
times, these prejudices which emanate from misunderstandings, ignorance, old
tales and sayings, enter the fabric of society and after many generations people
believe what is told to them is real religion and the word of God, it mixes with
cultural attitudes and takes on the name of religion.
So, it has been and remains a great challenge to affirm the rights of
Muslim women.
For
this reason, the topic of women in Islam is an essential subject for discussion,
for both eastern and western women and men. I hope it will create a bond of
discovery and understanding between them.
Given
my limited time and knowledge, I will keep to just a few essential topics,
beginning with the historical contexts and Quranic references that create the
framework for understanding the place of woman in Islam.
I will also try to touch on issues that concern both muslim women and men
as well as non-Muslims.
My
points will, inshallah, focus on the basic principles of Islam for both women and
men to follow in society. Moreover, I would like to emphasize the distinction
between the “normative” teachings of Islam and diverse cultural practices
among Muslims which may or may not be consistent with these teachings.
So although you might continue to have those negative images in your mind
that I mentioned earlier, you will, insha’allah, know that the principles
differ from actuality.
I.
INTRODUCTION:
Today
people think that women are liberated in the west and that the women’s
liberation movement began in the 20th Century.
Actually the women’s liberation movement was revealed by God to Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the seventh century. The Qur’an and the Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith and
Sunna) guarantee every Muslim woman certain rights and duties.
II.
EQUALITY VS. SAMENESS
These
rights are equal to those of a man but they are not necessarily identical.
Equality and sameness are two different things.
This difference is understandable because man and woman are not identical
but they are created equals. The distinction between equality and sameness is of
paramount importance. With this
distinction in mind, there is no room to imagine that woman is inferior to man,
just because her rights are not identical.
Had her status been identical with his, she would have been simply a
duplicate of him, which she is not. The
fact that Islam gives her equal rights - but not identical rights- shows that it
takes her into consideration, acknowledges her, and recognizes her independent
personality and role.
In
the Qur’an Allah frequently addresses both the man and the woman.
“For
Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for
true men and women who are patient, for men and women who humble themselves, for
men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women
who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s
praise - For them all has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.”
(33:35)
III.
Human Rights:
Woman
is recognized by Islam as equal partner in the procreation of humankind.
Man is the father, woman is the mother, and both are essential for life.
By this partnership, woman has an equal share in every aspect; she is
entitled to equal rights; she undertakes equal responsibilities, and she has as
many qualities and as much humanity as her partner.
So, fourteen centuries ago, Islam made men and women equally accountable
to God in glorifying and worshiping Him - setting no limits on her spiritual
progress. In the Qur’an in
the first verse of the chapter entitled “Women”, God says:
“O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it its mate and from them both have spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and towards the wombs (that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you.” (4:1)
And again in the Qur’an:
“O
mankind! Verily we have created you from a single (pair) of a male and female,
and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other.” (49:13;
cf.4:1)
IV.
CIVIL RIGHTS:
When
we then consider the area of civil
rights, education is of greatest importance.
The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Seeking
knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim (male and female).”
Keeping people ignorant equals oppression; whether man or woman. In the
case of women their civil rights were considered necessary for the proper
functioning of the community.
Recognizing
her individuality, Islam grants a woman freedom of choice and expression. We are
encouraged to contribute opinions and
ideas. Women would pose questions
directly to the Prophet (sal) and to other Muslim leaders and offer their
opinions concerning religion, economics, and social matters. (Qur’an 58:1-4;
60:10-12)
Actually
it was 1400 years ago that a right to vote was given to the woman.
When the women came to Prophet Mohammad (sal) and swore their allegiance
to him, he had to accept their oath. This
established the right of women to publicly participate in the selection of their
leader. Nor does Islam forbid a
woman from holding important positions in government.
Historical
records show that women participated in early public life, accompanying Muslim
armies into battle to nurse the wounded, prepare supplies, serve the warriors,
and so on. They were not shut
behind iron bars or considered worthless creatures and deprived souls, as we see
today in such deteriorating and misguided societies as Taliban Afghanistan.
People kept ignorant of Islam’s true position on women due to age-old
cultural practices begin to accept the misguidance as true.
This is especially unfortunate in Afghanistan where so many women were
professionals, contributing to the well being of their society, for many years
prior to the Taliban. Not only does it poison the minds of the Afghani people
toward Islam but also it focuses the rest of the world’s attention on an
aberration that uses the name of Islam so wrongly.
V.
ECONOMIC RIGHTS:
In
terms of contributions to society the status of women economically is unique.
From the earliest days greater financial security was assured for women.
Women are entitled to receive marital gifts, and to keep properties and
income for their own security. No
married woman is required to spend a penny on the household
She is entitled to full financial support during marriage and during the
waiting period (‘iddah) in case of divorce. Whether she is a wife or mother, a
sister or daughter, she is allowed to receive a certain share of deceased
kin’s property, and no one can disinherit
her.
Although both man and woman are entitled to inherit property of relations, their
portions may vary.
In some instances the man receives 2 shares whereas the woman gets one
only; this is because the man by law is solely responsible for the complete
maintenance of his family. It
is also his duty to contribute financially to all good causes in his society.
The woman, in contrast, has no obligatory financial responsibilities.
She is provided for, whether by her husband, son, father, brother, or
other male relative. If she has no
relation on whom she can depend, and she has no inheritance, then she is the
responsibility of the society. She
may be given aid or a job to earn her living, and whatsoever money she makes
will be hers. So, in the hardest
situation her financial responsibility is limited, while the man’s is
unlimited.
VI.
RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF A WIFE:
In
further addressing rights, it is important to look at the role of the wife.
The Qur’an states:
“And
among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you
may live in tranquility with them, and He had put love and mercy between you;
Verily, in that are signs for people who reflect.”
Marriage,
therefore, is not just a physical or emotional necessity, but in fact, a sign
from God! It is a relationship of
mutual rights and obligations based on divine guidance.
God created men and women with complimentary natures, and in the Qur’an,
He laid out a system of laws to support harmonious interaction between the
sexes.
Allah
says in the Qur’an:
“They are your garments and you are their garments.” (2:187)
Clothing
provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of the body.
A spouse is viewed similarly . Each
protects the other, hides the faults and compliments the characteristics of the
spouse.
To
foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have several
rights: the first one is to receive 'mahr' from the husband, which is a gift as
part of the marriage contract A
wife has the right to kind treatment. The
Prophet (pbuh) said :
“The
most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives.”
God tells us He created mates and put love, mercy, and tranquility between them. With rights come
responsibilities. The Qur’an
states: “the good women in the absence of their husbands guard their rights as
Allah has enjoined upon them to be guarded.”
A
wife has to keep her husband’s secrets and protect their marital privacy.
Issues of intimacy or faults of his that would dishonor him, are not to
be shared by the wife, just as he is expected to guard her honor.
VII.
WOMAN AS THE MOTHER:
The
woman as mother is of special importance. This
is something that most of us have been blessed with.
Mothers, in Islam, are accorded a special place of honor.
A man came to the Prophet Mohammad (sal) asking: ‘O Messenger of Allah,
who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship?
The Prophet said, your mother. The
man said then who is next: the Prophet said, your mother. The man asked again,
then who is next: the Prophet said, your mother.
The man asked further and only then did the Prophet say, your father. (Al
Bukhari) Kindness to parents, especially to mothers, is a foundation stone in
the structure of Islam.
VIII.
EXAMPLES OF MUSLIM WOMEN TODAY:
I would like to mention a few contemporary Muslim women who have and continue
to contribute to today’s world.
Queen
Noor of Jordan
Laleh Bakhtiar - author and scholar, psychologist
Rabia Terry Harris - translator and writer
Haja Noura Durkee: Author, lecturer, teacher
Nahid Angha: Psychologist, founder International Assoc. Of Sufism
Mouna Abul Fadl - Author. Scholar
Leila Ahmed - Author and Scholar; first Muslim woman appointed to the faculty of
Harvard Divinity School
Audrey Shabbas - Educator, founder of Arab World and Islamic Resources (AWAIR)
X.
CONCLUSION
I
would like to conclude by stating that 1400 years ago, the Muslim woman was
given a role, duties, and rights that most women do not enjoy today, even in the
west. Yet, the religion which
revolutionized the status of women is being portrayed as repressive to women.
As mentioned earlier, this myth is perpetuated by the media; in addition,
in the case of the Taliban and other examples from my own country and elsewhere,
women’s inherent Islamic rights have been abrogated.
One
issue surrounded by a great deal of misunderstanding is the custom of wearing
hijab. The Qur’an enjoins modest dress for both men and women, and in a Muslim
society, the men as well as the women typically dress conservatively.
Some Muslim women interpret the Qur’an and Hadith as guiding them to
dress modestly and cover their hair in all public situations, others insist that
their whole body including hands and face are to be covered, yet others
understand the guidance to mean a more general attitude of modesty both in dress
and attitude. Many Muslim women
freely choose to dress modestly in order to avoid the public scrutiny,
judgments, and social dynamics associated with physical appearance. By dressing in ways that do not draw attention to ourselves,
we affirm the Qur’anic teachings both of modesty and gender equality. Or as
one Canadian Muslima, Naheed Mustafa has written: “...that men and women are
equal, and that individuals should not be judged according to gender, beauty,
wealth, or privilege”
No
scholarly or informed Muslim can condone women being forced to remove themselves
from public life altogether, anymore than we can condone violence against women,
the denial of women’s right to work and own property, or the refusal to allow
women a voice in government. Where
such treatment takes place in the Muslim world, people of other faiths ought to
realize that there are in certain places and circumstances a significant
disparity between beliefs and
practices in Islam as well as their own faiths; and the simple fact that the actions of certain individuals
who claim Islam do not truthfully or accurately represent Islam. Nor are Muslim
women unique in their issues; Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Sikh women in various parts
of the world as well as certain sects of Judaism and Christianity share the same
problems. To label the status of women in the Muslim world today as
“Islamic”, is as far from the truth as labeling the position of women in the
West today as “totally liberated and equal”.
Inshallah, with this understanding in mind, Muslims and non-Muslims - men
and women- could start a process of communication and dialogue in order to
remove misconceptions, suspicions, and fears.
So
as you can see there are many challenges for today’s Muslim woman whether in
the westernized world or in traditional societies. Through internal and external dialogue I am confident we will
find the ways to remain true to the Shariah and Sunnah and contribute to the
world today.
I
am very grateful for this opportunity and I thank you for your patience.
Please forgive me for any errors I may have made.
Asalam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahe wa Barakatuh.
May the Peace, Compassion and Mercy of Allah be with you.
Mitra
Abdur Rashid
Delivered
at the Interfaith Gathering in Beckley, W.Va
Sunday 9/12/99
