Riffat Hassan is an interesting speaker on Islam. It is oronic all the ademic debate on Islam happens outside Muslim countries.
Every negative implication is now freely being ascribed to Muslims by almost all western societies. The root cause of this defamation lies in extremism, which has seeped into our religious interpretation.
The audience listened in captivated silence as Dr Riffat Hassan articulated the simple analysis on Islam and the justice for human society as outlined in the Holy Quran. It was a gathering of intellectually sound members of society. Some Rotarians had gathered together and had invited the eminent scholar for a talk on women and Islam. Dr Riffat Hassan, PhD, is Professor of the Religious Studies Programme at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She has done extensive research on the teachings of Islam (and other religions), specially regarding the status of Muslim women, their rights and their misrepresented position.
Given the widespread anti-Islamism unleashed particularly after 9/11, we now have a much more intricate conflict at hand in which we have to live in a world which sees Muslims as the ‘enemy’. From barbaric, fanatic, violent and militant to being inhuman, every negative implication is now freely being ascribed to Muslims by almost all Western societies. And the root cause of this defamation lies in extremism, which has seeped in our religious interpretation.
Interestingly, Ms Hassan points out more than one face of extremism that is defiling the sanctity of our religion, which supports temperance and is based on justice and equality for all mankind. One has its offshoot in terrorism, and where the prime goal is ‘holy war’, be it against a nation or a group of people not supporting the fanatic ideology. The other is extremism of an equally warped nature in which moderation has been made a mockery of, a scapegoat to separate religion and human rights.
Ms Hassan asserts, “…it is stated by advocates of human rights - both Western and anti-Western - that human rights can exist only within a secular context and not within the framework of religion.”
In Muslim countries such as Pakistan, for instance, it is often remarked by secular-minded proponents of human rights that it is not meaningful to talk about human rights in Islam because as a religious tradition, Islam has supported values and structures which are incompatible with the assumptions which underlie the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. What needs to be pointed out to those who uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be the highest, or sole, model, of a charter of equality and liberty for all human beings, is that given the Western origin and orientation of this Declaration, the ‘universality’ of the assumptions on which it is based is - at the very least - problematic and subject to questioning.
For any with a sound knowledge of Islam, it is evident that there is no justice in the argument of human rights activists. Islamic outlines maintain that justice is for all. And particularly in the case of women, as it was Islam which gave women the right to live as a sovereign entity, equalling that of men. Women have the right to earn, to own property and to participate in all social dealings.
Pointing out, she said that the contributory factor which has given vent to extremism of both kinds is the lethargy of the silent majority, which believes in and follows the moderate line. Those who are enlightened academically and also follow the teachings of Islam have taken the safer approach of remaining in the background. This apathy is not only giving the anti-religion, pro-secularist group more leeway to get themselves heard in the West - thus reducing the true meaning and potential of a great religion - but it is inadvertently also fanning the delusions of fanatics who believe that they have to fight all anti-Islamic forces through extremism and consequently, terrorism.
Riffat Hassan identifies the cause for these two extremes as incorrect or insufficient religious education. More than half the time, out-of-context lines from the Holy Quran are stated to support ideas which suit a patriarchal setup. Regarding women’s place in Islam to suit our society, Muslim women are rendered nonentities. Considering Islam puts such emphasis on women’s equality, why are particularly Muslim women the most oppressed?
Riffat Hassan’s reasoning (as stated in one of her papers) is simple and potent: "…patriarchal authorities have distorted the truth of Islam almost beyond recognition. They have made Islam a means of keeping women in bondage, physically and spiritually… Women’s oppression - including their ‘protection’ - in the name of Islam is based on pre-Quranic, non-Quranic theological assumptions and on patriarchal impulses camouflaged in the language of popular piety. It also consists of the simple fear of change.
“According to the Holy Quran, God created man and woman simultaneously, of like substance, and in like manner. Several verses state that God created man and woman from a single life-cell or being. Both men and women have male and female components (Surah 49: Al-Hujurat: 13), and both together form the human species. It is a clear teaching of the Holy Quran that men and women are equal in the sight of God, and the Holy Quran uses both feminine and masculine terms and imagery to describe the creation of humanity from a single source…woman was not created to serve the ends of man, nor vice versa; both were created to serve God’s purpose. Both are called upon equally to be righteous, and women and men are ‘members’ and ‘protectors’ of each other.”
Unfortunately, what has also blemished the true teachings of Islam is the frequent use of Hadith, recurrently stated by those favouring women’s secondary status. Ms Hassan writes on the subject: "While the Holy Quran has absolute authority as God’s word and is therefore the primary source of Islam, the Hadith literature has been the lens through which the Holy Quran has been interpreted through the ages. Reflecting the culture of the 7th and 8th century Arab world, the sayings voice the cumulative biases against women of the Jewish, Christian, Hellenistic and pre-Islamic Bedouin Arab traditions.
“As important as the Hadith literature is, controversy surrounds every aspect of it, from the authenticity of individual sayings to the literature as a whole. In theory, all Muslim scholars agree that they must reject any Hadith that contradicts the Holy Quran. Nevertheless, the Ahadith invoked to justify women’s secondary status not only are retained, but they enjoy overwhelming popularity among Muslims in general.”
If only our traditional norms had not eclipsed the wisdom that Islam has, we would not have been at this crossroad struggling with so many schools of thought, each attempting to pull us in a different direction. And sadly, the feeling that has been infused in and around Islam is that of fear. The most used among the 99 names of the Almighty is Al Rahman, Al Raheem (Oh Beneficent and Merciful). Then why is it that the fear of God is the overpowering sentiment clerics instil when talking of the Creator of all that is beautiful and heavenly in this world?
The worthy characteristics that humans possess are mere fragments of those attributed to the Almighty. Humans are His creation. If a mother can have unconditional love for the child she carries within her, imagine the love of the One who has created the mother, the child and the entire human race? He, who is Supreme and hence possesses Supreme love and Supreme kindness? Why should we fear Him first and not love Him the most? From love also follows deference. Fear is not the only power to make us compliant to His wishes, His rules and laws and His tenets for an ideal society.
An ideal society cannot exist until there is justice for all. But there is very little justice in this world of ours where unjust wars are being fought and vicious crimes are being committed all the time. And as Riffat Hassan puts it: “The Holy Quran puts great emphasis on the right to seek justice and the duty to do justice. Justice encompasses both the concept that all are equal and recognition of the need to help equalize those suffering from a deficiency or loss…another fundamental right is the right to be free of traditionalism and authoritarianism. Instrumental here is the right to seek knowledge, which the Holy Quran emphasizes perhaps more than any other right. Acquiring knowledge is a prerequisite for evaluating the conditions of life and working towards the creation of a just world. When denied knowledge, Muslim (men and) women are denied justice.”
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