We all know the rights and privileges a man has, we have been told, time and time again, how to look after our hubbies, what they can and cannot do, how to expect to be treated, if anything happens, women need more sabar etc etc we also have a heavy dose of our pathetically indian contrived culutre mixed in too, confusing a culutral demand for a religous one etc
has any woman been brought up with womans rights as an islamic education upbringing, we have been told the basics, and thats it. i was not told my rights at all, until i look into it myself, and the only reason i look into it, is because my upbringing maybe because im in the west, told me not to listen blindly willy nilly to people, so i decided to see what rights and privileges women have..thank god for my husband whose also keen on me getting that knowledge and doesnt get scared that il know too much and use it against him.
so do we think we have been taught religion from a male perspective, and from a cultural perspective…our generation may be changing, but we know our parents, their parents and their parents etc etc were all brought up in a mans world.
how true is this.
also while finding out my rights and getting all happy over them, i did come across husbands rights in islam, where we have to pretty much do whatever he says…is this something we women would be happy with, surely if islam gives man the slight advantage, we should be happy, as its our religion. we are happy to prove our points but what would happen if he used his rights?
Re: Is Islam tought to us from a mans perspective?
Yes, I think in Pakistan, and in many other countries, it has been traditionally taught from the men's perspective. Most women don't know all their Islamic rights. Even I am learning new things even now.
Re: Is Islam tought to us from a mans perspective?
I agree with this. I think for the most part it is like that, in Pakistan specially.
But recently when I go to masjids, I hear kutbas where Imam are always emphasizing on women's right, their rights as wives, daughters etc. and what Islam teaches us. I think its changing, and some good people want to teach what Islam teaches about gender equality.
My husband went to an APPNA conference, some men (doctors, ahem) started telling the Imam who these two ladies who were standing behind them shouldn't pray with them. umm come on. Doctors, well educated people. Imam ignored them, and not only that, he gave a huge lecture on how these educated people need some serious Islamic education. HA!
^ Of course for everyone the answer will be different. Not all parents teach Islam in the correct manner, especially if they themselves were not taught correctly. And besides, if your parents or teachers did not teach you properly, that doesnt absolve you from the responsibility of learning yourself
I never felt that I was taught Islam from a man's perspective, nor was I ever made to feel or led to believe that as a woman I have no rights in Islam
Re: Is Islam tought to us from a mans perspective?
If we are speaking for an anthropological (spelling?) point of view every facet of life in every country is taught from a male perspective. Don't agree? Take a look at history. Anybody born in the 1960s or 1970s would have had 99% male teachers. Male college and university professors. This is specific to Western Europe and the US. This covers all aspects of studies including but not limited to Sciences, the arts etc.
Only did it in the 1980s and 1990s become common for women professors to be tenured and more importantly be considered experts in their fields. But the education sector is by far still a male dominated institution, and some sectors like International Relations, Economics, Business are even more heavily male dominated.
To blame Islam only or third world countries only of a flaw that was apparent in the West less then 30 years ago is unfair and frankly intellectually dishonest. Each society is not comparable and more importantly each one progressives or regressives at its own pace and based on socio-economic factors as well as political ones.
From what I have read and studied Islam has protected women with rights in each and every stage of life. It's the culture that takes over religious teachings. If a couple really follows the rights and duties of husband and wife defined by Islam , then I doubt there would be any divorce or any issues left in a marriage. It's in our upbringing that we are taught rights of husband and duties of us women as a wife but we are never told what rights we have as a daughter or wife. It's lack of knowledge. People really don't want to realise and fulfil rights towards wife & daughters. They always find a escape.
Islam is the best guide only if we start following it completely.
Re: Is Islam tought to us from a mans perspective?
I can see how culture can color the way in which Islam is taught. However, at the same time,....there are principals that are either not based upon gender.....or consider the needs/rights/nature of both genders.
Re: Is Islam tought to us from a mans perspective?
Well, I discussed this before…
God is male fiigure…Kar lo Jo Karna hai..
Joke aside: Islam is islam and problem with many people is that they are too lazy to read themselves and depend on others who are called Aalims or muftis for every interpretations.
These people when trying to be very careful forget that there is no need to add cultural thoughts in to religion.
Let me repeat in other way: While islam was born out of and in to an Arab culture, its basics should be able to be applied ANYWHERE.
If only one goes to learn what are those basics.
OK:
One minor example: Abaya, Dupatta, Scarf, Qameez Shalwar, are cultural items.
I have heard some imams saying: Shalwar Qameez was very much liked by the prophet SAW!
Same goes for women issues. if one reads actual hadiths and life stories of the women those days, Islam gave them much more freedom “with respect” than it was before.
Moral: Read about islam like you read any other mag, books or any other form of literature. Don’t always listen to culturally bound Aalims.
Our desi alims are the worst when it comes to culture imo, there is so much dodgy ‘Islamic’ knowledge being passed around such as ‘you must marry whoever ur parents choose because disobeying them is haram’ (or the alternative ‘Heaven is at ur mother’s feet so it’s haram to say ‘no’ to a boy/girl she likes’) or ‘living with inlaws is preferred in Islam, living separately is a western/non-muslim idea’
My mum used to tell me all the cr*p she was taught growing up, the most messed-up thing being that if a wife was being beaten she should put up with it and not complain so she could go straight to Heaven..
Re: Is Islam tought to us from a mans perspective?
Oh dear, that has been the case with all the religions sent on earth because men being physically powerful have always twisted religions to their favor but this is especially so with islam because majority followers are jahil men. A jahil will be no better no matter what religion he / she follows.
