Even though many aspects of Islam are misunderstood by non-Muslims, the ignorance, misinformation and incorrect assumptions that are made in regards to Islam’s treatment of women are probably the most severe. Numerous verses of the Qur’an make it clear that men and women are equal in the site of God. According to the teachings of Islam, the only thing that distinguishes people in the site of God is their level of God-consciousness. Due to this, many people are surprised to find out that Islamic Law guaranteed rights to women over 1400 years ago that women in the Europe and America only obtained recently. For example, Islam clearly teaches that a woman is a full-person under the law, and is the spiritual equal of a male. Also, according to Islamic Law, women have the right to own property, operate a business and receive equal pay for equal work. Women are allowed total control of their wealth, they cannot be married against their will and they are allowed to keep their own name when married. Additionally, they have the right to inherit property and to have their marriage dissolved in the case of neglect or mistreatment. Also, Islam does not consider woman an “evil temptress”, and thus does not blame woman for the “original sin”. Women in Islam participate in all forms of worship that men participate in. Actually, the rights that Islam gave to women over 1400 years ago were almost unheard of in the West until the 1900s. Less than fifty years ago in England and America, a woman could not buy a house or car without the co-signature of her father or husband! Additionally, Islam gives great respect to women and their role in society — it gives them the right to own property, marry who they want and many other rights. Also, it should be mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad’s mission stopped many of the horrible practices in regards to women that were present in the society of his time. For example, the Qur’an put an end to the pagan Arab practice of killing their baby daughters when they were born. Additionally, Islam put restrictions on the unrestricted polygamy of the Arabs of the time, and put many laws in place to protect the well-being of women. Today, most of the so-called reforms in the status of women came about after the West abandoned religion for secularism. Even those in the West who claim to follow the so-called “Judaeo-Christian tradition” really follow the values of Western liberalism — but just to a lesser degree than their more liberal countrymen. For more on this subject, please read: Women in Islam versus Women in the Judaeo-Christian Tradition — The Myth and The Reality. If women in the Muslim World today don’t have their rights, it is not because Islam did not give them to them. The problem is that in many places alien traditions have come to overshadow the teachings of Islam, either through ignorance or the impact of Colonialization.
Muslim men and women are equal in the sight of Allah but they have different rights, responsibilities and restrictions put upon them to suit their natures.
Yes she can lead the prayers, as long as the congregation is women. I think she is also allowed to lead men directly related (mahram) to her in prayer but not na-mahrem men.
I agree women are not being granted their God given rights in most of the ‘Islamic’ world because men choose to follow man made culture instead of religion. Women should claim their God given rights like they did at the time of the Last Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
I don’t think Islamic texts forbid women from driving.
We must remember though men are the protectors of women and that suits both their natures, only a butch lesbian would disagree with that…
I agree women are not being granted their God given rights in most of the ‘Islamic’ world because men choose to follow man made culture instead of religion. Women should claim their God given rights like they did at the time of the Last Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
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Why are women's rights 'a' responsibility of men in Islam? If a man takes away the rights of his woman then what can she do? Hadiths and Quran both ALLOW the kind of behaviour that men have towards women in Islamic countries. Go figure!
Why are women's rights 'a' responsibility of men in Islam? If a man takes away the rights of his woman then what can she do? Hadiths and Quran both ALLOW the kind of behaviour that men have towards women in Islamic countries. Go figure!
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Please do show me where Quran and Hadith say women should not be allowed to drive, own businesses, carry out normal functions of life, work, play, etc.
Please do show me where Quran and Hadith say women should not be allowed to drive, own businesses, carry out normal functions of life, work, play, etc.
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My comment wasn't particularly towards women driving, owning busiensses, etc..It was a general comment on rights of women in Islam. By the way, women aren't allowed to drive cars in some Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia. Nowhere in Quran or Hadiths it says that they can't drive but people are allowed to issue Fatwas against women driving or even owning a business in Islam, aren't they? Will you argue that giving fatwas is UnIslamic?
My comment wasn't particularly towards women driving, owning busiensses, etc..It was a general comment on rights of women in Islam. By the way, women aren't allowed to drive cars in some Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia. Nowhere in Quran or Hadiths it says that they can't drive but people are allowed to issue Fatwas against women driving or even owning a business in Islam, aren't they? Will you argue that giving fatwas is UnIslamic?
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No, giving fatwas isnt unislamic but i can argue that giving fatwa's that women cant drive or own a business is unislamic. First of all the Prophets wife Hazrat Khadeeja Alaih Salam was a business owner herself, and im sure other women in his time rode camels and such. Though camels would be a poor substitute for vehicles nowadays, it is in essense the same concept.
Yes people issue so called fatwa's against women doing such things. No its not islamic. There's actually very strict rules about issuing fatwa's and such in islam. I dont see how anyone can issue a fatwa against a woman owning a business or driving vehicles if the Prophet allowed it.. The core problem here is not the religion but rather the people following it.
If you want to see the extend of womens rights in islam try reading the book
'Great Women Of Islam' by Mahmood Ahmad Ghadanfar, Revised by Sheikh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri' . Its published by DarusSalam.
Read it and see how the great women of islam acted and behaved, and see what women nowadays are missing.
Think about it, if you Believe that Allah himself chose this religion for mankind, and if you believe that Allah is the one true God, then would he really be unfair to his creations ?
Firstly, how can you decide whether those fatwas are Islamic or not? Those fatwas are coming from Aalims who are well versed in Quran and Hadiths and they back 'em up with quranic or hadith reference.
By the way, were the women in times of the Prophet:saw: allowed to ride camels without mahrem?
And what if my husband doesn’t give me permission to drive to the mall or visit a friend? In a hadith, it is said that a woman can’t even invite her parents to her house if her husband does not like them.
Thanks for recommending the book. I’ll try to find it and read it…
And I’m sorry but I am really not sure what to answer for your last question.
there is not a single religion which does not degrade women. frankly our hippocrisy halts us to accept the truth. islam degrades women...is not a myth.
This topic should be changed to the West Degrades women more than anyone!
women are exploited like a commodity in western scoiety. they are used and abused from selling choclate to cars!
It is pathetic that the islamic women is portrayed as oppressed when in reality it is the western women who is oppressed and degraded the most!
The Western woman is made to believe that revealing clothing shows her beauty to men and makes her feel wanted. In fact it has become unusual for women not to reveal their nakedness in public. A woman who wears something less revealing is gossiped about behind her back – “what a spinster”, “old hag”, “she doesn’t take care of her self”, “she’s wasting her good looks”. Western film and media positively glamorise prostitutes and strippers, who are portrayed as confident and in control of their lives, getting paid good money for what they do best and living meaningful and fulfilling lifestyles.
The UK beauty industry secures a revenue of £8.9 billion every year. The revenue of the US cosmetic industry grows by 10% each year. The National Institute of Mental Health in the US claimed that every day in the US, Americans spend on average $109 million on diet or diet related products (one-third the nation’s annual food bill). In the US it is said that urban professional women devote up to a third of their income to “beauty maintenance” and consider it a necessary investment. In a study performed by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 33,000 American women told researchers that they would rather lose 10 to 15 pounds than achieve any other goal. In 1998, a campaign called 'The Bread for Life' surveyed over 900 young women between the ages of 18 and 24 living in the West and published a report called 'Pressure to be Perfect Report' that found that 55% of the women rated looks as the most attractive thing in a woman and only 1% said intelligence.
with statistics like this how on earth can they with there media onslaught against islam have the nerve to claim muslim women are oppressed take a look in your own back yard before you criticize others!
My comment wasn't particularly towards women driving, owning busiensses, etc..It was a general comment on rights of women in Islam. By the way, women aren't allowed to drive cars in some Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia. Nowhere in Quran or Hadiths it says that they can't drive but people are allowed to issue Fatwas against women driving or even owning a business in Islam, aren't they? Will you argue that giving fatwas is UnIslamic?
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Dhulfiqar already answered your question when he said "The problem is that in many places alien traditions have come to overshadow the teachings of Islam, either through ignorance or the impact of Colonialization."
It's not that Islam is denying the rights of women but it's the Saudi government, who claims to follow Sharia, who is responsible of degradation of women in Saudi Arabia. Government claims that their land is the land of law and they have enforced such Islamic laws that fall in accordance with Prophet Muhammad's teachings but if one goes around other muslim countries or asks other Ulema, one would definitely get a negative response regarding "Saudi-Sharia" thinking of Islamic principles. It's not that I'm targeting Saudi Arabia or its government but it was to support that "alien traditions have come to overshadow the teachings of Islam".
Dhulfiqar already answered your question when he said "The problem is that in many places alien traditions have come to overshadow the teachings of Islam, either through ignorance or the impact of Colonialization."
It's not that Islam is denying the rights of women but it's the Saudi government, who claims to follow Sharia, who is responsible of degradation of women in Saudi Arabia. Government claims that their land is the land of law and they have enforced such Islamic laws that fall in accordance with Prophet Muhammad's teachings but if one goes around other muslim countries or asks other Ulema, one would definitely get a negative response regarding "Saudi-Sharia" thinking of Islamic principles. It's not that I'm targeting Saudi Arabia or its government but it was to support that "alien traditions have come to overshadow the teachings of Islam".
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My statement remains TRUE. Islam ALLOWS men to behave the way they do! Giving fatwas is allowed in Islam, isn't it? Anyways, would you mind answering my other questions which are posted in my other reply to Maniac? Thanks.
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*Originally posted by ak47: *
This topic should be changed to the West Degrades women more than anyone!
women are exploited like a commodity in western scoiety. they are used and abused from selling choclate to cars!
It is pathetic that the islamic women is portrayed as oppressed when in reality it is the western women who is oppressed and degraded the most!
The Western woman is made to believe that revealing clothing shows her beauty to men and makes her feel wanted. In fact it has become unusual for women not to reveal their nakedness in public. A woman who wears something less revealing is gossiped about behind her back – “what a spinster”, “old hag”, “she doesn’t take care of her self”, “she’s wasting her good looks”. Western film and media positively glamorise prostitutes and strippers, who are portrayed as confident and in control of their lives, getting paid good money for what they do best and living meaningful and fulfilling lifestyles.
The UK beauty industry secures a revenue of £8.9 billion every year. The revenue of the US cosmetic industry grows by 10% each year. The National Institute of Mental Health in the US claimed that every day in the US, Americans spend on average $109 million on diet or diet related products (one-third the nation’s annual food bill). In the US it is said that urban professional women devote up to a third of their income to “beauty maintenance” and consider it a necessary investment. In a study performed by the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 33,000 American women told researchers that they would rather lose 10 to 15 pounds than achieve any other goal. In 1998, a campaign called 'The Bread for Life' surveyed over 900 young women between the ages of 18 and 24 living in the West and published a report called 'Pressure to be Perfect Report' that found that 55% of the women rated looks as the most attractive thing in a woman and only 1% said intelligence.
with statistics like this how on earth can they with there media onslaught against islam have the nerve to claim muslim women are oppressed take a look in your own back yard before you criticize others!
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What is more upsetting: Disrespecting women OR taking their rights away?
My statement remains TRUE. Islam ALLOWS men to behave the way they do! Giving fatwas is allowed in Islam, isn't it? Anyways, would you mind answering my other questions which are posted in my other reply to Maniac? Thanks.
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Once again CurruptAngel. Giving fatwa's is not every tom dick and harry's job. Not everyone can give it and you cant just make up your own fatwa's and call them islamic law.
For example you cant issue a fatwa saying all women must not own a business because quite simply put the Prophets (PBUH) first wife had a business, she was a trader and a successful one. SImilarly i cant issue fatwa's that women must not drive vehicles because women did ride vehicles (camels, horses) in the days of the Prophet (PBUH), albeit the Mahram part still remains true.
Im sure some self styled mullah may have issued Fatwa's aganst it but only the ignorant follow it. Im all for women driving/owning businesses. Infact ive encouraged my own fiancee to study and become a teacher or perhaps help me with a home business and i would love for her to get a liscence.
Fact is, islam has been hijacked, by people who dont know enough but think they do. Its in the best of all our interests to perhaps read up on all this before issuing our own 'fatwas' about what islam does and doesnt do, or weather it degrades or doesnt degrade women.
I myself am guilty of this, a few years back i almost came to the point of leaving islam because i wasnt too happy with the 'supposed' treatment of women in it. Im glad i did my research on it and with the help of a female cousin found out that islam's treatment of women is exemplary and that men and women are equal in Allah's eyes. My fiancee tells me the same thing.
yeesh i cant believe how jaded that sounded. i guess we're in some kind of intellectual quagmire where the questions are the same, the answers are the same, the "yes-but"s are the same, the "oh-nevertheless" are the same.
pick whichever cliche you wish to let yourself be defined by.
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*Originally posted by chelaramani: *
I have a feeling that muslims use these forums as advertisement network. Islam degrades women is a myth, I cannot accept it even as a joke.
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Mister whatever the heck your name is..how about backing up your statements with some proof. No one pays any attention to the fools who just blabber their posteriors off without any proof to back it up.
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*Originally posted by chelaramani: *
I have a feeling that muslims use these forums as advertisement network. Islam degrades women is a myth, I cannot accept it even as a joke.
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I’ll try to find it and read it…