Re: Status of woman in Islam
well goood debate is going on here
WOMENS RIGHTS IN ISLAM:
If we agree with the ‘Women’s rights in Islam’, as portrayed by the Western media, you have no option, but to agree that the ‘Women’s rights in Islam’ are outdated.
The Western talk of women’s liberation, is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her honour and degradation of her soul The Western society which speaks of upgrading the status of women in Islam, have actually reduced her status to concubines, to mistresses, to society butterflies, which are mere tools in the hands of sex marketers and pleasure seekers, which are disguised behind the colorful screen of art and culture.
Islam’s radical revolutionary support, gave women their due right and status in the days of ignorance… 1,400 years ago.
Before I dwell further with the topic, I would like you to make note of a few points.
The first point is that, ‘approximately one fifth of the world’s population, consists of Muslims’
There are different Muslim societies - Some may be close to Islam, some may be far away from Islam .The ‘Women’s rights in Islam’ should judged according to the authentic sources, and not what individual Muslims do, or what the Muslim society does.
The authentic sources of Islam, are the Qur’an, which is the word of God, and the authentic Sunnah, and the traditions of our beloved Prophet (may peace be upon him).
Point number four - the Qur’an will never contradict itself, nor will the Shahih Hadith contradict itself… neither will these two authentic sources, contradict each other.
Point number five – ‘Sometimes the scholars differ, and many a times, these differences can be removed by analyzing the Qur’an as a whole, and not just by quoting one particular Verse’.
Because if one particular verse of the Qur’an if its ambiguous many a times the answer is given somewhere else in the Qur’an - Some people quote one source and neglect all the other sources.
And the last point is – ‘It is the duty of every Muslim, male or female, to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT), and to act as His trustee on this world, and not to try and gain fame or satisfy one’s own ego.
This misconception can be removed by quoting from Surah Nisa, Ch. No. 4, Verse No 124, which says.
Which means – ‘If any of you do deeds of righteousness, whether it be male or a female and has faith, they shall surely enter Paradise and not the least injustice shall be done to them’
SEX in not the critarea to enter paradize
In the Bible, if you read GenesisCh 3, only Eve is held responsible (May peace be upon her) for the downfall of humanity.
And according to the doctrine of ‘Original Sin’, because of Eve (may peace be upon her) the whole of humanity is born in sin.
If you read the Bible in Genesis Ch 3, Verse No.16, it states that the God of… ‘the Bible’ it is saying ‘Unto the woman you shall bear in conception and in sorrow shall you give birth and your desire shall be of your husband and he shall rule over you’
[That means, pregnancy and child birth has been said in the Bible to degrade the women and the labour pain is a sort of punishment. In fact if you read the Qur’an, pregnancy and child birth have uplifted the women.
If you read Surah Nisa, Ch.4, Verse No.1, it says… ‘Respect the womb that bore you’.
women has been given certain concession in Islam.
If she is undergoing her menstrual period or pregnancy, she does not have to fast - She can keep those fasts later on, when she is more healthy
In fact, during the menstrual period and during the postnatal period, she need not pray also - She has been given the concession, and neither does she have to compensate it later ongave economical rights to the women 1,300 years before the West
An adult Muslim woman can own, she can dispose or disown any of her property without consulting any one, irrespective whether she is married or she is single
A women in Islam, if she wishes to work she can work - There is no text in the Qur’an or the authentic Hadith which prevents or makes it prohibited for a woman to do any work, as long as it is not unlawful, as long as it is within the preview of the Islamic Shariah, as long as she maintains her Islamic dress code [/size]
[But natural, she cannot take up jobs, which exhibit her beauty and body - Like for example, modeling and film acting, and such kind of jobs. [/
]Many of the professions and jobs which are prohibited for the woman are also prohibited for the man, for example serving liquor.
For example working in gambling dens - For example doing any unethical or dishonest business - All these jobs are prohibited for both men and women.
But, a woman in Islam has got no financial obligations - The financial obligation is laid on the shoulders of the man in the family - Therefore she need not work for her livelihood
But in genuine cases, where there are financial crisis in which both the ends do not meet, she has the option of working Here too, no one can force her to work - She works out of her own, absolute free will
And the best example I can give you is of Bibi Khatija (may Allah be pleased with her) who was the wife of our beloved Prophet (may peace be upon him)
She was one of the most successful business women of her times and she did the transaction through her husband, Prophet Muhammed may (May peace be upon him)
the financial obligation is not put on her shoulder - It is put on the shoulder of the man in the family
[It is the duty of the father or the brother, before she is married and the duty of the husband or the son, after she is married to look after her lodging, boarding, clothing and financial aspects of her.
When she gets married, she is on the receiving end.
She receives a gift - she receives a dower or a marital gift, which is called as ‘Meher’
If a Woman works, which she does not have to - whatever earning she gets, it is absolutely her property.
She need not spend a single pai on the household - if she wants to spend it is her free will. [Irrespective how rich the wife is, it is the duty of the husband to give lodging, boarding, clothing and look after the financial aspects of the wife
In case of divorce or if a wife gets widowed, she is given financial support for the period of ‘Iddah’ - and if she has children, she is also given child support ]Islam gave the right to the women to inherit, centuries ago.
[Nisa, Ch. 4, Verse No.34
The men are the protectors and maintainers of the women, for Allah (SWT) has given one of them more strength than the other and they give them their means’
People say the word ‘Kawwam’ means, ‘one degree higher in superiority’ - But actually the word ‘Kawwam’ comes from the root word ‘Ikamah’ [/size]
Ikamah’ means for example ‘when you give the Ikamah before prayers - You stand up’.
[So ‘Ikamah’ means to standup - so the word ‘Kawwam’ means one degree higher in responsibility, not one degree higher in superiority.
and this responsibility of men is to protect the women coz he is strong physically.
Sahih Bukhari in Volume 8, Ch. No. 2 Hadith No. 2, as well as in Sahih-Muslim - It says that a man asked the Prophet… ‘Who requires the maximum love and respect and my companionship in this world? The Prophet replied – ‘your mother’ [/size]
]‘Who is next’? – ‘your mother’
]‘Who is next?’ – ‘your mother’
]The man asked for the fourth time, - ‘Who is next’ ]
]The Prophet replied ‘your father’
[75% of the love and respect goes to the father, sorry goes to the mother and 25% of the love and respect goes to the father
There are so many social rights that we can, that we can speak for weeks together
[If a man murders a woman he too will receive the Hurth’ punishment – That is Capital punishment of ‘Kisas’
According to Surah Baqarah Ch. 2, Verse No.178 and 179, ‘he too shall be killed’.
]Like wise if a woman murders, she too will be killed
]In Islam a woman is allowed to give witness
Imagine, Islam gave right to a woman to be a witness, 14 centuries ago
Even now in as late as 1980, the Jewish Rabai, they are considering, they were considering that whether the women should be given a right to act as a witness or not - And Islam gave that right 1400 years ago
According to Surah Nur, Ch.24, Verse No.4, it is said ‘If any of you put a charge against the chastity of a woman, produce 4 witnesses, and if they falter, flog them with 80 stripes’
]In Islam for a small crime, you require 2 witness - for a big crime you require 4 witnesses
[Accusing a woman falsely is a big crime in Islam, therefore you require 4 witnesses
Now a days you see in the modern society, you find men abusing women and calling them all sorts of name. They call them prostitutes etc, and what nothing is done
]In a Islamic State, if a man calls her a ‘prostitute’ in public or anywhere else, and if she takes that man to court - And if that man cannot produce 4 witnesses or even if he produces 4 witnesses and any one of them falter, all of them will receive 80 lashes each, and in future all their evidence will be rejected In Islam she has the option of either keeping her husband’s name, either adopting the name of the husband, or maintaining her maiden name
And maintaining the maiden name is recommended in Islam - And we find in several Muslim societies that women, even after they get married they maintain their maiden name, because according to the Islamic law men and women are equal
[Qur’an says ‘Man is the protector of the ‘Woman’
Under normal circumstances, the women should not go to the battle field. It is the duty of the man
Only when required, under necessity are women allowed - and they should go to the battle field - Otherwise no
Otherwise you’ll have the same position as you are having in the USA
23rd of April, 1993 it said that - ‘90 people were sexually assaulted in a convention, of out which out of which 83 were women and 117 officers were charged with in disciplinary action’ - Imagine in one convention only, 83 women sexually assaulted.
What was the crime of those 117 officers?
[They made the women run and they snatched at their clothes - They made them parade absolutely nude without even covering the genital parts - They were made to have sex in public .Is this what you call ‘Women’s rights’?
Islam believes in equality between men and women - Equality does not mean identicality.
Suppose in a classroom 2 students, student ‘A’ and ‘B’, during an examination both come out first - Both secure 80% marks - 80 out of 100
Out of the hundreds of students, 2 come out first ‘A’ and ‘B’
When you analyze the question paper, the question paper has 10 different questions, each carrying 10 marks.
[In question 1 student ‘A’ got 9 out of 10, and student ‘B’ got 7 out of 10 - So in question 1 student ‘A’ was higher than student ‘B’.
In question 2, student ‘A’ got 7 out of 10 and student ‘B’ got 9 out of 10,
- Student ‘B’ was higher than student ‘A’ in question number 2.
In question 3 both of them got 8 out of 10, both were equal
So when we add up the marks of all the ten questions, both student ‘A’ and ‘B’ got 80 out of 100
]So in short, student ‘A’ and student ‘B’ are over all equal
In some question ‘A’ is higher than ‘B’, in some question ‘B’ is higher than ‘A’, in others both are equal
In the same fashion, taking the example that since Allah has given man more strength - Suppose a thief enters the house will you tell, ‘I believe in women’s rights - I believe in women’s rights’ - will you tell your mother, your sister and your daughter, to go and fight the thief?’
No, but natural you’ll fight him - If required they may interfere - under normal circumstances since Allah has given you more physical strength, you have to go and tackle the thief.
So here, in physical strength, man is one degree higher than the woman
Let us take another example where… where it comes to giving respect to the -where it comes to respecting the parents - The children are supposed to respect the mother 3 times more than the father.
Here the women have one degree higher than the men - Over all both equal
So Islam believes in equality, not identically - Men and women are over all equal in Islam. this is a summary of a great lecture of DR ZAKIR NAIK (www.irf.net)
