WOMEN IN ISLAM

Why do we chose this theme? How do we chose to present our theme ( object, socio,
observ)?

THE FAMILY

The home is the heart of Muslim life and the family the bedrock around which the rest of
society is moulded. At home, the door can be shut on the pressures of the putside world,
and peace and love can rule. In this vibrant place, husband and wife fiind confort in each
other, women are free to celebrate and enjoy their lives, grandparents are respected and
cherished. Muslim family life, therefore, centres on the home, the private sphere, rather
than public places.

SOCIAL REALITIES FOR WOMEN

There are a variety of opinions regarding womens position in society. While Islam appears
to give women many rights, the social reality is quite often very different. Women in some
Muslim societies do not have the safety and freedom of movement enjoyed by others, but
appearances can be deceptive: in the early period of Islam, Muslim women had far more
rights than were enjoyed by women under English law, even up to the 20th century, as
regards property and education. Muslim women in the West are free to choose a public or
private life. While many have excelled in education and the workplace, others have chosen a
domestic role.

Some of what we see may be considered to be inequities. But we have to remember

that, when Islam spread from Arabia to what we consider the Muslim world today, it
spread through countries and societies which had very ancient traditions. Egypt, which
had an ancient tradition. Iran, another ancient country. Persia, before that. The
subcontinent of India, another ancient culture. Same thing with today, current-day
Turkey, the Byzantine Empire. ...

Through that, many cultural norms became to be considered by societies as being

Islamic, but they're really cultural. So in matriarchal societies, which you will see some
matriarchal societies like in West Africa or in Egypt, you'll find women very, very
influential. Women hold the purse strings; women determine a lot of what happens,
because ancient Egypt had a tradition of having women kings, women queens. Queens
of Egypt.
Whereas in some societies, which tended to be nomadic, it was very much more male-
oriented, and the patriarchal and very strong male orientation became predominant.
So as you go across much of the Muslim world, you will see this diversity, which really
entered into Muslim life through custom, and not through the Quran and the hadith
itself.

STATUS OF WOMEN IN ISLAM- MOTHERS IN ISLAM

Islam gives motherhood unparalleled honor, respect, and esteem. Among the few Islamic
precepts that Muslims still faithfully observe is the considerate treatment of mothers. The
honor that Muslim mothers receive from their sons and daughters is exemplary. The
intensely warm relations between Muslim mothers and their children, and the deep respect
with which Muslim men approach their mothers, usually amaze Westerners.

Treat your mother with the best companionship, then your father; because paradise is under
the mother's feet. Never disobey your parents, nor make them angry, otherwise you will live
a miserable life in this world and the hereafter, and your children will treat you likewise.
Ask your parents gently if you need something. Always thank them if they give it to you,
and excuse them if they do not, and never insist on a matter if they refuse to give you
something.

FILM- Whats your mothers name?

MONOTHEISTIC RELIGION

Do Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have the same conception of women? Are they
different in their conceptions? Do Judaism and Christianity really offer women better
treatment than Islam? What is the truth?

Eves fault?

The Judeo-Christian conception of Adam and Eves creation is narrated in detail in Genesis
2:4-3:24. God prohibited both of them from eating the fruits of the forbidden tree. However,
the serpent seduced Eve to eat from it and Eve, in turn, seduced Adam to eat with her. When
God rebuked Adam for what he did, Adam put all the blame on Eve: The woman you put
here with me_she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it. Consequently, God said to
Eve: I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing. With pain you will give birth to
children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you. He told Adam:
Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree .... Cursed is the ground because of
you. Through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

Men are superior to women, Jesus is superior to men and God is above all. Women
should worship all of them. (Corinthians 14: 34, 35).

The Quran relates the creation account in several places. The Quran, contrary to the Bible,
places equal blame on both Adam and Eve (7:19:23) and nowhere gives even the slightest
hint that Eve tempted Adam to eat from the tree or that she ate before he did. In other words,
Eve is not a temptress, a seducer, or a deceiver. Moreover, she is not to be blamed for the
pains of childbearing. God, according to the Quran, punishes no one for anothers faults.
Both Adam and Eve committed a sin and then asked for and received Gods forgiveness.

Eves legacy
The Biblical image of Eve as a temptress has had an extremely negative impact on women
throughout the Judeo-Christian tradition. All women were believed to have inherited from
their mother, the Biblical Eve, both her guilt and her guile. Consequently they were all
untrustworthy, morally inferior, and wicked. Menstruation, pregnancy, and childbearing
were considered the just punishment for the eternal guilt of the cursed female sex. In order
to appreciate the extent of the negative impact that this has had on all of Eves female
descendants, we have to look at the writings of some of the most important Jews and
Christians writers.

Overall, the picture is clear: it is the men who monopolise the most important places in the
religious hierarchy, whether in terms of revered characters (God is never a woman ) or
religious authorities. Of course there have always been notable female figures in religious
history: there are female versions of Buddha, extremely important female roles in the Old
Testament (Esther, Sarah, Judith ). But the faithful do not address their prayers to them,
because, apart from Mary Magdalene, they are not considered capable of harnessing a
bridge between God and man. What is the cause of this non-recognition of women as
spiritual authorities, despite their historic role in religions? According to Frdric Lenoir, it
is related to the weight of tradition and the past, which explains how changes in society are
much faster than those of religion. Jesus could not be a woman at the time, the patriarchal
society was so that his word would not have been heard The time of writing the sacred
books has inevitably influenced their sociological content, yet they are the basis of the
current teaching of religion, which explains how the old views of (male superiority) still
dominate in the religious organizations.There has always been a sense of jealously of men
vis--vis women: indeed, men think they have an infinite capacity for enjoyment which
brings them closer to the hand of god, when they themselves have a finite capacity for
enjoyment.

St. Augustine (d. 430) was faithful to the legacy of his predecessors when he wrote to a
friend: What is the difference whether it is in a wife or a mother, it is still Eve the temptress
that we must beware of in any woman.... I fail to see what use woman can be to man, if one
excludes the function of bearing children. The renowned reformer Martin Luther (d. d.
1546) saw no benefit in women other than giving birth to as many children as possible
regardless of any side effects: If they become tired or even die, that does not matter. Let
them die in childbirth, thats why they are there. The Bible states: The period of the
mothers ritual impurity is twice as long if a girl is born than if a boy is (Leviticus 12:2-5).
The Catholic Bible states explicitly: The birth of a daughter is a loss (Ecclesiasticus 22:3).
In contrast, boys receive special praise: A man who educates his son will be the envy of his
enemy (Ecclesiasticus 30:3). This same idea of treating daughters as sources of shame led
pagan Arabs, before the advent of Islam, to practice female infanticide. The Quran
condemned this heinous practice: When news is brought to one of them of the birth of a
female child, his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief. With shame does he hide
himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain her on contempt
or bury her in the dust? Ah! What an evil they decide on? (16:58-59).

The Old Testament considers any menstruating woman to be unclean and impure.
Islam does not consider a menstruating woman to possess any contagious uncleanness.
She lives her normal life with only one restriction: The couple cannot have sexual
relations during her menstrual period. Any other physical contact between them is
permissible. A menstruating woman also is exempted from some rituals, such as the
daily prayers and fasting.

PATRIARCHY AND WOMEN

Muslim societies, like many other societies throughout the world, are traditionally
patriarchal: that is they are organized and run by men. This meant that Muslim womens
movements have often been restricted. For example, in Saudi Arabia, women are banned
from driving, and cannot usually leave their home without the company of a male relative.
Not only has this curtailed womens movements in the public sphere, but it also contradicts
the Prophets teaching that all Muslims, whether male or female, should be able to ride a
horse, which implies the use of any means of transport. In Afghanistan, the Taliban closed
many girlss schools, claiming that if girls were out in society they might freely mix with
men, thus corrupting society. ( In so doing, they squarely placed the blame for immoral
behavior on womens shoulders.) This again contradicts the prophetic teaching: in this case,
that seeking knowledge should be compulsory for men and women. These erosions of
womens rights are cultural malpractices that are oppressive to women, not religious
injunctions, as Islamic teachings clearly state the opposite.

According to the traditional Islamic narrative women in Pre-Islamic Arabia had almost no
rights. They were not considered equal to men and were thus dictated under a strict
patrilineal system. They were viewed as objects and were constantly humiliated. Women
had very little control over their marriages and could not inherit property. In the family, their
purpose was nothing more but for bearing children although they did not have any rights to
them. When a female baby was born it was considered a disgrace to the family and female
infanticide was a common response.

Katha asked

Some Muslim feminists are trying to reinterpretthey would say, correctly interpretthe
Koran in a gender-egalitarian way. For instance, they point out the Koran says only that
women should dress modestly, not that they need to be swathed from head to toe, or even
cover their hair. Do you think there can be a feminist Islam?

The answer is definite:

There is a feminist Islam, mainly led by Muslim women in the West. But they tend to forget
that none of the monotheistic religions treat men and women equally, and theres a limit to
what scholarship can do to change that. For example, daughters inherit half what sons
inherit. Men are allowed to marry up to four wives. Two female witnesses equal one male.
Secular society is a better bet for womenand men too.

POLYGAMY

As the Quran indicates (4:3), the issue of polygamy in Islam is understood in the light of
community obligations towards orphans and widows. Islam, as a universal religion that is
suitable for all times and places, can not ignore these compelling obligations. The number of
women in the world exceeds that of men. The surplus is a result of men dying in wars,
violent crimes, and women outliving men.[1] The upsurge in homosexuality further
increases the problem. Bertrand Russell wrote, And in all countries where there is an
excess of women, it is an obvious injustice that those women who, by arithmetical necessity,
must remain unmarried should be wholly debarred from sexual experience.[2] Polygamy,
then, is the only responsible solution for this predicament.

Islam did not introduce polygamy. Unrestricted polygamy was practiced in most human
societies throughout the world in every age. Islam regulated polygamy by limiting the
number of wives and establishing responsibility in its practice.

Monogamy of the West inherited from Greece and Rome where men were restricted by law
to one wife but were free to have as many mistresses among the majority slave population as
they wished. In the West today, most married men have extramarital relations with
mistresses, girlfriends and prostitutes. Consequently the Western claim to monogamy is
false.

DIVERSITY IN MUSLIM SOCIETIES

Such problems for some women, however, must be balanced with the fact that many
Muslim societies are surprisingly diverse and egalitarian. Official statistics show that Irans
higher education population is made up of 65 per cent women. In Morocco and Tunisia,
women make up 20-25 per cent judges, compared with 22 per cent in Britain at district
jugde level and 8 per cent at appeal level. In Pakistan, 17,5 per cent of politicians in the
lower house are women, which compares favourably with 18 per cent in Britains House of
Commons, yet Pakistan is often viewed as a less progressive society that Britain. This
illustrates that while some Muslim societies are very traditional an insist on strict dress
codes and segregation, others such as Malaysia, for example, are no so curtailing of women
and allow then free moement. As Islam puts great emphasis on the home providing a stable
life, some women have chosen home-making as a vocation. What might appear as an
imposed private life for some Muslim women is, in fact, an expressed choice.

WOMEN IN QURAN

Muslim women can aspire toward and learn from a wide range of female characters featured
in the Quran, from the private and peaceful to the powerful and passionate. The many
women portrayed in the Quran are admired for various reasons, and show clearly that there
is no one ideal women. Different character traits are depicted so that Muslim women can
draw inspiration from the characters that most resemble them.
EVE THE HELPER

The narrative relating to Eve in the Quran presents her as Adams mate and helper, the with
whom he sought to live in peace. Eve therefore represents domestic harmony and bliss, the
other half of Adam, and she is not solely blamed for the couples subsequent descent from
haven (7:19/25).

MARY THE DEVOUT WORSHIPPER

Mary the mother of Jesus is likewise presented as a peaceful character, but one who is a
model of spirituality. Mary is a figure whom Muslim women aspire toward: she is pious,
sincere in her worship of God and innocent the perfect image of femininity and
tenderness. She is so revered in the Quran that chapter 19 is name after her.

Nevertheless, the status of women in premodern Islam in general conformed not to Quranic
ideals but to prevailing patriarchal cultural norms. As a result, improvement of the status of
women became a major issue in modern, reformist Islam.

In the contemporary era, women have again assumed leadership roles in the Muslim world.
Benazir Bhutto was prime minister of Pakistan ( 1988 90 , 1993 96 ), Tansu ;iller was
prime minister of Turkey ( 1993 96 ), and Shaykh Hasina is the current prime minister of
Bangladesh ( 1996 ). Nonetheless, tensions remain between traditionalists, who advocate
continued patriarchy, and reformists, who advocate continued liberation of women.

AISHA- Between paedophilia ( modern societies) and normality in

traditional society

Writing about Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, the Orientalist scholar W Montgomery
Watt wrote: "Of all the world's great men, none has been so much maligned as Muhammad."
His quote seems all the more poignant in light of the Islamophobic film Innocence of
Muslims, which has sparked riots from Yemen to Libya and which, among other slanders,
depicts Muhammad as a paedophile.

This claim is a recurring one among critics of Islam, so its foundation deserves close
scrutiny.

Critics allege that Aisha was just six years old when she was betrothed to Muhammad,
himself in his 50s, and only nine when the marriage was consummated. They base this
on a saying attributed to Aisha herself (Sahih Bukhari volume 5, book 58, number 234), and
the debate on this issue is further complicated by the fact that some Muslims believe this to
be a historically accurate account. Although most Muslims would not consider marrying off
their nine-year-old daughters, those who accept this saying argue that since the Qur'an states
that marriage is void unless entered into by consenting adults, Aisha must have entered
puberty early.

They point out that, in seventh-century Arabia, adulthood was defined as the onset of
puberty. (This much is true, and was also the case in Europe: five centuries after
Muhammad's marriage to Aisha, 33-year-old King John of England married 12-year-
old Isabella of Angoulme.) Interestingly, of the many criticisms of Muhammad made
at the time by his opponents, none focused on Aisha's age at marriage.

According to this perspective, Aisha may have been young, but she was not younger
than was the norm at the time. In a society without a birth registry and where people did
not celebrate birthdays, most people estimated their own age and that of others. Aisha would
have been no different. What's more, she had already been mature enough by the standards
of her society to consider marriage for a while. It seems difficult to reconcile this with her
being six.

Because of this, it is impossible to know with any certainty how old Aisha was. What we do
know is what the Qur'an says about marriage: that it is valid only between consenting
adults, and that a woman has the right to choose her own spouse. As the living
embodiment of Islam, Muhammad's actions reflect the Qur'an's teachings on marriage, even
if the actions of some Muslim regimes and individuals do not.

Sadly, in many countries, the imperatives motivating the marriage of young girls are
typically economic. In others, they are political. The fact that Iran and Saudi Arabia have
both sought to use the saying concerning Aisha's age as a justification for lowering the legal
age of marriage tells us a great deal about the patriarchal and oppressive nature of those
regimes, and nothing about Muhammad, or the essential nature of Islam. The stridency of
those who lend credence to these literalist interpretations by concurring with their warped
view of Islam does not help those Muslims who seek to challenge these aberrations.

Since the early Christians heralded Christ as a model of celibate virtue, Muhammad who
had married several times was deemed to be driven by sinful lust. This portrayal ignored
the fact that before his marriage to Aisha, Muhammad had been married to Khadija, a
powerful businesswoman 15 years his senior, for 25 years. When she died, he was
devastated and friends encouraged him to remarry. A female acquaintance suggested Aisha,
a bright and vivacious character.

Aisha's union would also have cemented Muhammad's longstanding friendship with her
father, Abu Bakr. As was the tradition in Arabia (and still is in some parts of the world
today), marriage typically served a social and political function a way of uniting
tribes, resolving feuds, caring for widows and orphans, and generally strengthening
bonds in a highly unstable and changing political environment. Of the women
Muhammad married, the majority were widows. To consider the marriages of the prophet
outside of these calculations is profoundly ahistorical.

What the records are clear on is that Muhammad and Aisha had a loving and egalitarian
relationship, which set the standard for reciprocity, tenderness and respect enjoined by the
Qur'an. Insights into their relationship, such as the fact they liked to drink out of the same
cup or race one another, are indicative of a deep connection which belies any
misrepresentation of their relationship.

To paint Aisha as a victim is completely at odds with her persona.. During his lifetime, he
established her authority by telling Muslims to consult her in his absence; after his death,
she went to be become one of the most prolific and distinguished scholars of her time.

A stateswoman, scholar, mufti, and judge, Aisha combined spirituality, activism and
knowledge and remains a role model for many Muslim women today. The gulf between her
true legacy and her depiction in Islamophobic materials is not merely historically inaccurate,
it is an insult to the memory of a pioneering woman.

Those who manipulate her story to justify the abuse of young girls, and those who
manipulate it in order to depict Islam as a religion that legitimises such abuse have more in
common than they think. Both demonstrate a disregard for what we know about the times in
which Muhammad lived, and for the affirmation of female autonomy which her story
illustrates.

This article was amended on 17 September 2012. It originally stated that King John was 44
when he married Isabella of Angoulme. This has been corrected.

Sahih Bukhari 7.18

Narrated 'Ursa:
The Prophet asked Abu Bakr for 'Aisha's hand in marriage. Abu Bakr said "But I am
your brother." The Prophet said, "You are my brother in Allah's religion and His
Book, but she (Aisha) is lawful for me to marry."
 QURAN WRITINGS

ON CLOTHING:

FIRST RULE : THE BEST GARMENT

[Quran 7:26] "O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your
bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These
are some of God's signs, that they may take heed."

SECOND RULE : COVER YOUR BOSOMS

[Quran 24:31] And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their
chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary.
They shall cover their chests, (with their Khimar) and shall not relax this code in the
presence of other than their husbands, their fathers, the fathers of their husbands, their
sons, the sons of their husbands, their brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their
sisters, other women, the male servants or employees whose sexual drive has been
nullified, or the children who have not reached puberty. They shall not strike their feet
when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you
shall repent to God, O you believers, that you may succeed.

"Khimar" is an Arabic word that means, cover, any cover, a curtain is a Khimar, a
dress is a Khimar, a table cloth that covers the top of a table is a Khimar, a blanket
can be used as a Khimar..etc. The word KHAMRA used for intoxicant in Arabic has
the same root with Khimar, because both covers, the Khimar covers (a window, a
body, a table . . . etc.) while KHAMRA covers the state of mind. Most of the
translators, obviously influenced by Hadith (fabrications) translate the word as
VEIL and thus mislead most people to believe that this verse is advocating the
covering of the head.
 In 24:31 God is asking the women to use their cover (khimar)( being a dress, a coat,
a shawl, a shirt, a blouse, a tie, a scarf . . . etc.) to cover their bosoms, not their
heads or their hairs. If God so willed to order the women to cover their heads or
their hair, nothing would have prevented Him from doing so. God does not run out
of words. God does not forget. God did not order the women to cover their

[Quran 24:31] They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is
necessary.
This expression may sound vague to many because they have not understood the
mercy of God. Again God here used this very general term to give us the freedom
to decide according to our own circumstances the definition of "What is
necessary". It is not up to a scholar or to any particular person to define this term.
God wants to leave it personal for every woman and no one can take it away from
her. Women who follow the basic rule number one i.e. righteousness, will have no
problem making the right decision to reveal only which is necessary.

THE WORD "HIJAB" in the QURAN:

"Hijab" is the term used by many Muslims women to describe their head cover
that may or may not include covering their face except their eyes, and sometimes
covering also one eye. The Arabic word "Hijab" can be translated into veil or
yashmak. Other meanings for the word "Hijab" include, screen, cover(ing),
mantle, curtain, drapes, partition, division, divider. Can we find the word "Hijab"
in the Quran??

The word "Hijab" appeared in the Quran 7 times, five of them as "Hijab" and two
times as "Hijaban," None of these "Hijab" words are used in the Quran in
reference to what the traditional Muslims call today (Hijab) as a dress code for the
Muslim woman. Hijab in the Quran has nothing to do with the Muslim Women
dress code.

"Hijab" or veil can be traced back to early civilizations. It can be found in early
and late Roman and Greek art. The evidence can be seen in archeological
discoveries whether in pottery fragments, paintings or recorded civil laws. In
Greco-Roman culture, both women and men wore head covering in religious
contexts. The tradition of wearing the veil (by women) and the headcover (by
men) was then adopted by the Jews who wrote it in the Talmud (Talmud equals
the Hadiths and Sunna, neither are the words of God) then the Christians adopted
the same. A well respected Rabbi once explained to a group of Jewish young
women, "We do not find a direct command in the Torah mandating that women
cover their heads, but we do know that this has been the continuing custom for
thousands of years." After the prophet Muhammad's death , the writers of the
hadith books adopted and encouraged the ancient tradition of head covering.
Hadith book' writers took after the Jews as they did with many other traditions ,
and alleged them to the prophet since the Quran did not command it.

Any student of the Jewish traditions or religious books will see that head cover
for the Jewish woman (and men) has been encouraged by the Rabbis and religious
leaders. Observant Jewish women still cover their heads most of the time and
specially in the synagogues, weddings, and religious festivities.

Christian women cover their heads in many religious occasions while the nuns
cover their heads all the time.

As we can expect the traditional Arabs, of all religions, Jews, Christians and
Muslims used to wear head cover, or "Hijab," not because of Islam, but because
of tradition. In Saudi Arabia, up to this day most of the men cover their heads ,
not because of Islam but because of tradition.

North Africa is known for its Tribe (Tuareg) that have the Muslim men wearing
"Hijab" instead of women. Here the tradition has the hijab in reverse. If wearing
Hijab is the sign of the pious and righteous Muslim woman, Mother Teresa would
have been the first woman to be counted.

In brief, hijab is a traditional dress and has nothing to do with Islam or religion. In
certain areas of the world, men are the ones who wear the hijab while in others
the women do.
THIRD RULE: RELAXING THE DRESS CODE

In the family setting, God put no hardship on the women, and permitted them to relax
their dress code. A woman may relax her dress code in front of the four-year-old son of
her brother but not as much in front of the 16 year old son.

[Quran 33:55] The women may relax (their dress code) around their fathers, their sons, their
brothers, the sons of their brothers, the sons of their sisters, the other women, and their
(female) servants. They shall reverence God. God witnesses all things.

[Quran 24:60] The elderly women who do not expect to get married commit nothing wrong
by relaxing their dress code, provided they do not reveal too much of their bodies. To
maintain modesty is better for them. God is Hearer, Knower.

The French ban on face covering or the burqa ban is a law passed by the Senate of France
in 2010, that is also active in Belgium, resulting in the ban on the wearing of face-covering
headgear, such as the burqa, masks, helmets, balaclava, niqbs and other veils covering the
face in public places, except under specified circumstances. So, it practically makes it illegal
for anyone to "cover their face" in a public place.

The key argument supporting this proposal is that face-coverings prevent the clear
identification of a person, which is both a security risk, and a social issue within a society
which relies on facial recognition and expression in communication. The key argument
against the ban is that it interferes with individual freedoms.

Pros and cons:

The usual arguments that are in favour of wearing the burqa are promoting feminism ( as in
taking the burqa and making it their own and also standing up for women who are forced to
wear it), the belief that men respect women more when they are wearing it and treat them
like an individual, wearing it to identify oneself as a Muslim or doing so because one is
following the word of Allah.
The strongest argument is that the veil is a form of resistance to the Wests sexualisation and
objectification of women. What is implied is that Western societies pressure women into
adopting forms of dress that are intended to gratify the male gaze and turn women into sex
objects. From this perspective, it is a bit rich for Western women (who voluntarily wear
high heels, short skirts and make-up) to criticise Muslim women for choosing to wear
coverings that liberate them from this sexist gaze. To dispute this argument is to suggest,
implicitly or not, that Western freedom trumps Muslim puritanism.

First, that Western feminist critics of the burqa do not oppose the sexualisation of the female
body within their own culture and so have no right to talk about it in other cultures. This is
flatly contradicted by the fact that Western feminists maintain a trenchant critique of sexual
objectification at home. This defensive argument also rests on the assumption that you
cannot be a good feminist if you regard the (shame-free) sexualisation of the female body
as potentially empowering for women as autonomous sexual subjects.

In Islamic cultures the predominant theological reasoning for veiling seems to be that the
female body is such a powerful sexual object that nothing short of covering it can prevent
men from molesting it. According to Islamic Hadith (or poor interpretations of it) the female
body is so powerfully sexual that it is literally irresistible to the opposite sex. To prove this,
we have this statement given by Australias influential senior Islamic cleric, Sheik Taj Aldin
as-Hilali: If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside. . . without cover, and
the cats come to eat it. . . whose fault is it, the cats or the uncovered meats? The
uncovered meat is the problem. If she was in her room, in her home, in her hijab, no
problem would have occurred.

Some Westernised Muslim academics deny the primary theological significance of the burqa
and instead claim that it is imbued with powerful symbolism by Western colonialism.
Westerners, they argue, see the burqa as a symbol of the irrevocable otherness of
Muslims. Accordingly the hysterical reactions to veiling are just a Western contrivance (a
pretext for racist attitudes towards Muslims following 9/11). Yet the discourse vacillates
between this claim and the contradictory claim that the veil has no special significance other
than what the wearer intends it to mean, and so is no more than a form of personal
expression a symbol of Muslim womens freedom to be themselves.

Sharia law is still enforced in approximately 35 nations, where some form of veiling is
compulsory. Many Muslim families living in Western Europe use legal forms of coercion to
make girls and women conform to veiling. The murder of Shafilea Ahmed, by her own
parents, is a case study in how Europeans respond to these situations of family violence with
an embarrassed silence, rather than the kind of outrage that would be seen as appropriate
were its victims not exclusively female. Shafilea repeteadly refused her parents calls for an
arranged marriage, therefore brought shame on the family. As a cry for help, she drank
bleach in Pakistan six months before her death on 11 September 2003. Her parents
maintained that she had mistaken it for mouthwash, but her sister later confessed it was
them.

The Iranian and Kurdish Womens Rights Organisation (Ikwro) found last year that 39 out
of 52 police forces across the UK had recorded at least 2,823 honour attacks over 2010.
Some forces showed a jump of nearly 50 per cent in such cases from 2009. This is the
backdrop against which Muslims in Europe claim that wearing the burqa is a choice.

The claim that covering yourself up in public is an empowering choice insults the
intelligence and dignity of women everywhere, just as the theological claim that the burqa is
a necessary defence against predatory male sexuality insults Muslim men insofar as it treats
them as fundamentally incapable of responsibility for their sexual behaviour.

The reason Western feminists object to seeing women in burqas is not that we cant tolerate
diversity, but that the burqa is a symbol of patriarchal Islams intolerance of dissent and
desire to contain and repress female sexuality.

Also, Abdel Muti al-Bayyumi, a member of the council of clerics at Al-Azhar Mosque in
Egypt, applauded the ban and said, "I want to send a message to Muslims in France and
Europe. The niqab has no basis in Islam. I used to feel dismayed when I saw some of the
sisters (in France) wearing the niqab. This does not give a good impression of Islam." Yusuf
al Qaradawi, another prominent Egyptian Islamic scholar, stated that in his view "the niqab
is not obligatory" while criticizing France for violating the freedom of those Muslim women
who hold the view that it is and criticizing France in that "they allow other women to freely
dress in a revealing and provocative manner".
Other misconceptions include the fact that Islam practices FGM ( Female Genital
Mutilation), which is a regional practice, not a religious one, rooted in central African
culture, or that acid attacks are a form of punishment written about in the Quran.

THE VEIL

Professor of Sociology at Bogazici (Bosphorous) University in Istanbul, Turkey

What are these girls in Turkey [who are starting to cover their heads]--what are they
trying to communicate?

There are several things. First of all, the fact that they belong to Muslim
identity and they follow God's rules and it's their faith. Secondly--I would say
there are layers of this--it creates some kind of collective identity. It
empowers them. ... The girls in Egypt, the ones in Turkey, and the ones in
Iran are not that different. So there is this collective identity which is
underlined, I would say, behind this new veiling.

...But what are they trying to do by covering up? In your book, you've referred to a
sort of walling off of their sexuality: "This is how much access to me you get."

The veiling is not only just covering the head; it indicates a way of behavior, which is called
to be more modest, more pure--Puritan maybe--which means you limit your presence in
public life. For instance, the way you look at people. You have to cast down the eyes. The
way your body occupies the space in public. That means you shouldn't be too loud--
laughing, for instance. So it means a way of behaving, more modest behavior. It comes
fromhija, meaning being more cautious, being more modest. So I think it's not only just a
kind of dress code, but a dress code which indicates a set of manners, bodily manners, in
relation to the other sex, but in relation also to public behavior. Also, culturally, it means a
more civilized behavior--civilized in the sense that you are more controlled. It's a kind of
self-control in public life.

How do men exhibit that self-control?

Through women. That's the interesting thing. That's why veiling is more important than any
other thing. ...

In other words, men control their sexuality through how women restrain themselves?

Yes, especially, but they also have some codes--dressing codes and so on. But it is basically
women who are the markers of this difference and who are the markers of what is to be
considered as licit, what is to be considered as illicit; what is private, what is public. So each
time I would say it's women's body and it's their cautiousness. It's their way of living in
social and public life which marks the boundaries. They are the boundary-setters.

... So this can be a more subversive role because they are boundary-setters. So that's why we
start with veiling. Today we become conscious of the importance of an Islamic movement
through women. So women are actors of this movement. They are not only following men's
desires, or men's power.

It's a kind of feminism?

There is a kind of Islamic feminism which is becoming more and more explicit in the
movement. Although they don't want to mimic totally the Western feminism, they borrow it
from Western feminism, and yet they reprocess it through their own experiences and they
give voice to that.

[Did the role of politicized, educated women in the Islamic movement lead to] tension
between the men and the women? The men perhaps don't want to see the women as public
as they are becoming?

Exactly. ... Women participated in the Islamic movement and gave some new visibility to the
Islamic movement. They attracted attention to it. And yet, with the same movement, they
became publicly visible and their lives changed. They started publishing women's
magazines, going to meetings with other women for the sake of the Islamic movement. Then
they want to pursue their professional careers after having achieved university degrees. So
there is a kind of upward social mobility through education and through politics. And now
they have new opportunities for their professional career.

But what happens is that each time these Muslim girls--or women now--go to public life,
pursue their professional career, there is a tension within the movement. There is a debate
among Islamic women who want to go even more public and Islamic men who remind them
that, first of all, they have to be wives and mothers--their sacred roles. This debate is
becoming more and more a public debate....Internationally, as well as in Turkey.
Malala Yousafzai (born 12 July 1997) is a Pakistani activist for female education and the
youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate. She is known mainly for human rights advocacy for
education and for women in her native Swat Valley in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of
northwest Pakistan, where the local Taliban had at times banned girls from attending school.
Yousafzai's advocacy has since grown into an international movement.

Her family runs a chain of schools in the region. In early 2009, when she was 1112,
Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban
occupation, their attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting
education for girls in the Swat Valley. The following summer, journalist Adam B. Ellick
made a New York Times documentary about her life as the Pakistani military intervened in
the region. Yousafzai rose in prominence, giving interviews in print and on television, and
she was nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize by South African activist
Desmond Tutu.

On the afternoon of 9 October 2012, Yousafzai boarded her school bus in the northwest
Pakistani district of Swat. A gunman asked for her by name, then pointed a pistol at her and
fired three shots. One bullet hit the left side of Yousafzai's forehead, travelled under her skin
through the length of her face, and then went into her shoulder. In the days immediately
following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical condition, but later her
condition improved enough for her to be sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Birmingham, England, for intensive rehabilitation. On 12 October, a group of 50 Islamic
clerics in Pakistan issued a fatw against those who tried to kill her, but the Taliban
reiterated their intent to kill Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai.

The assassination attempt sparked a national and international outpouring of support for
Yousafzai. Deutsche Welle wrote in January 2013 that Yousafzai may have become "the
most famous teenager in the world." United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education
Gordon Brown launched a UN petition in Yousafzai's name, demanding that all children
worldwide be in school by the end of 2015; it helped lead to the ratification of Pakistan's
first Right to Education Bill.
A 2013 issue of Time magazine featured Yousafzai as one of "The 100 Most Influential
People in the World. At age 17, Yousafzai is the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.
 THE RIGHTS OF MUSLIM WOMEN

The Qur'an clearly indicates that marriage is sharing between the two halves of the society,
and that its objectives, beside perpetuating human life, are emotional well-being and
spiritual harmony. Its bases are love and mercy. Among the most impressive verses in the
Qur'an about marriage is the following.

"And among His signs is this: That He created mates for you from yourselves that you may
find rest, peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein
indeed are signs for people who reflect." (Qur'an 30:2 1).

According to Islamic Law, women cannot be forced to marry anyone without their consent.

Ibn Abbas reported that a girl came to Muhammad, and she reported that her father had
forced her to marry without her consent. The Messenger of God gave her the choice . . .
(between accepting the marriage or invalidating it). (Ibn Hanbal No. 2469). In another
version, the girl said: "Actually I accept this marriage but I wanted to let women know that
parents have no right (to force a husband on them)." (Ibn Maja, No. 1873).

Besides all other provisions for her protection at the time of marriage, it was specifically
decreed that woman has the full right to her mahr, a marriage gift, which is presented to her
by her husband and is included in the nuptial [marriage] contract, and that such ownership
does not transfer to her father or husband. The concept of mahr in Islam is neither an actual
or symbolic price for the woman, as was the case in certain cultures, but rather it is a gift
symbolizing love and affection.

The rules for married life in Islam are clear and in harmony with upright human nature. In
consideration of the physiological and psychological make-up of man and woman, both
have equal rights and claims on one another, except for one responsibility, that of leadership.
This is a matter which is natural in any collective life and which is consistent with the nature
of man.

The Qur'an thus states:

"And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them, and men are a degree
above them." (Qur'an 2:228).

Such degree is qiwama (maintenance and protection). This refers to that natural difference
between the sexes which entitles the weaker sex to protection. It implies no superiority or
advantage before the law. Yet, man's role of leadership in relation to his family does not
mean the husband's dictatorship over his wife. Islam emphasizes the importance of taking
counsel and mutual agreement in family decisions. The Qur'an gives us an example: "...If
they (husband wife) desire to wean the child by mutual consent and (after) consultation,
there is no blame on them..." (Qur'an 2: 233).

Over and above her basic rights as a wife there is the right which is emphasized by the
Qur'an and is strongly recommended by the Prophet (P): kind treatment and companionship.

The Qur'an states: "...But consort with them in kindness, for if you hate them it may happen
that you hate a thing wherein God has placed much good." (Qur'an 4: l9).

Prophet Muhammad said:

"The best of you is the best to his family and I am the best among you to my family."

"The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and best of you are those who are best to
their wives."

"Behold, many women came complaining against their husbands (because they abused
them) -- those (husbands) are not the best of you.

As the woman's right to decide about her marriage is recognized, so also her right to seek an
end for an unsuccessful marriage is recognized. To provide for the stability of the family,
however, and in order to protect it from hasty decisions under temporary emotional stress,
certain steps and waiting periods should be observed by men and women seeking divorce.
Considering the relatively more emotional nature of women, a good reason for asking for
divorce should be brought before the judge. Like the man, however, the woman can divorce
her husband without resorting to the court, if the nuptial contract allows that. More
specifically, some aspects of Islamic Law concerning marriage and divorce are interesting
and are worthy of separate treatment.

When the continuation of the marriage relationship is impossible for any reason, men are
still taught to seek a gracious end for it.

The Qur'an states about such cases:

"When you divorce women, and they reach their prescribed term, then retain them in
kindness and retain them not for injury so that you transgress (the limits)." (Qur'an 2:231).

More than 1,300 years before the west gave economical rights to women, Islam recognised
the rights of adult women. Any adult woman has the right to possess or to own or to dispose
any of her own property in any way she feels fit irrespective of whether she is single or
married. The first time that rights of married women was recognised in the West whereby
she could own and dispose of property without the control, approval or consent of her
husband was in 1870s in England under the Married Women Property Act. This Act
was later amended in 1882 and 1887.
 ECONOMICAL RIGHTS

A woman can work and is entitled to get equal pay if she does the same job as that of a
male. There is no text in the Quran or the Sunnah which makes it unlawful for women to
work or to do any lawful job or profession (provided it is within the modesty level and
within the purview of the Shariah). If she is married she should take the permission of her
husband.

She cannot take up jobs which are based on exhibiting her beauty and body such as
modelling, dancing, acting in films, etc.

Many jobs which are forbidden for women are also forbidden for men, for example serving
liquor, working in gambling dens, dealing in corruption and dishonest businesses, etc.

A true Islamic Society should have some women as professionals such as women physicians
(doctors), women nurses, women teachers, etc.

Women have no financial obligations in Islam. It is the duty of the man in the family to look
after the financial aspects of the family. Therefore under normal conditions a woman need
not work and is not required to earn her livelihood or that of her family. However in certain
genuine cases due to financial crisis in the family where both ends do not meet, she has the
option to work with the permission of her husband Even in such conditions no one can force
her to work and if she takes up a job it is by exercising her own free will.

As I mentioned earlier, the job should be within the limits of Islamic Shariah and within
modesty levels. Besides the professional jobs I mentioned, they can work in industries and
small scale factories which are so made that they exclusively employ ladies or have separate
sections for gents and ladies staff. She can also engage in business and when required, enter
into transactions with gents through a Mehram such as her husband, son etc. The best
example I can quote is that of Prophet Muhammads (Pbuh) wife, Bibi Khadija (R) who
was a very successful businesswoman. She transacted through her husband Prophet
Muhummad (Pbuh). Women can work in their own houses by taking up tailoring,
embroidery, pottery, basket-making, etc.

SOCIAL RIGHTS

The Prophet (Pbuh) considered marriage for a Muslim as half of his religion because it
shields him from promiscuity, fornication, homosexuality, etc, which add to half the evil in
society.

Secondly, only after you marry do you have an opportunity to become a husband or wife, a
father or a mother and thus perform your duties as either as a husband or as a wife; as a
father or as a mother. Whether you marry once or twice you are yet fulfilling only half your
deen.

According to Islam marriage is a blessing and bounty on both men and women.

In Surah Al-Rum Chapter 30, Verse 21 (30:21)

And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye
may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts).

In Surah Nisa Chapter 4, Verse 21 (4:21)

The Quran refers to marriage as a Misaq that is a sacred covenant or agreement between
husband and wife.

In Surah Nisa Chapter 4, Verse 19 (4: 19)

Oh! You who believe, you are forbidden to inherit women against their will!

Islamic law requires the consent of both the parties before marriage. In matters related to
marriage a woman cannot be forced by anyone including her father. Parents can help and
advise the daughter on marriage but cannot impose or force his will. There have been cases
where Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) had given the choice of continuing or invalidating certain
marriages where the consent of the daughter was not taken (Ibn Hambal No.2469).

Ibn Abbas reported that a girl came to the messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)
and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without her consent. The Messenger
of God gave her the choice (between accepting the marriage or invalidating it _Ibn Hanbal
No.2469).

In another version, the girl said : Actually I accept this marriage but I wanted to let women
know that parents have no right (to force a husband on them) (Ibn-Maja, No.1873).

iv. Woman in Islam is considered to be a home-maker and not a housewife because she is
not married to the house. v. In Islam, when a woman is married to a man it is not that she is
married to a master so that she should be treated like a slave but she is married to her equal
and should be treated like a partner with love and dignity.

The Prophet (Pbuh) said the most perfect believers are those that are best in character and
behaviour and those that are best to their families (that is to their wives) (Ibn Hambal
No.7396).

vi. a. The rights of husband and wife are equal in all respects except in the aspect of
leadership in the family.
In Surah Al-Baqarah Surah 2, Verse 228 (2: 2228)

And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is
equitable but men have a degree of advantage over them.

Here a degree higher does not mean in superiority but refers to responsibility. The Quran has
stated in Surah Al-Nisa Chapter 4, Verse 34 (4 :34).

Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given one more
(strength) than the other because they support them from their means.

The Arabic word used is Qawwam which many a time is mistaken for superiority but is
actually derived from Iqama meaning to stand up for in the same fashion as Iqama
is given before prayers that is standing up for prayers.

Therefore men are not one degree higher in superiority or dictatorship but one degree higher
in standing up for responsibility.

According to the commentary of Al Tabari the word Qawwam means a degree higher in
responsibility and service and not superiority. Therefore it is the duty of the man to see that
he provides security and maintenance to women and this should be carried out with mutual
consent.

Even if there is lack of affection or liking between husband and wife this is not a
justification to be unjust and not compassionate.

In Surah Al-Nisa Chapter 4, Verse 19 (4:19)

Live with them (wives) on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it
may be that ye dislike a thing Allah brings about through a great deal of good.

There is a system of divorce in Islam which is to be applied only in extreme cases where the
problem between the husband and wife is too grave to be solved and the continuation of
married life would be counterproductive. The method of divorce is clearly spelt out in the
Quran in Surah -Al-Talaq in Chapter 65 and in Surah Al-Baqrah Verses 227 to 242.

According to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), among the permissible things in Islam, the most
hated in the sight of Allah is divorce. It is as though the heavens shatter (metaphorically).

There is a great deal of misconception and myth about the system of divorce in Islam, not
only among the non-Muslims but also amongst the Muslims, who think that men have the
exclusive right to give divorce.

Following are the ways of dissolution of marriage in Islam. a. By the unilateral will of the
husband. b. By the unilateral will of the wife (if the marriage contract so specifies). c. By
the judgment of a Muslim judge (Kazi). After a reasonable complaint lodged by a wife
against her husband on grounds such as ill treatment, lack of support, etc., or any other
legitimate and satisfactory reason. d. Khula where even if the husband is not at fault
and if the wife does not like staying with the husband. She need not specify the reason for
seeking a Khula. An incident of Khula had taken place during the time of Prophet
(Pbuh) where he commanded the husband to give divorce. e. Many westerners have the
misconception that Polygamy is compulsory in Islam and that Islam ordains that all Muslim
men should marry four wives.

EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS

Surah Iqra and Surah Alaq Chapter 96, Verse 1-5.

Read! Recite! Proclaim! in the name of thy Lord and cherisher who created - created
the human, out of a congealed clot of blood (a leach-like substance). Read and thy
Lord is Most Bountiful. He who taught (the use of) the Pen- taught man that which he
knew not (96 : 1-5).

The first instruction in the Quran was, not to pray or fast or to give Zakkat, but to read.
This instruction was to both male and female. Islam gives a great deal of importance to
education. According to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) It is obligatory for every Muslim,
male or female, to acquire knowledge (Al-Bayhaqi).

The holy Prophet (Pbuh) made it a point of duty to every father and mother to make sure
that the daughters were not ignorant of the teachings of Islam.

A woman has her right to religious education from her husband so that either her husband
should teach her or allow her to go elsewhere to acquire it. If this matter is taken before a
judge, he must compel the husband to fulfil her demands in the same way that he would in
wordly matters.

According to Sahih Al-Bukhari, the women at the time of the Prophet (Pbuh) had become so
keen to acquire more knowledge that they came to the Prophet (Pbuh) with the following
proposal, You are always surrounded by men for imparting knowledge so appoint a day
for us. The Prophet (Pbuh) promised to do so and went to them and taught them. He also
sent representatives with messages to enlighten the Muslim women.

LEGAL RIGHTS
Men and Women are treated equally in Islamic law. 1. The Shariah protects the life and
safety of both men and women. a.i. If any man murders a woman, the Hadd
punishment of Qisas will be applied to him and he will be put to death as a punishment for
his crime. Likewise a woman murderer will also be put to death. This law of equality is
mentioned in Surah Baqarah Chapter 2, Verses 178 and 179 (2:178 -179) In the days of the
Prophet (Pbuh) a Jew killed a girl by crushing her head. The messenger of Allah ordered
him to be killed in the same way. The second Khalifa of Islam, Hazrat Umar (R), put to
death a number of persons who were accomplices to the murder of a women. ii. In the
matter of Qisas there is no difference between a man and woman. In the matter of injuries to
a womans eyes, ears or any other kinds of wounds the Qisas operates in the same way as
in the case of man. If a man kills a woman, he is to be killed. Similarly if a woman forgives
the murderer of her husband by accepting Diyah nobody is entitled to reject her
decision. If the guardians of the murdered person differ in accepting diyah and forgiving the
murderer, the other relatives are prevented from taking his life. It is immaterial if the person
forgiving happens to be a man or a woman. b. In Surah Maidah Chapter 5, Verse 38 (5:
38) "As to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hand as punishment by way of
example from Allah for their crime." In Islam the punishment for committing a robbery is
the same for men and women: that is cutting off the hands. c. In Surah Noor Chapter 24,
Verse 2 (24:2) "The woman and man guilty of fornication, flog each of them with 100
stripes." Once again the punishment for fornication is the same for both the man and woman
guilty of this heinous deed. 2.a. In Islamic law woman is accepted as a witness. This right
was given to a woman 1,400 years back by Islam at a time when most of the societies
rejected the evidence of a woman. Even till as late as 1980s Jewish rabbi were debating
whether to allow women as witnesses or not. b. In Surah Noor Chapter 24 Verse 4 (24:4)
"And those who launch a charge against chaste women and produce not four witnesses to
support the allegation, flog them with 80 stripes and reject their evidence ever after for such
men are wicked transgressors." Islam takes utmost care as regards chastity and modesty. For
a minor crime two witnesses are sufficient. But if anyone accuses a woman as regards her
chastity he should produce at least four witnesses to support the allegation. In most of the
societies we find men abusing women in public and calling them obscene names such as
prostitutes. In Islamic law, if a person accuses a woman and cannot produce four witnesses
or after he produces four witnesses if any of them falters, all of them excluding the person
who has produced the false charge will receive 80 lashes each. 3. In the western society a
woman adopts her husbands surname after her marriage. In Islam a woman after her
marriage has an option of either adopting her husbands surname or continuing with her
maiden surname and you can find several examples in Muslim Countries where women
continue with their maiden name and surnames.

POLITICAL RIGHTS

1. Both men and women are allowed and should participate in public affairs in the interest of
society. In Surah Al-Taubah Chapter 9 Verse 71 (9:71) "The believing men and women are
protectors of one another." They are protectors and supporters to each other not only in
social affairs but also in public affairs. 2. In Surah Al-Mumtahinah Chapter 60 Verse 12 (60 :
12) Oh! Prophet (Pbuh) when believing women come to take the oath of fealty to thee.. The
Arabic word is Baiaan which is not equivalent to modern election but is much more
than that. The Prophet (Pbuh) was not only the messenger of Allah but also the head of state
and the women confirmed the allegiance to him which is equivalent to choosing him as the
head of state. 3. Women participated in law-making. Once Hazrat Umar was discussing
about regulation of Mehr in the Mosque. They were considering putting restrictions on the
Mehr as some people discouraged young Muslim men from getting married. A lady from the
back-seat of the Mosque objected, giving Quranic reference. She said none has the right
to introduce this. " When Allah has not put restrictions on the Mehr then who are you to put
restrictions to it." Hazrat Umar humbly replied that the woman was right and Umar wrong.
In Political terminology, the womens objection will be called objection to the breaking of
the law of the constitution as Quran is the constitution for the Muslims. 4. If the need
arises, women may participate in the battle field: Muslim women took part in battle fields.
There is a whole chapter in Sahih Bukhari regarding participation of women in battle field.
a. Many Muslim women helped in the battlefield by providing water and giving first aid to
the soldiers. b. During the battle of Uhud, a lady by the name Nasiba was among the people
who protected the Prophet (Pbuh) and while doing so she received several wounds and
injuries for which the Prophet (Pbuh) appreciated and praised her.

Questions: Are you religious? What comes in your mind when you look at this picture?
What do you know about islam/muslimdifferences? What do you know about Aisha/who
is she? How old do you think she was when? What do you think about the 4 wives that a
muslim man can have?

CONCLUSION