Probably,
the meaning of Arabic word “Awarh” has heavily influenced the westerns.
Westerns think that Muslim women are dominated by their religion because
meaning of word “Awarh” implies that women should be forced to cover themselves
in veil and they should not be given education and their other basic rights. The
same meaning has negatively influenced Muslim society as well, this is the
reason today’s Muslim women have started embarking in gender based inequalities,
discrimination in education, discrimination in decision making in personal
lives and etc without understanding their status and rights set for them, by
Islam.
Today there are about more than half
billion Muslim women in the world, Islam has put equal rights for each woman as
for men. Allah says in Quran “Men and Women are
equal in eyes of God”. The societies which think Muslim women are victim of
discrimination they are mistakenly wrong. A woman in Islam or a Muslim woman
has right to get education and she can be a part of household income, that is
generous action for her husband. According to Islamic teachings, Muslim women
are not liable for home routine task, but the husband is responsible to take
care of his home, children and wife. “Women are made for men, they are
source of pleasure, joy and comfort to her husband”, says Quran.
The Prophet (PBUH) has also enlighten
Women rights, once He said; "Allow women to go to the Mosques at
night". So it’s not teaching of Islam to enforce a woman for serving
all the time. In Islam you can’t bind women for domestic duties. Till 18th century
woman of other religion could not retain her assets or property after marriage,
but 1400 years of Islamic
teachings show a woman is only owner of her assets even after her
death. Allah says in Quran: Woman
has right to have their own independent property, his husband can’t
claim her assets. If she shares or manages something with husband then he has
right.
Islam does not
restrict second, third and fourth wives. If husband is not giving equal rights
to any of them, she has got right to divorce husband.
Furthermore
Holy Quran says:
- Educate daughters as well as sons.
- Wives have the same rights as the
husbands have on them in accordance with the generally known principles.
- Woman has right to obtain divorce
from her husband, even on the grounds that she simply can't stand him.
- Wives right to negotiate marriage
terms of her choice.
- Give Women rights; if her husband
divorces her.
Women in Islam have
got political rights as well! A major ambiguous misapprehension, that Muslim Women
can’t be leader or Islam does not allow them to be a leader is wrong
interpretation. In 1400 years of Islamic history, there are many Muslim role
model Women who have served a lot in trade, politics, religion and household.
Islam has never restricted women to go out anywhere but rather it only ask women to seek permission from father and or husband before going out of home.
Here
are few of these Muslim women roles:
Bibi
Khadijha: First wife of Holy Prophet (PBUH) was a businesswoman
who worked as employee longtime then after she married Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).
Shiff’a
binte Abdullah: Hazrat Umer (RA) appointed her to
control market.
Bibi
Ayesha: Last Wife of Holy Prophet (PBUH) A great political
personality in Islam even she took place in battle of Camel.
Suffra
binte Abdul Mattalib: She fought and killed enemies to
save Holy Prophet (PBUH) and herself.
Bibi
Zanab: Granddaughter of Holy (PBUH) a famous religious
personality, Piety to women in Islamic world.
Zaynab
Al-Ghazali: Led the women’s group of brotherhood in
Egypt.
Razia
Sultan: Woman Ruler of India in 13th century.
Riffat
Hussain: A well know American Muslim scholar.
Fatima
Jinnah: Sister of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali
Jinnah, a great politician.
Begum
Rana Liaqat Ali: Role Model in indo-Pak movement.
Benazir
Bhutto: First woman Prime Minister of Pakistan
in Asian continent.
Sheikh
Haseena Wajid & Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh, Tanso
Ciller of Turkey and Megawati Sukanoptri of Indonesia
are also Muslim women in Politics who have served their counties.
Ending this; it is
misconception in thoughts (of westerns) that women are not dealt correctly in
Muslim societies, yes it is somehow correct! But it is not true guideline of
Islam. It’s all due to the Modern Muslim lawmakers and mixing up of cultural
traditions with Islamic education. Islam is only religion that strongly
restricts for molesting a woman and grabbing their rights. Molesting a woman is
considered to be “Gunah-e-Kabeera” (a big-sin) in Islam to which there is no
pardon, heavily. A Muslim woman has equal rights to a male; she can be a
doctor, teacher, banker, advocate etc above and beyond domestic life. Islam is
only religion that have discussed the divine forms of a woman; “A woman
can be mother, sister or daughter if not then it unavoidably would be wife”. “Giving respect to a Woman is worship to
Allah, says Islam.
