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The one question all the non-Muslims, who had read an
earlier version of this study, had in common was: do Muslim women in the
Muslim world today receive this noble treatment described here? The answer,
unfortunately, is: No. Since this question is inevitable in any discussion
concerning the status of women in Islam, we have to elaborate on the answer in
order to provide the reader with the complete picture.
It has to be made clear first that the vast differences
among Muslim societies make most generalizations too simplistic. There is a wide
spectrum of attitudes towards women in the Muslim world today. These attitudes
differ from one society to another and within each individual society.
Nevertheless, certain general trends are discernible. Almost all Muslim
societies have, to one degree or another, deviated from the ideals of Islam with
respect to the status of women. These deviations have, for the most part, been
in one of two opposite directions. The first direction is more conservative,
restrictive, and traditions-oriented, while the second is more liberal and
Western-oriented.
The societies that have digressed in the first
direction treat women according to the customs and traditions inherited from
their forebears. These traditions usually deprive women of many rights granted
to them by Islam. Besides, women are treated according to standards far
different from those applied to men. This discrimination pervades the life of
any female: she is received with less joy at birth than a boy; she is less
likely to go to school; she might be deprived any share of her family's
inheritance; she is under continuous surveillance in order not to behave
immodestly while her brother's immodest acts are tolerated; she might even be
killed for committing what her male family members usually boast of doing; she
has very little say in family affairs or community interests; she might not have
full control over her property and her marriage gifts; and finally as a mother
she herself would prefer to produce boys so that she can attain a higher status
in her community.
On the other hand, there are Muslim societies (or
certain classes within some societies) that have been swept over by the Western
culture and way of life. These societies often imitate unthinkingly whatever
they receive from the West and usually end up adopting the worst fruits of
Western civilization. In these societies, a typical "modern" woman's top
priority in life is to enhance her physical beauty. Therefore, she is often
obsessed with her body's shape, size, and weight. She tends to care more about
her body than her mind and more about her charms than her intellect. Her ability
to charm, attract, and excite is more valued in the society than her educational
achievements, intellectual pursuits, and social work. One is not expected to
find a copy of the Quran in her purse since it is full of cosmetics that
accompany her wherever she goes. Her spirituality has no room in a society
preoccupied with her attractiveness. Therefore, she would spend her life
striving more to realize her femininity than to fulfil her humanity.
Why did Muslim societies deviate from the ideals of
Islam? There is no easy answer. A penetrating explanation of the reasons why
Muslims have not adhered to the Quranic guidance with respect to women would be
beyond the scope of this study. It has to be made clear, however, that Muslim
societies have deviated from the Islamic precepts concerning so many aspects of
their lives for so long. There is a wide gap between what Muslims are supposed
to believe in and what they actually practice. This gap is not a recent
phenomenon. It has been there for centuries and has been widening day after day.
This ever widening gap has had disastrous consequences on the Muslim world
manifested in almost all aspects of life: political tyranny and fragmentation,
economic backwardness, social injustice, scientific bankruptcy, intellectual
stagnation, etc. The non-Islamic status of women in the Muslim world
today is merely a symptom of a deeper malady. Any reform in the current status
of Muslim women is not expected to be fruitful if not accompanied with more
comprehensive reforms of the Muslim societies' whole way of life. The Muslim
world is in need for a renaissance that will bring it closer to the ideals of
Islam and not further from them. To sum up, the notion that the poor status of
Muslim women today is because of Islam is an utter misconception. The problems
of Muslims in general are not due to too much attachment to Islam, they are the
culmination of a long and deep detachment from it.
It has, also, to be re-emphasized that the purpose
behind this comparative study is not, by any means, to defame Judaism or
Christianity. The position of women in the Judaeo-Christian tradition might seem
frightening by our late twentieth century standards. Nevertheless, it has to be
viewed within the proper historical context. In other words, any objective
assessment of the position of women in the Judaeo-Christian tradition has to
take into account the historical circumstances in which this tradition
developed. There can be no doubt that the views of the Rabbis and the Church
Fathers regarding women were influenced by the prevalent attitudes towards women
in their societies. The Bible itself was written by different authors at
different times. These authors could not have been impervious to the values
and the way of life of the people around them. For example, the adultery laws of
the Old Testament are so biased against women that they defy rational
explanation by our mentality. However, if we consider the fact that the early
Jewish tribes were obsessed with their genetic homogeneity and extremely eager
to define themselves apart from the surrounding tribes and that only sexual
misconduct by the married females of the tribes could threaten these cherished
aspirations, we should then be able to understand, but not necessarily
sympathize with, the reasons for this bias. Also, the diatribes of the Church
Fathers against women should not be detached from the context of the misogynist
Greco-Roman culture in which they lived. It would be unfair to evaluate the
Judaeo-Christian legacy without giving any consideration to the relevant
historical context.
In fact, a proper understanding of the Judaeo-Christian
historical context is also crucial for understanding the significance of the
contributions of Islam to world history and human civilization. The
Judaeo-Christian tradition had been influenced and shaped by the environments,
conditions, and cultures in which it had existed. By the seventh century C.E.,
this influence had distorted the original divine message revealed to Moses and
Jesus beyond recognition. The poor status of women in the Judaeo-Christian world
by the seventh century is just one case in point. Therefore, there was a great
need for a new divine message that would guide humanity back to the straight
path. The Quran described the mission of the new Messenger as a release for Jews
and Christians from the heavy burdens that had been upon them:
"Those who follow
the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own
Scriptures--In the Law and the Gospel-- For he commands them what is just and
forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good and prohibits
them from what is bad; He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the
yokes that are upon them" (Qur'an, 7:157).
Therefore, Islam should not be viewed as a rival
tradition to Judaism or Christianity. It has to be regarded as the consummation,
completion, and perfection of the divine messages that had been revealed before
it.
At the end of this study, I would like to offer the
following advice to the global Muslim community. So many Muslim women have
been denied their basic Islamic rights for so long. The mistakes of the past
have to be corrected. To do that is not a favor, it is a duty incumbent upon
all Muslims. The worldwide Muslim community have to issue a charter of Muslim
women's rights based on the instructions of the Quran and the teachings of the
Prophet of Islam. This charter must give Muslim women all the rights endowed
to them by their Creator. Then, all the necessary means have to be developed
in order to ensure the proper implementation of the charter. This charter is
long overdue, but it is better late than never. If Muslims worldwide will
not guarantee the full Islamic rights of their mothers, wives, sisters, and
daughters, who else will?
Furthermore, we must have the courage to confront our
past and reject outright the traditions and customs of our forefathers whenever
they contravene the precepts of Islam. Did the Quran not severely criticize the
pagan Arabs for blindly following the traditions of their ancestors? On the
other hand, we have to develop a critical attitude towards whatever we receive
from the West or from any other culture. Interaction with and learning from
other cultures is an invaluable experience. The Quran has succinctly considered
this interaction as one of the purposes of creation: "O mankind We created you
from a single pair of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes,
that you may know each other" (Qur'an, 49:13). It goes without saying, however, that
blind imitation of others is a sure sign of an utter lack of self-esteem.
It is to the non-Muslim reader, Jewish, Christian, or
otherwise, that these final words are dedicated. It is bewildering why the
religion that had revolutionized the status of women is being singled out and
denigrated as so repressive of women. This perception about Islam is one of the
most widespread myths in our world today. This myth is being perpetuated by
a ceaseless barrage of sensational books, articles, media images, and Hollywood
movies. The inevitable outcome of these incessant misleading images has been
total misunderstanding and fear of anything related to Islam. This negative
portrayal of Islam in the world media has to end if we are to live in a world
free from all traces of discrimination, prejudice, and misunderstanding.
Non-Muslims ought to realize the existence of a wide gap between Muslims'
beliefs and practices and the simple fact that the actions of Muslims do not
necessarily represent Islam. To label the status of women in the Muslim world
today as "Islamic" is as far from the truth as labelling the position of women
in the West today as "Judaeo-Christian". With this understanding in mind,
Muslims and non-Muslims should start a process of communication and dialogue in
order to remove all misconceptions, suspicions, and fears. A peaceful future for
the human family necessitates such a dialogue.
Islam should be viewed as a religion that had immensely
improved the status of women and had granted them many rights that the modern
world has recognized only this century. Islam still has so much to offer
today's woman: dignity, respect, and protection in all aspects and all stages of
her life from birth until death in addition to the recognition, the balance, and
means for the fulfilment of all her spiritual, intellectual, physical, and
emotional needs.
That's why it is no surprise to find that most converts to Islam, today, in a
country like Britain are women.
In the U.S. women converts to Islam outnumber men
converts 4 to 1 [85]
Islam has so much to offer our world which is in great need of moral guidance
and leadership.
Ambassador Herman Eilts, in a testimony in front of the committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives of the United States Congress on June
24th, 1985, said, "The Muslim community of the globe today is in the
neighbourhood of one billion. That is an impressive figure. But what to me is
equally impressive is that Islam today is the fastest growing monotheistic
religion. This is something we have to take into account. Something is right
about Islam. It is attracting a good many people."
Yes, something is right about Islam and it is time to find that out. I hope
this study is a step on this direction.
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