Islam: 1400 Years Of Female LiberationBy Rasha El-Haggan, English Major at University of Maryland Baltimore County (Copyrighted 1999)
"Jane Addams." "Susan B. Anthony." "Elizabeth Cady Stanton." "Margaret Fuller." As I sit in my women’s studies class, my teacher, Mrs. Keller, fully explains to us the importance of each of these women’s lives to the Suffrage Movement here in the United States and around the world. These four names constitute only 4 of the 75 women who participated in the 1920s and 1930s Women’s Suffrage Movement. Now glorified legacies, these women during the early 1920s to the late 1930s were viewed as social outcasts. "They fought for legal rights of women here in the U.S" Mrs. Keller explains. "Without them, women of the 1990s would not possess the right to vote, the right to inherit property, the right to divorce, the right to work, even the right to chose one’s husband." I was truly awed as I heard her say such a surprising statement. To think that while women in the United States of America could not own property till the 1920s, women all over the Muslim world had that right 1400 years ago with the birth of Islam. In fact, Muslim women under the banner of Islam could not only own property, they had the right to vote, to divorce, to work, and to chose their own husbands. It is ironic to think that while American and European women were vigorously and honorably fighting for a woman’s basic rights in the Western world, their counterparts in Muslim countries were vigorously and honorably investing in their own properties. What intrigued me the most about that particular Women’s Studies session was one question: If indeed Muslim women 1400 years ago possessed the basic rights that American women fought for in the 1920s, why then is Islam believed to be the symbol of subordination of women? The answer is simple. It is the ignorance of the media that distorts the image of Islam to be the oppressor of women. Over the past 40 years, the media has portrayed Islam as the tyrannical to women. Muslim women feel the affects of these stereotypes every day. For example, if I were to describe myself to my reader as a woman who attends college, participates in my SGA elections, and works as a Computer Consultant, a certain image would be formed in my reader’s mind. However, if I were to describe myself as a woman who wears a head scarf, teaches at an Islamic Sunday School, and leads a group of active Muslim Women, that image might change drastically. Images of Not Without My Daughter’s suppressed, meek, black-enshrouded women submitting to the demands of their dominating husbands might race through some reader’s minds. Or perhaps, Executive Decision’s image of a wife walking two steps behind her husband might enter another reader’s mind. Maybe even, Nightline’s image of a burned Pakistani 18-year old girl’s body might flash in one’s mind. The Western media constantly latches such disgusting images to Islam without understanding the cultural circumstances behind such un-Islamic behaviors. The fact is, Muslim women, since the inception of Islam in the 1500’s, were being given shares in inheritance, were allowed to choose or refuse prospective husbands, and were considered equal to men in the eyes of God, while Christian and Jewish women were still considered inferior to men, originators of sin, and property of their husbands. Thus, it is crucial to address the status of women in Islam compared to that of the Judeo-Christian tradition and pertaining to the following five categories: originator of sin, marriage (i.e. divorce, motherhood), female rights (i.e. inheritance, own property, and education), and the Hijab. Before we start, it is important to explain the importance of authentic sources in Islam. Throughout this paper, I will cite the Qur’an and the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the prophet of Islam, several times. Islamic Shariah or law is made up of solely the Qur’an and the Sunnah, or life of the Prophet (PBUH). The importance of citing these sources lies in the fact that Muslims are supposed to live by these rules and regulations. One must understand that as I explain certain Islamic issues, the fact that I cite the Qur’an and the Sunnah means that what I say is authentic. One must also consider that while Islam outlines certain issues, cultural interferences are inevitable. However, these interferences in most cases do not depict the image of Islam. From the beginning of time society has viewed women as shameless beings. Due to Eve’s sin of eating from the forbidden tree and seducing Adam to do the same, the Judeo-Christian tradition has described women as the originators of sin. As a result, Jewish Rabbis list nine curses inflicted on women:
According to Jewish Rabbis, as a result of women being blamed for the sins of Eve, God has punished us with the above curses. Furthermore, St. Tertullian of the Catholic faith was quoted while talking to his sisters to say:
These images of women originating the sin of man have set the precedent for other cultures to oppress their women. For example, the Arabic culture before it’s introduction to Islam regularly practiced female infanticide, i.e. fathers buried their baby daughters alive lest they bring them shame later in life. Also, other cultures practiced brutal female circumcision, forbidding the female from enjoying any sexual relations. This constant image of women being shameless, sinful, and degrading helped mold women into an inferior position in society before the Suffrage movement. On the other hand, Islam does not condemn the sin of eating from the forbidden tree as solely Eve’s fault. It depicts both Adam and Eve as equally responsible for their sin in the Garden of Eden. In fact, after both Adam and Eve ate from the tree, The Qur’an says:
Therefore, God punished them both for the sins of which they later repented. Moreover, Islam does not blame Eve’s sins for women’s annoyances of pregnancy and pains of childbirth. In fact, Islam "esteems pregnancy and childbirth as sufficient reasons for the love and respect due to mothers from their children" (Badawi, 7). The Qur’an states:
Since Islam, unlike the Judeo/Christian tradition, does not claim women to be originators of sin, Muslim women have not experienced religious discrimination simply due to their sex. Additionally, the issue of marriage is highly stereotyped by the media. Not Without My Daughter, a movie about an American woman’s plight in Iran with her Irani husband is the perfect example. The movie distorts the Islamic ideology of marriage by highlighting the image of the tyrannical husband and the meek, oppressed wife. The movie’s claims cannot be farther from the truth. In the issue of marriage, Islam presents the most logical ideology. First, Islam is a strong advocate of marriage. Unlike the Catholic faith, Islam does not in any way encourage celibacy. In fact, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a Hadith "there is no celibacy in Islam" (Marriage In Islam). Thus, Islam does not equate celibacy to holiness. Also, Islam views marriage as a necessity to the survival of a society, making the family its fundamental unit . Through marriage, one attains a balanced unit. The basic Islamic family consists of a male husband, female wife, and children. Each member of the family has his or her own duties and must act accordingly towards the other members of the family. For example, per the husband wife relationship Allah decrees that it be full of love and respect for one another. The Qur’an states:
The husband must be kind, understanding, and forgiving and he must treat his wife in a tender and loving manner.. He not only should avoid hurting her but also should bear with her if she ever does something disagreeable. The Qur’an reads: "and treat them [women] kindly" (Qur’an 5:19). And the Prophet (PBUH) says "Whoever of you whose wife behaves in a disagreeable manner and he responds by kindness and patience, God will give him rewards as much as Job will be given for his patience." He also instructs husbands that "the best among you is the best to his wife" (Badawi, 14) and that "Surely God does not love a rough person who is boastful, and rude to his wife." (Abdul-Rauf, 2) Furthermore, Allah commands the husband to be responsible for any financial aid that the wife might need. He must provide for her in all financial matters such as buying her clothes and food and providing her with shelter. He is also obligated to care for her when she is sick. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says "All of you are caretakers one of the other. A man is the caretaker of those under him and a woman is the caretaker of those under her" (Badawi, 14). Similarly, a husband, to entertain his wife, must also indulge her. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) indulged his wife, Aisha, at all times, especially when there were festivities involved. In a hadith, Aisha reportedly heard an Abyssinian entertainment team playing outside their house, the Prophet said to Aisha, "Would you like to see them?" When she agreed, he sent for them and they came and performed in front of his door. The Prophet stretched his hand, putting his palm on the open door and letting Aisha's chin rest on his arm so that she could see comfortably. A while later the Prophet asked Aisha, "Enough?" She said, "Silence!" Another while later he asked, "Enough?" and the answer was again, "Silence!" But when he asked her for the third time, "Enough?" she agreed, "Yes," and the team went away on a gesture from the Prophet. Prophet’s (PBUH) treatment of Aisha shows us that a husband should indulge the desires of his wife, even at the risk of his own discomfort. Moreover, patient behavior was the practice of the Prophet, even when his wife dared to address him harshly. Once his mother-in-law- saw her daughter strike him with her fist on his noble chest. When the enraged mother-in-law began to reproach her daughter, the Prophet smilingly said, "Leave her alone; they do worse than that." And once Abu Bakr, his father-in-law, was invited to settle some misunderstanding between him and Aisha. The Prophet said to her, "Will you speak, or shall I speak?" Aisha said, "You speak, but do not say except the truth." Abu Bakr was so outraged since the Prophet (PBUH) was known to never tell a lie, that he immediately struck her severely, forcing her to run and seek protection behind the back of the Prophet. Abu Bakr said, "O you the enemy of herself! Does the Messenger of God say but the truth?" The Prophet said, "O Abu Bakr, we did not invite you for this harsh dealing with Aisha, nor did we anticipate it." It is interesting to note that these instructions that Allah, the Qur’an, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) give to Muslim husbands differ drastically from what the media has portrayed the Muslim husband to be. Of course, to every culture and religion there are those that don’t follow the rules and regulations, however, identifying that culture or religion using bad examples is a far cry from the reality of the situation. The dowry is also a very stereotyped image by both the media and non-Muslims. As part of the obligatory Islamic marriage contract the husband must grant a gift to his wife to be. This can be in the form of money, gold, religion, knowledge, or even an iron ring. As long as the gift appeases the wife, it could be in the form of practically anything. The purpose of the dowry is to prove to the wife that her husband is financially, mentally, and religiously ready to marry her. In no way is the dowry given back, even after divorce. Allah says in the Qur’an, "If you have given…a canter of gold (i.e. a great amount) for dower take not the least of it back" (Qur’an 4:20). Also, if the dowry is in the form of money or gold, it is the exclusive right of the woman to keep it to herself. In no way does her family share in its enjoyment. Additionally, in the contract, it is written that the woman has the right to keep her own name. Unlike Judeo-Christian practice where a wife adopts her husband’s name, in Islam, a wife has every right to keep her own maiden name. Islam recognizes that adopting one’s husband’s name might indicate that he owns her. Just as the husband has obligations towards his wife, the wife has reciprocating duties towards her husband. Her obligation as a wife is to contribute to the success and blissfulness of the marriage as much as possible. She must be attentive to the comforts and well being of her mate. She should neither offend him nor hurt his feelings. Perhaps nothing can illustrate the point better than the Qur'anic statement which describes the righteous people as those who pray: "Our lord, Grant unto us wives and offspring who will be the joy and the comfort of our eyes, and guide us to be models of righteousness" (Qur’an 25:74). This is the basis on which all the wife’s obligations rest and from which they flow. To fulfill this obligation, a wife must be faithful, trustworthy, and honest. More specifically, she must not deliberately deceive her husband. Nor must she allow any other person to have access to that which is exclusively the husband’s right, i.e. sexual intimacy. The husband’s possessions are her trust. If she has access to any portion of it, or if she is entrusted with any fund, she must use it wisely and thriftily. With respect to intimacy, the wife is to make herself desirable; to be attractive, responsive, and cooperative. She should not deny herself to her husband, for the Qur'an speaks of them as a comfort to each other. Consideration, of course, is given to health and decency. The Prophet says, "the most blessed joy in life is a good righteous wife" (Abdul-Rauf,4). It is important to note that although Islam sets rules to guide a marriage, it does not view it as a dry step by step procedure. On the contrary, Islam looks at marriage as a sacred tradition that needs careful tender love and care from both parties. Both man and woman have obligations that need to be met. As the leader, the man needs to start off with the right steps and in turn the wife will supply him with respect and love. As to the issue of divorce, Islam has found a middle ground between Christianity and Judaism. It is Christian practice to forbid divorce as outlined in the New Testament, "‘But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness causes her to become adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery’(Matthew 5:32)" (Azeem, 13). On the other hand, Judaism allows divorce even without any cause. The school of Hillel of the Jewish faith says that a man may divorce his wife even if she has merely spoiled a dish for him (Azeem, 13). Although this might be a regularly practiced feature of Hillilians, it is to most people unrealistic. Islam has, therefore, found equable grounds between both practices. It neither forbids divorce nor allows its uses uncontrollably. Instead, Islam realizes that divorce is as much a fact of life as marriage. Although Allah took many measures to ensure successful marriages, humans are unpredictable. So Islam took a realistic approach in allowing divorce. In a situation where there are many obstacles hindering a successful marriage, divorce is applicable, but it is the last resort. Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) describes divorce as "the most detestable of all lawful things in the sight of God" (Azeem, 15). Therefore, before the parties seek divorce, they must first try to settle their disputes and solve their problems in private. If they fail, however, they should seek two arbitrators, one from the husbands’ side and the other from the wife’s side. The two arbitrators must then try to settle the dispute. However, if all else fails, only and only then is divorce applied. For the divorce to be carried out, both parties must be agreeable. The wife has as much right to a divorce as the husband. However, if for some reason, the husband refuses to give a divorce and the wife feels justified in her reasons, then the court should interfere and help the wronged party obtain a divorce. Unfortunately, in countries where culture supercedes religion, the court will probably delay in issuing a divorce merely because of the wife’s gender. This is only cultural tradition and does not reflect Islamic law or rule. Besides a woman’s role as a wife, Islam highly regards mothers. The Qur’an instructs children to esteem mothers for they carry their baby for nine long months. During that time, she happily contends with the endless annoyances of pregnancies while patiently tolerating the unbearable pains of child birth. The mother then cares for and feeds her baby. She shares it’s happiness as well as it’s sadness. As a blessing to mankind, God created mothers as female instead of male. Mothers, endowed with the female heart are more understanding, sensitive, and patient with their children than fathers are. Not only that, but Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says, "Heaven lies under the feet of the mothers," meaning that mothers have guaranteed places in the heavens. In response to her kindness, Islam commands children to be especially caring and sensitive towards their mothers’ needs and wants. In fact, in a hadith, a man came to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) asking, "O Messenger of Allah, who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship?" The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Your mother." The man said, "Then, who is next?" The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Your mother." The man said, "Then, who is next?" The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Your mother." The man further asked, "Then who is next?" Only then did the Prophet (PBUH) say, "Your father" (Badawi, 17). Thus, as far as children’s care for their parents, Islam places 3 times as much importance on caring for one’s mother than for one’s father. This in no way means that one must disrespect one’s father. On the contrary, a Muslim must highly respect his father. However, he must try to care more for his mother since she has happily suffered more to bring him into this life. As mentioned before, Muslim women have enjoyed certain rights that Western women have only been able to enjoy recently. The right to inherit, the right to own their property, and the right to an education are prime examples. First, Islam endows women with the right to inherit property. The Biblical attitude, be it the Old Testament or the New Testament, has been succinctly described by Rabbi Epstein:
When asked why the Bible deems this necessary, Rabbi Epstein’s answer is simple, "They [women] are owned—before marriage, by the father; after marriage, by the husband" (Azeem, 18). Furthermore, in Numbers 27:11 the rules of inheritance are clearly outlined. While there male heirs exists, God forbids the wife to inherit any property. Also, the Bible does not consider her an heir to her husband’s property, even in the absence of a male heir. Also, daughters can only inherit if the family cannot provide a male heir. If male heirs do exist, widows and daughters are to remain at the mercy of these heirs for their provision and their livelihood. Islam changes this aspect of inheritance drastically, for women are not regarded as property and therefore can inherit from their relatives. The Qur’an states:
What is mostly misrepresented and misunderstood is how Islam divides an inheritance between the male and female counterparts. The general rule is that the male heir receives twice that of the female heir. In cases where the father dies and is succeeded by the mother, she would receive the same share that the father would receive had she died. Islamic rules of inheritance might seem unfair at first glance. In order to completely understand the vast fairness of this ruling, one must understand that men in Islam have a bigger financial burden than women. Men must support their wives, their sisters, their mothers, even their aunts in the absence of their father and/or grandfather. In fact, men must support any destitute female in the family. It is the Islamic obligation as mentioned above for the husband to support his wife financially. If the husband dies or if the female lacks a husband, then the closest male relative must financially support her. Therefore, his inheritance, due to his vast obligations, is twice that of the female. While he must use his inheritance to support others, the female could take her inheritance and indulge herself in any way she pleases. Allah’s ruling in the Qur’an is therefore meant to "offset this imbalance so that the society lives free of all gender or class wars" (Azeem, 19). Islam, unlike it’s Judeo-Christian counterparts, also gives women the right to own property. As mentioned above, the property she inherits from her relatives is her own to do with as she pleases. Other than property received through inheritance, a Muslim woman can buy, sell, and invest in her own property without the risk of it being taken from her by her husband upon marriage, or by her father. For example, if a woman chooses to work while married, her money remains her own. The husband has no right to demand it. She can, however, help him out if he is in need. If she lends him her money, he is obligated by Islamic law to pay her back unless she forgives his debt. This Islamic practice is entirely different from that of the Judeo-Christian one. According to Judaism, the husband owns his wife (Azeem, 11), therefore, he owns all that she owns. The Talmud describes the financial situation of a wife as follows:
Similarly, Christianity, until recently, has followed the practice of Judaism. According to the Roman Catholic tradition, "That which the husband hath is his own. That which the wife hath is the husband’s" (Azeem, 12). The wife not only lost her property upon marriage, but she also lost her identity, having to change her maiden name. Islam recognizes this and thus allows a Muslim woman to keep her maiden name after marriage, "an indication of their independent property rights as legal entities" (Badawi, 11). Last but not least, Islam bequeaths women the right to an education. Ironically, the concept of educating the woman is quite foreign to the Judeo-Christian tradition. According to the Talmud, "women are exempt from the study of the Torah" (Azeem, 7). Furthermore, Jewish Rabbis firmly declared, "Let the words of Torah rather be destroyed by fire than imparted to women and whoever teaches his daughter Torah is as though he taught her obscenity" (Azeem, 7). Islam, on the other hand, recognizes that to have an educated nation, one must educate women because they are the pillars of which their children grow. Since the mother is the core of the family and since she spends most of her time with her children, having an uneducated mother would be an unwise hindrance. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith, "Seeking an education is mandatory for every Muslim [male and female]" (Azeem, 7). It is common practice among Muslim fathers to ensure their daughter’s education before her marriage. Although this is not mandatory according to Islamic Shariah, this practice stems from the above hadith. Finally, the most stereotyped, distorted, and misunderstood aspect of Islam is the female head covering known as the Hijab. Before discussing the Islamic concept of Hijab, it is crucial to note that it is not a new practice introduced by Islam. In fact, both Judaism and Christianity demanded that their women cover their hair. According to Rabbi Dr. Menachem M. Brayer, Professor of Biblical Literature at Yeshiva University, in his book The Jewish Woman In Rabbinic Literature, he states that it was Jewish custom for a woman to cover her head when she went out. In fact, it was common that Jewish husbands and fathers required their wives and daughters to cover their entire body, including the face and hands, leaving one eye uncovered. He also said that Rabbinic law cursed the man who allowed his wife’s hair to be seen. According to Jewish practice, only the nobility were required to wear a head scarf because the veil "personified the dignity and superiority of noble women" (Azeem, 24). Furthermore, according to Christian practice, a woman must cover her hair because she is the property of her husband. St. Paul in the New Testament says:
Unlike Jewish practice, the Islamic covering is not a sign of luxury and noble distinction. Unlike Christian practice, the Islamic covering is not a sign of man’s authority over a woman nor a woman’s subjection to a man. The Islamic covering is a sign of modesty with the purpose of protecting women. Many Non-Muslims translate the Arabic word Hijab into the English word "veil." This translation is highly inaccurate. Actually, the word Hijab has no translation in the English language. In Arabic Hijab means the covering of the body except for the face, hands. It comes from the root meaning of "total covering." Islam decrees the Hijab to protect the female from lustful males and to preserve her dignity and chastity. Allah says in the Qur'an, "O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their bodies (when out of their homes) so that they should be known and not molested" (Qur’an 33:59). The Qur’an also states "And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. That they should lower their veil over their chests" (Qur’an 24:31). He also addresses the same command to males, ordering them to lower their gazes and abstain from looking at women with lust, "And say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty, that will make for greater purity for them" (Qur’an 24:30). Additionally, the Hijab guarantees that men will not be attracted to women for her body, but for her mind and personality. It further prevents women from being treated as sex objects--a constant problem plaguing most non-Muslim women. It also extremely reduces, if not prevents, sexual harassment and rape, while increasing respect and promoting self-esteem. In fact, statistics show that 1 of every 4 women in the United States are at risk of being raped in their lifetime and that in Canada, 1 in 3 women will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lives (Azeem, 25). These statistics serve as incentives for Muslim women to cover their bodies in modesty. Moreover, women who wear the Hijab (a.k.a. Hijabi women) do not wear it at all times. In fact, they can discard it in front of certain people and certain relatives as outlined in the following verse in the Qur’an:
Non-Muslims tend to believe that the requirement of the cover oppresses women and makes them inferior to men. This is untrue. There are many women who cover and are well known for their leadership and personality. For example, Kariman Hamaa, a leading female Egyptian Islamist, wears the Hijab and at the same time hosts and produces her own television show. Her show focuses around Islam and its issues. She constantly wears very stylish clothing, "chiffon, ornate lace, or even gold lame, draped over a pillbox hat to give them more flair" (Goodwin, 342). "You can be elegant and religiously conservative," says Hamza. Surprisingly, many countries try to force Muslim women into discarding the Hijab, claiming it to be backward and oppressive. The truth of the matter is by forcing these women to stop wearing the Hijab, they oppress and condemn them. Consequently, they force Muslim women to deal with unwanted problems such as rape and sexual harassment. "The Minister [of Egypt] has tried to stop me form wearing the Hijab eleven times [on her show]," says Hamza, "always insisting I not to be conservative. My response continues to be that a higher power, Allah, has ordered me and all the women of the world to wear it, and I obey him" (Goodwin, 342). The required veiling in Saudi Arabia, inflicted upon Saudi women is not obligatory. In fact, it is an option to those who look extremely attractive in the Hijab. Although the Prophet's wives wore the complete veil, including face, hands, and feet, this is not an obligation. Therefore, the enforcement of it is extreme. I find it quite Ironic that the very same headscarf revered as a sign of holiness when worn by Catholic nuns is reviled as a sign of oppression when worn for the purpose of protection by Muslim women. The next question to ask is: "Do all Muslim women receive the noble treatment described here?" The answer is a regrettable "No." Unfortunately, and like all religions, Muslim followers do not all adhere to Islamic law. Societies which are predominately Muslim might not possess an Islamic government which enforces Islamic law. For example, Egypt consists of a majority of Muslims, however, it’s government is a Republic. Therefore, much of the Islamic Shariah is not enforced by the government. So, for instance if a woman was beaten by her husband, the government will not interfere. Although this is clearly against Islamic practice, Egyptian culture deems it permissible. Such cultural practices such as female circumcision and honor killings are just that—cultural practices. They are in no way an indication of Islamic law. Thus, it is crucial for the Western media to completely understand this concept lest they misrepresent Islam any further. In conclusion, as shown in detail, Islam fails to measure up to the standards of Western media. It is in no way a religion which oppresses women. If anything, Islam liberates women from the cages of brutal societies. It bestows upon women rights that the rest of the world only enjoyed recently. As a Muslim American woman says:
The image of the meek Muslim woman is non-existent. Instead of her stands a woman of strength and dignity. A woman who enjoys 1400 year old rights. A woman who does not feel that she needs to measure up to the image of "narrow hips, wide lips, and big breasts." The Muslim woman is a woman in her own right, with her own rules, and her own prestige.
Works Cited
I have to thank Lisa McGown for making the wonderful flowers
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