Most Muslims speak with pride in pointing out that women received certain
rights at the time the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammad.
Just over a hundred years ago, in England, in 1850, women were finally allowed
the right to own property. In 1857, divorce became accessible by the formation
of the court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes. Muslim women have had these
rights for fourteen hundred years.
However, in practical terms, in today's Islamic world, the majority of women
are treated by men as second class citizens. As mentioned in a previous article,
such a status for women is not attributable to the laws in the Quran but
to religious laws other than the Quran. This is in spite of the fact, that
the Quran came to us through Prophet Mohammad's mouth and that God informs
us in the Quran, that it is complete, perfect, fully detailed and the only
source of religious law for the submitters (Muslims). An attempt will be
made in this article to give some examples, inshallah, to display the great
disparity between what the Quran advocates versus accepted practices, which
have given women the low status in Muslim countries.
EQUALITY OF MEN & WOMEN
"Their Lord responded to them: 'I never fail to reward any worker among
you for any work you do, be you male or female - you are equal to one another.
Thus, those who immigrate, and get evicted from their homes, and are persecuted
because of Me, and fight and get killed, I will surely remit their sins and
admit them into gardens with flowing streams.' Such is the reward from GOD.
GOD possesses the ultimate reward." 3:195
"The believing men and women are allies of one another. They advocate
righteousness and forbid evil, they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and
give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and they obey GOD and His messenger.
These will be showered by GOD's mercy. GOD is Almighty, Most Wise."
9:71
"GOD promises the believing men and the believing women gardens with
flowing streams, wherein they abide forever, and magnificent mansions in
the gardens of Eden. And GOD's blessings and approval are even greater. This
is the greatest triumph." 9:72
"The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing
women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the truthful
women, the steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the reverent
women, the charitable men, the charitable women, the fasting men, the fasting
women, the chaste men, the chaste women, and the men who commemorate GOD
frequently, and the commemorating women; GOD has prepared for them forgiveness
and a great recompense." 33:35
RELIGIOUS LAWS NEVER AUTHORIZED BY GOD
The Quran prohibits even Prophet Mohammad from issuing any religious teachings
other than the Quran or explaining the Quran in verses 69:43-47 and 75:16-19.
The religious scholars, however, in defiance of the Quran have created religious
laws never authorized by God.
MENSTRUATION
The following verse deals specifically and only with sexual intercourse during
menstruation. However, most women through teachings of the scholars abstain
from their daily religious practices (fasting, salat) during menstruation.
"They ask you about menstruation: say, 'It is harmful; you shall avoid
sexual intercourse with the women during menstruation; do not approach them
until they are rid of it. Once they are rid of it, you may have intercourse
with them in the manner designed by GOD. GOD loves the repenters, and He
loves those who are clean.'" 2:222
DRESS CODE
"O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers
that they shall lengthen their garments. Thus, they will be recognized (as
righteous women) and avoid being insulted. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful."
33:59
"Tell the believing men that they shall subdue
their eyes (and not stare at the women), and to maintain their chastity.
This is purer for them. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything they do."
24:30
"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, and shall not relax this code
in the presence of other than their husbands,.....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."
24:31
The verses quoted above are the only verses in the Quran giving the dress
code for women - to lengthen the garments and to cover the chest. The Muslims
of today have created unreasonable dress code for women based on tradition
and customs in the name of God and Islam. There is also, no mention in the
Quran, that the head should be covered for men or women.
POLYGAMY
"If you deem it best FOR THE ORPHANS, you may
marry their mothers - you may marry two, three, or four. If you fear lest
you become unfair, then you shall be content with only one, or with what you
already have. Additionally, you are thus more likely to avoid financial
hardship." 4:3
"You can never be equitable in dealing with more than one wife, no matter
how hard you try. Therefore, do not be so biased as to leave one of them
hanging (neither enjoying marriage, nor left to marry someone else). If you
correct this situation and maintain righteousness, GOD is Forgiver, Most
Merciful." 4:129
Verse 4:3 makes it clear that the ONLY condition for polygamy is for the
sake of orphans, while verse 4:129 discourages polygamy even for that one
exception. A law which allows men to marry a second time without meeting
the condition of orphans stands in violation of the Quran.
TAKING CERTAIN VERSES OUT OF CONTEXT
"O you who believe, when you transact a loan for any period, you shall
write it down. An impartial scribe shall do the writing. No scribe shall
refuse to perform this service, according to GOD's teachings. He shall write,
while the debtor dictates the terms. He shall observe GOD his Lord and never
cheat. If the debtor is mentally incapable, or helpless, or cannot dictate,
his guardian shall dictate equitably. Two men shall serve as witnesses; if
not two men, then a man and two women whose testimony is acceptable to all.
Thus, if one woman becomes biased, the other will remind her. It is the
obligation of the witnesses to testify when called upon to do so. Do not
tire of writing the details, no matter how long, including the time of repayment.
This is equitable in the sight of GOD, assures better witnessing, and eliminates
any doubts you may have. Business transactions that you execute on the spot
need not be recorded, but have them witnessed. No scribe or witness shall
be harmed on account of his services. If you harm them, it would be wickedness
on your part. You shall observe GOD, and GOD will teach you. GOD is Omniscient."
2:282
Financial transactions are the ONLY situations where two women may substitute
for one man as witness. This is to guard against the real possibility that
one witness may marry the other witness, and thus cause her to be biased.
Unreasonable laws have been made and continue to be made abusing this verse,
giving women a lower status in society.
WOMAN AS LEADERS
One of the major controversial issues in Islam to those who do not know Islam
is where is the woman's role in the political system. Can a woman take the
leadership role? Is it prohibited?
The answer will be different if you look at the book of God, the Quran, or
if you look at the book of man, the Hadiths that was written about 250 years
after the Prophet's death.
When God tells us a story in he Quran, He does not do so just for entertaining
us, but to learn a lesson. "We narrate to you the most accurate history through
the revelation of this Quran. Before this, you were totally unaware."
12:3
"In their history, there is a lesson for those who possess intelligence......"
12:111
The role of an important woman in the history of the world as much as Muslims
are concerned is the story Belquees, the Queen of Sheba. See 27:22-44. God
mentioned her history in the Quran to let us know that a woman in a ruling
position is not offensive as far as God is concerned. She represented a
democratic ruler who consulted with her people before making important decisions,
See 27:29. She visited Solomon, talked to him, made decisions for herself
and her people, not hiding behind walls , or shying behind another man.
After witnessing what God gave Solomon, she became a submitter (Muslim),
while still the Queen of Sheba.
"She was told, "Go inside the palace." When she saw its interior, she
thought it was a pool of water, and she (pulled up her dress) exposing her
legs. He said, "This interior is now paved with crystal." She said, "MY LORD,
I HAVE WRONGED MY SOUL. I NOW SUBMIT WITH SOLOMON TO GOD, LORD OF THE UNIVERSE."
Here we witness one of the first Muslim women in charge of a nation, ruling
them as a queen of Sheba. Do we learn a lesson from the Quran ? we should.
The lesson is that God in the Quran never put restriction on a woman in a
ruling position. These days we have two Muslim women in position of power,
the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Turkey.
CONCLUSION
Belief in God mandates that we believe God. God has stated in his proven,
final scripture, the Quran, that it is complete, fully detailed and the only
source of religious guidance. As submitters (Muslims) we have to accept God's
assertion and look to the Quran and God for guidance.
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