Women in Islam

Our goal should be to involve Muslim women so that the 21st century revival does not leave women marginalised and oppressed, but rather honours and liberates them in line with Islamic teachings.


Given the choice to be “free,” Muslim women realise that their greatest freedom, their greatest liberation, is granted to them by Allah, as He has dignified them and accorded them a vital role in human progress! An astute reader of my articles who also happens to be my youngest sister, asked me, who or what oppresses Muslim women?


The answer to who or what oppresses women is that both “who” and “what” oppress women. The “who,” are men and women. The “what” are ignorance, insecurity, and the institutionalization of oppression. While the bulk of this essay focuses on men as the oppressors, it is worth noting that some women who do not learn about their rights and do not demand that those rights be fulfilled, are partially responsible for their own oppression. Essentially, until and unless there is a groundswell of criticism and outright rejection of the oppressive practices of men, there is the dangerous possibility that some women might continue to accept oppression as their fate and, therefore, suffer needlessly. That said, the intention is clearly not to blame the victim, but rather to make an appeal that in the 21st century, some women will lead the charge to reclaim the rights granted to them by Allah Most High. Sadly, the burden of the blame does fall on the men.


Men Have Been Guilty, But There Is Hope


Yes. I admit that my gender leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to harboring collective remorse for the unjustifiable and outright sinful oppression of women both historically and in present-day terms. Men oppress women due to our own ignorance, our own unfounded insecurity, and because of our institutionalization of oppressive practices. Some men are simply ignorant of the fact that their own outlook on women is rooted in cultural practices, superstition and outright hatred in some cases against women. Even worse, other men are ignorant of the fact that Allah Most High liberated women by elevating their status in society and most importantly, referring to them as equitable partners of men.


Sisters, Please Stay at Home


Muslim men bear the brunt of the blame for the oppression of Muslim women because we are commanded by Allah Most High to be protectors, one of another. He, , reveals,


(The believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practice regular charity, and obey Allah and His messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise.) (At-Tawbah 9:71)


Instead of being protectors of Muslim women and facilitating their practice of Islam, we have in the past and, to some degree we continue to set-up obstacles to prevent their full and complete participation in all spheres of life. The most recent intense reaction to such oppression has come in the form of women, in turn, rejecting Islamic teachings, ironically, as a means to reclaim their rights.. It is painful to note that due to our ignorance, most of the so-called “Muslim” countries have no arrangements to accommodate Muslim women in the masjid. The few scarce mosques in the “Muslim” countries and even the pioneering masjid of the Muslim diaspora in the West, which do have a designated space for women, allocate little more space than that of a walk-in closet, or even worse, the dimensions of a single grave-perhaps conveying, subconsciously, the negation of women. It is important to distinguish between the pioneering mosques and the contemporary mosques by noting that, by the mercy of Allah, the newer mosque construction projects are adopting a much more humane, women-friendly outlook!


Leadership Needed, Sisters Need Not Apply


The situation is even worse when one considers the utter lack of Muslim women in leadership positions, either in the community or in organizations. There is no doubt that women possess the spiritual and intellectual ability to manage and lead organisations. However, due to our own insecurities and our ignorance, men have, for various reasons, concluded falsely that women cannot manage and lead organizations; that women are not capable of balancing their responsibilities to Allah, family, and work; that women are not inclined towards assuming a managerial and leadership role in an organization. The insecurity is rooted partly in our ignorance of the fact that there is nothing in Islamic teachings that would exclude women from management and leadership roles. It is we men who sometimes feel threatened by the fact that a “woman” might know more than us, might be a better manager than us, or even be a better leader than us.


This self-serving outlook not only perpetuates mediocrity, it reflects a profound insecurity, because somehow, the insecure man has come to firmly believe that an able, qualified, and effective woman threatens his very existence. He contrives excuses, such as the fact that she has all these other responsibilities at home and, therefore, should never leave the home. Never does he stop to think of his own performance or the performance of countless other men who are failing miserably in their attempts to fulfill their duties to Allah and their families. Why should we not keep those men at home, train them to worship and to learn how to serve their families effectively before they attempt to focus all their energies on “changing the world.” Within Islamic teachings, there can be professional, purposeful, and public interaction between men and women in the organizational setting. We know from the Qur’an and the Prophetic teachings that Allah accepts the equitable contribution and involvement of both men and women, in all spheres of life.


Indeed, we have to overcome our own insecurities and promote the equitable and rightful involvement of women in line with Islamic teachings to manage and lead our organizations.


Marriage: The Institutionali-sation of Oppression


Perhaps the most tragic consequence of the oppression of women has been that in at least one sphere of life, we have institutionalized the oppression of women and allowed it to perpetuate endlessly. Marriage is an institution; the advent of Islam put forth clear teachings on every aspect concerning marriage-preparing for marriage, actually marrying, life after marriage, and the dissolution of marriage, if circumstances warrant it. Most noteworthy of such teachings are those which granted women rights unparalleled in human history, such as not being the property of her husband, such as having sole ownership and control over her own property and wealth, such as being able to retain her own family name, and such as the right to initiate a divorce.


Some fathers routinely abuse their role as wali (guardian) of their young daughters by forcing them to marry men who are neither religious nor have strong characters. Other fathers demand huge sums of money from the bride’s family in clear contradiction of Islamic teachings, which stipulate that it is the man who must give the mahr or wedding gift. Without concerted efforts at educating our populations regarding the marital process, it is unfortunate that young women may never know that they have the right to choose whom they marry, and such oppressive practices will be perpetuated, with no end in sight.


Husbands routinely abuse their role as “heads of households” and confuse rights accorded to them by Islam with what they perceive to be their rights, but which in reality are only cultural practices or examples of poor conduct, based on how their fathers treated their mothers!


Finally, men have come a long way in terms of recognizing the horrific abuse hurled at Muslim women and, inshallah, the situation stands to improve. Much of the oppressive practices are based on our own ignorance, insecurity, and the institutionalization of oppressive practices. There is no doubt that we must make the 21st century the “century of the women” by facilitating their access to education, to worship, by developing opportunities for their meaningful involvement in the management and leadership of our organizations and by transforming the institution of marriage so that it is again founded upon the teachings of Islam, which conferred upon women unparalleled rights and, yes, equitable responsibilities. There is an Islamic revival already taking place around the world. Over 14 centuries ago, Islam dignified and honoured women, our goal should be to involve Muslim women so that the 21st century revival does not leave women marginalized and oppressed but rather dignifies, honours and liberates them in line with Islamic teachings!


(The writer is a licensed social worker in the United States)

(Courtesy:www.islamonline.net)