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Women in Islam
3-08-2016
This week, on March 8, the world celebrated its 21st United Nations designated International Women’s Day. What United Nations – the world body – designated only two decades ago, Islam gave women the rights to celebrate more than 1437 years ago, and not just a day, rather every day.
It is hard to believe that the religion that is so associated or painted by western media for denying women their basic rights is the first and still the only religion in the world that gave women their basic fundamental rights to education, inheritance, economical and financial security, marital, parental, health, employment, property rights, and most importantly, declared women to be equal to men.
The irony of UN Women’s Day is that Women have been allowed to celebrate one day in a year, without giving them the rights they truly deserve.
Even more cruel irony of such celebration is that even today among many of the societies continue to live under oppression, cruelty and wholesale injustice, under the watchful eye of the UN.
UN Office of the High Commission on Human Rights (OHCHR) states, “Gender equality is essential for the achievement of human rights for all. Yet discriminatory laws against women persist in every corner of the globe and new discriminatory laws are enacted.”
Prophet Mohammed Peace Be Upon Him eliminated this gender inequality some 1400 years ago in his Farewell Sermon, “O People, it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women, but they also have rights over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission.”
The OHCHR further states, “In all legal traditions many laws continue to institutionalize second class status for women and girls with regard to nationality and citizenship, health, education, marital rights, employment rights, parental rights, inheritance and property rights. These forms of discrimination against women are incompatible with women’s empowerment.”
Islam once again from the onset gave women rights to equal treatment in all aspects and all necessities of life. There is an entire chapter, Chapter 4, “The Women” dedicated, dealing with issues, laws and the rights of women in Islam.
The most significant instructions given by Prophet Mohammed, to parents, especially addressing fathers, he stated, in summary if you bring something home for your children, make sure you offer it to your daughter, before your son. This clearly establishes in child’s mind, especially girls that they are of very high importance, they are no less, thus raising their self esteem from childhood.
He also stressed on teaching girls basic surviving skills. He instructed his followers to teach their children, both boys and girls, three skills, horseback riding, swimming, and fencing.
In regards to education, Prophet Mohammed said, “Acquiring knowledge is compulsory upon each Muslim – Men and Women.”
Islam gave women full and complete Marital Rights, as well as Rights to Divorce. Unlike other religions Islam allows a woman to retain her name even after marriage, in other beliefs like Christianity for example a woman has to change her name and adopt a husband's name.
Marriage is 'Ibaada' worshiping Allah which is a must to both men and women and this practice is a covenant (Quran4:21) which mankind men and women will have to answer to on the day of resurrection. This shows how equal men and women are before the creator Allah.
In regards to property rights, Islam once again established Women’s rights to inheritance. To begin with, Allah has determined all the shares of all the relatives in respect to their relationship to the deceased. As He the Most Wise said: “There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parents and those nearest related, whether the property is small or large, an obligatory share.” [4:7]
Further in economic rights, the first western country to give women property rights, was Britain in 1860, passed a law, known as, “Married Women Property Act.” Conversely Allah said it in Quran more than 1400 years ago, “For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned.” [4:32]
The above verse itself also demonstrates unequivocally that there are no restrictions for women to go out and work or seek employment.
When it comes to financial security, Islamic law is more tilted in many respects towards women. These are seven examples: During the period of engagement, a woman is to be on the receiving side of gifts.
At the time of marriage, it is the duty of the husband, not the bride's family. He is supposed to pay for a marital gift. The Quran called it a gift, and it is exclusively the right of the woman. She doesn't have to spend it on the household, she doesn't have to give it to her father or anyone else.
If the woman happened to own any property prior to marriage, she retains that property after marriage. It remains under her control. Also, in most Muslim countries, the woman keeps her own last name, and her own identity.
If the woman has any earnings during her marital life, by way of investments of her property or as a result of work, she doesn't have to spend one penny of that income on the household, it is entirely hers.
The full maintenance and support of a married woman is the entire responsibility of her husband, even though she might be richer than he is. She doesn't have to spend a penny.
At the time of divorce, there are certain guarantees during the waiting period and even beyond for a woman's support.
If the widow or divorcee has children, she's entitled to child support.
Clearly, from the onset, Islam did not discriminate against women. In fact, from the onset one of the very first thing it eliminated from the male chauvinistic ignorant pagan Arab culture was feeling of shame on the birth of a girl, and custom of burying her alive, symbolizing, getting rid of shame. Islam replaced the existence of women from shame to pride.
It is this feeling of pride which eventually became the framework for establishing the very first state where women rights were not only discussed or practiced, rather legislated into the Sharia Law. Today Muslim women enjoy rights what the women in rest of the world are still struggling to achieve.
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