The position of women in Islam has recently been an issue
of debate. Some misconceptions arise from either traditional practices who
are thought to be "Islamic"-but are not-or from prejudices. However, the
real issue is how women are regarded in the Islamic faith, and when we
look at this, we see that Islam brings a great social value, freedom and
comfort to women.
The commandments of God about the status of woman and the
relations between man and woman, which have been revealed to us through
Quran, comprise of full justice. In this regard, Islam suggests equality
of rights, responsibilities and duties among the two genders. Islam is
based on sympathy, tolerance and respect for the human being, does not
discriminate against woman in this matter.
Examples of good morals communicated to us in the Quran
are universally compatible with human nature, and is valid for all stages
of history.
Respect for woman and women's rights are within this
scope. In the Quran God mentions us strongly that the tasks and
responsibilities of women are the same as for men. Furthermore, while
performing these tasks and responsibilities, men and women help and
support each other.
The men and women of the believers are friends of one
another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong, and
establish prayer and pay alms, and obey Allah and His Messenger. They
are the people on whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty,
All-Wise.
(Quran, 9:71)
God emphasizes that believers will be awarded in the same
manner according to their deeds regardless of gender.
Their Lord responds to them: 'I will not let the deeds
of any doer among you go to waste, male or female - you are both the
same in that respect...
(Quran, 3:195)
Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a
believer, We will give them a good life and We will recompense them
according to the best of what they did.
(Quran, 16:97)
In another verse, Muslim men and Muslim women are
considered together and it is stressed that both have the same
responsibility and status in God's sight.
Men and women who are Muslims, men and women who are
believers, men and women who are obedient, men and women who are
truthful, men and women who are steadfast, men and women who are
humble, men and women who give alms, men and women who fast, men and
women who guard their private parts, men and women who remember Allah
much: Allah has prepared forgiveness for them and an immense reward.
(Quran, 33:35)
In the Quran there are many more verses stating that men
and women are exactly equal regarding their tasks and responsibilities and
their awards or punishments in return. There are a few differences in
social issues, but these are for comfort and protection of women. The
commands of the Quran regards the congenital differences of the two
genders resulting from their creation and suggests a system maintaining
for the man and woman equal justice in this perspective
Islam does not see the woman as an object. Therefore, it
is not seen appropriate that a woman of good morals marries a man of bad
morals. In the same way, it is not permitted that a woman of bad morals
marries a man of good morals.
Corrupt women are for corrupt men and corrupt men are
for corrupt women, Good women are for good men and good men are for
good women. The latter are innocent of what they say. They will have
forgiveness and generous provision.
(Quran, 24:26)
Also in marriage, duties and responsibilities of the
spouses against each other require equality. God demands from both spouses
to be protective and supervising for each other. This duty is expressed in
the Quran with the following words.
They are covers for you and you for them... (Koran, 2:187)
Many rules commandments exist in the Quran regarding the
protection of the woman's rights on marriage. Marriage is based the will
of both parties; the husband has to provide some economical support for
his wife (4:4); the husband has to look after his ex-wife after divorce
(65:6).
As the verses make it clear, Islam brings justice to
man-woman relations and terminates harmful practices resulting from
customs and traditions of pre-Islamic societies. An example can be the
situation of woman in the Arab society preceding Islam. According to pagan
Arabs, women had been regarded as inferior and it was a shame to have a
daughter. The fathers having daughters sometimes preferred burying their
daughters alive than to announce their birth. By way of the Quran, Allah
prohibited this evil tradition and warned that in the Judgment Day such
people will definitely be accounted for.
In fact, Islam brought a great emancipation for women who
were severely persecuted in the pagan era. Prof. Bernard Lewis, known to
be one of the greatest Western experts on the history of Islam and Middle
East, makes the following comment:
In general, the advent of Islam brought an enormous
improvement in the position of women in ancient Arabia, endowing them
with property and some other rights, and giving them a measure of
protection against ill treatment by their husbands or owners. The
killing of female infants, sanctioned by custom in Pagan Arabia, was
outlawed by Islam. But the position of women remained poor, and
worsened when, in this as in so many other respects, the original
message of Islam lost its impetus and was modified under the influence
of pre-existing attitudes and customs.
Thus we can say that the mentality of despising women,
externalizing them from society and regarding them as second class is a
wicked pagan attitude which have no place in Islam.
In fact, devout women are given as good examples for
mankind in the Quran. One is Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The other
one is the wife of the Egyptian Pharaoh who, despite her husband's
evilness, is also described as an ideal Muslim. (see, 66:11-12) The Quran
also describes very kind conversations between prophet Solomon and the
Queen of Sheba (27:42-44), or Moses and two young ladies (28:23-26) which
give the highlights of a civilized social relationship between the two
genders.
Therefore, there is no way that a Muslim can have a
bigoted approach towards women. In a society where true Islamic morals are
practiced, an immense respect and sympathy will be shown to women and it
will be maintained that they live in freedom and comfort.
The fundamental rule of Quranic exegesis is making sure
that the derived meaning is in conformity with the integrity of the Quran.
When this is considered, it is seen that all the rules mentioned to us by
Allah regarding women form a social structure availing the women to live
in the most comfortable and happiest way. In a society where all moral
values mentioned by Islam are practiced comprehensively, the social
position of the women becomes as exalted as cannot be compared even with
the societies that we consider today as modern.
Note:
Bernard Lewis, "The Middle East", Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1995, p.
210
