Women's Liberation through Islam
Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that thewomen's
liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, thewomen's liberation
movement was not begun by women but was revealed by Godto a man in the seventh
century by the name of Muhammad (peace be uponhim), who is known as the last
Prophet of Islam. The Qur'an and theTraditions of the Prophet (Hadith or
Sunnah) are the sources from whichevery Muslim woman derives her rights and
duties.
I. HUMAN RIGHTS
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God
inglorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her moral progress.
Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men.
In the Qur'an, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women," Godsays, "O
mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created youfrom a single soul
and from it its mate and from them both have spreadabroad a multitude of men
and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allahin Whom you claim (your rights)
of one another, and towards the wombs (that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a
Watcher over you." (4:1)
Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in their
humanity. Women cannot be by nature evil (as some religious believe) or then
men would be evil also. Similarly, neither gender can be superior because it
would be a contradiction of equality.
II. CIVIL RIGHTS
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on
recognition of her individual personality. First, she is free to choose her
religion. The Qur'an states: "There is no compulsion in religion. Right has
been made distinct from error." (2:256)
Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are
many traditions of the Prophet () which indicate women would pose questions
directly to him and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and
social matters.
A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her name after marriage. A Muslim
woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes. In fact, in areas in which women
are more familiar, their evidence is conclusive.
III. SOCIAL RIGHTS
The Prophet () said: "Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim (male and
female)." This includes knowledge of the Qur'an and the Hadith as well as other
knowledge. Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding.
Since it is also their obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad
behavior in all spheres of life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate
education to perform this duty in accordance with their own natural talents and
interests.
While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and bearing,
raising and teaching of children are among the first and very highly regarded
roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside the home for the good
of the community, she may do so as long as her family obligations are met.
Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences between men and women
despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men and other
types for women. This in no way diminishes either's effort nor its benefit. God
will reward both sexes equally for the value of their work, though it may not
necessarily be the same activity.
Concerning motherhood, the Prophet () said: "Heaven lies under the feet of
mothers." This implies that the success of a society can be traced to the
mothers that raised it. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from
the sense of security, affection, and training received from the mother.
Therefore, a woman having children must be educated and conscientious in order
to be a skillful parent.
IV. POLITICAL RIGHTS
A right given to Muslim women by God 1400 years ago is the right to vote. On
any public matter, a woman may voice her opinion and participate in politics.
One example, narrated in the Qur'an (60:12), is that Muhammad () is told that
when the believing women come to him and swear their allegiance to Islam, he
must accept their oath. This established the right of women to select their
leader and publicly declare so. Finally, Islam does not forbid a woman from
holding important positions in government. Abdur-Rahman Ibn Auf consulted many
women before he recommended Uthman Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.
V. ECONOMIC RIGHTS
The Qur'an states: "By the creation of the male and female; Verily, (the ends)
ye strive for are diverse." (92:3-4)
In these verses, God declares that He created men and women to be different,
with unique roles, functions and skills. As in society, where there is a
division of labor, so too in a family; each member has different
responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are entrusted with the
nurturing role, and men, with the guardian role. Therefore, women are given the
right of financial support.
The Qur'an states: "Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made
some of them to excel others and because they spend of their wealth (for the
support of women)." (4:34)
This guardianship and greater financial responsibility is given to men,
requires that they provide women with not only monetary support but also
physical protection and kind and respectful treatment.
The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own property, to
enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets in any way she
pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any claim on her earnings
including her husband. The Qur'an states:
"And in no wise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His gifts more
freely on some of you than on others; to men is allotted what they earn, and to
women, what they earn; but ask Allah of His bounty, for Allah hath full
knowledge of all things." (4:32)
A woman inherits from her relatives. The Qur'an states: "For men there is a
share in what parents and relatives leave, and for women there is a share of
what parents and relatives leave, whether it be little or much - an ordained
share." (4:7)
VI. RIGHTS OF A WIFE
The Qur'an states: "And among His signs is that He created for you mates from
among yourselves that you may live in tranquillity with them, and He has put
love and mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs for people who reflect."
(30:21)
Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional necessity, but in fact,
a sign from God! It is a relationship of mutual rights and obligations based on
divine guidance. God created men and women with complimentary natures, and in
the Qur'an, He laid out a system of laws to support harmonious interaction
between the sexes.
"...They are your garments and you are their garments." (2:187)
Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of the
body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the other and hides
the faults and compliments the characteristics of the spouse.
To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have
various rights. The first of the wife's rights is to receive mahr, a gift from
the husband which is part of the marriage contract and required for the
legality of the marriage.
The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her
husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not
forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to
make unreasonable demands. The Qur'an states: "Let the man of means spend
according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him
spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person
beyond what He has given him." (65:7)
God tells us men are guardians over women and are afforded the leadership in
the family. His responsibility for obeying God extends to guiding his family to
obey God at all times.
A wife's rights also extend beyond material needs. She has the right to kind
treatment. The Prophet () said: "The most perfect believers are the best in
conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives." God tells
us He created mates and put love, mercy, and tranquillity between them.
Both men and women have a need for companionship and sexual needs, and marriage
is designed to fulfill those needs. For one spouse to deny this satisfaction to
the other, temptation exists to seek it elsewhere.
VII. DUTIES OF A WIFE
With rights come responsibilities. Therefore, wives have certain obligations to
their husbands. The Qur'an states: "The good women in the absence of their
husbands guard their rights as Allah has enjoined upon them to be guarded."
(4:34)
A wife is to keep her husband's secrets and protect their marital privacy.
Issues of intimacy or faults of his that would dishonor him, are not to be
shared by the wife, just as he is expected to guard her honor.
A wife must also guard her husband's property. She must safeguard his home and
possessions, to the best of her ability, from theft or damage. She should
manage the household affairs wisely so as to prevent loss or waste. She should
not allow anyone to enter the house whom her husband dislikes nor incur any
expenses of which her husband disapproves.
A Muslim woman must cooperate and coordinate with her husband. There cannot,
however, be cooperation with a man who is disobedient to God. She should not
fulfill his requests if he wants her to do something unlawful. A husband also
should not take advantage of his wife, but be considerate of her needs and
happiness.
VIII. CONCLUSION
The Qur'an states: "And it becomes not a believing man or a believing women,
when Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) have decided on an affair (for them),
that they should (after that) claim any say in their affair; and whoso is
rebellious to Allah and His Messenger, he verily goes astray in error
manifest." (33:36)
The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that most
women do not enjoy today, even in the West. These are from God and are designed
to keep balance in society; what may seem unjust or missing in one place is
compensated for or explained in another place. Islam is a complete way of life.
-- Mary Ali and Anjum Ali
