Women’s Rights in Islam

"O ye who believe!  Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will.  Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage contract] ye have given them, except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity.  If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing (any one of their habits), and God brings about through it a great deal of good (many good habits so don’t make an issue of that particular quality which you don’t like but to other qualities).  (Quran, 4:19)" It is not be an exaggeration to say that Quran and the prophet Muhammad were the first to provide a well documented and comprehensive set of rights for women. An example is that a woman can’t be married by her parents without her consent and she has the right to see and talk to her husband before marriage in the presence of elders. Now the question arises:

Why are the rights and freedoms given in Islam not exactly similar to those offered in modern, western world? 

 Before understanding the role and rights of women we must understand that while all the religions tell us about the Do’s and Don’ts, Islam is the only one which also guides us of achieving these. An example of this is that while we all know that it is wrong to commit adultery, Islam helps us to avoid conditions in which adultery can take place. It tells us that a young man and women, Na-mehram (unrelated to each other), when alone are joined by Satan. Means this has been prohibited to prevent adultery and so you can identify why the freedoms are not exactly similar.

Female Infanticide and foeticide

Right to life of a female infant or foetus is protected under Islam. Holy Quran says "And when the female (infant) buried alive -  questioned, for what crime she was killed." (Qur'an 81:8-9).  On the judgment day the females who were killed will be asked and they will accuse their parents/ father for the heinous crime and they who believe that they have escaped the killing will then be taken to task. There are 3 more places in which Quran prohibits this crime.Demographic studies point out the fact that this is also one of the reasons why Muslims have high growth rate yet have the best sex ratio. 

EDUCATION

Prophet Muhammad makes it compulsory for all Muslims to educate their children whether girl or boy. This is what he says about a slave girl “He who has a slave-girl and teaches her good manners and improves her education and then manumits and marries her, will get a double reward” Bukhari Volume 3, Book 46, Number 723.

 Right to property or inheritance in Islam

Islam provides women of the right to inheritance. This right is automatic and does not require a will in their favour and the inheritance thus received is not only from Father but also from husband and son. "Unto men (of the family) belongs a share of that which Parents and near kindred leave, and unto women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, whether it be a little or much - a determinate share." ((Qur'an 4:7). The share of a women from his father however is half of what her brother gets, this is because the men have an additional responsibility of taking care of the family while the share of women can’t be taken for this purpose.

Right to work

Women are allowed to work in those arenas where there are no issues pertaining to their safety. Even Prophet Muhammad’s wife Khadija was a trader. However, it is clearly stated that it is the responsibility of a women to nurture, educate and develop good habits among their children and so if a women thinks that she can perform both jobs together there is no problem.

Purdah

All the religions tell their women to dress decently and most of them tell them to cover their heads and sometimes faces also (Nuns cover their heads and age old Hindu custom of purdah is still prevalent). Islam tells women to dress modestly not to wear tight clothes, cover their body sufficiently so that only face hands and ankles are visible. No Quranic revelation tells them to wear the black garment called burqa from head to toe. Head can be covered by a hijab (scarf) or simply a dupatta. This revelation defines clearly “O prophet , tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent (Of face, hands and ankles) and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, in order that ye may succeed (Quran 24:31)

Women allowed in the mosque

Women are allowed to pray with men in mosque, however since the believers are required to give all their attention and concentration to God while praying it is required that women don’t stand shoulder to shoulder with men, which will definitely divert the attention. For this 3 separate rows of men women and children should be their. Prophet muhammed says "When a woman asks authorization from one of you to go the mosque, let him grant it to her."
Women for this reason only don’t lead a prayer (It is not mentioned anywhere that women can’t lead prayer), however they can lead a prayer in their home. Recently a women in Boston led a prayer of Eid al fitr and their was no opposition. 

Rape

A recent incident from an Indian village saw a rape victim  being traumatized by the village panchayat and told that she leave her husband since she is raped by her father in law(Imrana case). Rape is described as one of the most heinous crimes and the victim even does not require providing any proof of that (all other crimes are required to be proved sufficiently, according to Muslim law, before the criminal gets the punishment other then this one in which the charge by a women against a man is enough). The victim is to be rehabilitated, Sheikh Al-Qaradawi and most other Scholars of Islam believe that young Muslim men should hasten to marry women who fall as rape victims, so as to reduce their suffering and console them, to compensate them for the loss of the most precious thing that they possess. The rapist should be killed by stoning so that others can see and take lesson.

Polygamy

Their is no major religion which puts a restriction over no. of wives only Islam tells the muslims that they can marry only upto four. This should be noted that they are not told to marry more than one wife but are told not to marry more tan four. They however are instructed to take due care that all of them get equal attention, care and rights over property etc. The Polygamy was especially necessary at the time of warfare when a large number of women were widowed. Prophet muhammed himself married widows and only one of his wives was unmarried also his second marrige took place when he was over 50 and it had become necessary to provide an example to his people that they should not shy away from supporting the widows and their children.

Dowry

Quran and Islam has only one meaning of Dowry, It is the sum a husbands gives or promises to her wife at the time of marrige. This is also called maher and now a days it runs into lacs of rupees and is a great security for women in the case of divorce or split.

Right to Divorce

Islam provides its women a right to take separation from their husbands in case of a failed marrige, it is called Khula.

If Islam is such a noble religion, why are their so many atrocities on women in Afghanistan and else where ?

Reason is not the religion but the followers. People still follow their tribal and traditional practices even after getting clear instructions from Quran and Prophet. Their is a famous phrase “Allah to maaf kardega lekin bande nahi (Allah will forgive but not the believers)”. Problem arises when self styled mullahs educated in the most backward environment without practically any books take control of the proceedings while the scholars and Muftis of Islamic theology remain seated comfortably in their A/C rooms of the mosques.

Yasser Iqbal Kidwai