Islam and Women
INTRODUCTION The position of women in society has often been the subject of much debate. Islam’s position regarding this has usually been presented to the Western reader with little objectivity. This paper is intended to provide a brief and accurate explanation of the Islamic stance, drawing upon the authentic sources of the Qur’an (God’s final revelation) and Hadeeth (sayings, actions and approvals of Prophet Muhammad, (P). The paper begins with a look at the position of women in pre-Islamic societies. It then focuses on some major questions: what does Islam teach regarding the position of women in society? How does this stance differ from,or resemble, the position of women in the era in which Islam was revealed? Finally, how does this compare with the rights gained by women in recent decades?
II HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES In order to assess if Islam made any notable contribution to the restoration of woman’s rights, it may be helpful to briefly review how women were treated in former faiths and cultures, especially those which preceded Islam. (Pre-610 C.E.).1 WOMEN IN ANCIENT CIVILISATION Describing the status of Indian women, the Encyclopaedia Brittanica states: “In India, subjection was a cardinal principle. Day and night women must be held by their protectors in a state of dependence says Manu. The rule of inhertance was agnatic, that is, descent traced through males to the exclusion of females” 2 And according to the Hindu scripture, a good wife is described as “... a woman whose mind, body and speech are kept in subjection; acquires high renown in this world and, in the next, retains the same abode as her husband.”3 In Athens, women were not better off than Indian or Roman women: “Athenian women were always minors, subject to some male - to their father, to their brother or to some of their male kin.”4 Also, a Greek woman had no right to consent to marriage because: “...she was obliged to submit to the wishes of her parents, and receive from them her
II HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES In order to assess if Islam made any notable contribution to the restoration of woman’s rights, it may be helpful to briefly review how women were treated in former faiths and cultures, especially those which preceded Islam. (Pre-610 C.E.).1 WOMEN IN ANCIENT CIVILISATION Describing the status of Indian women, the Encyclopaedia Brittanica states: “In India, subjection was a cardinal principle. Day and night women must be held by their protectors in a state of dependence says Manu. The rule of inhertance was agnatic, that is, descent traced through males to the exclusion of females” 2 And according to the Hindu scripture, a good wife is described as “... a woman whose mind, body and speech are kept in subjection; acquires high renown in this world and, in the next, retains the same abode as her husband.”3 In Athens, women were not better off than Indian or Roman women: “Athenian women were always minors, subject to some male - to their father, to their brother or to some of their male kin.”4 Also, a Greek woman had no right to consent to marriage because: “...she was obliged to submit to the wishes of her parents, and receive from them her