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The Role of Women in Islam

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The Role of Women in Islam
Lomonosov Moscow State University Business School

The Analysis of the Role of Women in Islamic Culture by ...

May 24, 2012

Abstract My paper is written in purpose to cover the issue of the role of women in Islamic culture. My first part is devoted to the status of women according religious texts of Islam, Quran and Sunna. The first factor that determines the role of Muslim women is spirituality. In this regard women are equal to men; they all play the role of “vicegerents”. Women are allowed to take part in Friday prayers and other religious activities as well as they may be present at war. The second criterion evaluating the role of women is their status within the family, namely their rights and duties in terms of marriage, divorce, motherhood and widowhood. Then the economic and political rights of women take place. The second part is aimed at the implementations of the Muslim laws in Islamic countries: how women are treated in families and problems they face; to what extent they participate in the social life, economically and politically. The analysis of these factors may show us the real role of women and bring us to some conclusions.

The Analysis of the Role of Women in Islamic Culture According to the statistics conducted by Pew Research Center, in 2010 1,618,143,000 people which accounts for 23.4% of the world population professed Islam. Now imagine that about a half of them are females - Muslim women who differ from the rest of all by their culture, role in society and even by their outfits. Comprehending the role of women is crucial as the number of Muslim women in our society is steadily increasing within the fast growth of Islam.


References: Baden S., (1992), The position women in Islamic countries: Possibilities, constraints and strategies for change, Bridge, University of economic studies, University of Sussex, Brington Grillo, R.D., (2008), The family in question: immigrant and ethnic minorities in multicultural Europe, Amsterdam University Press Hasan, A.G., (1996), The rights and duties of women in Islam, Darrussalam Publishers Hoodfar, H., (1997), Between Marriage and the Market: Intimate Politics and Survival in Cairo, University of California Press Kabeer N., (1991), Women and Islam in Bangladesh: Beyond subjection and tyranny, Palgrave Muslim Women’s League. (1995). Spiritual role of women, Los Angeles, http://www.mwlusa.org/topics/spirituality/spiritrole.html Osman, M.F. (1993), Muslim Women in the Family and the Society, Minaret Publications
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