Women s Liberation
Maria E. Jimenez
Understanding Civilizations: Islam and the West
Dr. Hameed
21 February 2014
The Quran: Door to Liberate and Empower Islam Women
For the majority of Western women, Muslim women liberation is hard to understand because the mean of liberation is completely different between both civilizations. For Western women, liberation means having equal rights in the economic and social environment, and have personal and sexual freedom, while for Muslim women liberation means freedom from Islamic patriarchal oppression through the right interpretation of the Quran, the holy book of Islam. Moreover, many western people are convinced that Islam oppressed women because they fail to distinguish their perception of Muslim women in patriarchal cultures, such Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, from other Muslim cultures, such Turkey. However, since the seven century, Muslim women were granted with equal rights through the Quran by the Prophet Muhammad. Islam was the first religion that granted equal rights to both sexes and recognized women as the main pillars of their families.1
The views and arguments consider in this essay are those of Islamic feminist. First, this paper will discuss the rights and gender equality afforded to women in the Quran. Second, it will highlight how the special status given to women in the Quran empower them in the society, and third, it will look how the veil, or hijab, liberates Muslim women by protecting them from male gaze, freeing them from having to conform western femininity ideologies, and allowing them to be treated as worthy and not objectified. After looking at all these different aspects, this paper concludes that Islam can liberate women through the Quran because it provides them with rights and gender equality; honors and empowers their gender by giving them a voice in society; and protects them from male gaze, frees them from westernization, and permits them to be admired for their intellect by wearing the veil.
When Western
Understanding Civilizations: Islam and the West
Dr. Hameed
21 February 2014
The Quran: Door to Liberate and Empower Islam Women
For the majority of Western women, Muslim women liberation is hard to understand because the mean of liberation is completely different between both civilizations. For Western women, liberation means having equal rights in the economic and social environment, and have personal and sexual freedom, while for Muslim women liberation means freedom from Islamic patriarchal oppression through the right interpretation of the Quran, the holy book of Islam. Moreover, many western people are convinced that Islam oppressed women because they fail to distinguish their perception of Muslim women in patriarchal cultures, such Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, from other Muslim cultures, such Turkey. However, since the seven century, Muslim women were granted with equal rights through the Quran by the Prophet Muhammad. Islam was the first religion that granted equal rights to both sexes and recognized women as the main pillars of their families.1
The views and arguments consider in this essay are those of Islamic feminist. First, this paper will discuss the rights and gender equality afforded to women in the Quran. Second, it will highlight how the special status given to women in the Quran empower them in the society, and third, it will look how the veil, or hijab, liberates Muslim women by protecting them from male gaze, freeing them from having to conform western femininity ideologies, and allowing them to be treated as worthy and not objectified. After looking at all these different aspects, this paper concludes that Islam can liberate women through the Quran because it provides them with rights and gender equality; honors and empowers their gender by giving them a voice in society; and protects them from male gaze, frees them from westernization, and permits them to be admired for their intellect by wearing the veil.
When Western
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