RA #1 MUSLIM WOMEN NOW AND THEN

MUSLIM WOMEN

 NOW AND THEN

By: Betsy Cordoba

Betsy Cordoba
World History, Andrews
RA #1
June 10, 2011                                               

Islam and Women’s Rights

The concept of gender equality is very much stressed in Islam but because of misinterpretations of the traditions and religious beliefs they have contributed to the mistreatment of Muslim women.  Social rights for women have been recognized in society dated back to the Arabian tribes however, media has stereotyped Muslim women to be inferior to their male counterparts.  Today, in some Muslim countries, practices have strayed away from truth therefore they have created substitute practices that are unrelated to the basis and origin of Islam. Women all over the world have struggled against inequality in the workplace, participation and with family roles. However, these repressive acts do not come from Islam, the acts come from cultural values which are shared all over the world. Today, the debate remains highly controversial for the lives of Muslim women.

In the book, The Ways of the World[1]in chapter eleven Strayer discusses the rise of Islam and the beginning of the Arab Empire and how that effected the daily life of women back then. It is clear to some that it is how individuals interpret readings, but for some in this case, the cultural terms views and treatment has changed how women are viewed. The difference is quite clear but for those who do not educate themselves, they will only misconstrue the literal meaning.  As mentioned in the The Holy Quran[2] Surat Al-Ahzab 33:35,

“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.”

Clearly Muslim women share the same rights as men as written in The Holy Quran going back as early as the earlier Arabic practice. If a married Muslim was not fulfilled in her marriage she has a right to ask for a divorce. The difficulty that Muslim women face today is that the cultural tradition has taken away what the holy book states. Cultural verses the literal word has made it easy for the media to portray Muslim women as very oppressed and mistreated. In the early Islamic times, the prophet Muhammad’s last wife, Aisha played a big role during before and after prophet Muhammad’s death. It is established that The Holy Quran grants rights to women, however because of the lack of objectivity, it is important that one does not mix a lot of cultures traditions along the same line with the faith. It is safe to say that in any faith comes a certain lifestyle or a way of living. As the Arab empire progressed women of higher social class began to have a lot say in the political aspect. This is when classes and misconceptions started, it wasn’t your sex, it was more about what social class you are apart of that determined your rights. This type of division is found all over the world through today which brings problems and misconceptions. Women all around the world have in fact face oppression and insurpiriority in one way or another. One example of the differences between Western feminism and Islamic feminism concerns the issue of "veiling." The hijab (often translated as "veil") is the form of scarf or hair covering commonly worn by Muslim women. It is seen by the westerners as oppressive but in fact is comes by choice to a Muslim women to veil themselves. Until recently, because of the misrepresentation throughout the world Muslim have felt the only way to be liberated intellectually, socially, and politically has been through education. Often, not seeing that there is a difference between what is culture and what is religion. However, the current desire that Muslim women have today is probably at the highest time where change is being made. Clearing up the notion that there are indeed equal rights for all women. [3]

“Clichés about the Orient and its women have imposed themselves with considerable force on the popular imagination of the West and have been perpetuated in Europe since the Middle Ages. The projection of evil onto marginal or ineffectual groups within a society has always been an easy and useful method to find scape- goats.”

 Wijdan Ali, The President of Royal Society in Jordan exemplifies how Muslim women are viewed. Any educated individual can read this and agree that scape-goats is how many non-Muslim view Muslim women are viewed, unfortunate as it is, it does happen. However, times are changing since Early Islam, but it is just the beginning where change is being seen and recognized, especially in America today.

Work Cited

[1] Strayer, Robert W. "Chapter 11." Ways of the World: a Brief Global History. Boston: Bedford/St Martin's, 2009. Print.

2 Ali, Abdulah Yusuf., and Abdullah Yusuf Ali. "Surat Al-'Aĥzāb 33:35." Holy Quran. Ware, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions, 2000. Print.

3 Ali-President of the Royal Society of Fine Arts, Jordan, Widjan. "Cliché on Muslim Women." Web.

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[1] Strayer, Robert W. "Chapter 11." Ways of the World: a Brief Global History. Boston: Bedford/St Martin's, 2009. Print.

[2] Ali, Abdulah Yusuf., and Abdullah Yusuf Ali. "Surat Al-'Aĥzāb 33:35." Holy Quran. Ware, Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions, 2000. Print.

[3] Ali-President of the Royal Society of Fine Arts, Jordan, Widjan. "Cliché on Muslim Women." Web.