Fair warning, the text itself is about 1500 words. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
How Are Women Treated in the Muslim Sense Versus the Cultural Sense?
The treatment of women as prescribed by the Qur'an is often quite different from the norm, and as such drives the outside world to believe that the Muslim woman is considered less than her worth, instead of what local culture tends to practice. Islamic communities rooted in long-standing traditions hold beliefs that are sometimes older than the followed religion, compounding the issue more when they vary by different locales, even more so when the practices aren't limited to Muslim communities alone.
In accordance with the Qur’an, women are equals and should be respected and honored just as much as women respect and honor men. Divorce in the Muslim community is one of the worst things one can do. If a divorce does happen though, the man is required to pay the ex-wife a lump some of money that was agreed upon in the pre-marital contract before the two people married each other (El-Safty 276). Since divorce is considered extremely bad, the Qur’an says that couples try every option possible to remain together, including therapy and arbitration (Translator Khalifa Ph.D. 99). Along with marriage, the Qur’an also prescribes womens rights related to the inheritance of property.
Continuing with inheritance, the Qur'an clearly sets precedence for all family members involved which guarantees the women of the family receive a specific amount of said inheritance, albeit lesser than the men due to their diminished status as bread-winners of the whole (Translator Khalifa Ph.D. 78-79). This division of shared property is considered logical since, primarily by tradition, the Muslim man goes out into the world to work while the Mulsim woman stays at home, and as such becomes dependent upon her man (even if the woman herself works as well, a right also covered by the Qur'an for the purposes of clarity.
Due to common misconceptions, many who do not fully understand Islam believe that the Qur'an actually prevents or otherwise restricts a Muslim woman from working, which is woefully far from the actual truth. Quote - "The Qur'an never prohibited women from going out of their homes for their needs... No occupation was prohibited to them, and they could do any work they chose... (Muhammad the Prophet) (AAIIL (UK) 3).” Furthermore, "The Muslim religion imposes no constraint against females holding [a] position of their choosing... In Islam, women are considered equals in the relationship and marriage. They have independent will, and must offer complete consent to both the marriage and their duties (El-Safty 276).” In contrast, the misconception of workforce restrictions comes as being more cultural than religious, as there are areas in the world where the Muslim man refuses to allow job equality to the Muslim woman, in clear violation of the principles set forth in the Qur'an.
The Qur’an ensures that women aren’t held down from what they could potentially be. “Read the Qur’an and you [will] find good and righteous women being given the same position as good and righteous men. Both sexes are spoken of in the same terms (Ali, Maulana Muhammad) (AAIIL (UK) 1).” Women have the right to an education and have the traditional role of ruling the home while the man works to earn money that supports the family financially. (El-Safty 275). Islam has been a role model in empowering women. In fact, “it is common for women… to keep their maiden names after marriage. This practice indicates their public legal identity—their status before the law (El-Safty 274).” Instead of being treated as pets with no rights, the Qur’an has elevated a womans position in society and made her a major part of it. The Qur’an has taken women from the status of mere property that is to be owned to being equals with the same rights as men (Ali, Maulana Muhammad) (AAIIL (UK) 2).
Muslim women had more property rights several centuries ago than most European women of other religions. If a woman inherited property, she was free to do whatever she wanted with it, up to one third, without having to consult her husband or father (O'Faolain and Martines (Ed.) 108-109). The Qur’an guaranteed that women had real property rights that cannot be infringed upon by any other family member, be they father, brother, husband or any other person (El-Safty 274). Unfortunately, what Islam prescribes isn’t always what is practiced.
Local cultures often go against the Qur’an, injecting their own laws that add what is not in the Qur’an or simply ignore parts of it. Unfortunately, “women aren’t equal in much of the Muslim world (Gzedit A4).” The rights that we consider the most basic her in America that we are granted are all too often denied to women in Muslim communities. “Girls are deprived of the basic right to literacy due to the cultural and religious ideologies which prevail in some areas (Melli 1).” These ideologies, such as the thinking that women are inferior, weak, or too simple minded or emotional tend to make the men think that they are doing what is best for the women, when in fact they are only hurting them. The abuse may not be physical, but they are very much so mental. They are prohibiting the growth of these women, which in turn is hurting their societies and restricting the economic growth and potential of their communities. The influence can be very strong in some regions.
The core beliefs and practices of their society may be so strong that “many women either voluntarily refrain from work or are forced to do so on the basis of the societal requirement to confine her to the home (El-Safty 276).” These women are sometimes fully denied their inheritance, but usually they are just denied the majority of what is rightfully theirs (El-Safty 275). Gender equality in terms of work may be apart of Islam, but in some regions there is no such thing. Islam does not restrict women from holding jobs like judges. However, society does restrict women from holding many positions, especially those of high power. The basis for this restriction is the false beliefs that women are too emotional, overly sentimental, and too delicate and fragile to make sound decisions (El-Safty 276). Women are all too often considered too weak for their own good, which leads to a form of slavery of women.
Education and basic physical and mental respect are often denied in the cultures where Islam is prevalent. There are many cases like that of “Umm Khalil, a 54-year-old woman who never learned to read and write because she was married at 17 (Ciezadlo 6)” where cultural beliefs infringe on women’s rights. Some women have are restricted to the point of being captives of their male caretaker that aren’t allowed to much of anything but sit around the house and do chores (Ciezadlo 6). The disrespect of women is carried over into the physical aspect.
There are places in the Muslim world, especially in Africa, where women aren’t treated with respect and as equals. They are genitally mutilated through practices like the female circumcision because of long standing local traditions, some of which pre-date Islam (Gzedit A4). “The ritual [of female circumcision] is a cultural practice which originated in Africa…. Both Muslims and Christians in Egypt performed the rite. Female circumcision is seen in parts of Africa, other than Egypt (El-Safty 279).” These long standing horrific traditional practices of physical abuse of women only aid in the continuing abuse of women. These cultures believe that what they are doing is right, when in fact it is very much so wrong and unfair.
Due to societies influence, the growing number of rights that have been granted to women have been denied and/or ignored (El-Safty 273). Rights such as the right to vote, equality in the work place, and equality in terms of sexual harassment are all too often ignored and denied, usually not even considered. It is a common belief in the Muslim world that women don’t know how to handle finances. This notion extends to property ownership by women, leading to husbands that do not allow their wives to handle the property that is theirs and not their husbands (El-Safty 274-275). Some “women … are forced to get married at a very young age. This results in a really miserable life for these women, who will never be happy (Melli 1).”
As a religion, Islam is one that teaches fairness and equality. Unfortunately, what the world sees are the Muslim communities that have long standing traditions that have nothing to do with Islam. Some of these practices are mentally and/or physically degrading to women. These practices hold up women from achieving what we are striving for here in America. Maybe one day these communities will realize how harmful their old ways are and abandon them for practices that are more conducive to a productive society.
How Are Women Treated in the Muslim Sense Versus the Cultural Sense?
The treatment of women as prescribed by the Qur'an is often quite different from the norm, and as such drives the outside world to believe that the Muslim woman is considered less than her worth, instead of what local culture tends to practice. Islamic communities rooted in long-standing traditions hold beliefs that are sometimes older than the followed religion, compounding the issue more when they vary by different locales, even more so when the practices aren't limited to Muslim communities alone.
In accordance with the Qur’an, women are equals and should be respected and honored just as much as women respect and honor men. Divorce in the Muslim community is one of the worst things one can do. If a divorce does happen though, the man is required to pay the ex-wife a lump some of money that was agreed upon in the pre-marital contract before the two people married each other (El-Safty 276). Since divorce is considered extremely bad, the Qur’an says that couples try every option possible to remain together, including therapy and arbitration (Translator Khalifa Ph.D. 99). Along with marriage, the Qur’an also prescribes womens rights related to the inheritance of property.
Continuing with inheritance, the Qur'an clearly sets precedence for all family members involved which guarantees the women of the family receive a specific amount of said inheritance, albeit lesser than the men due to their diminished status as bread-winners of the whole (Translator Khalifa Ph.D. 78-79). This division of shared property is considered logical since, primarily by tradition, the Muslim man goes out into the world to work while the Mulsim woman stays at home, and as such becomes dependent upon her man (even if the woman herself works as well, a right also covered by the Qur'an for the purposes of clarity.
Due to common misconceptions, many who do not fully understand Islam believe that the Qur'an actually prevents or otherwise restricts a Muslim woman from working, which is woefully far from the actual truth. Quote - "The Qur'an never prohibited women from going out of their homes for their needs... No occupation was prohibited to them, and they could do any work they chose... (Muhammad the Prophet) (AAIIL (UK) 3).” Furthermore, "The Muslim religion imposes no constraint against females holding [a] position of their choosing... In Islam, women are considered equals in the relationship and marriage. They have independent will, and must offer complete consent to both the marriage and their duties (El-Safty 276).” In contrast, the misconception of workforce restrictions comes as being more cultural than religious, as there are areas in the world where the Muslim man refuses to allow job equality to the Muslim woman, in clear violation of the principles set forth in the Qur'an.
The Qur’an ensures that women aren’t held down from what they could potentially be. “Read the Qur’an and you [will] find good and righteous women being given the same position as good and righteous men. Both sexes are spoken of in the same terms (Ali, Maulana Muhammad) (AAIIL (UK) 1).” Women have the right to an education and have the traditional role of ruling the home while the man works to earn money that supports the family financially. (El-Safty 275). Islam has been a role model in empowering women. In fact, “it is common for women… to keep their maiden names after marriage. This practice indicates their public legal identity—their status before the law (El-Safty 274).” Instead of being treated as pets with no rights, the Qur’an has elevated a womans position in society and made her a major part of it. The Qur’an has taken women from the status of mere property that is to be owned to being equals with the same rights as men (Ali, Maulana Muhammad) (AAIIL (UK) 2).
Muslim women had more property rights several centuries ago than most European women of other religions. If a woman inherited property, she was free to do whatever she wanted with it, up to one third, without having to consult her husband or father (O'Faolain and Martines (Ed.) 108-109). The Qur’an guaranteed that women had real property rights that cannot be infringed upon by any other family member, be they father, brother, husband or any other person (El-Safty 274). Unfortunately, what Islam prescribes isn’t always what is practiced.
Local cultures often go against the Qur’an, injecting their own laws that add what is not in the Qur’an or simply ignore parts of it. Unfortunately, “women aren’t equal in much of the Muslim world (Gzedit A4).” The rights that we consider the most basic her in America that we are granted are all too often denied to women in Muslim communities. “Girls are deprived of the basic right to literacy due to the cultural and religious ideologies which prevail in some areas (Melli 1).” These ideologies, such as the thinking that women are inferior, weak, or too simple minded or emotional tend to make the men think that they are doing what is best for the women, when in fact they are only hurting them. The abuse may not be physical, but they are very much so mental. They are prohibiting the growth of these women, which in turn is hurting their societies and restricting the economic growth and potential of their communities. The influence can be very strong in some regions.
The core beliefs and practices of their society may be so strong that “many women either voluntarily refrain from work or are forced to do so on the basis of the societal requirement to confine her to the home (El-Safty 276).” These women are sometimes fully denied their inheritance, but usually they are just denied the majority of what is rightfully theirs (El-Safty 275). Gender equality in terms of work may be apart of Islam, but in some regions there is no such thing. Islam does not restrict women from holding jobs like judges. However, society does restrict women from holding many positions, especially those of high power. The basis for this restriction is the false beliefs that women are too emotional, overly sentimental, and too delicate and fragile to make sound decisions (El-Safty 276). Women are all too often considered too weak for their own good, which leads to a form of slavery of women.
Education and basic physical and mental respect are often denied in the cultures where Islam is prevalent. There are many cases like that of “Umm Khalil, a 54-year-old woman who never learned to read and write because she was married at 17 (Ciezadlo 6)” where cultural beliefs infringe on women’s rights. Some women have are restricted to the point of being captives of their male caretaker that aren’t allowed to much of anything but sit around the house and do chores (Ciezadlo 6). The disrespect of women is carried over into the physical aspect.
There are places in the Muslim world, especially in Africa, where women aren’t treated with respect and as equals. They are genitally mutilated through practices like the female circumcision because of long standing local traditions, some of which pre-date Islam (Gzedit A4). “The ritual [of female circumcision] is a cultural practice which originated in Africa…. Both Muslims and Christians in Egypt performed the rite. Female circumcision is seen in parts of Africa, other than Egypt (El-Safty 279).” These long standing horrific traditional practices of physical abuse of women only aid in the continuing abuse of women. These cultures believe that what they are doing is right, when in fact it is very much so wrong and unfair.
Due to societies influence, the growing number of rights that have been granted to women have been denied and/or ignored (El-Safty 273). Rights such as the right to vote, equality in the work place, and equality in terms of sexual harassment are all too often ignored and denied, usually not even considered. It is a common belief in the Muslim world that women don’t know how to handle finances. This notion extends to property ownership by women, leading to husbands that do not allow their wives to handle the property that is theirs and not their husbands (El-Safty 274-275). Some “women … are forced to get married at a very young age. This results in a really miserable life for these women, who will never be happy (Melli 1).”
As a religion, Islam is one that teaches fairness and equality. Unfortunately, what the world sees are the Muslim communities that have long standing traditions that have nothing to do with Islam. Some of these practices are mentally and/or physically degrading to women. These practices hold up women from achieving what we are striving for here in America. Maybe one day these communities will realize how harmful their old ways are and abandon them for practices that are more conducive to a productive society.
Last edited:
