III&E Brochure Series; No. 21
published by The Institute of Islamic Information and
Education (III&E)
WOMEN'S LIBERATION THROUGH
ISLAM
Today people think that women are liberated in the West
and that thewomen's liberation movement began in the 20th
century. Actually, thewomen's liberation movement was not
begun by women but was revealed by Godto a man in the
seventh century by the name of Muhammad (peace be uponhim),
who is known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Qur'an and
theTraditions of the Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the
sources from whichevery Muslim woman derives her rights and
duties.
I. HUMAN RIGHTS
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally
accountable to God inglorifying and worshipping Him -
setting no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam
established a woman's equality in her humanity with men.
In the Qur'an, in the first verse of the chapter entitled
"Women," Godsays, "O mankind! Be careful of your duty to
your Lord Who created youfrom a single soul and from it its
mate and from them both have spreadabroad a multitude of men
and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allahin Whom you
claim (your rights) of one another, and towards the wombs
(that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you."
(4:1)
Since men and women both came from the same essence, they
are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by nature evil
(as some religious believe) or then men would be evil also.
Similarly, neither gender can be superior because it would
be a contradiction of equality.
II. CIVIL RIGHTS
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and
expression based on recognition of her individual
personality. First, she is free to choose her religion. The
Qur'an states: "There is no compulsion in religion. Right
has been made distinct from error." (2:256)
Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their
opinions and ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet
(pbuh) which indicate women would pose questions directly to
him and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics
and social matters.
A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her name
after marriage. A Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal
disputes. In fact, in areas in which women are more
familiar, their evidence is conclusive.
III. SOCIAL RIGHTS
The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Seeking knowledge is a mandate
for every Muslim (male and female)." This includes knowledge
of the Qur'an and the Hadith as well as other knowledge. Men
and women both have the capacity for learning and
understanding. Since it is also their obligation to promote
good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of
life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate education to
perform this duty in accordance with their own natural
talents and interests.
While maintenance of a home, providing support to her
husband, and bearing, raising and teaching of children are
among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman,
if she has the skills to work outside the home for the good
of the community, she may do so as long as her family
obligations are met.
Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences
between men and women despite their equality. Some types of
work are more suitable for men and other types for women.
This in no way diminishes either's effort nor its benefit.
God will reward both sexes equally for the value of their
work, though it may not necessarily be the same activity.
Concerning motherhood, the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Heaven
lies under the feet of mothers." This implies that the
success of a society can be traced to the mothers that
raised it. The first and greatest influence on a person
comes from the sense of security, affection, and training
received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children
must be educated and conscientious in order to be a skillful
parent.
IV. POLITICAL RIGHTS
A right given to Muslim women by God 1400 years ago is
the right to vote. On any public matter, a woman may voice
her opinion and participate in politics. One example,
narrated in the Qur'an (60:12), is that Muhammad (pbuh) is
told that when the believing women come to him and swear
their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their oath. This
established the right of women to select their leader and
publicly declare so. Finally, Islam does not forbid a woman
from holding important positions in government. Abdur-Rahman
Ibn Auf consulted many women before he recommended Uthman
Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.
V. ECONOMIC RIGHTS
The Qur'an states: "By the creation of the male and
female; Verily, (the ends) ye strive for are diverse."
(92:3-4)
In these verses, God declares that He created men and
women to be different, with unique roles, functions and
skills. As in society, where there is a division of labor,
so too in a family; each member has different
responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are
entrusted with the nurturing role, and men, with the
guardian role. Therefore, women are given the right of
financial support.
The Qur'an states: "Men are the maintainers of women
because Allah has made some of them to excel others and
because they spend of their wealth (for the support of
women)." (4:34)
This guardianship and greater financial responsibility is
given to men, requires that they provide women with not only
monetary support but also physical protection and kind and
respectful treatment.
The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the
right to own property, to enter into legal contracts and to
manage all of her assets in any way she pleases. She can run
her own business and no one has any claim on her earnings
including her husband. The Qur'an states:
"And in no wise covet those things in which Allah hath
bestowed His gifts more freely on some of you than on
others; to men is allotted what they earn, and to women,
what they earn; but ask Allah of His bounty, for Allah hath
full knowledge of all things." (4:32)
A woman inherits from her relatives. The Qur'an states:
"For men there is a share in what parents and relatives
leave, and for women there is a share of what parents and
relatives leave, whether it be little or much - an ordained
share." (4:7)
VI. RIGHTS OF A WIFE
The Qur'an states: "And among His signs is that He
created for you mates from among yourselves that you may
live in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and
mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs for people who
reflect." (30:21)
Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional
necessity, but in fact, a sign from God! It is a
relationship of mutual rights and obligations based on
divine guidance. God created men and women with
complimentary natures, and in the Qur'an, He laid out a
system of laws to support harmonious interaction between the
sexes.
"...They are your garments and you are their garments."
(2:187)
Clothing provides physical protection and covers the
beauty and faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed
this way. Each protects the other and hides the faults and
compliments the characteristics of the spouse.
To foster the love and security that comes with marriage,
Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife's
rights is to receive mahr, a gift from the husband which is
part of the marriage contract and required for the legality
of the marriage.
The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any
wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her
with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however,
to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled
to make unreasonable demands. The Qur'an states: "Let the
man of means spend according to his means, and the man whose
resources are restricted, let him spend according to what
Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person
beyond what He has given him." (65:7)
God tells us men are guardians over women and are
afforded the leadership in the family. His responsibility
for obeying God extends to guiding his family to obey God at
all times.
A wife's rights also extend beyond material needs. She
has the right to kind treatment. The Prophet (pbuh) said:
"The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the
best of you are those who are best to their wives." God
tells us He created mates and put love, mercy, and
tranquillity between them.
Both men and women have a need for companionship and
sexual needs, and marriage is designed to fulfill those
needs. For one spouse to deny this satisfaction to the
other, temptation exists to seek it elsewhere.
VII. DUTIES OF A WIFE
With rights come responsibilities. Therefore, wives have
certain obligations to their husbands. The Qur'an states:
"The good women in the absence of their husbands guard their
rights as Allah has enjoined upon them to be guarded."
(4:34)
A wife is to keep her husband's secrets and protect their
marital privacy. Issues of intimacy or faults of his that
would dishonor him, are not to be shared by the wife, just
as he is expected to guard her honor.
A wife must also guard her husband's property. She must
safeguard his home and possessions, to the best of her
ability, from theft or damage. She should manage the
household affairs wisely so as to prevent loss or waste. She
should not allow anyone to enter the house whom her husband
dislikes nor incur any expenses of which her husband
disapproves.
A Muslim woman must cooperate and coordinate with her
husband. There cannot, however, be cooperation with a man
who is disobedient to God. She should not fulfill his
requests if he wants her to do something unlawful. A husband
also should not take advantage of his wife, but be
considerate of her needs and happiness.
VIII. CONCLUSION
The Qur'an states: "And it becomes not a believing man or
a believing women, when Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad)
have decided on an affair (for them), that they should
(after that) claim any say in their affair; and whoso is
rebellious to Allah and His Messenger, he verily goes astray
in error manifest." (33:36)
The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400
years ago that most women do not enjoy today, even in the
West. These are from God and are designed to keep balance in
society; what may seem unjust or missing in one place is
compensated for or explained in another place. Islam is a
complete way of life.
-- Mary Ali and Anjum Ali
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