While many Westerners claim Islam does not respect women, the truth is that Islamic law respects women and their rights in all aspects of their lives; furthermore, Islamic teachings require all individuals to respect and honor women and care for them, regardless of their status be it mother, wife, daughter, sister or a general relative.
Historically, woman lacked rights under numerous regimes. Women were denied acceptable rights under numerous legislative structures that preceded Islamic law, and I would suggest that Islamic legislation was one of the first systems to recognize, honour and respect women.
Roman civilization treated women as slaves. At most they were accorded the rights of minors, which in many situations was equivalent to no rights at all. Meanwhile, ancient Indian laws claimed that epidemics, death, hell, poisons and snakes were much better than women; they also proclaimed that a woman’s right to live ends when her husband dies as he is her lord and owner. She was expected to cremate herself alive while watching her husband’s dead body being cremated or risk being cursed forever.
Under Greek rule, life for women was not much better as they too considered women as chattel – assets owned by men that could be bought and sold by their male owners.
As for the Catholic church, Danish writer Wieth Kundesen suggests that during the Middle Ages, it too, did not consider women as individuals equal to men. Kundesen claims that during the Middles Ages the Catholic church was largely responsible for directing the treatment of women and it perceived women as “second-degree” creatures.
Interestingly, scholars (no doubt all male) attending a conference held in 1596 in France debated whether women should be considered human or non-human creatures. After a long discussion the attendees concluded that women were indeed humans but their purpose was to be servants to men.
It took the French more than 3½ centuries from that time to acknowledge women had a right to control their own finances. In February 1938, a new law was introduced, which usurped previous French laws that deprived women from having financial rights. Under the new law, for the first time in history, women in France were accorded the right to have a personal bank account and independent control over their finances.
Article 217, under the previous legislation, prevented women from managing their finances, preventing married women from giving away or transferring ownership of any assets, even though she may be the complete and sole owner of it, and even though her marriage was based on complete separate ownership with her husband.
Things were not much different in the United Kingdom. Until 1850 women were not considered citizens of the UK, and prior to July 1964, Oxford University clubs and student unions did not offer equal rights to women and men.
With the arrival of Islam, the Prophet Muhammed insisted that woman were equal to men in all aspects; furthermore she was protected from having to undertake any duties that might harm her physical or psychological nature, in particular, duties requiring excessive physical strength, were to be assumed by men.
Prophet Muhammed promised paradise for those who don’t favor their sons over their daughters and for those who have daughters and raise them and treat them well.
One of the longest Suras in the Holy Quran, entitled “Women”, presents Allah’s list all the rights of women and outlines how women are to be treated. In one of its verses (Women: 19) Allah says that a husband is to live in harmony with his wife and treat her well, and if he starts to dislike any of her actions then he shall not forget that many things which are sometimes disliked, turn out to be the best things that ever happened to him.
Prophet Muhammed said:
“the best among you are those who treat their wives the best”.
Under Islamic law, men have an obligation to financially support their wives. The law suggests women should not have to work for money but rather, take care of the household matters, raise children and share with their husbands all happiness and sorrow. This is, in many respects, just logical teamwork as women, in their nature, are more capable of handling children’s emotions and needs, while men are, by their nature, more capable of hard work and earning money. This division of labour is not intended to degrade women, but rather, it is a system that supports all in doing what, by nature, is bested suit to them. The intent of this approach is not to favour men over women, but rather, to create a harmony and balance that supports the healthy development of families and communities since, theoretically, any disturbance in this approach disturbs the family dynamics, and in turn, the community.
Consider this argument from a more practical view: Suppose the manufacturers of a pick-up truck reduce the number of passenger seats in a vehicle to facilitate the movement of goods. Would anyone dare to say that the reduction of seats is a defect in the manufacturing because there is no longer enough space to transport a family? No, it’s the other way around; the reduction of seats is perfection itself because the truck is intended to be used for the transport of goods not passengers.
Similarly, if women are more sentimental and emotional than man these traits are not personality defects. Rather, it is perfection itself – for these traits are the very gifts that enable her to achieve her purpose.
The results of a public opinion survey undertaken in the United States last year provide some interesting food for thought. The survey found that 86 per cent of the women who responded said they would prefer to return to live in an era where women didn’t have to work for money and stayed home to take care of household and family.
Perhaps this is society’s call to adopt the true Islamic family way of living, in which the man’s primary responsibility is to earn money and support the family financially and woman’s primary task is to take care of the house and children, while both equally sharing other responsibilities.
Dr. Mohammed Ratib Al Nabulsi