Rights for women in Islam<\/p>\n
Almost every day, there is news about women rights in The
\nJakarta Post. Most of the women rights violations are blamed on
\nthe apparently discriminatory Islamic law. These are a few,
\napparently, common forms of discrimination mentioned.<\/p>\n
- Why are women obliged to maintain purdah, to cover themselves
\nproperly?<\/p>\n
- Women are given less inheritance rights as compared to men.<\/p>\n
- Why are two women required to appear as a witness in court
\ncompared to one man?<\/p>\n
- Why are women not allowed to become an imam or lead a prayer?<\/p>\n
Now I would like to share my views and Islamic philosophy
\nbehind the above mentioned points.<\/p>\n
In Islam, it is not just the women who are asked to maintain
\npurdah but men are also ordered to keep their eyes cast down and
\nnot to look here and there when there is no need to do so. The
\nphilosophy behind purdah is to protect the chastity of women.
\nMedical science would support me, that, we feel a desire and
\nattraction for the opposite sex as soon as we reach adulthood.<\/p>\n
Because Islam claims to be a champion of moral values, it
\ndoes not allow either men or women to have premarital sex or
\nextramarital affairs. The best way to save ourselves from all
\nthose bad intentions that may arise after looking at a woman who
\nis not properly covered up is -- purdah for women and keeping the
\neyes cast down for men -- after all, prevention is better than
\ncure.<\/p>\n
The second point is that in the Islamic domestic system, men
\nare obliged to provide for their families financially, not women.
\nAs men carry the burden, justice demands they have more rights to
\nthe inheritance. However, for the readers' interest, it is only
\nIslam which gives inheritance rights to women. No other religion
\ngives such rights to women. Even some of the most developed
\ncountries in the West gave women the right to own property just a
\nfew decades ago.<\/p>\n
Appearing as a witness -- this is also a proven fact that
\nwomen are much more emotionally sensitive as compared to men. It
\nis also true that emotions overwhelm logic. This is why in
\nemergency cases such as appearing as a witness, a woman is asked
\nto have another lady with her, who can encourage her and remind
\nher in case she forgets. This shows Islam's extra favor and care
\nfor women, and is not an indication that it looks down on them.<\/p>\n
Finally, we should remember that women are not totally
\nprohibited from becoming an imam or leading a prayer. They are
\nallowed to become an imam, but for women only. In Islam
\ncleanliness is a must for prayers. As we all know that during
\nmenstruation uncleanliness cannot be avoided. So men are chosen
\nas an imam for both sexes.<\/p>\n
FAZAL-E-MUJEEB, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rights-for-women-in-islam-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }