"Muslim Women's Rights (Part 1)" should be read in conjunction with "Muslim Women's Rights (Part 2)"

The subject of Muslim Women's Rights has been a hot topic in certain circles for sometime now; some of the most strident voices emitting from quarters whose knowledge of Islam borders the ridiculous. Their allegations are mainly based on assumptions and pre-conceived ideas about Islam. There's also no dearth of opportunistic skribes, posing as "experts", whenever the chance to make a quick buck or an impromptu appearance on a favorite TV show avails itself.

Unfortunately, the way people treat one another these days in so called "Muslim lands" also bloats the cloud of confusion. More often then not, people also confuse Islam with what those who call themselves "Muslims" do, forgetting the glaring fact that Islam isn't the personal property of anyone. Nor is it a label. Islam is a dynamic way of life that nurtures and supports the sincere follower who lives his life according to the Divine injunctions.

To know the real position of women in Islam, one first needs to educate oneself on what Islam's all about.

Islam is not a new religion, it's principles are the same principles that had governed the lives of the prophets and believing peoples throughout the ages. Simply put, the way of Islam is the Creator's guidebook for His beloved creation, man. And who knows this limited creature better than the one who made him? And who can best guide him and counsel him if not the Maker?

Allah doth wish to lighten your (difficulties), for man is created weak (in flesh). (Quran:4:28)

Islam is therefore a divinely ordained path for humanity, a way of life that empowers the individual and the society to live in accordance with the laws of the Divine -- the benefit of which is reaped by society as a whole.

We have to understand that Allah is the Creator of all and all are equal before Him: men, women, black, white, brown, tall, fat, thin, rich, poor, none are excluded from the mercy of Allah. The Creator looks only at the heart of man and the human being  is judged according to his good intentions and actions, not according to his gender or lineage.

The Messenger of Allah said,

"Whosoever is slowed down by his actions (on that Day),
will not be hastened forward by his lineage."

Man is created for a purpose and each and everyone of us has a role to play; and women are not exempt from this rule, nor are they burdened with more than they can bear.

While women are equal to men before Allah, they are different from men, and I have yet to meet a normal woman who wishes to become a man.

 Now, what rights do women have in Islam?

Common sense tells us that the best place to seek an answer to this question is to go right to the heart of the matter, the source of Islam -- instead of relying on other people’s opinions and judgments as these would only lead us further away from the truth.

At the outset, we have to realize that Islam abhors all kinds of oppressions and mistreatment of the weak by the strong.

Allah says, as related by the prophet of Islam, O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another…

Hence, those who tend to oppress women do it only out of their own selfish greed and not because they are ordered to do so by Allah. On the contrary, believers are warned against such propensity: "O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness…" (Quran:4:19)

A believer is not only forbidden to mistreat his wife, he’s warned against harboring any dislike for this good creation of Allah: "If you take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good." (Q4:19)

Even in the case of divorce, the husband must exercise utmost caution in the way he deals with the situation: "When ye divorce women, and they fulfill the term of their (iddah). Either take them back on equitable terms or set them free on equitable terms; but do not take them back to injure them, (or) to take undue advantage." (Q2:231)

It's even forbidden for men to take back their gifts, It’s not lawful for you, (men), to take back any of your gifts (from your wives) except when both parties fear that they would be unable to keep the limits ordained by Allah. (Q2:229) Also read (2:236 &237)

Islam not only gives women rights in their day to day affairs, it places women in an enviable position, a status that demands respect and veneration: O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allâh through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you). Surely, Allâh is Ever an All­Watcher over you.  (Quran:4:1)

The Messenger of Allah said, "The most perfect of the believers is the best of you in character, and the best of you are those among you who are best to their wives." 

Slandering women is forbidden, and punishable by law: "And those who launch a charge against chaste women, and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegations) – Flog them with eighty stripes; and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors-" (Q:24:4)

Such as willfully hurt believing women: "…are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter: For them is a grievous Penalty."(Q24:23)

In this world, such people as hurt the feelings and honor of believing women may put on an air of being ‘the good guys’ themselves. However, in the Hereafter: "…their tongues, their hands, and their feet will bear witness against them as to the actions."(Q24:24)

In the Qur'an couples are described as "partners"

And as "garments of each other"

Believing men and women are:

"are protectors of one another"

"enjoining what is just, and forbidding the evil."

And are equally "honored"

So there is no question of women not getting their "equal share" by the Grace of Allah, and theirs will be: "Gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of everlasting bliss."

Among the Allah-given-rights to women, besides the

obligatory kind treatment,

true equality,

the enviable position of motherhood,

there’s the exclusive right to ownership of property etc.

Even after marriage, her property and whatever she earns are "hers" alone, and no man, whether he is a brother or a husband, can put a claim to it.

Women are pampered in Islam:

From the day she’s conceived in the womb, she becomes the father’s sole responsibility to feed, cloth and educate; as a wife, that duty is transferred to the husband, if widowed to the next of kin, and so on, and these divine obligations which Allah placed on the shoulders of men are evaded at the evader’s own peril, for there will come a day when the evader of duty will have to answer to Allah.

Although a woman has all these social and economical rights from birth, that is not the end of it. At the time of inheritance, she too becomes an eligible candidate, as daughter, as mother, as widow or as sister:

"From what is left by parents and those nearest related, there is a share for men and a share for women." (Q4:7) Also read (4:32) &(4:176)

At the time of marriage the husband-to-be will have to part with something of his hard-earned earnings in the form of ‘dowry’. There are two advantages for the woman in this. While on the one hand, the giving of dowry proves the man’s sincerity, on the other hand, the ‘dowry’ becomes some sort of an economical security for the wife-to-be.

However, if a man is unable to carry out his duties, due to his economical constraints, then he is warned against bothering believing women with empty promises he is unable to keep. And let those who find not the financial means for marriage keep themselves chaste, until Allah enriches them of His Bounty. (Q:24:33)

To keep the limits of Allah, and in order not to become an unwanted burden on women, the prophet of Islam recommended fasting as a way of controlling man's base desires.

For the maintenance of widows: "And those of you who die and leave behind wives should bequeath for their wives a year’s maintenance and residence without turning them out…" (Q:2:240)

"And for divorced women, maintenance (should be provided) on reasonable (scale). This is a duty on Al Muttaquin." (Q:2:241)

And for the maintenance of divorced nursing mothers and offspring: "The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire to complete the term of suckling, but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother’s food and clothing on a reasonable basis.

No person shall have

a burden laid on him greater than he can bear.

No mother shall be treated unfairly on account of her child…"

(Q2:233).

Kindness to parents is a duty on Muslims and Muslims are enjoined by Allah to treat their mothers with utmost care, And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents. His mother bears him with hardship and she brings him forth with hardship,…(46:15)

The Messenger of Allah said,

"Paradise lies at the feet of your mother."

Even young girls are not forgotten, nay, on the Day of Judgement their case is brought to the forefront, amidst the great upheavels of that Day.

When the sun is folded up;

And when the stars darken;

And when the mountains shall be set in motion;

And when the pregnant camels shall be neglected,

And when the wild beasts shall be herded together,

And when the seas boil over,

And when the souls are reunited (like with like),

And when the girl-child buried alive is asked,

For what sin she was slain. (81:1-8) With just a few short verses the message of Islam had uprooted with one stroke the evil practice of burying young girls in Arabia. That was more than 1400 years ago…at a time when women were not even considered human in parts of  the world.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Dear readers, the above is only a drop in the showers of mercy that descend from above on this beautiful creation of Allah the Most High.

For a more in-depth study of how Islam advocated women's rights right from the beginning of Prophet Muhammad's message please refer to the Qur'an and the Prophet's traditions.

Comments and suggestions most welcome. And do watch out for any human errors on my part.