Abstract

Islam is a multidimensional religion that focuses on all aspects of mankind’s life from social responsibilities to individual lifestyle and behavior. Islamic teaching advocates decency, self respect, and morality. In light of Islam women were saved from medieval misogyny and discrimination during Mohamed’s Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (SAW) era.  It is up to educated Muslim women to follow Islamic teachings and educate other women as well that Islam is not a religion of oppression to women. No one can fight for women’s right but women themselves because one’s right is taken not given. Human beings have the natural instinct of self-defense and survival for example, the first sign of life and survival is the infants’ first cry and young children’s reaction towards strangers or unpleasant circumstances. As human grow they acquire new self-defense habits to protect themselves unless they lack a sound mind to take care of themselves or being suppressed by outside forces from acquiring such skills.

 

Role of Islam in Women’s Life

Islam has changed woman’s life significantly by commanding mankind to respect one’s daughters, mothers, and wives. According to Dakir (2012) Islam has brought illumination in believing human’s life and women share the advantages of Islam’s birth. Before Islam most men were ashamed of having a daughter and based on this feeling some were burying their daughters alive. Islam had advice men against female infanticide and commands them to appreciate ones’ daughters and raise them with dignity. Islam is a multidimensional religion that focuses on all aspects of mankind’s life from social responsibilities to individual lifestyle and behavior. Islamic teaching advocates decency, self-respect, and morality.

Islam recommends for women the right to education as Alkanderi (2001) cited from Al-Gizali (1997a, V. 1, p. 8) the Islam Profit (SAW) said “seeking knowledge is obligatory for all Muslims”. Islam also recommends the right to marriage, divorce, witnessing in court of law, and inheritance for women (Hasan, 2012). Before Islam most women were treated as an object and property of their family such as fathers or husbands and men were making decision for them instead of giving the women a choice to decide her future or even daily life. Unfortunately, in today’s society some women are still suffering from discrimination and cannot claim the same right as their male counterpart. The discrimination can be opposed by anyone but most of the time men are the oppressor source against women. Men will oppress women and discriminate against them for variety of reasons which most of the discriminatory acts could be for personal gain.

Mankind is encouraged to live by example not by argument because there is always a counter argument against the best chosen words. In societies where men are well aware of Islamic teaching, they will follow Islamic rules in regard to women in the society but lack of awareness about Islamic teaching leads men to make their own rules and present them as Islamic rules. Unparalleled reporting on women’s rights issues and bias opinions always hurt women cause although, it seems innocent in surface. For example, domestic violence against women, young women and girls’ exploitation for business purposes, and existing of glass ceiling should be equally addressed and the violators need to be reported as responsible ones regardless of their geographical location. Blaming Islam for individuals’ actions in Islamic societies and considering the same violations as isolated acts in non-Muslim societies are unparalleled reporting and bias opinion. 

Islam is presented by opponents as adversary to civilization and antithesis of their values while history seems to contradict these notions (Hasan, 2012). In medieval era when European women were denied many basic human rights Muslim women were enjoying the rights of having property, inheritance, initiating marriage, divorce, and testifying in the court of law after establishment of Islam during Mohamad’s (SAW) era. Thompson (2010) in an article about women in ancient Athens states:

 At death a man’s estate was divided equally among his legitimate sons. In essence, a  daughter received a smaller share of her father’s estate but she got it when she married  rather than at his death. When the father died the daughter received nothing more, unless  there were no sons. (para 7)

Hasan, quoted from Rahman, 2008, that some men during Islam profit (SAW) era rushed to the Prophet and asked if women really were entitled to half of the property although they can not ride horses or defend themselves?

 

Women Abuse

Two extreme form of women abuse exist one type is domestic abuse and the second one is social abuse to treat women as business commodity and make profit from their exploitation. Other types of women abuse depends on families and societies’ micro structure that women can be financially, physically, or emotionally abused. In families that both parents are present and take part in raising children fathers’ attitude towards mothers has significant influence on the sons’ behavior regarding respect to the mothers. Regardless of religious belief, cultural background, and affiliation with certain groups men have variety of opinion about women which mostly acquired during life experience with their mothers, sisters, or other women whom have grew up with. Bad experience during early development of young boys can leave negative impression against women which could turn into a conflict against other women.

Men with positive opinion about women usually have early positive experience with women of a mother figure or other significant women in their life. Young men with strong family influence tend to be less influenced by environmental and social variables. Education and having a sound mind are other factors that can influence young boys while growing into men. Education and sound judgment can lead men to respect others regardless of their gender or one’s own early life experience.

Women’s Role on Women

One important aspect of women’s life that has not been explored as much as it should is the role of other women in young girls and other women’s lives. These other women could be mothers, mother in-laws, grandmothers, older sisters, and work acquaintances or colleagues. Mother or mother figure in young girls’ life can leave a significant impression and could shape their future and behavior. Majority of mothers and mother figures would like their daughters to follow their footsteps and live the lifestyle that they had lived. Most mothers are strict on their daughters because they do not want their daughters to repeat their mistakes or the mistakes their own mothers made raising them. All these efforts are based on a good intention by the mothers or mother figures to raise a better child for the benefit of the young girls and society but not always these efforts bring desirable results.

Another aspect of women’s life is the adulthood that can be affected significantly by other women. In many cultures mother in-law can make or break young women’s marriage or family environment. Some women suppress other women for selfish reasons and since women discrimination by other women has not gotten any attention this issue can go unnoticed.  Jealousy is a devastating factor that can cross any cultural or family boundaries and could be the basis for abusing others. Bullying or discrimination of women by women outside the house in work environment is another issue that needs to be explored.

Life of Women before Islam

Moral values are the core components of major religions and belief systems. Without moral values there will be law of jungle in human society; the powerful will claim all the benefits and weak individuals have to serve the immoral powerful. Before Islam some societies had their own culture of abusing, demeaning, and objectifying women for example, scarifying young girls in the name of idols or burning them in fire to please some idols. Women mostly had no right to family inheritance, marriage, and divorce. As Thompson (2010) stated about women in ancient Athens:

“No woman in Athens could own anything more than her own clothing, jewelry and personal slave. She could not sign a contract or purchase anything more expensive than a bushel of barley. She required a male guardian to look after her and to manage her financial interests. The guardian (kyrios) was her father, husband or closest male relative” (para 1).

In pre Islamic era most female offspring were the victim of abuse and sacrifices and there was no specific law in place to protect them. Ancient nations such as Arabs performing female infanticide, or Greco-Roman antiquity, pre-Colombian America, Pacific, Mesopotamia, Levant, Phoenicia, Europe ancient Near East, ancient Egypt, and China were practicing some form of human sacrifices which mostly involved young girls. As Thompson (2010) noted although ancient Egyptian women had the same right and obligation as men regarding the law but they still could not own or mange property.

Life of Women during Islam Profit (SAW)

Hasan (2012) cited from Wadud, 2002 that in spite of a deep patriarchy in seventh century Arabia, The Quran provides women with the rights to inheritance, independent property, divorce, and the right to testify in a court of law thus Islam brought radical changes in regard to women and society. Men and women are equally responsible to fulfill their religious duties and are eligible for punishment if convicted of a misdemeanor (Hasan). In societies where men are well aware of Islamic teaching, they will follow Islamic rules in regard to women in the society but lack of awareness about Islamic teaching leads men to make their own rules and present them as Islamic rules.

 

Ignorance or Overlooking

Ignorance is a major reason behind misinterpretation and misunderstanding of issues to most individuals but one might not underestimate the power of overlooking the reality for personal gain. Double standard is another issue that some individuals use to describe women in different circumstances. For example, if the intension is to degrade women they use the phrases as hormonal rage, lose personality, gold digger, or not too smart to do men’s job; if the argument is to degrade Islam the same individuals will use phrases such as adult decision and free world’s rules, etc. and blame Islam on restrictive rules. Overlooking and unilateral judgment would do a great disservice to women and heart their cause.

The Islamic teaching on women’s rights mostly being overshadowed by cultural and personal practices of some individuals which in turn these cultural and personal practices are interpreted as Islamic laws; either based on one’s ignorance or purposefully overlooking the truth Islam is presented as religion of oppressing women. Overlooking the truth for personal agenda is a derivative of hatred and prejudice towards Islam (Hasan, 2012).

In past few decades when world politicians are about to strike a deal and reach an agreement there are many important issues to discuss and women’s rights hardly seems to be the main one. Once the deal falls apart after a while women’s right issue suddenly surfaces and becomes the main argument point until the next deal. Afghanistan is a good example in 2001 (Hasan, 2012), at the beginning of each conflict women’s right issue is taken to the world meetings to start a war. As the war fades away so does the women’s rights issues, that is why none of the current wars in Afghanistan has improved women’s life but further devastated them and deprived them of their basic needs.   

Gender Discrimination in Workplace

            Islam has granted women rights to equal pay along other rights (Hasan, 2012).  As Hasan stated  inequality in workplace between men and women was a major problem before the Equal Pay Act of 1970 which was enforced in 1975 and amended in 1984. Unfortunately gender discrimination in workplace still exists. As workplace become more diverse due to new technology and various job opportunities for different groups of society, gender discrimination still remains a major problem in some workplaces. In March 2010 the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that Walmart to pay $11.7 million to settle sex discrimination suit (EEOC.org, 2010).

According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Walmart’s London, Ky., Distribution Center denied jobs to female applicants from 1998 through February 2005. During that time period, the EEOC contends, Walmart regularly hired male entry-level applicants for warehouse positions, but excluded female appli­cants who were equally or better qualified. The EEOC alleged  that Walmart regularly used gender stereotypes in filling entry-level order filler  positions. Hiring officials told  applicants that order filling positions were not suitable for women, and that  they hired mainly 18- to 25-year-old males for order filling positions, the  EEOC said. […] Excluding women from employment or  excluding them from certain positions because of gender violates Title VII of  the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (para 2).

In the classic example of glass-ceiling women  in many places still remain under the glass ceiling. Educated women has not been recognized equally as their male counter-part and therefore do not earn equally.

            The discriminator can be a male or female manager depending on circumstances. Gender discrimination might illustrate a picture of a young female office employee who has been passed promotion by her male employer over and over because the opportunity is given to the male colleagues beside their equal performance. In Walmart example the simple reason behind denying promotion to the female employee was that the men were responsible for supporting their families although the young female employee also had to support her family (EEOC.org, 2010). Gender discrimination does not limit to female only employees, male employees can also be discriminated as well or age discrimination among employees is not uncommon. This is the responsibility of ethical committees in workplace to educate employers and employees about workplace discrimination and proper measures that is taken to provide equal work opportunity and payment to all employees according to their performance.

Conclusion

            Before Islam some societies had their own culture of abusing, demeaning, and objectifying women for example, scarifying young girls in the name of idols or burning them in fire to please some idols. Women mostly had no right to family inheritance, marriage, and divorce. Islam has changed woman’s life significantly by commanding mankind to respect one’s daughters, mothers, and wives. Islam had advice men against female infanticide and commands them to appreciate ones’ daughters and raise them with dignity. Islam recommends for women the right to education as Alkanderi (2001) cited from Al-Gizali (1997a, V. 1, p. 8) the Islam Profit (SAW) said “seeking knowledge is obligatory for all Muslins”. Islam also recommends the right to marriage, divorce, witnessing in court of law, and inheritance for women (Hasan, 2012). Moral values are the core components of major religions and belief systems. Without moral values there will be law of jungle in human society; the powerful will claim all the benefits and weak individuals have to serve the immoral powerful. 

References

Alkanderi, L. (2001). Exploring education in Islam: Al-Ghazali’s model of the master-pupil

relationships within the Islamic family (Doctoral dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved October 19, 2013 from EBSCOHOST database.

Dakir, J. (2012). Islam and protection of women’s rights: Refutation of erroneous thinking.

Advances In Natural & Applied Sciences, 6(3), 478-483. Retrieved October 19, 2013 from EBSCOHOST database.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2010). Walmart to pay more than $11.7 million
to settle EEOC sex Discrimination Suit. Retrieved November, 11, 2013 from

 

http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/3-1-10.cfm

Hassan, M. (2012). Feminism as Islamophobia: A review of misogyny charges against Islam.  

Intellectual Discourse, 20(1), 55-78. Retrieved October 19, 2013 from EBSCOHOST database.

Thompson, J. C. (2010). Women in the ancient world: The status, role and daily life of women in

the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Rome, Athens, Israel and Babylonia. Retrieved November 20, 2013 from http://www.womenintheancientworld.com/index.htm