10. Islam oppresses Women:
Perhaps the most controversial and divisive topic of discussion in Islam is the role and treatment of women. It must first be stated that women have all the religious obligations that a man has, which means she also has the same reward and punishment for her good and bad deeds. In anticipation for the question of equality between men and women, God makes it abundantly clear that the pillars and moral conduct of Islam is for every adult, male and female.
Al-Quran 33:35 For Muslim men and women,- for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise,- for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.
And believing men and women are protecting friends of one another. They aid and guide each other into righteousness (9:71). So, women’s religious duties are the same as men’s duties, but what about their social life? When pondering this topic, it is best to strip away all preconceived ideas and get our guidance from the Qur’an. Taking this approach, it becomes impossible to justify the treatment of women in much of the Muslim world. However there is a sharp contract between culture and religion. Yet these lines are blurred so often when discussing Islam that the distinction is rarely made between the two. Female circumcision/mutilation, women walking behind men, and women prevented from driving cars are all examples of culture being mistaken for Islam. None of these things are to be found in the pages of the Qur’an. So before an allegation is made, it must be shown to be a part of Islam and not simply a practice performed by Muslims.
In the times of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), it was more preferable to have a son than a daughter. Parents were upset when the new addition to the family was female. Yet Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) denounced such behavior. He maintained that a female’s birth is as equal a blessing as a male’s birth. But this was not simply a problem of preference. The practice of female infanticide was implemented for those unsatisfied with their newborn baby girl. The Arabs used to bury their daughters alive. To extinguish this grave sin, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) outlawed infanticide (16:58-59). The Qur’an also makes mention that those who practiced such brutality will have to face the consequences of their deeds in the hereafter (81:8-9). This is to show that Islam directly impacted the life of women in a dramatically positive way. Before women could fight for their civil rights, Muhammad (pbuh) fought for their right to live. He fought for their right to be treated with fairness and with the love that a parent would have bestowed upon a male child. Not only did he fight for their rights, but when Islam became the religion of Arabia, he won them their rights and their right to live. He saved thousands, if not millions of women’s lives. But instead of Muhammad (pbuh) being respected and praised for his efforts to emancipate women from this barbarism, he is most often vilified for propagating sexism.
In Islam, men and women are to dress modestly to avoid attention from the opposite sex unless that it be their spouse. The Qur’an says that Muslim women “should cast their outer garments over their persons” so to avoid accentuating their body parts (33:59). This is to distinguish chaste Muslim women from any other women on the street and to avoid harassment from other men. The veil or modest dress is not oppression of women. It is incorporated for the exact same reason that nuns are dressed the way that they are. It is a testament to their belief and devotion to God. And in the case of the Muslim woman, it is also a testament of devotion to her husband. It is also a sign of dignity and respect for themselves that do not wish for or need the adulation of anyone other than their husbands. All the great women of faith dressed in this manner, yet it is eschewed in today’s society as oppressive while skimpy dress is encouraged.
Women today go to work or the marketplace, with a bit of cleavage showing and tight fitting jeans to display their figure. Then they come home to their husband and get comfortable. They take off all the clothing that restricts their blood circulation and put on a huge t-shirt and jogging pants. They are doing the exact opposite of what the Qur’an says and what the sensible thing to do is. They are showing the world their goods and covering up for their husband. These are the same women who are offended when random men are disrespectful to them on the street and whose husband pay them little attention. You can take the advice of society at large or you can take the advice of him who created the society at large. It is your choice. Fortunately in recent years there have been a large number of converts to Islam in America and the majority of these converts are women. They are beginning to understand that modest dress is not oppressive. It is in fact the skimpy dressing that is the means by which women are objectified and oppressed.
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