WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Islam has declared women and men equals in the eyes of God and gave women many rights 1400 years before women in America went through the struggle to gain their right to vote. In the 1800s a woman’s right to own property was still being debated in England. Islam had guaranteed women this right around the year 610 by direct revelation from God. Islam sees every woman, married or unmarried, as an individual in her own right. She has the same right to own property, earn wealth and spend it as a man has. Her wealth does not become the property of her husband after marriage or divorce. A woman has the right to choose whom she marries and, when married, does not change her last name, out of respect for her lineage. A woman can seek divorce if her marriage does not work out.

Economically, each man and woman is an independent legal entity. Men and women have the right to own their individual property, engage in business, and inherit from others. Both have the equal right to receive an education and to enter into gainful employment, as long as Islamic principles are not violated.

Many people perceive Islam as a chauvinistic religion that belittles women. They cite the condition of women in some “Muslim countries” to prove this point. Unfortunately, oppressive practices against women that exist in certain parts of the world have mistakenly been associated with Islam by some people. Their mistake is failing to separate the culture of a given people from the true teachings of the religion they may profess. It is appalling that today the oppression of women still exists in many cultures around the world. Women in many Third World countries live horrible lives. They are dominated by men and denied many basic human rights. This does not apply to Muslim countries alone, nor does it apply to all Muslim countries. Islam condemns this oppression. It is a tragic injustice to blame these cultural practices on religious beliefs when the teachings of the religion do not call for such behavior. The teachings of Islam forbid the oppression of women and clearly emphasize that men and women are to be respected equally.

“The believers, men and women, are (helpers, supporters, friends) of one another; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give charity and obey God and His Messenger. Those God will have mercy upon them. Indeed, God is exalted in might and wise.” (Qur’an 9:71)

“Never will I allow to be lost the work of (any) worker among you, whether male or female; you are of one another...” (Qur’an 3:195)