abdulhakeem
27-03-05, 11:39 PM
By Mohammed Al-Attab
Mar 26, 2005, 11:56
SANA’A,Yemen - Following the events of September 11, Islam was thrust into the world spotlight, and the tragedy reinforced the misconception that it is a religion of violence.
Put under intense scrutiny by the West, many people also raised the old claim that Islam is intolerant towards women. Many Muslims beg to differ, saying that Islam’s rules on topics like divorce and covering women are actually for their own good.
Nasira bint Ellison, a convert to Islam, speaking about women in her adopted religion says: “I remember once reading an ‘in depth’ article about the lives of Muslim women. It was about divorce in Islam and said that a man could divorce his wife at any time by simply stating ‘I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you’. Such misrepresentations could lead anyone ignorant of the Islamic ruling on divorce to believe that in less than five seconds the woman is left with no husband and to care for herself, and any children.”
“The truth of the matter is that Islam has the most humane and most just system of divorce that exists,” says Ellison.
Before reaching the decision to divorce, she says many avenues are explored. If the man and woman decide that they can no longer live together successfully as a husband and wife, the husband (in most cases, but not always) pronounces the divorce by saying “I divorce you.”
At this point the waiting period begins. It lasts for three menstrual cycles to ensure the woman is not pregnant. This period allows the couple time to think about what they are doing and if this is what they really want to do.
“There are no lawyers involved to antagonize an already delicate situation,” says American-born Ellison. “In the case of the woman being pregnant, the waiting period lasts for the duration of the pregnancy. During the waiting period, whether the woman is pregnant or not, the man is obligated to provide food, clothing and shelter to the woman as he had done before the divorce pronouncement. If the couple carries the divorce through to the birth of the child and the woman suckles the baby, the man is obligated to feed and clothe both his ex-wife and his child for the time the woman suckles, the maximum being two years. After this weaning, the child will be provided for by the father until he/she is no longer in need of support.”
“Another misrepresentation concerns Muslim women's dress,” continues Ellison. “The Western-influenced media portrays our dress to be outdated and oppressive. I differ from these terms. Our dress code does not hinder us from doing anything productive in our lives. Muslim women maintain a variety of jobs, none of which are devalued or hampered due to their dress code.”
“Muslims women's dress during these times seems particularly appropriate given the lack of morals in the world today. Sex crimes are rampant. Although this society tells women they can wear whatever they want, anytime a rape occurs the woman is put on trial and asked, ‘What were you wearing?’ There is a direct correlation between the respect a man has for a woman and the amount of her body she displays flauntingly,” she argues.
An interesting counterpoint to the extreme views on women in the Islamic world are the views of some Muslims on the treatment of women in the West. Hani Al-Ansi, a student at the Shari’a College, believes that the West has lost its understanding of the “sanctity of women.”
“She has become a toy anyone can play with immorally,” he says. “The West calls on women to unveil parts of their bodies in an indecent and undignified way. Women in the West also have sex before marriage, meaning she loses respect and honour.”
Abdul-Latif Al-Hudh, a preacher, says women in other religions “are nothing more than dirt to serve their man.”
Islamic law does not demand that women devote themselves only to household duties. Early Muslim women were found in all walks of life. The first wife of the Prophet was a businesswoman. She had hired him to work with her prior to their marriage and he loved her more than he ever did his later wives.
Others like Laila Al-Ghifariah took part in battles, carrying water and nursing the wounded. Some of them, like Suffiah bint Abdul-Muttalib, even fought and killed enemies to protect themselves and the Prophet. Umm Dhahhak bint Masoud was even awarded with booty in the same way as men.
As for profession, the early scholars Ibn Jarir and Al-Tabari said that women could be appointed to fill judicial positions to adjudicate in all matters. Other jurists have, however, said that women cannot be judges at all. Herein lies, perhaps, the source of the confusion in the West over Islam, and that is how the religion is interpreted and applied.
But Islam itslef, as the divinely revealed word of God, treats women as part of society as a whole and offers solutions that can better women’s lives in several ways. As long as these rules are taken and applied by real Muslims, women have a much better place in society than is commonly believed.
“Live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them, it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.”
Qur'an 4:19
http://www.yobserver.com/news_4343.php
Mar 26, 2005, 11:56
SANA’A,Yemen - Following the events of September 11, Islam was thrust into the world spotlight, and the tragedy reinforced the misconception that it is a religion of violence.
Put under intense scrutiny by the West, many people also raised the old claim that Islam is intolerant towards women. Many Muslims beg to differ, saying that Islam’s rules on topics like divorce and covering women are actually for their own good.
Nasira bint Ellison, a convert to Islam, speaking about women in her adopted religion says: “I remember once reading an ‘in depth’ article about the lives of Muslim women. It was about divorce in Islam and said that a man could divorce his wife at any time by simply stating ‘I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you’. Such misrepresentations could lead anyone ignorant of the Islamic ruling on divorce to believe that in less than five seconds the woman is left with no husband and to care for herself, and any children.”
“The truth of the matter is that Islam has the most humane and most just system of divorce that exists,” says Ellison.
Before reaching the decision to divorce, she says many avenues are explored. If the man and woman decide that they can no longer live together successfully as a husband and wife, the husband (in most cases, but not always) pronounces the divorce by saying “I divorce you.”
At this point the waiting period begins. It lasts for three menstrual cycles to ensure the woman is not pregnant. This period allows the couple time to think about what they are doing and if this is what they really want to do.
“There are no lawyers involved to antagonize an already delicate situation,” says American-born Ellison. “In the case of the woman being pregnant, the waiting period lasts for the duration of the pregnancy. During the waiting period, whether the woman is pregnant or not, the man is obligated to provide food, clothing and shelter to the woman as he had done before the divorce pronouncement. If the couple carries the divorce through to the birth of the child and the woman suckles the baby, the man is obligated to feed and clothe both his ex-wife and his child for the time the woman suckles, the maximum being two years. After this weaning, the child will be provided for by the father until he/she is no longer in need of support.”
“Another misrepresentation concerns Muslim women's dress,” continues Ellison. “The Western-influenced media portrays our dress to be outdated and oppressive. I differ from these terms. Our dress code does not hinder us from doing anything productive in our lives. Muslim women maintain a variety of jobs, none of which are devalued or hampered due to their dress code.”
“Muslims women's dress during these times seems particularly appropriate given the lack of morals in the world today. Sex crimes are rampant. Although this society tells women they can wear whatever they want, anytime a rape occurs the woman is put on trial and asked, ‘What were you wearing?’ There is a direct correlation between the respect a man has for a woman and the amount of her body she displays flauntingly,” she argues.
An interesting counterpoint to the extreme views on women in the Islamic world are the views of some Muslims on the treatment of women in the West. Hani Al-Ansi, a student at the Shari’a College, believes that the West has lost its understanding of the “sanctity of women.”
“She has become a toy anyone can play with immorally,” he says. “The West calls on women to unveil parts of their bodies in an indecent and undignified way. Women in the West also have sex before marriage, meaning she loses respect and honour.”
Abdul-Latif Al-Hudh, a preacher, says women in other religions “are nothing more than dirt to serve their man.”
Islamic law does not demand that women devote themselves only to household duties. Early Muslim women were found in all walks of life. The first wife of the Prophet was a businesswoman. She had hired him to work with her prior to their marriage and he loved her more than he ever did his later wives.
Others like Laila Al-Ghifariah took part in battles, carrying water and nursing the wounded. Some of them, like Suffiah bint Abdul-Muttalib, even fought and killed enemies to protect themselves and the Prophet. Umm Dhahhak bint Masoud was even awarded with booty in the same way as men.
As for profession, the early scholars Ibn Jarir and Al-Tabari said that women could be appointed to fill judicial positions to adjudicate in all matters. Other jurists have, however, said that women cannot be judges at all. Herein lies, perhaps, the source of the confusion in the West over Islam, and that is how the religion is interpreted and applied.
But Islam itslef, as the divinely revealed word of God, treats women as part of society as a whole and offers solutions that can better women’s lives in several ways. As long as these rules are taken and applied by real Muslims, women have a much better place in society than is commonly believed.
“Live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them, it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good.”
Qur'an 4:19
http://www.yobserver.com/news_4343.php