Women are your fields. Enter your fields whenever you please." (Surah 2:223)
In Yusuf Ali's translation ayaat is: Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear God. And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe.
I am often baffled as to why in the west people are so obsessed with the notion that for a Muslim women to have a driving licence would mean some sort prestigious award and equality when so many of them are doctors, academics, teachers, lawyers, solicitors, engineers, nurses, social workers, policewomen, army officers and even pilots. My eldest sister was the first lady doctor (retd reputable gynaecologist) in the Pakistan Medical fraternity to be promoted to the rank of a Brigadier. It is also a perfidious assumption in the west that Muslim women are restricted, house bound and maid-servants when as a matter of fact, they are the ones who are often at the wheel and the driving force in running of their familys affairs and the house-holds. They are far more empowered than the non-Muslims think and in many cases, are the decision makers and good one too. The undeniable fact is that Muslim women are participating fully and equally in the construction of Islamic societies and contributing positively in the development of their countries. They are respected; have their dignified status and are not considered as object of bare flesh, lust, good for TV commercials and money making machines as in the western countries.
In Islamic societies Muslim women are entitled to enjoy and exercise those rights which are considered to be the privilege of men, as Islam treats both men and women at par as far as their rights are concerned. In the Quran, it is mentioned that if women have duties, they have equal rights also. Both sexes have distinct roles but their duties and rights regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, property, litigation, family matters etc have been defined in clear-cut terms and transgression is forbidden. Islam does not permit a woman to be subjugated by a man/husband but she must be treated with affection, respect and dignity; and above all afforded all rights entitled to her as a wife, mother, daughter and even if she becomes a widow with children.
Men and women are subjected to same restrictions or prohibitions upon themselves as far the tenets of Islam are concerned but some leniency has been allowed to women in many matters concerning biological and physiological matters. In Islam, rights and responsibilities of a woman are equal to those of a man but they are not necessarily identical with them, and constitute no problem: equality and sameness are two quite different things. This difference is understandable because man and woman are not identical anatomically, physiologically and biologically, but they are created equals. With this distinction in mind, Muslims treat her as a comfort rather than a discomfort. As a mother, she enjoys more recognition and higher honour in the sight of God (31:14-15;46:15).
Prophet Mohammed (SAW) acknowledged this honour when he declared that Paradise is under the feet of the mothers. She is entitled to three-fourths of the sons love and kindness with one-fourth left for their father. As a wife she is entitled to demand of her prospective husband a suitable dowry that will be her own. She is entitled to complete provision and total maintenance by the husband. She does not have to work or share with her husband the family expenses. Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said in his last sermon, "Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. She is vital to his life and that she is not inferior to him nor is she one of the lower species. It is said that four out of every five Western converts to Islam are women.
It is unlike in the Western and secular societies where women have become a commercial commodity to sell their bare flesh, considered only good for advertisement, one night stand and an object of licentiousness and sexual gratification. It is a misconception and an absurdity to imagine that by becoming sexually liberal and free, women in the west are equals but it is quite the opposite, they are considered simply as sex objects for pleasure. As women are becoming more liberal and free, they are wrecking Christian values, ethic and bringing up misfits of the society for lack of religious morality. On the other hand, Islam demands that a woman should remain a reasonable being as everyone else. It does not expect her to become either an angel or a demon. If non-Muslims wish to compare or contrast her position with other civilizations or legal systems, one should look into all facts and not merely isolated practices as wearing a burqa or not having a driving license etc. In fact, with regard to certain aspects of morality, Islam is more rigid and more puritan than other systems and non-Muslim societies. Since Islam attaches particular importance to morality, it suppresses promiscuity by every means. In the Quran it is mentioned that if women have duties, they have equal rights also.
Two ayaats of the Quran succinctly deal with the basic concept of veil in Islam. First; in Surah An-Nur: And tell the believing women to lower their gazes and be modest, and to display of their adornments only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms.(24:31) In this verse it is clearly mentioned that sex parts must not be exposed and must be covered. Adornment which is apparent alludes to the common body parts between male and female sexes.
In Yusuf Ali's translation ayaat is: Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will; but do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear God. And know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter), and give (these) good tidings to those who believe.
I am often baffled as to why in the west people are so obsessed with the notion that for a Muslim women to have a driving licence would mean some sort prestigious award and equality when so many of them are doctors, academics, teachers, lawyers, solicitors, engineers, nurses, social workers, policewomen, army officers and even pilots. My eldest sister was the first lady doctor (retd reputable gynaecologist) in the Pakistan Medical fraternity to be promoted to the rank of a Brigadier. It is also a perfidious assumption in the west that Muslim women are restricted, house bound and maid-servants when as a matter of fact, they are the ones who are often at the wheel and the driving force in running of their familys affairs and the house-holds. They are far more empowered than the non-Muslims think and in many cases, are the decision makers and good one too. The undeniable fact is that Muslim women are participating fully and equally in the construction of Islamic societies and contributing positively in the development of their countries. They are respected; have their dignified status and are not considered as object of bare flesh, lust, good for TV commercials and money making machines as in the western countries.
In Islamic societies Muslim women are entitled to enjoy and exercise those rights which are considered to be the privilege of men, as Islam treats both men and women at par as far as their rights are concerned. In the Quran, it is mentioned that if women have duties, they have equal rights also. Both sexes have distinct roles but their duties and rights regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance, property, litigation, family matters etc have been defined in clear-cut terms and transgression is forbidden. Islam does not permit a woman to be subjugated by a man/husband but she must be treated with affection, respect and dignity; and above all afforded all rights entitled to her as a wife, mother, daughter and even if she becomes a widow with children.
Men and women are subjected to same restrictions or prohibitions upon themselves as far the tenets of Islam are concerned but some leniency has been allowed to women in many matters concerning biological and physiological matters. In Islam, rights and responsibilities of a woman are equal to those of a man but they are not necessarily identical with them, and constitute no problem: equality and sameness are two quite different things. This difference is understandable because man and woman are not identical anatomically, physiologically and biologically, but they are created equals. With this distinction in mind, Muslims treat her as a comfort rather than a discomfort. As a mother, she enjoys more recognition and higher honour in the sight of God (31:14-15;46:15).
Prophet Mohammed (SAW) acknowledged this honour when he declared that Paradise is under the feet of the mothers. She is entitled to three-fourths of the sons love and kindness with one-fourth left for their father. As a wife she is entitled to demand of her prospective husband a suitable dowry that will be her own. She is entitled to complete provision and total maintenance by the husband. She does not have to work or share with her husband the family expenses. Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said in his last sermon, "Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. She is vital to his life and that she is not inferior to him nor is she one of the lower species. It is said that four out of every five Western converts to Islam are women.
It is unlike in the Western and secular societies where women have become a commercial commodity to sell their bare flesh, considered only good for advertisement, one night stand and an object of licentiousness and sexual gratification. It is a misconception and an absurdity to imagine that by becoming sexually liberal and free, women in the west are equals but it is quite the opposite, they are considered simply as sex objects for pleasure. As women are becoming more liberal and free, they are wrecking Christian values, ethic and bringing up misfits of the society for lack of religious morality. On the other hand, Islam demands that a woman should remain a reasonable being as everyone else. It does not expect her to become either an angel or a demon. If non-Muslims wish to compare or contrast her position with other civilizations or legal systems, one should look into all facts and not merely isolated practices as wearing a burqa or not having a driving license etc. In fact, with regard to certain aspects of morality, Islam is more rigid and more puritan than other systems and non-Muslim societies. Since Islam attaches particular importance to morality, it suppresses promiscuity by every means. In the Quran it is mentioned that if women have duties, they have equal rights also.
Two ayaats of the Quran succinctly deal with the basic concept of veil in Islam. First; in Surah An-Nur: And tell the believing women to lower their gazes and be modest, and to display of their adornments only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms.(24:31) In this verse it is clearly mentioned that sex parts must not be exposed and must be covered. Adornment which is apparent alludes to the common body parts between male and female sexes.
