Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the women's liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the women's liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by God to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), who is known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Qur-an and the Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives rights and duties:
1. Human Rights
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God in glorifying and worshipping Him setting no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men.
In the Noble Qur-an, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women", Allah says:
"O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain has spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (Kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you." (Qur-an, 4:1)
Since men and women both came from the same essence they are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by their nature evil (as some religious believe) or then men would be evil also.
Similarly, neither gender can be superior because it he would be a contradiction of equality.
2. Civil Rights
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and __expression based on recognition of her individual personality. First, she is free to choose her religion. The Qur-an states:
"There is no compulsion in religion. Right has been made distinct from error." (Qur-an, 2:256)
Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), which indicate women would pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning religion, economics and social matters.
A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her name after marriage.
A Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes; In fact, in areas in which women are more familiar their evidence is conclusive.
3. Social Rights
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him) said Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim Male & Female'. This includes knowledge of the Noble Qur-an and the Hadith as well as other knowledge. Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation to promote me good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of life, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate education to perform this duty in accordance with their own natural talents and interests.
While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and bearing and raising and teaching of children are among the first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside the home for the very good of the community, she may do so long as her family obligations are met.
Islam recognizes and fosters the natural difference between men and women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men other types for women. This in no way diminishes either's effort nor its benefit. God will reward both sexes equally for the value of their work, though it may not necessarily be the same activity.
Concerning motherhood, the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "Heaven lies under the feet of mothers." This implies that the success of society can be traced to the mothers that raised it. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection, and training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children must be educated and conscientious in order to be a skilful parent.
4. Political Rights
A right given to Muslim women by God 1400 years ago is the right to vote. On any public Matter, a woman may voice her opinion and participate in politics. One example narrated in the Qur-an (60:12) is that Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is told that when the believing women come to him and swear their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their oath. This established the right of women to select their leader and publicly declare. Abdur-Rahman bin Auf consulted many women before he recommended 'Uthman bin Affan to be the Caliph.
5. Economic Rights
The Noble Qur-an states:
"By Him Who created male and female; Verily, your efforts and deeds are diverse (different in aims and purposes)." (Qur-an: 92:3-4)
In these verses, God declares that He created men and women to be different, with unique roles, functions and skills. As in society, where there is a division of labor, so too in a family; each member has different responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are entrusted with the nurturing role, and men, with the guardian role. Therefore, women are given the right of financial support.
The Noble Qur-an states:
"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend of their wealth (for the support of women)." (Qur-an, 4:34)
This guardianship and greater financial responsibility that is given to men, requires that they provide women with not only monetary support but also physical protection and kind and respectful treatment.
The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own property, to enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets in any way she pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any claim to her earnings including her husband. The Qur-an states:
"And covet not the things in which Allah has made some of you excel others. For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned, and ask Allah of His Bounty. Surely, Allah is Ever All-Knower of every thing." (Qur-an, 4:32)
A woman inherits from her relatives. The Qur-an states:
"For men there is a share in what parents and relatives leave, and for women there is a share of what parents and relatives leave, whether it be little or much a legal share." (Qur-an, 4:7)
6. Rights of a Wife
The Noble Qur-an states:
"And among His signs is that He created for you wives from among yourselves that you may live in tranquility with them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for people who reflect." (Qur-an 30:21)
Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional necessity, but in fact, a sign from God! 'It is a relationship of mutual rights and obligations based on divine guidance. God created men and women with complimentary natures, and in the Qur-an, He laid out a system of laws to support harmonious interaction between the sexes.
"...They are garments for your and you are garments for them." (Qur-an, 2:187)
Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the other and hides the faults and for compliments the characteristics of the spouse.
To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife's rights is to receive Mehr, a gift from the husband that is part of the marriage contract and required for the legality of the marriage.
The second right of the wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands. The Qur-an states:
"Let the man of means spend according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him on spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah in on puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him. Allah will grant after hardship, ease." (Qur-an, 65:7)
God tells us men are guardians over women and are afforded the leadership in the family. His responsibility for obeying God extends to guiding his family to obey God at all times.
A wife's rights also extend beyond material needs. She has the right to kind treatment. The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said: "The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives." God tells us He created mates and put love, mercy, and the tranquillity between them. Both men and women have a need for companionship and sexual needs, and marriage is designed to fulfil those needs.
7. The Duties of a Wife
With rights come responsibilities. Therefore, wives have certain obligations to their husbands. The Qur-an states:
"The righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in the absence of their husbands their rights as Allah has enjoined upon them to be guarded." (Qur-an, 4:34)
A wife is to keep her husband's secrets and protect their marital privacy. Issues of intimacy or faults of his that would dishonor him, are not to be disclosed by the wife, just as he is expected to guard her honor.
A wife must also guard her husband's property. She must safeguard his home and possessions, to the best of her ability, from theft or damage. She should manage the household affairs wisely so as to prevent loss or waste. She should not allow anyone to enter the house whom her husband dislikes nor incur any expenses of which her husband disapproves.
A Muslim woman must cooperate and coordinate with her husband. There cannot, however, be cooperation with a man who is disobedient to God. She should not fulfill his requests if he wants her to do something unlawful. A husband also should not take advantage of his wife, but be considerate of her needs and happiness.
8. Conclusion
The Qur-an states:
"And it is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter (for them), that they should (after that) have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he verily goes astray in error manifest." (Qur-an, 33:36)
The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that most women do not enjoy today, even in the West. These are from God and are designed to keep balance in society; Islam is a complete way of life.
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Syed Muhammad Kashif Ali Abidi
<Paki from U.A.E>