The Treatment of Women in Islam and Other Societies
All praise is due to Allah and May His Peace and Blessings be upon the Last Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and all those who follow the path of righteousness until the Last Day. When the rest of the world, from ancient Greece and Rome to India and China, women were considered as inferior class having almost no rights, Islam acknowledged and established women's equality with men in the society.
Women in Ancient Socity
Roman women didn't get equal rights with men. Men could beat or rape their wives as they beat and raped their slaves. A Roman woman could divorce her husband, but generally he kept the children. Women who were slaves were frequently physically and sexually abused, and often saw their children killed or sold away from them. (Status of women in Christian Society)
Christian priests considered the woman as the cause of "original sin" and the source of all catastrophes happens in the world. For this, the physical relationship between man and woman has traditionally been labeled as "filthy" or "dirty" even if it were officially done and performed within a legitimate marriage contract. Saint Trotolian says: "Woman is the Satan's pathway to a man's heart. Woman pushes man to the "Cursed Tree." Woman violates God's laws and distorts his picture (i.e. man's picture).
Paul declared woman as the source of sin, the basis of every evil and the fountainhead of every abominable act. St. Bonaventure said to his disciples, “When you see a woman, you should not think that you saw a human being or even a beastly being. Rather, you saw the devil in person.” (Status of Women before Islam)
According to the Hindu Laws of Manu, the woman had no rights. She was a mere servant to her husband or father. She did not have the competence to dispose of her property and no right of ownership. Anything that she owned was the property of her husband, father or son. Also, when her husband died, she was to be burnt alive with him which was banned during British occupation (Status of Women before Islam)
In medieval Europe women were not allowed to marry without their parents’ consent. They could not own any business without special permission. No right to divorce their husbands. Unless they were widows, they could not own any property. If they had any surviving brothers, they could not inherit land from their parents’ (Trueman)
Bernard Shaw, the well-known English writer said, "The moment a woman marries; all her personal possessions become her husband's in accordance to the English law."
Still in western society a married woman loses her surname when she enters into a marriage contract. She has to carry the family name of her husband. This indicates that a married woman will only be a follower of her husband and she will even lose her personal identity.
Women in Modern Western Society
Though modern western society is trying to prove that they are making women equal to men in every aspects, most of them treated women as sexual objects. The society is reminding women that society will no longer let them have opinions or intelligence without connecting them to sex. From celebrity personalities to feminists, it seems a woman cannot communicate public thoughts or opinions without being ridiculed or humiliated in a sexual way. (Why Are Women Still Treated as Sexual Objects?)
Most of the women grew up with media, environments, and interpersonal interactions suggesting that women’s value is tied to their looks and sexual appeal to men. This is known as sexual objectification (SO), the reduction of people to physical objects of sexual desire. It involves viewing and treating another person's body as an object valued based on its sexual appeal, usually to the neglect of other aspects of the person, such as their thoughts, feelings, and desires. They communicate not only that women's value lies in their appearance, but they also present an ideal of attractiveness that is unattainable for most women. These unrealistic standards can lead to feelings of body shame and disgust, and to unhealthy eating and exercise behaviors. (Do Women Want To Be Objectified?)
Girls brought up receiving compliments and attention not for being smart, but for being pretty. By early adolescence, they internalized the culture’s sexual objectification of women and self-objectified themselves. Throughout their life, physical attractiveness plays way a very big role in determining self-worth. (The Harm In Treating Ourselves and Others As Sexual Objects)
As the brainwashed females think that their value comes from beauty, this leads to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Research shows an estimated 90% of people with these disorders are females. This leads to the mutilation of their body with cosmetic plastic surgery, and over 90% of people who had cosmetic procedures are females. They always have to look good, because male eyes are always gazing, judging their value based on their physical appearance.
Women in Islam
On the other hand, Islam honors women as mother, wife, daughter, sister and made their status high and made them equal with men in most rulings. So women are commanded to believe in Allah and to worship Him as like as a man. And also made equal to men in getting rewards in the Hereafter. Islam gave women the right to express themselves. Ordered them to give sincere advice and to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil same as a man. And also ordered to invite people to Allah.
Islam gave women the right to own property, to buy and sell, to inherit, to give charity and to give gifts. It is impermissible to take a woman’s wealth without her consent. Islam encouraged women to be educated and made obligatory to teach them what they need to know about their religion.
Allah says in Quran,
“And live with them honorably” [al-Nisa’ 4:19]
“And they (women) have rights similar (to those of their husbands) over them to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise” [al-Baqarah 2:228]
And the Prophet ﷺ said: “I urge you to treat women well.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 331; Muslim, 1468.
Prophet ﷺ said: “The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3895; Ibn Maajah, 1977; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “Whoever has three daughters and is patient towards them, and feeds them, gives them to drink and clothes them from his riches, they will be a shield for him from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.” Ibn Maajah (3669), classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
Islam judges women by their intelligence and merit not by their look. And protects them from all sorts of objectification by the shield of hijab. They don’t lose their surname after marriage as it is prohibited strongly by Islam.
Conclusion
Rights of women in Islam is divine, unlike human philosophies and ideologies. As the status is given by the Almighty and the Creator of humankind, so neither it grew obsolete during the course of time, nor can become obsolete in the future. It is a perfect legislation for the humankind which are far beyond the ultimate in human thought and progress.
Women in Ancient Socity
Roman women didn't get equal rights with men. Men could beat or rape their wives as they beat and raped their slaves. A Roman woman could divorce her husband, but generally he kept the children. Women who were slaves were frequently physically and sexually abused, and often saw their children killed or sold away from them. (Status of women in Christian Society)
Christian priests considered the woman as the cause of "original sin" and the source of all catastrophes happens in the world. For this, the physical relationship between man and woman has traditionally been labeled as "filthy" or "dirty" even if it were officially done and performed within a legitimate marriage contract. Saint Trotolian says: "Woman is the Satan's pathway to a man's heart. Woman pushes man to the "Cursed Tree." Woman violates God's laws and distorts his picture (i.e. man's picture).
Paul declared woman as the source of sin, the basis of every evil and the fountainhead of every abominable act. St. Bonaventure said to his disciples, “When you see a woman, you should not think that you saw a human being or even a beastly being. Rather, you saw the devil in person.” (Status of Women before Islam)
According to the Hindu Laws of Manu, the woman had no rights. She was a mere servant to her husband or father. She did not have the competence to dispose of her property and no right of ownership. Anything that she owned was the property of her husband, father or son. Also, when her husband died, she was to be burnt alive with him which was banned during British occupation (Status of Women before Islam)
In medieval Europe women were not allowed to marry without their parents’ consent. They could not own any business without special permission. No right to divorce their husbands. Unless they were widows, they could not own any property. If they had any surviving brothers, they could not inherit land from their parents’ (Trueman)
Bernard Shaw, the well-known English writer said, "The moment a woman marries; all her personal possessions become her husband's in accordance to the English law."
Still in western society a married woman loses her surname when she enters into a marriage contract. She has to carry the family name of her husband. This indicates that a married woman will only be a follower of her husband and she will even lose her personal identity.
Women in Modern Western Society
Though modern western society is trying to prove that they are making women equal to men in every aspects, most of them treated women as sexual objects. The society is reminding women that society will no longer let them have opinions or intelligence without connecting them to sex. From celebrity personalities to feminists, it seems a woman cannot communicate public thoughts or opinions without being ridiculed or humiliated in a sexual way. (Why Are Women Still Treated as Sexual Objects?)
Most of the women grew up with media, environments, and interpersonal interactions suggesting that women’s value is tied to their looks and sexual appeal to men. This is known as sexual objectification (SO), the reduction of people to physical objects of sexual desire. It involves viewing and treating another person's body as an object valued based on its sexual appeal, usually to the neglect of other aspects of the person, such as their thoughts, feelings, and desires. They communicate not only that women's value lies in their appearance, but they also present an ideal of attractiveness that is unattainable for most women. These unrealistic standards can lead to feelings of body shame and disgust, and to unhealthy eating and exercise behaviors. (Do Women Want To Be Objectified?)
Girls brought up receiving compliments and attention not for being smart, but for being pretty. By early adolescence, they internalized the culture’s sexual objectification of women and self-objectified themselves. Throughout their life, physical attractiveness plays way a very big role in determining self-worth. (The Harm In Treating Ourselves and Others As Sexual Objects)
As the brainwashed females think that their value comes from beauty, this leads to eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Research shows an estimated 90% of people with these disorders are females. This leads to the mutilation of their body with cosmetic plastic surgery, and over 90% of people who had cosmetic procedures are females. They always have to look good, because male eyes are always gazing, judging their value based on their physical appearance.
Women in Islam
On the other hand, Islam honors women as mother, wife, daughter, sister and made their status high and made them equal with men in most rulings. So women are commanded to believe in Allah and to worship Him as like as a man. And also made equal to men in getting rewards in the Hereafter. Islam gave women the right to express themselves. Ordered them to give sincere advice and to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil same as a man. And also ordered to invite people to Allah.
Islam gave women the right to own property, to buy and sell, to inherit, to give charity and to give gifts. It is impermissible to take a woman’s wealth without her consent. Islam encouraged women to be educated and made obligatory to teach them what they need to know about their religion.
Allah says in Quran,
“And live with them honorably” [al-Nisa’ 4:19]
“And they (women) have rights similar (to those of their husbands) over them to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise” [al-Baqarah 2:228]
And the Prophet ﷺ said: “I urge you to treat women well.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 331; Muslim, 1468.
Prophet ﷺ said: “The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3895; Ibn Maajah, 1977; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “Whoever has three daughters and is patient towards them, and feeds them, gives them to drink and clothes them from his riches, they will be a shield for him from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.” Ibn Maajah (3669), classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.
Islam judges women by their intelligence and merit not by their look. And protects them from all sorts of objectification by the shield of hijab. They don’t lose their surname after marriage as it is prohibited strongly by Islam.
Conclusion
Rights of women in Islam is divine, unlike human philosophies and ideologies. As the status is given by the Almighty and the Creator of humankind, so neither it grew obsolete during the course of time, nor can become obsolete in the future. It is a perfect legislation for the humankind which are far beyond the ultimate in human thought and progress.
Bibliography
"Do Women Want To Be Objectified?" n.d. 6 Dec 2015. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-love-and-war/201211/do-women-want-be-objectified>.
"Status of Women before Islam." 6 Dec 2015. Islam Web. <http://www.islamweb.net/womane/nindex.php?page=readart&id=177693>.
"Status of women in Christian Society." n.d. 6 Dec 2015. <http://womeninislam.ws/en/status-of-women_christian-society.aspx>.
"The Harm In Treating Ourselves and Others As Sexual Objects." n.d. Psychology Today. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/presence-mind/201306/the-harm-in-treating-ourselves-and-others-sexual-objects>.
Trueman, C N. "Medieval Women." n.d. The History Learning Site. 6 Dec 2015. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval-england/medieval-women/>.
"Why Are Women Still Treated as Sexual Objects?" n.d. Huffington Post. 6 Dec 2015. <http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/esther-hayden/why-are-women-still-treated-as-sexual-objects_b_3682535.html>.
"Status of Women before Islam." 6 Dec 2015. Islam Web. <http://www.islamweb.net/womane/nindex.php?page=readart&id=177693>.
"Status of women in Christian Society." n.d. 6 Dec 2015. <http://womeninislam.ws/en/status-of-women_christian-society.aspx>.
"The Harm In Treating Ourselves and Others As Sexual Objects." n.d. Psychology Today. <https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/presence-mind/201306/the-harm-in-treating-ourselves-and-others-sexual-objects>.
Trueman, C N. "Medieval Women." n.d. The History Learning Site. 6 Dec 2015. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/medieval-england/medieval-women/>.
"Why Are Women Still Treated as Sexual Objects?" n.d. Huffington Post. 6 Dec 2015. <http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/esther-hayden/why-are-women-still-treated-as-sexual-objects_b_3682535.html>.
© 2016 by Tauhid Ahmed.