MISCONCEPTIONS REGARDING WOMEN IN ISLAM

The western media has portrayed islam as an old barbaric religion which has emerged in the middle of a desert.

But is islam truly a barbaric and inequal religion for women ?

First let me address the problem ?

Why does the western media portray islam as barbaric ?

Traditionally the western world also had some prohibitions or expectations of how a woman should dress and also for men

But after the women empowerment movement started, those expectations were removed, they think they have become more modern and look at islam and say old.

I’m not saying that women empowerment was a total evil

No! Most of it was good, it led to women being treated as humans, it led to women going to schools and stuff.

But, as women started to get the empowerment mindset and decided, ” whatever a man does, I should also do it “

It changed from being a good movement to a movement which degrades women.

It went as far as to do even bad things just to prove that they are equal to men. Like drinking and smoking.

Let’s adress the ‘ HIJAB ‘ issue

It’s a right which islam bestowed upon women.

How ?

Let me explain !

If a Muslim woman chose not to wear hijab islam doesn’t say you will go to hell forever for not wearing hijab.

No ! You can wear whatever you want, you can cover up or not it’s your choice, it’s between you and your God.

But, muslim woman can’t wear hijab in a so called secular country. If you wear it you will be called names.

Tell me which system gives more freedom to women regarding their dress choices.

Let me tell you one thing.

Western media and even muslim women themselves have this misconception that they are wearing hijab to protect themselves from the gaze of men

Sorry to say this but, that’s not true,You are wearing it because it’s a commandment from your God.

An-Nur 24:30

قُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَغُضُّوا۟ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِمْ وَيَحْفَظُوا۟ فُرُوجَهُمْۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَزْكَىٰ لَهُمْۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَ

[ Prophet ],

tell believing men to lower their glances and guard their private parts: that is purer for them. God is well aware of everything they do. Surah Nur – 30

An-Nur 24:31

وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِنََّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَاۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

And tell believing women that they should lower their glances, guard their private parts, and not display their charms beyond what [it is acceptable] to reveal; they should let their headscarves fall to cover their necklines and not reveal their charms except to their husband

Surah Nur – 31

Allah ﷻ ordered men to lower their gaze before ordering the women to cover themselves.

So, they are not covering themselves to protect themselves from the men,

And there is a beautiful explanation from scholars regarding, why women wear the hijab with an analogy.

When Adam was alone in the paradise he felt lonely and felt that something is missing,

Tomake him feel better and to complete his joy, God gifted Adam with Eve.

For Adam even paradise was not a paradise without eve.

Women to symbolise their value they wear the hijab. They say women coverup because they are a gift, for gifts are covered.

I think it’s enough of an explanation for why women wear hijab.

Next financial rights

First let’s talk about inheritance

Generally if a father dies, the sister gets half of what the brother gets

This may seem injustice at the first glance but, let me get to the details

In islam a woman should be taken care of by her closest relative i.e. her father, husband, brother.

They should and must and ought to provide every neccessary things for her.

So, the inheritance she got is only for her she isn’t obliged to spend it on anyone not even to her husband, the husband has no right over her inheritance.

But the brother is obliged to spend his inheritance with his mother, his wife and his children.

And another financial advantage for women is Mahr.

It’s basically a gift which the husband gives the wife before the marriage contract takes place, whatever the wife asks him of.

It can be some monetary benefit, the husband has no right to ask some reduction nor can he pay it later and it’s prohibited for the husband to ask her mahr back.

Now judge, who has more monetary or financial benefit.

Males or females in Islam ?

Muslims aren’t perfect but, islam is perfect.

Don’t judge islam based on the actions of muslims

There is a verse, which anti Islamists use to attack islam.

An-Nisa’ 4:34

ٱلرِّجَالُ قَوَّٰمُونَ عَلَى ٱلنِّسَآءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَآ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْۚ فَٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ قَٰنِتَٰتٌ حَٰفِظَٰتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ ٱللَّهُۚ وَٱلَّٰتِى تَخَافُونَ نُشُوزَهُنَّ فَعِظُوهُنَّ وَٱهْجُرُوهُنَّ فِى ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ وَٱضْرِبُوهُنَّۖ فَإِنْ أَطَعْنَكُمْ فَلَا تَبْغُوا۟ عَلَيْهِنَّ سَبِيلًاۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيًّا كَبِيرًا

Men are guardian over women

Generally it would seem like Allah ﷻ is saying, men are somewhat above women.

But, let’s look at the explanation of a scholar regarding this verse

Tell me, Which item will be guarded ?Something with high value or something with no value ? Everybody knows that something of high value will be guarded.

That’s the same with Qur’anAllah ﷻ considers women high of value he said men to guard them.

Hope you understand I want to mention a beautiful Hadith

Lying is something which is considers from among the greatest sins.

But, a man can speak in a twisted form to make reconciliation or to make his wife happy.



Reference

Imam Ahmad (26731) narrated that Umm Kalthoom bint ‘Uqbah said: I never heard the Messenger of Allah grant a concession allowing any kind of lying except in three cases: a man who says something intending thereby to bring about reconciliation; a man who says something at the time of war; and a man talking to his wife or a woman talking to her husband. (in a twisted form in order to bring reconciliation between them).Sahih Muslim 32:6303(Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in as-Saheehah, 545)

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