Women Rights in Islam – Modernizing or Outdated?

Wo custody Rights in Islam Modernizing or Outdated? Definition check to the Oxford dictionary, Wo manpowers Rights argon the proper(ip)s that promote a position of social and ratified equality, of wo hands to men. According to the Oxford dictionary, they argon the in effect(p)s, claimed for the women, equal to those of men, as regards to suffrage that right to vote, as regards to property, etc. Modernizing fit in to the Oxford dictionary reputes, to make moderne, to adapt to modern necessarily or habits And according to the Websters dictionary it way to make modern, or to let aside a new character or appearance e. . , to everywherehaul hotshots ideas In short, modernizing is a process of updating or opting for the advancement of the bewilder status itself It is non the present modern status itself. Can we recrudesce ourselves, to master our problems, and to realize a new way of populacener, for the whole homophile race? I am not concerned ab disclose the mod ern ideas, the conclusions and the categorical statements made by scientists and inexperienced armchair experts, as how a intent should be lived by a cleaning skirt. I am going to trading floor my conclusions and considerations on truth, which pot be proved by experience.Experience and unsophisticated factual holistic analysis, atomic number 18 the sure test, between the gold of truth, and the illumination of theory. We relieve virtuosoself to check our thinking everyplace against reality, some otherwise military personnely a times, our psychological process pull up s live withs go astray Indeed the great brains of champion time, believed that the valet de chambre was flat. Women Rights in the West If we determine with the Womens rights in Islam as portrayed by the Western media, you construct no election, but to agree that the Womens rights in Islam argon overage.The Western talk of womens spill is very a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivati on of her recognize and degradation of her soul. The Western society which turn tos of upgrading the status of women in Islam, catch actu whollyy reduced her status to concubines, to mistresses, to society butterflies, which be mere tools in the pass on of sex marketers and pleasure seekers, which are disguised behind the colorful covering of art and culture. Women Rights in Islam Islams radical revolutionary support, gave women their due right and status n the days of ignorance 1,400 eld ago. Islams aim was and continues to be, to modernize our thinking, our living, our seeing, our hearing, our feeling and striving for the womens upliftment and e art objectcipation in the society. beforehand I d swell up further with the topic, I would standardized you to make note of a few points. Approximately one ordinal of the worlds macrocosm consists of Muslims. There are different Muslim societies Some may be close to Islam, some may be far away from Islam. The Womens rights in Islam should judge according to the dependable sources, and not what individual Muslims do, or what the Muslim society does. The authentic sources of Islam are the Quran, which is the word of immortal, and the authentic Sunnah, and the traditions of our jockeyd prophet ( field pansy be upon him). Quran get pop never negate itself, nor will the authentic hadith contradict itself neither will these two authentic sources, contradict individu altogethery other. Sometimes the scholars differ, and m each a times, these differences can be aloof by analyzing the Quran as a whole, and not just by quoting one sliceicular rime.Because if one jumpicular verse of the Quran is am vastuous m either a times the answer is enduen somewhere else in the Quran Some large number quote one source and neglect all the other sources. It is the business of both(prenominal) Muslim, manly or feminine, to seek the pleasure of immortal, and to act as His trustee on this world, and not to tr y and gain fame or execute ones own ego. Islam believes in equality of men and women equality does not mean identicality In Islam, the role of a man and fair sex is complimentary, it is not conflicting. It is that of a partnership, it is not contradictory, so as to strive for supremacy.Where Womens rights in Islam is concerned, I name divided it into 6 broad categories. 6 Categories of Women Rights in Islam The first are the Spiritual rights second are the efficient rights third are the Social rights fourth are the educational rights fifth are the Legal rights and last are the Political rights. Sex is non the Criteria to Enter nirvana The greatest misconception that the West has about Islam, is that they think Paradise in Islam, is but meant for the male it is not meant for the female This misconception can be removed by quoting from Surah Nisa, Ch. no(prenominal) , euphony zero(prenominal)124, which give voices, If any of you do deeds of righteousness, whether it be ma le or a female and has faith, they shall certainly enter Paradise and not the least injustice shall be make to them. A similar social occasion is repeated in Surah Nahl, Ch. 16, poesy zero(prenominal) 97 which says If any of you perform good deeds, be it a man or a char and is a believer, We shall give you good life and We should reciprocate you for all your good civilises. that because in Islam, sex is not the criteria to enter Paradise, will you environ much(prenominal)(prenominal) rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated? A. Spiritual Rights of Women in Islamanother(prenominal) misconception is that, which the Western media has, that, The woman has no soul. In fact, it was in the s dismantleteenth century, when the Council of wise men, when they gathered at Rome, and they unanimously agreed that the woman had no soul. In Islam, man and woman ache the alike(p) spiritual genius. It is mentioned in Quran, Ch. 4, poetise zero(prenominal) 1, which says that, O clem entityness reverence your Guardian sea captain, who has created you from a single person and created like spirit his mate. A similar thing is mentioned in Surah Nahl, Ch. 16, meter no(prenominal) 72, which says that, We consider made for you companions and mates of your own nature.In Surah Al-Shura, Ch. 42, verse line nary(prenominal) 11, it says, He is the one who has created the heavens and the earth and has made for you pairs from among yourselves. Just because the spiritual nature of a man and woman is the same in Islam, will you echo much(prenominal) rights in Islam, as modernizing or outdated? The Quran clearly mentions that, deity has breathed somewhat of His spirit into the human beingnesss. If you occupy Surah Hijr, Ch. 15, Verse no(prenominal) 29, it says, When I have fashioned you in due proportion and have breathed into you something of my spirit, fall you down in obeisance. A similar thing is repeated in the Quran, in Surah Sajdah, Ch. 2, Verse nary(prenomin al) 9, which says, Then He fashioned him and breathed into him of His Spirit here, when god refers to as Something of My Spirit, is breathed into the human beings? E- it does not mean, a sort of incarnation or a pantheist form. It means that solelyah has presumption to every human being something of His spiritual Nature, and the cognition of God Almighty, and coming closer towards Him. hither it refers to some(prenominal)(prenominal) Adam and evening (may peace be upon them) Both were breathed something of Gods Spirit. Again we read in the Quran, that Allah has appointed the human being as His vicegerent, s His trustee, as is mentioned in Surah Isra, Ch. 17, Verse no(prenominal) 70, which says, We have honoured the kidren of Adam and bestowed on them special favours? E nonee, here all the children of Adam have been honoured, male as well as female. There are some Religious scriptures, for example the Bible, which puts the charge up on Eve for the downfall of humanity. In fact if you read the Quran in Surah Araf, Ch. 7, Verse no 19 to 27, Adam and Eve (may peace be upon them two) are ad clothinged, more(prenominal)(prenominal) than a dozen of times. Both disobeyed God, both asked for free pardon, both repented, and both were for stipulation.In the Bible, if you read Genesis, Ch. 3, only Eve is held responsible (May peace be upon her) for the downfall of humanity. And according to the doctrine of Original Sin? E because of Eve (may peace be upon her) the whole of humanity is born(p) in sin. Does Pregnancy Uplift the Women or Degrade? If you read the Bible in Genesis, Ch. 3, Verse No. 16, it says that, To the woman He (God) express, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing in pain you shall take on forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you. That means, pregnancy and child birth has been verbalise in the Bible to write down the women and the labor pain is a sort of penalisation. In fact if you read the Quran, pregnancy and child birth have uplifted the women. If you read Surah Nisa, Ch. 4, Verse No. 1, it says, Respect the womb that bore you Its mentioned in Surah Luqman, Ch. 31, Verse No. 14, it says, We have enjoined on the human being to be gracious to the parents, in travail upon travail did their amaze bore them and in socio-economic classs duo was their weaning. A similar thing is mentioned in Surah Ahqaf, Ch. 46, Verse No. 5, it again repeats, which says, We have enjoined on the human beings to be openhearted to his parents. To be kind to the parents in pain did their mother bore them, and in pain did she give them birth Pregnancy in the Quran has uplifted the women not degraded her. Just because pregnancy has uplifted the women in Islam will you call such rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated? Criteria in the Sight of God to try on Male and Female The only criteria for judgment in the plenty of Allah is Taqwa God consciousness or righteousness It is mentioned in Surah Hujurat, Ch. 49, Verse No. 3 O humankind, We have created you from a single pair of male and female and have divided you into nations and tribes, so that you shall recognize each other not that you despise each other and the around honored in the sight of God, is the one who is the near righteous. Sex, color, caste, wealth has got no criteria in Islam The only criteria in the sight of God is righteousness neither is sex the criteria for God to reward or to punish a person. If you read Surah Imran Ch. 3 Verse No. 195 it says I will never suffer the loss of any of you, be it male or female, you are companions unto each other.Equal Moral Duties for work force and Women I had started my talk by quoting a verse from the Quran from Surah Al Ahzab, Ch. 33, Verse No. 35, which says, For Muslim men and Muslim women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast and deny themselves, for men and women who defense their chastity, for men and women who engage much in Gods praise, God has prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward.This verse indicates that the spiritual duties, the lesson duties, for the men and women in Islam are the same Both have to believe, both have to pray, both have to fast, both have to give in charity, etc, etc. save the women has been given certain concession in Islam. If she is undergoing her menstrual period or pregnancy, she does not have to fast She can withstand those fasts later on, when she is more healthy. During the menstrual period and during the postnatal period, she learns not pray likewise she has been given the concession, and neither does she have to compensate it later on.Just because the moral duties of the men and women are equal in Islam will you call such rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated? B. Economical Rights to the Women Islam ga ve economical rights to the women 1,300 years originally the West. An adult Muslim woman can own, she can modify or disown any of her property without consulting any one, ir wishive whether she is conjoin or she is single. In 1870, it was the first time in England, that the West recognize the rights of the wed woman, where she was allowed to own or dispose any of her property without consultation.I do agree that the women were given their economical rights 1300 years ago these are ancient rights but the question is ? Eare they modernizing or outdated Enbsp Women on Job A women in Islam, if she wishes to work she can work There is no text in the Quran or the authentic Hadith which prevents or makes it overtop for a woman to do any work, as long as it is not unlawful, as long as it is within the preview of the Moslem Shariah, as long as she maintains her Muslim dress code. except natural, she cannot take up jobs, which exhibit her beauty and body desire for example, mode ling and film acting, and such kind of jobs. some of the professions and jobs which are require for the woman are besides prohibited for the man, for example serving alcohol, functional in gambling dens, doing any unethical or dishonest business. All these jobs are prohibited for both men and women. A true Moslem society requires women to take up profession such as doctors. We do require female Gynecologists, we do require female nurses, we do require female teachers.But, a woman in Islam has got no monetary obligations The financial obligation is laid on the shoulders of the man in the family Therefore she need not work for her livelihood. But in genuine cases, where there are financial crisis in which both the ends do not meet, she has the option of working. Here too, no one can force her to work She works out of her own, absolute free will. Financial Security for Women A woman in Islam has been given more financial security, as compared to the man. As I told you earlier , the financial obligation is not put on her shoulder It is put on the shoulder of the man in the family.It is the duty of the arrest or the brother, before she is married and the duty of the husband or the son, after(prenominal) she is married to tone of voice after her lodging, boarding, clothing and financial aspects of her. Compulsory Marital Gift for a womanhood When she gets married, she is on the receiving end. She receives a gift she receives a dower or a marital gift, which is called as Meher? E And it is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Nisa, Ch. 4 Verse No. 4 which says, Give to the woman in dower, a marital gift? E For a spousal to solemnize in Islam, Meher? Eis compulsory.But unfortunately in our Muslim society here, we just keep a nominal Meher? Eto satisfy the Quran, say 151 Rupees, or some people give 786 Rupees and they spend lakhs and lakhs of Rupees on the reception, on the decoration, on the flowers, on the eat parties, on the dinner parties. In Islam, the re is no lower-limit, nor is there an hurrying limit for Meher? E- But when a person can spend lakhs of Rupees on the reception, surely the Meher ? Eshould be much more. There are various cultures which have crept into the Muslim societies, specially in the Indo-Pak area. They give a weakened sum of money of Meher?Eand they look the married woman to give a fridge, to give a T. V set, they expect the married woman to give an apartment, to give a car, etc. , and a large sum of circumstances, depending upon the status of the husband. If he is a graduate, they may expect 1 lakh If he is an engineer they may expect 3 lakhs If he is a doctor they may expect 5 lakhs. Demanding dowry from the wife, directly or indirectly is prohibited in Islam. If the parents of the girl give the girl something out of their own free will, it is accepted But demanding or forcing directly or indirectly, it is prohibited in Islam.No Financial Liabilities If a Woman works, which she does not have to w hatever earning she gets, it is absolutely her property. She need not spend on the household if she lacks to spend it is her free will. Irrespective how inscrutable the wife is, it is the duty of the husband to give lodging, boarding, clothing and look after the financial aspects of the wife. In case of divorce or if a wife gets widowed, she is given financial support for the period of Iddah? E- and if she has children, she is also given child support. Right to InheritIslam gave the right to the women to inherit, centuries ago. If you read the Quran in several(prenominal) verses, in Surah Nisa, in Surah Baqarah and in Surah Maidah, it is mentioned that a woman, irrespective she is a wife or she is a mother, or a babe, or a missy, she has a right to inherit. And it has been fixed by God Almighty in the Quran. C. Social Rights of Women in Islam Broadly it can be categorized into four sub-headings. Social rights given to a miss, to a wife, to a mother and to a sister. Social Rig hts to a Daughter Islam prohibits, female infanticide.The killing of female children is forbidden in Islam. It is mentioned in Surah Taqveem, Ch. 81, Verse No. 8 and 9, when the female child is buried active agent and when she questions you, for what crime was she killed? E Not only female infanticide has been prohibited, all sorts of infanticides has been prohibited in Islam, whether it be a male child or a female child. It is mention in the Quran in Surah Anam Ch. 6, Verse No. 151 that, Kill not your children for fate of sustenance for it is God that will leave behind sustenance for you and for children?E A similar thing is mentioned in Surah Isra, Ch. 17 Verse No. 31 which says? EKill not your children for want of sustenance, for it is God that will provide sustenance to you and your children, for killing of children is a major sin? E In the pre-Islamic Arabia, whenever a female child was born mostly she was buried alive. Alhamdullillah, after the spread of Islam this evil pr actice has been discontinued. But unfortunately it still continues in India According to a BBC authorship, in the programe subsidization the title of which was Let Her Die?E there was a British reporter by the name of Emily Beckenen, who came all the way from Britain to India to give us the statistics of the female infanticide. In that programe, it gives the statistics, that every day more than 3,000 fetuses are being aborted on being identified that they are females. If you multiply this figure by the number of days, that is multiplied by 365, you get a figure of more than one million female fetuses are being aborted every year in our country. And there are big hoarding and posters in states like Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, which says spend 500 Rupees and save 5 lakh Rupees.What does it mean? That spend Rupees 500 on medical examination like Aminocententus or Ultra Sonography, and identify the gender of child. If it is a female you can abort it and youll save 5 lakh Rupees How? The couple of lakhs you spend on education her and the remaining lakhs of Rupees you spend on giving dowry to the man who will marry her (a custom in India). According to the report of the Government hospital of Tamil Nadu ? Eout of every 10 female children that are born, four are put to death?E- No wonder the female population in India is less than the male population. Female infanticide was continuing in India since centuries If you discerp the statistics of the 1901 census, for every grand males there were 972 females. According to the 1981 statistics and census, it tells you for every 1000 males you have 934 females. And the latest statistics of 1991 tells you that for every 1000 males you have 927 females. You can analyze that the female ratio is dropping every year And since science and medicine has advanced, it has helped in this evil practice.Just because Islam tells you that you should not kill any children whether it be male or female will you call these rights in I slam as modernizing or outdated? Quran not only prohibits female infanticide, it rebukes at the suasion of you rejoicing at the birth of a male child and acquiring saddened at the birth of a female child. In Islam, a little girl should be brought up correctly. In Islam, there should be no tenderness in upbringing of the daughter or the son. According to a Hadith, In the presence of the prophesier Muhammad, once a man kissed his son and fit(p) him on his lap but did not do the same to his daughter.The vaticinator immediately objected and said that you are unjust You should have even kissed your daughter and placed her on the other lap? E Social Rights to married woman All the previous civilizations, they have considered the women to be an instrument of the devil? E The Quran refers to the women as Mohsana? E that is a fortress against the devil? E And if a woman, whos good, marries a man, she prevents him from going on the wrong path. Theres a Hadith in which Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him) he said that, there is no monasticism in Islam? E. And again according to Sahih Bukhari, script No. 7, Ch. No. Hadith No 4 it says that the Prophet Muhammad ordained the childlike men, all those who have the means to marry, they should marry For it will help them to defy their gaze and guard their modesty. The Quran says that, We have put love into the hearts of the husband and wife? E If you read Surah Rum, Ch. 30, Verse No. 21 it says that, And amongst our signs We have created for you mates or companions, so that you may grizzle in them in tranquillity and we have put love and mercifulness between your hearts? E According to Surah Nisa, Ch. 4, Verse No. 21, marriage is considered as a strong agreement, a strong contract.According to Surah Nisa, Ch. 4, Verse No. 19, it says, You are prohibited to inherit women against their will? E- Means, to marry the licence of both the parties are required. It is compulsory that the man and women both should agree to m arry. No one not even the father can force their daughter to marry against her wishes. Theres a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Number 69, which says that a lady she was obligate by her father to marry against her wishes? E- And she went to the Prophet and the Prophet invalidated the marriage? E Another Hadith in Ibn-e-Humbal, Hadith No. 469, it says that a daughter was forced by her father to get married And when the daughter approached the Prophet, the Prophet said you can either continue, or if you wish you can invalidate the marriage. That means, the live with of both the male and the female is required. In Islam, a women is considered as a homemaker She is not considered as a housewife, because she is not married to the house. many an(prenominal) people use terminology, without understanding what it means ? EHousewife? Emeans you are the wife of the house? E So I believe, from now fore the sisters would prefer business themselves homemakers?E than house wive s? E if they are industrious more in the home. In Islam, a woman, she is not married to a master that she should be treated like a slave She is married to it is equal. And there is a Hadith which says in Ibn-Hambal Hadith No 736, 7396. It says that, the most perfect of the believers are those that are best in character and behavior, and those that are best to their family and their wives? E Islam gives equal rights to the man and woman. Quran clearly mentions that men and women, husband and wife have equal rights in all aspects, except leadership in the family.It is mentioned in the Quran in Surah Baqarah Ch. 2, Verse No. 228. It says that, ? E.. the women have been given rights similar against them (men) on equitable terms but the men have a degree higher? E Most of the Muslims have construe this verse, when it says a men have a degree higher? E- As I said we should analyze the Quran as a whole. And its mentioned in Surah Nisa, Ch. 4, Verse No. 34 which says, The men are the defenders and maintainers of the women, for God has given one of them more strength than the other and they give them their means?E community say the word Kawwam? E means, one degree higher in superiority? E- But actually the word Kawwam? Ecomes from the root word Ikamah? E Ikamah? Emeans for example when you give the Ikamah before prayers You stand up? E So Ikamah? Emeans to standup so the word Kawwam? Emeans one degree higher in responsibility, not one degree higher in superiority. Even if you read the explanation of Ibne-Kathir? E- He says that the word Kawwam? Emeans one degree higher in responsibility, not one degree higher in superiority.And this responsibility, should be carried out by mutual consent of both husband and wife. It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah, Ch. 2, Verse No. 187, which says, Which means? EYour wives are your garments, and you are their garments? E Whats the objective of garments It is used to conceal and to beautify. The husband and wife, should conceal each others faults, and they should beautify each other Its a relationship of hands and gloves. The Quran mentions that, even if you do not like your wife, you should treat her kindly? E It is mentioned in Surah Nisa, Ch. 4, Verse No. 19, that, ?E.. consort with them (your wives) in kindness, for if you hate them it may happen that you hate a thing wherein God has placed much good. Even if you dislike your wife you have to treat her kindly and with equity Just because the rights of a wife are equal to those of the husband in Islam, will you call such rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated? Social Rights to a go The only thing above respect to Mother, is the worship of God It is mentioned in Ch. 17, Verse No. 28-29, It says that? EGod has ordained for you, that you worship none but Him, and to be kind to your parents.And if any one or both of them reach old age do not say a word of contempt or repel them but address them with honour, and speak to them with kindness, and lower your wing of humility and pray to God My Lord devote them as they have cherished me in childhood? E Surah Nisa, Ch. No. 4, Verse No. 1 says, Respect the womb that bore you? E Surah Anam, Ch. 6, Verse No. 151, says that, You have to be kind to your parents? E Surah Luqman Ch. 31, Verse No. 14, says that, We have enjoined on the human beings to be kind to his parents. In travail upon travail, did their mother bore them and in years duette was their weaning?E A similar thing is repeated again in Surah Ahqaf, Ch. 46, Verse No. 15, that? EWe have enjoined on the human beings to be kind to his parents. In pain did their mother bore them and in pain did she give them birth? E Another Hadith cerebrate in Sahih Bukhari in Volume 8, Ch. No. 2 Hadith No. 2, as well as in Sahih-Muslim It says that a man asked the Prophet Muhammad? EWho requires the maximum love and respect and my companionship in this world? The Prophet replied ? Eyour mother? Ebr Who is succeeding(prenominal)? E ? Eyour mother? Enbsp Who is next E? Eyour mother? EnbspThe man asked for the fourth time, Who is next? Enbsp The Prophet replied your father? E So 75% of the love and respect goes to the mother and 25% of the love and respect goes to the father. Three fourth of the better part of the love and respect goes to the mother ? EOne fourth of the remaining part of the love and respect goes to the father. Social Rights to a Sister According to Surah Tawbah, Ch. 9, Verse No. 71, it says that, The men and the women they are friends of each other? E Prophet Muhammed (may peace be upon him) he said, The women are the Shakat? E-Shakat? Emeans sister?E D. fosterageal Rights to a Woman The first 5 verses which were revealed in the Quran were from Surah Alaq, or Surah Iqra, Verse No. 1 to 5 which says Read, recite or proclaim in the name of your Lord, Who has created the human beings from a congealed clot of blood (a sponge like substance). Read, your Lord is most bountiful. Who has taught the use of the pen. Who has taught the human beings that which he knew-not? E The first guidance given in the Quran to the humankind was not to pray, was not to fast, was not to give charity It was read Islam pays utmost splendour to education.Education is Compulsory in Islam According to Quran God will urge those of you who believe and those who are given knowledge to high degrees. (5811) And say, O my Lord increase me in knowledge. (20114) And whoever is is given knowledge is given indeed luxuriant wealth. (2269) According to a saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) It is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, to acquire knowledge (Al-Bayhaqi). Imagine, 1400 years ago, when the women were ill treated and were only used as property, Islam asked the women to be educated.Because Islam tells that every woman should be educated, willing you call such womens rights in Islam as modernizing or outdated? E. Legal Rights to a Woman According to the Islamic law, men and women are equal The Isl amic Law protects the life and property of a man and woman both. If a man murders a woman he too will receive the capital penalization of Kisaas? E According to the Islamic law of Kisaas? E men and women irrespective the wounding be of the eye, of the nose, of the ear, of the body both receive equal punishment.And if the guardian of the murderer, even it be a woman If she says, that forgive the murderer and she accepts Dia? E that is compensation her opinion cannot be rejected they have to accept it. And if theres difference of opinion between the relatives of the person whose murdered And some say that the murderer should be killed and some say that he should be forgiven and Dia? Enbsp should be accepted people should prevent the relatives from killing that murderer. And irrespective whether the witness or the opinion is given by a man or woman, it has same weight. According to Surah Maida, Ch. , Verse No. 30 It says? EAs to the freebooter, whether he be man or a woman, cut off his or her hand as a punishment for his crime, an example from God? E Means, if a person robs, irrespective whether he is a man or a woman his or her hands should be chopped The punishment is the same. According to Surah Nur, Ch. 24, Verse No. 2, it says If any commits fornication, be it a man or a woman, flog them with 100 stripes? E The punishment for fornication in Islam irrespective whether it is a man or a woman, it is the same Flogging with 100 stripes. The punishment for men and women, is the same in Islam.In Islam a woman is allowed to give witness Imagine, Islam gave right to a woman to be a witness, 14 centuries ago. Even now in as late as 1980, the Jewish Rabai, they were considering that whether the women should be given a right to act as a witness or not And Islam gave that right 1400 years ago. According to Surah Nur, Ch. 24, Verse No. 4, it is said If any of you put a charge against the chastity of a woman, produce 4 witnesses, and if they falter, flog the m with 80 stripes? E In Islam for a small crime, you require 2 witness for a big crime you require 4 witnesses.Accusing a woman falsely is a big crime in Islam, therefore you require 4 witnesses. Now a days you see in the modern society, you find men abusing women and calling them all sorts of name. They call them prostitutes etc, and nothing is done. In an Islamic state, if a man calls her a prostitute? Ein public or anywhere else, and if she takes that man to judicatory And if that man cannot produce 4 witnesses or even if he produces 4 witnesses and any one of them falter, all of them will receive 80 lashes each, and in future all their evidence will be rejected.Islam gives utmost importance to the chastity of the woman. When a lady marries, she normally adopts the name of her husband. In Islam she has the option of either keeping her husbands name, either adopting the name of the husband, or maintaining her world-class name. And maintaining the maiden name is recommended in Islam And we find in several Muslim societies that women, even after they get married they maintain their maiden name, because according to the Islamic law men and women are equal. Will you call such rights in Islam modernizing or outdated? F. Political Rights of a WomanAccording to Surah Tawba, Ch. 9, Verse No. 71, The men and the women they are friends (supporters) of each other? E Supporters not only Socially even Politically ? EPolitically, men and women should support each other. Women can even take part in law making. And according to the famous Hadith in which Hazrat Umar (may Allah be smiling with him), he was discussing with the Sahabas, and considering putting an upper limit on the Meher ? E since youth men were discouraged from getting married a lady from the second seat she objected and said When the Quran says in Surah Nisa Ch. , Verse No. 20 that? E you can even give a plenteousness of treasure, a heap of gold in Meher? E when Quran puts no limit on Meher? E who is Umar to put a limit (may Allah be pleased with him). And immediately Hazrat Umar (peace be upon him) said? EUmar is wrong and the lady is right? E Imagine, she was a frequent lady If it would have been a famous lady, the name of the lady would be mentioned in the Hadith. Since the Hadith does not mention the name of the lady, we can understand that the lady was a common lady. Means, even a common lady can object to the Khalifa?E the head of the state. And in good terms it would be called that ? Eshe is objecting to the breach of the constitution? E- because Quran is the constitution of the Muslims That means a woman can even take part in law making. Women have even taken part in the betrothal fields There is a full chapter in the Sahih Bukhari mentioning women in the affair field Women gave water they give first aid to the soldiers. Because the Quran says Man is the protector of the Woman? E Under normal circumstances, the women should not go to the troth field. It is t he duty of the man.Only when required, under necessity are women allowed and they should go to the passage of arms field if they want. Otherwise youll have the same position as you are having in the USA. Women in USA are Not Safe In USA women were allowed to join the battle since 1901 but they were not allowed to take active part They only played the part of a nurse. Later on after the Feminist Movement? Ehad started in 1973, the Feminist movement? Edemanded ? EWhy arent women allowed to take active part in the battle field E/font So the American government allowed women to take active part in the battle field.And according to a report of the Defense Department of America, which was released on the 23rd of April, 1993 it said that, ? E0 people were sexually assaulted in a convention, out of which 83 were women and 117 officers were charged with in disciplinary action? E Imagine in one convention only, 83 women sexually assaulted. What was the crime of those 117 officers? They ma de the women run and they snatched at their clothes. They made them display absolutely nude without even covering the genital parts. They were made to have sex in public. Is this what you call Womens rights? EIf you think that this is what is Womens right? E then you can keep your rights to yourselves. We do not want our sisters, our daughters our mothers to be sexually assaulted. And there was a uproar in the parliament and the President, Bill Clinton he himself had to apologize publicly and he said, incumbent action will be taken? E And you know when politicians say necessary action will be taken, what happens. So Islam allows women to take part in the battle field only when required. But there also they should maintain their Islamic dress and the Islamic ethics, and their modesty.USA Has One of the Highest grade of Rape United States of America is suppose to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of cosset in any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U. S. A alone. Later another report said that on an average nonchalant 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got bolder? Ein the following years. Islamic Law Lets Women suspire EasilyConsider a scenario where the Islamic law is employ in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any tacky or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic dress as mentioned in Quran. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease? If Islamic law is implemented in any part of the world, women will breathe easier. Conclusion Before I conclude, Id like to give an example.As I said in the beginning of my talk, Islam believes in equality between men and women Equality does not mean identicality. Suppose in a schoolroom 2 pupils, scholar A? Eand B? E during an examination both come out first Both secure 80% label 80 out of 100. When you analyze the question paper, the question paper has 10 different questions, each carrying 10 marks. In question 1 student A? Egot 9 out of 10, and student B? Egot 7 out of 10 So in question 1 student A? Ewas higher than student B? E In question 2, student A? Egot 7 out of 10 and student B? Egot 9 out of 10 Student B?Ewas higher than student A? Ein question number 2. In question 3 both of them got 8 out of 10, both were equal. So when we add up the marks of all the ten questions, both student A? Eand B? Egot 80 out of 100. So in short, student A? Eand student B? Eare over all equal. In some questions A? Eis higher than B? E in some questions B? Eis higher than A? E in others both are equal. In the same fashion, taking the example that since God has given man more stre ngth Suppose a thief enters the house will you tell, I believe in womens rights I believe in womens rights?E will you tell your mother, your sister and your daughter, to go and compact the thief E No, but natural youll fight him If required they may interfere Under normal circumstances since God has given you more physical strength, you have to go and tackle the thief. So here, in physical strength, man is one degree higher than the woman Let us take another example where it comes to respecting the parents The children are supposed to respect the mother 3 times more than the father (as mentioned earlier).Here the women have one degree higher than the men Over all both equal So Islam believes in equality, not identically custody and women are over all equal in Islam. This was in brief, the highlights, of the Womens Rights in Islam? E After this what the Muslim society did is different Many of the Muslim societies did not give the women their rights and they deviated away f rom the Quran and the Sunnah.The Western society is generally responsible for this because of the Western societies, many Muslim societies have become over protective, over precautions and have gone to one extreme and deviated away from the Quran and the Sunnah. On the other extreme, some of the Muslim societies turned to the Western culture, and followed their culture. I want to tell the Western society that if you analyze the womens rights in Islam according to the Quran and the Sunnah you will realize it is modernizing and not outdated.