Today people think that women are liberated in theWest 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 her rights and duties.
I. HUMAN RIGHTS
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God
in glorifying and worshippingHim - setting no limits on her moral
progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity
with men. In the Qur'an, in the first verse of the chapter
entitled"Women," God says, "O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your
Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it its mate and from
them both have 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 towards the wombs (that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a
Watcher over you." (4:1) Since men and women both came from the same
essence, they are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by nature
evil (as some religious believe) or then men would be evil also.
Similarly, neither gender can be superior because it would be a
contradiction ofequality.
II. 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." (2:256) Women are
encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. There are
many traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) 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 validin legal disputes. In fact, in areas in which women are more
familiar, their evidence is conclusive.
III. SOCIAL RIGHTS
The Prophet (pbuh) said:"Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every
Muslim (male and female)." This includes knowledge of the Qur'an and
the Hadith as well as other knowledge. Men and women both havethe
capacity for learning and understanding. Since itis also their
obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad behaviorin all
spheres of life, Muslimwomen 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, raising and teaching of children are among the
first and very highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the
skillsto work outside the home for the good of the community, she may
do so as long as her family obligations are met. Islam recognizes and
fosters the natural differences between men and women despite their
equality. Some types of work are more suitable for men and 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,
thoughit may not necessarily be the same activity. Concerning
motherhood, the Prophet (pbuh) said:"Heaven lies under the feetof
mothers." This implies that the success of a society can be traced to
themothers 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 havingchildren must be
educated and conscientious in order to be a skillful parent.
IV. 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)
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'' Our Lord ! grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire '' [Ameen]
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{in Arab} :->
Rabbanaa aatinaa fid-dunyaa hasanatan wafil aakhirati hasanatan waqinaa 'athaaban-naar/-
(Surah Al-Baqarah ,verse 201)
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