Introduction to muslim

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Introduction to muslim

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Introduction

Islam is the religion of Muslims – Muslim males and Muslim females. It respects both their interests and rights. This paper is about the rights and position of a woman in Islam. It will return and recognize the thoughts of the author, Amina Wadud, taken from the chapter ‘Rights and Roles of Woman’ from her book ‘Qur’an and Woman’.

Discussion

Content

The chapter ‘Rights and Roles of Woman’ basically portrays the position of women in Islam from the author’s perspective which was in contrast to the views that are formed and accepted by most other people. Only for the purpose of illustrating this point, I’d like to give such an example from the chapter itself. For most people, a woman’s primary role is to give children. The author refutes this notion by saying that people take such Qur’anic verses in the wrong sense. She believes that it is mandatory for somebody to give children to keep the human race going. And because only women have this ability, it is of ‘prime’ importance that they do so. She further feels that this notion has no implications with regard to child-bearing being the only function of women (Wadud, A., 1999).

Main Thesis

Therefore, the author’s main thesis is with regard to demarcation of the roles of gender. She thinks that there is none. Her thesis is divided into two parts; firstly, men and women are not built superior to one another and secondly, there are not specific roles in Islam that should be the only ones to be performed by either men or women.

Wadud (1999) has given a significant number of arguments to prove this thesis throughout the chapter. She has looked at all aspects, be it routine like child care or unusual like divorce or inheritance. She has shown how verses related to such topics are written in the Qur’an, how they are perceived by Islamic scholars and other people, and finally, how she sees them and what they actually mean, according to her.

 For example, a verse in the Qur’an about God’s ‘preference’ has been misinterpreted by many, all across the Islamic world. Men take it to mean what they want it to mean; God prefers them over women (Wadud, 1999, p.72). However, she illustrates by showing similarities in context of key terms in the verse with that term used in other verses. She explains the true meaning of the word ‘preference’ itself, as held by Allah. She proves through mere common sense that the verse is not what it is taken to mean. This verse, 4:34 is controversial in its truest sense and just by clearing the meaning of certain key terms; she shows the potentially true meaning of it. Note that I use the word ‘potentially’ because no one person could ever be sure of the true meaning of the verse itself. Because of this, it becomes even more difficult to prove the thesis, which according to me she does so very smartly.

Support Evidence

   The kind of evidence that the author uses to support her thesis is the truest of all for her, the Holy Book: Qur’an. She uses verses from the Qur’an and explains portions of them one by one. She uses this Book in its contextual and chronological form. I feel that this is a wise way of supporting her thesis because she is using what she is ultimately trying to explain; the Qur’an. Apart from the Qur’an, she also uses support from other prominent scholars’ teachings. She also uses the contradictory explanations of other authors and teachers as an indirect proof of her thesis.

An example of this comes under the heading of Faddala or ‘Preference’. She gives the readers a sense of the true meaning of the term qawwamuna ‘ala by meanings given by Pickthall, Al-Zamakhshari, Maududi, and Azizah al-Hibri which all (except Hibri) take it to mean ‘in charge of’. (Wadud, A., 1999, p.71). She then sees the meaning by applying it to man and woman, wife and husband, and society at large. The point being here, that she hardly misses any aspect and school of thought.

Another example of an astonishing support of her thesis is when she explains how both parents are equally responsible for caring for the child. She gives examples of the verses from the Holy Qur’an and explains them beautifully. She makes women see the different options they have of bringing up their children. For instance, she shows that Islam gives enough liberty to women so that they don’t even suckle their own babies (Wadud, A., 1999, p.90).

The arguments of this author are consistent with many others who feel that Islam supports women as much as it supports men. However, it is different than another chapter I read, from the book ‘Women and Islam: An Historical and Theological Enquiry’ by the authors Mernissi, F. and Lakeland, M.J., (1991). The chapter supports the main idea of women being equally superior as men but the author writes in a different fashion. The chapter starts off with a question. A question of why the Holy Prophet was once quoted (in Sahih Bukhari) by his companion, Abu Bakra to have said that ‘Thos who entrust their affairs to a woman will never know prosperity’. The authors have faith that there must be a reason behind this. And throughout the chapter she tries to explore this reason. The authors do not contradict with Wadud (1999), but only supports her in a diversely interesting manner.

Limitations

The issue to consider throughout the chapter is whether if Islam actually holds the man more superior to the woman. This is a controversial topic, not only in the realm of Islam but throughout history, be it any religion or society. The author of this book does a remarkable job of draining out the meaning of the verses of the Qur’an to hold them suitable for women. My only concern is that, at the end of the day, she is only draining the meaning out. At some points, it seems as if she just wishes for the readers to believe that the Qur’an could never go against women. Then she ends her arguments by using sentences such as ‘this would only be a contradiction of the Qur’an itself and the practices of the Holy Prophet’ (Wadud, A., 1999, p.77).

For example, when she talks about the verse of the Qur’an that demonstrates how to solve issues between the married couple, she assumes a bit and finally uses the sentence mentioned above. The Qur’an orders men to first admonish women who disobey, then banish them to beds apart and finally scourge them. The Qur’an, undeniably, does say this in verse 4:34. But the author assumes that men will never have to give in to the third option if they followed the first two appropriately. There is a very high chance that this could be true. But then, there are several assumptions with regard to this also.

This according to me is the only limitation. It slightly puts off the reader because a bit is assumed. Apart from that, I think that the chapter supports the thesis effectively. There are a few things such as divorce and inheritance which are difficult to support because they explicitly allow more privileges for the men. However, the author’s rationale is the reason behind such verses; why such an order was given by Allah in the first place. She reasons with benefits for women of such orders. She makes the reader see the other side that is not considered by other scholars, the positive side.

Implications

This chapter has significant implications for not only Muslim women but for women across the world from all religions. The Qur’an claims to be a source of guidance for all mankind for eternity. It has been sent down to teach ‘humans’ a way of living for all times to come. Therefore, there are many implications of the Qur’an and hence, this chapter because it only supports the verses of the Qur’an.

It is not true that only Islamic women have faced cruelty at the hands of men. It is seen throughout history. Women were a subject of violence in Latin America. Black women were forced into working during post slavery US. The author’s arguments do show that women are not built superior. I am talking with reference to their primary function of bearing children. If they bear children, they do so because it saves the greatest creation of all time; humanity. To feel that they have not been made inherently inferior is a great deal for women. The author’s arguments definitely show this.

Other than this basic argument, the author talks about polygamy. The fact that men are allowed to marry more than one woman at the same time has raised many questions by Islamic women. Even in other societies, women who marry more than once are insulted verbally and physically. The author’s arguments show the conditions and the provisions these men have to follow to carry out a difficult task such as polygamy. This has implications for the men in the society. It helps them make decisions about such matters wisely because the author talks about emotional, economic, and social aspects of polygamy. For women, this argument is kind of a light that makes them see why women should not confine to polygamy anyway.

Child care is another area discussed by Wadud (1999) which has implications for the society. Many people have the tendency to believe that women must look after the children. The author shows that the Qur’an explicitly says that even basic nurturing of the child is an option for the parents. Therefore, her arguments show the options available to parents who work and has implications for such parents.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is of importance to note how the issue of male empowerment and female inferiority has been a concern for long and the author amazingly shows that this is not really the case. She shows women for what they really are. She shows the esteemed responsibilities they have and the functions they carry out. She tries to show how these functions are not the only ones they must carry out.  Potential diversity in roles is illustrated throughout the chapter. Examples are explained with reference to worst-case and best-case scenarios, social, economic and spiritual aspects.

It becomes easy to see why some of the things are as they are. Why men actually are responsible for providing for the family and women for providing a family, in the first place. The chapter has implications for not only Islamic women as it talks about life matters such as marriage and child care.

REFERENCES

1.      Wadud, A. (1999). Qur’an and Woman: Reading the Sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective. Oxford University Press.

2.      Mernissi, F. and Lakeland, M.J., (1991). Women and Islam: An Historical and Theological Enquiry. Basil Blackwell Ltd.

 

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