On March 8 last, for the fourth consecutive year, thousands of women across Pakistan attended the Aurat March (Women’s March) events held in towns and cities to mark International Women’s Day. They are facing violence and threats for “vulgarity” and “obscenity” in demanding equal rights, in particular making the most bizarre claim, “my body, my choice” (mera jism, meri marzi). But the violence and threats have emboldened them so much so that they have made headlines like “Pakistan’s feminists say will persevere amid increased threats” (March 22).
First thing first: Violence and threat is no solution to any issue. The fact is that these women are ignorant; they do not know the truth. They believe they are the sole owners of their bodies and they can make any choice they like about their bodies. The question is: who will decide whether or not we are owners of our bodies, or for that matter whatever we have like intellect, knowledge, power of reasoning, health and wealth? Let’s do not give the right to this decision to any human being; for he or she, like us, may make an erroneous judgement. Let’s give it to the Lord, Creator and Master. Why? ’Cause we have not born on our own. It is God Who has created us. It is He Who has bless us with body to carry our existence; and given us knowledge and wisdom to differentiate between right and wrong, true and false. It is He Who has bestowed upon us everything we need to live, right from mother’s lap to the grave. Therefore, it is He Who can make the best decision about our life, and it is under His Guidance that we can solve our problems amicably.
In the Qur’ān (4:105) God says: “Surely We have revealed the Book to you with the truth that you may judge between people by means of that which Allah has taught you; and be not an advocate on behalf of the treacherous.”
And in 2:213, He says: “(All) people were a single nation; then Allah sent prophets as bearers of good news and as warners, and He revealed with them the Book with truth, that it might judge between people in that in which they differed.”
Therefore, our sisters and daughters can make a choice and assert their right to education, right to inheritance, right to healthcare and right to own properties, etc. but their choice ought to be subject to Divine Teachings. And those who are causing harm to them, inflicting violence upon them and threatening them must not be reactionary. They should be cool and calm and well-reasoned before dealing with the issues of women. They should present to these agitating women the Divine Guidance, which has solution to every problem.