The history of human civilization bears evidence that woman was regarded at different stages of history as an embodiment of depravity, shame and sin. She had to undergo disgrace and deprivation. For this reason, the human custom of disposing off daughters by killing them had become common among many nations. The preference for sons was born out of belief in dynastic traditions.
Even today over 20 years after contemporary women’s movement in India and after several U.N conferences in which India has pledged its commitment to gender equality, and with rallies on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8 every year, and protest demonstrations by our women parliamentarians, the Women’s Reservation Bill has not seen the light of day. India’s national gender ratio of 2001 census is highly disturbing. It shows that the average ratio was as low as 933 females per 1000 males, with figures for females much lesser in some states.
A NEW SOCIAL ORDER
Islam means total subjugation of man to the will of Allah, the Creator, Law-Giver and Sustainer. Mr. Arjun Singh, Union Human Resource Development Minister is absolutely right when he says, “A Muslim cannot worship his or her parents, mother-land and even the Prophet, though they are held in high esteem.” (The Hindu, August 21, 2006)
Shariah, (the Divine Law) has, apart from other guidelines, given us some social laws also. These laws are meant to close all the ways leading to sexual anarchy. “Do not approach adultery, for it is foul and indecent.” (The Quran, 17:32). A few of such laws are summarised here.
Islam discards free intermingling of the sexes. A study commissioned by the National Commission for Women (NCW) in 1998 showed that physical harassment is happening across the board in educational institutions, factories, multinational companies and Government Offices. “The incidence of sexual harassment of women at work is amazingly widespread”, deplored Ms. Vibha Parthasarathi, the former chairperson of NCW. (The Hindu, February 20, 2000). Recently, Ms. Mary Ravindranath, Chairperson, A.P.State Women Commission stated that out of more than 3000 cases received by the Commission in the last one year, more than 25% were related to sexual harassment towards women at work places. (Deccan Chronicle, April 22, 2007).
Even at the places of worship, Islam asks for separation of the sexes. Cases of sexual abuse came to light whenever this segregation was not maintained. The Roman Catholic Church in California was to pay $100 million to the alleged victims of sexual abuse by clergy members, a US judge had announced.
Bishop Tod Brown made an apology at a press conference which was attended by some of the 87 victims.
(Deccan Chronicle, January 6, 2005). Recently, the Catholic Church in Dublin has paid out $10.6 million to settle claims of sexual abuse by priests, Irish press report said yesterday. (The Hindu, May 3, 2007).
During the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be with him) ladies used to offer Namaz in mosques, but separately. He addressed them after congregational prayers in Iddgah on Idd occasion, that too separately.
A male is not allowed to have privacy with a strange woman. The Prophet said, “From this day no man is allowed to call on a woman in the absence of her husband, unless he is accompanied by one or two other men” (Muslim). As such, the western custom of having boy friends or girl friends with or without pre or extra marital illicit relations is quite unthinkable and outlawed in Islamic society.
3) Islam also ordains the womenfolk to cover their beauty (purdah) and conceal their curves in public, to reduce the chances of mischief, a rationale which even the Marwadi and Rajput Hindu women in India adhere to. Purdah is a custom which is relaxed during urgency.
4) They should abstain from displaying their fineries and decorations outside a restricted circle, though they are allowed to take up arms in self-defense or can participate in war under extreme conditions.
More than 400 women’s organisations are busy submitting their proposals to give final shape to the Bill on Protection of Women against Sexual Harassment at Workplace, 2007. If the above social laws of Islam are adopted in the society, do we need any such Bill for protection of the fair sex?
Islamic social order regulates the sexual urge but never suppresses it, in order to prevent men and women from running wild and is definitely devoid of any gender bias. Contrary to this, celibacy and monasticism are other extremes, and are indeed the negation of a civilized and community life.
WOMEN’S ROLE IN PRESENT TIMES
Islam implements the nature’s division of labour. Bearing a child and shouldering the responsibility of rearing it, is a decisive factor which delimits the woman’s field of activity. She can develop her natural abilities within the social framework and may play her role effectively in the development of civilization.
1) Today the shrill sound of illiteracy reverberates in slum habitations. Muslim women can start Adult Education Centres there in order to raise literacy levels. They should counsel the ignorant women to shun superstitions and obscurantism and encourage Muslim girls to receive higher education.
Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee’s Report (November, 2006) on the social, economic and educational status of Indian Muslims, says that just 68% of Muslim girls go to school, compared to 72% of Dalit girls and 80% of girls from other groups. Graduates among the Muslims (both men and women) are 3.4% and less than 2% are post-graduates among Muslims who form 13.4% population in India. Our women in elite circles must know that the supremacy of the West is inherent in the level of education its citizens receive, but not in its ladies’ craze for beautification, with bare arms to the shoulders, semi-covered breasts and half naked immodest dress.
2) Muslim women should fight against all forms of injustice and discrimination against women. They should prevent forced marriages and fraudulent matrimonial alliances. They should open Assistance Cells to help women, victims of fraudulent marriages and women deserted by their NRI husbands or those who are facing divorce proceedings or undergoing ill-treatment in the hands of their in-laws. Bring cases of injustice to the notice of National / State Women’s Commissions to initiate legal action.
3) We have the Protection from Domestic Violence Act, to dispose the case within 60 days. Legal Aid Clinics (LAC) in city slums are opened by City Civil Courts to make legal services freely accessible to slum-dwellers at their doorstep. Besides there are Para Legal Volunteers (PLV) posted at the clinics to settle domestic quarrels. As such, their services can be obtained.
4) Even the role of illiterate women in creating social awareness cannot be ignored. Hats off to the joint efforts of the tribal women who launched an anti-arrack movement in Andhra Pradesh in the past and displayed exemplary courage to galvanise public support. As a result, the NTR government in Andhra Pradesh yielded to the movement and imposed Prohibition in the State
Do remember that gender bias is un-Islamic. Do not resort to foetcide and infanticide, as it has been declared by Allah to be a great sin.
Be it Sati, or the dowry deaths, or the sale of tribal girls in India, or the Honour Killings of women in Pakistan, or abortions and the legalised prostitution in the West; they are the shameful acts. The great Prophet of Islam elevated the status of woman by saying “Paradise lies under the feet of your mothers”. At another place he said, “A man to whom only daughters are born, and he brings them up properly, the same daughters will become a covering for him against Hell” (Muslim).
Ayesha, the Mother of the believers, was a scholar of her times. Our Sahabiyas (women Companions of the Prophet) took part in battles and were responsible for guarding the camp, cooking food for the soldiers and nursing the wounded and the sick. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a conglomerate of various Muslim organisations, intellectuals and legal experts, has women scholars as its members. So why should Muslim women lag in modern times? Why shouldn’t they play their rightful role destined by Allah and His Messenger as good mothers, devoted Muslimahs and responsible citizens?