Women in Islam: Battered but Reclaiming their Status as Enshrined in Quran
By
Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam
13 June
2023
Women
in Islam: What the Quran & Sunnah Say
Author:
Abdur Raheem Kidwai
Publisher:
Kube Publishing Ltd, Leicestershire, U.K
Pages:
180, Price: NA
Year
of Publication: 2020
ISBN:
9781847741400
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The most misunderstood
aspect of Islam is the status it grants to women. Since, the time of revelation
of Quran, Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and followers of the new faith and
creed, i.e Muslims were subjected to numerous allegations. One of the strongest
allegations at that time, was that it granted women such a vast number of
rights that they had been rendered rebellious. The equality between men and
women, as espoused by Islam, was opposed too. The prevalent patriarchy and
misogyny was quite threatened by the gender justice advocated by Islam.
However, with time the gender just teachings of Islam, were overwhelmed by
patriarchy and misogyny, that seeped into the Muslim milieu and is manifested
through the patriarchal and misogynistic interpretation of Islam. It is quite
heartening to know that a number of Muslim scholars are questioning,
criticizing and rebutting this patriarchal interpretation of Islam, and
interpreting Islam according to its values of equality and justice between
genders. Among such serious scholars and academics is Prof. A.R Kidwai, as his
new book manifests his commitment towards gender justice. In the Preface of
this work, Prof Kidwai observes, “This work provides readers with an
opportunity to consider some of the references to women in authentic Islamic
sources in order to shape an informed view. Specifically, Women in Islam aims
to let readers appreciate the high status that women enjoy in Islam.”
In Islam
there is no superiority claimed or inferiority deserved on the basis of sex.
The real status of an individual is based on his/her piety and God
consciousness. The book is divided into different small chapters addressing and
referring to women, with explanation of Quranic verses and Prophetic sayings
(Hadith) forming the basis of such explanation. Women in Islam, have an
elevated status as mothers, as they help in nurturing and upbringing a new
generation of Muslims. Islam as every religion and ideology emphasizes on the
inculcation of good values among children, that will help them develop as moral
and productive citizens in future, while contributing to the progress of human
society and civilization. Women have this additional responsibility of
nurturing a productive, progressive and moral generation. It is for this very
reason that the rights of mother are three times that of father on children.
The role of
women is not just confined to motherhood only, as the feminist critique of
women’s agency wants us to believe. They criticize the fact, that besides
motherhood, cannot women be celebrated as individuals? Islam, certainly does
not demean womanhood, but celebrates women who are socially and economically
engaged. Women who give charity (P-19) are elevated in the eyes of God, thus
resolving the issue of women’s earning. Islam infact encourages the economic
independence of women. This aspect of Islam and women’s economic independence
has been least engaged by the patriarchal scholars.
Islam as
any other religion, debars sexual relations outside marriage. Sexual
misconduct, feticide and infanticide of girl children is abhorred, while those
who become sad at the birth of daughters are condemned too. Meanwhile sexual
relations between legally wedded couples and spouses is encouraged, celebrated
and described as an act of earning good deeds. An aspect of Islam, that
provides fuel to Islamophobia is the issue of polygamy and its permissibility
in Islam. However, the verses are misquoted to justify lust and portray Muslim
men as driven by demonic sexual lust. But, in reality and spirit, Islam believes
in monogamy, and wants Justice to prevail even in a polygamous marriage.
“Marriage in Islam is a contract between two consenting adults. For a variety
of reasons there is nonetheless a provision for polygamy. However, this
provision is inextricably linked with justice. The Quran pointedly asks men not
to be unjust to their wives, especially when they have more than one wife.
Going as far as discouraging them by pointing out that if justice cannot be
done then marry only one.” (P-38)
The real
discourse of Islam about women is rights based and for men it is duty based,
but for our own ease we have reversed the same.
So, men have to pay Mehr (dower money to the bride). Then the man is
supposed to provide for the wife and children. One of the worst acts although
allowed in the sight of God, is Divorce. If the spouses are not compatible with
each other, then they should separate amicably. The wrong forms of Divorce have
been condemned, so has the Triple Talaq been discouraged, although it has been
abused much by twisting the verses through juristic interpretation, that
prevailed over the authentic verses of Holy Quran. This is the atrocity that we
have committed against Quran. Islam also focuses on the plight of widows, and
orders Muslims to treat them well.
There are
various incidents documented in the book about how Muslim women fared in battle
field, their contribution as skilled craftswomen like carpenters, attending to
agricultural fields, homes, acting as protectors, slaying infidels and then as
Hadith narrators and scholars. This book presents a holistic picture of Muslim
women, how they should act, behave and what is expected from them. Numerous
books engaging with the subject of women in Islam, have already been written,
but this book has the distinction of presenting the status of women in Islam
with brevity.
However,
the book although written for a simple reader, who intends to be acquainted
with the position of women, in the light of Quran and Hadith, but a critical
interpretation of how patriarchy has snatched all these rights as enshrined in
the holy scriptures of Islam is missing from the analysis. There is now a
movement towards revisioning and reinterpreting the message of Islam in a
gender just manner, that Prof Kidwai too seems to follow as is depicted from
many pages of the book. We should all congratulate Prof Kidwai for this new and
unique book.
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M.H.A.
Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir
URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/women-islam-battered-status-enshrined-quran/d/129981
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