...Women in the Quran and the Sunnah Prof. 'Abdur Rahman I. Doi In Islam there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to Allah is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good conduct and the same punishment for evil conduct. The Quran says: "And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women." [Noble Quran 2:228] The Quran, in addressing the believers, often uses the expression, 'believing men and women' to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their respective duties, rights, virtues and merits. It says: "For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward." [Noble Quran 33:35] This clearly contradicts the assertion of the Christian Fathers that women do not possess souls and that they will exist as sexless beings in the next life. The Quran says that women have souls in exactly the same way as men and will enter Paradise if they do good: "Enter into Paradise, you and your wives, with delight." [Noble Quran 43:70] "Who so does that which is right, and believes, whether male or female, him or her will We quicken to happy life." [Noble...
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...admiration is equal to respect. If one can step out of this society/circle in which he/she lives one may be able to see the reality, which, being part of the society/circle, one cannot see. One cannot analyse that the highest paid woman are those who expose themselves to the public display, like actresses, models and even strip-tease dancers. If some how it becomes possible to detach oneself from the society/circle for some time, one will be able to see that the relationship between men and women is unfairly stacked in the men’s direction. A woman dresses to attract man and lives in a false state of living according to her own wishes, or living the way she feels like. It is a painful reality, even if one does not believe in it, that the woman feels pleased when she is admired by a man, and a man admires a woman who exposes herself to him, in keeping with his impious needs. It is not liberty, it can, however, be termed as exploitation of women by men, the exploitation taken by women as approbation. There is no way for a person to know that he is dirty if he has never been clean, similarly the oppressed person will never know about oppression till he/ she comes out of the darkness of that oppression. It is not oppression to protect yourself and...
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...from sunrise till sunset unless medically unable or traveling soldiers engaged in war are also exempt. (5) Pilgrimage; any Muslim who is physically and financially is obligated to make the pilgrimage or Hajj to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. (A Brief Guide to Understanding Islam website, n.d., Chapter 3) The biggest belief of the Muslim religion is that there is only one God, this is the one major point of contention that it has with Christianity. Muslims acknowledge Jesus as being a great profit and even acknowledge his birth to the Virgin Mary but deny that he is the son of God because if this were true then a major premise of the religion would be incorrect that Allah is the only god with no children. The Muslim holy book the Quran or Koran (either spelling is used) acknowledges the other religions of Christianity and Judaism and refers to them as people of the book and the religion even recognizes the Jewish Torah and the Bible as revelations from God but both books are considered flawed as...
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...attention to women of this time and the roles they played. Abbott discusses early Umayyad Caliph's and their wives, giving awareness to Uthman and Na'ilah as well as Mu'awiyah and Maisun bint Bahdal. Each of these matches is portrayed by Abbott as somewhat equal or at least a mutual respect between the couples. But as time wore on slowly the ideal Arab wife was being infringed upon by the harems that the elite Umayyads were setting up. Filling their halls with slave women from far off lands, such as Persia. An example of the impact that these women had on the Caliph can be seen during Walid I reign, where although he had eight different free Arab wives only one borne him any children, the rest of his off spring came from his servant girls. This shows that Walid I preferred these foreign women to those of his own Arab decent. Abbott states that with the rise of the Umayyad Empire came a change in the political status of Arab women. Pride and race and other virtues were gradually receding into the background. With the accession of Yazid III dealt the royal Arab women a hard blow since the sons of the harem wives stood up to become the next heir. With this the Arab Islamic women officially became a prisoner with in the political society. In the conclusion of this chapter Abbott blames Arab women as the case for the decline in the status of Muslim women, saying if such wives as Umm al-Hajjaj (Yazid II) had not catered to the harems of their husbands than perhaps the women would have...
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...Do Muslim women get all the fundamental rights as mentioned in Islam and prophet’s last sermon which is said to be the code of conduct? God has created men and women equal. They are equal in status and no gender is superior to one another. Allah addresses in Quran as ‘o mankind’ which shows that men and women are equal. Islam does not discriminate any gender. As it is mentioned in the verses of holy Quran; “O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women” (An-Nisaa 1). The above verses of Quran also states that Allah created men and women to support each other as they are the reason of survival of human race. Therefore man...
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...history shows this wasn't always true and shockingly even now it's an issue. Women since the past have never been treated as equal to men due to different reasons. Moreover, for some women it's worse than just not receiving the same pay as a male coworker. I personally can relate to it, I used to live in Saudi Arabia until I was ten. I have lived through the oppression every day for ten years. Growing up there was a lot more different than it is in America, I wasn't allowed to go outside alone, I wasn't part of any extracurricular activities because none were offered. I couldn't go out in my neighborhood...
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...the belief that women should have the same opportunities as men; it is based on a desire to promote equal opportunity between male and female. Liberal feminism produces arguments that women are just as rational as men and therefore should have equal opportunity to make their own choices. Liberal feminism seeks to erase gender-biased distinctions in law. Manal al-Sharif was a Saudi-Arabian woman, in which country women are not allowed to drive; this is not law, but more of a taboo. Manal al-Sharif decided to challenge this and it resulted in her being imprisoned for daring to break the taboo and be seen behind the wheel, as well as her brother being detained for handing over his car keys. This was followed by a huge media outrage and women took to the streets to drive (none of whom were arrested). Manal al-Sharif was released after nine days, and the talk she gives is describing the events, and the reasoning behind this, and the effects and consequences which her actions have had in Saudi Arabia. In her talk, Manal al-Sharif states that she believes “a society will not be free if women of that society are not free”. This demonstrates the argument often proposed by liberal feminists, that women should have the same rights as men. In effect, she is saying that women should be free; that they should not be oppressed by men, that they are equally important in societies, which is a very liberal feminist point of view. The Quran teaches that “men are in charge of women” ; this is the...
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...of the legal code in many Muslim countries. What is Sharia Law? Sharia law, also known, as Islamic law is a movement derived from the Holy Quran that allows such countries as Iran to govern personal status laws, regulations that pertain to divorce and marriage, inheritance and custody. In the Middle East, Sharia law contains major controversy when it comes to influence status law as well as criminal law. The Holy Quran and some of its interpretations are used to justify what Americans would describe as cruel and unusual punishments like death by stoning and the unequal treatment of women in their dress, status, inheritance and independence (Johnson, 2010). The Iranian government follows and sets forth laws under Sharia and the ways of the Holy Quran and prophet Mohammed. Sharia developed in 632 CE after the death of the prophet Mohammad and passed down by scholars as the ways of “Allah”, the ways of the one and only God. People of the Muslim faith follow a school called the Ja’fari, which is most notable in Iran as Shia-dominant (Johnson, 2010). Elements Under Sharia Law: The primary element of Sharia is the Holy Quran. There are not other appeals that go against the Quran. The Sunna is the second element of Sharia. Sunna consists of saying and teachings from the prophet Mohammad that are not written or found in the Quran, but passed by stories called Hadith. The purpose of the Hadith is to illustrate concept. Ijma is the third concept of Sharia. Ulama’s are...
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...“Prisons: Egyptian Women Writers on Islam.” Religion & Literature, Vol. 20, N° 1, The Literature of Islam. (1988), pp. 139-153 The author focuses on the interpretation of many books from Islamic women and how they use literature to express their oppression. The article exposes two sides of the idea of the Quran; in one hand people say that it is misunderstanding of the Quran because the Holy book explains that men and women are complement and that’s why they have different duties but in the other hand people believe that the Quran dehumanize women. Cooke in her article conclude that “These writings give the oppressed female a voice to which the male oppressor must listen,” meaning that isn’t a misunderstanding of the Holy book...
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... and the exposure of the full face is not required. In Quran versus, Muhammad instructs women to completely cover themselves and men to avert their gaze in the name of modesty. These scholars argue that the hijab or a head covering is necessary, whereas the nigab is not a must. The Quran mentions a number of policies which governs how women should dress. Some of the most quoted versus include the ones that advocate wives, daughters, and believing women, ought to cast their outer garments over their persons, and that it is most convenient and they should be known and not molested. Other verses say to the believing men that they ought to lower their gaze and guard their modesty, a thing which will enhance their purity. Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. They also say that women should lower their gaze and guard their modesty by displaying their beauty and ornaments and others that appear ordinarily afterwards. Minority scholars assert that the full covering of the face and hands completely is a sign of extreme piety. Despite the different ways in which women choose to interpret the Quran, the hijab remains a religious obligation that calls upon women to adhere to it and be recognized as Muslims in the public. It is worth noting that the Quran also teaches that women can unveil themselves in front of their husbands, slaves, brothers, fathers, and other Muslim women. This paper will address the reasons why women wear burqa. Secondly, the paper will examine the reasons...
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..............................3 Slavery is Acceptable......................................................................................................................4 72 Virgins in Paradise for a Martyr.................................................................................................4 ISIS Members are Muslims..........................................................................................................4-5 Jesus is Unrelated to Islam.............................................................................................................5 Sharia Law is Cruel.......................................................................................................................5-6 Islam Oppresses Muslim Women...................................................................................................6 Islam Promotes Polygamy...........................................................................................................6-7 Hijab is a Form of Oppression.........................................................................................................7 All Muslims are Arabs.....................................................................................................................7 Islam Allows Forced Marriages.......................................................................................................7 Muslims Worship...
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...Comparison of Book of John versus Quran – Chapter 4, Al Nisa, Women The purpose of this paper is to provide my layman’s comparison of The Book of John from the Bible and Chapter 4, Al Nisa, Women of the Quran. My primary impression of the two books are that they are vastly different in how they read. The Book of John reads like a story, a narrative per say while Chapter 4 of the Quran reads much like a legal document or contract. The two books are very different and deliver very different messages to the reader. The Quran, Chapter 4 focus’ on women, it outlines their rights and their obligations. This chapter covers subjects such as a woman’s rights, how orphans are to be treated, inheritance, their obligations, modesty, behavior, tremendous and unparalleled sins, ethical issues, weapons, polygamy and men’s superiority over them. Female orphans can marry their guardian, if they wish. She is entitled to her fair dower. However, if she has poor relatives then they should be present at the time her inheritance is disbursed so that they may claim a share of it, that way they are not disappointed. If a woman is not an orphan and inherits from a family members death there is a very distinct division of property. Women (daughters) are entitled to a one-sixth share. A man (sons) would receive the equivalent of two sisters, or one-third. If an adult child dies and has no heirs then the parents inherit their property, one-third to the mother, two-thirds to the father. There are...
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...conist of rituals and obligations that must be carried out in some instances daily, others to be done at some point during a lifetime. These five pillars consist of Shahadah (Faith), Salah (prayer), Zakah (charity), sawm (Fasting) and Hajj (Pilgrimage). To understand such a religion and lifestyle, the acceptance of Allah as the one and only is greatly emphasized throughout Islam teachings and through devices such as the Fiqh and Quran. While many unknowingly assume that such a religion avoids the concepts of variations in lifestyles such as homosexuality, Islam actually teaches an understanding that these behaviours exist however In following the 5 pillars, acts such as homosexuality and adultery are temptations that must be resisted in living the life Allah wishes apon his followers. According to the prophet Mohammed a warning of “do not gaze at beadless youth, for they have eyes more temoting than the houris”[1]. Under general consensus within Islam, to be homosexual creates a perversion and deviation from the tasks of man and women as laid out by the quran. Not only due to the issues of contradictions in masculinity and power, emphasis can be found as frowning apon the acts of homosexual due to health reasons and their link with diseases. Yet whether the act is so harshly classified as non muslim is debatable amongst many scholars and interpretations vary from scholar to scholar throughout periods of time. The possibility of homosexual relationships are recognised with the fiqh...
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...Sociology 4/16/2013 Research Paper Islamic Women in Society “Common Perceptions of Muslim Women” Islam is one of the three most popular monotheistic religions in the world. It has both its positive and negative images in the media. Commonly, in society Islam is looked upon as an extreme and radical religion. This paper will take a close look into the reactions to the "Muslim Women" in both American and Muslim American societies in the U.S. Whether it’s the clothing, occupations, marriages, or inequality, the women in this religion seem to be under a magnify glass in society. Islam is the second largest religion and the world and is still increasing in number. Statistics show that estimates of the total number of Muslims range from 0.7 to 1.8 billion worldwide and 1.1 to 7 million in the U.S alone (B.A Robinson). These numbers show that not only is Islam present is everyday society but it is here to stay. The history of Islam started way before America, in the Arabian Peninsula. Before Islam, or Al-Jahiliyah the people of the Arabian plate lived in tribes and the customs were much different to those in present day. Some of the customs that were present before Islam was arranged marriages, the killing of infant girls, and very few rights for women and slaves. All of these pre- Islamic customs were abolished when Islam was brought forth to the people of Arabia. Islam is a religion that not only respects its women but in fact cherishes their very existence...
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...Zishan Mahbub Instructor: Cami Nelson Writing 2010 29 October 2013 What Are They Talking About? “I want to meet the President and tell him, my name is Khan… and I’m not a terrorist”; that was Rizwan Khan pleading to the officer of Dept. of Homeland Security, after he was detained by authorities at Los Angeles Airport who mistake his disability for suspicious behavior as he was reciting prayers in Arabic in his own way. Rizwan, A Muslim who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism that complicates socialization, embarked on an extraordinary journey to meet the US president to clear his and his son’s name, when his teenage son was killed in a racial violence after the 9-11 terrorist attack. It’s not a real life story; it’s the plot of the world-renowned movie “My Name is Khan”. Unfortunately real life tragedies of Arabic speaker in everyday life don’t always have happy endings like Rizwan’s, in that movie. After 9-11 Arabic speakers were blacklisted, shunned and suffered losses, and some were killed; In the catastrophic event of 9-11 along with the religion Islam, the language got agonized, anyone who speaks it, anyone who is directly or indirectly attached to it – Arabic, the most misunderstood, misjudged and unappreciated language of current Western world. The aim of this essay is to discuss the negative stereotypes of Arabic speakers portrayed in western society with examples given in relation to the role of the media and the effects of religious...
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