Educational and Economic Rights of Muslim Women



ABSTRACT

In the western society today there is a stereotypical belief that Islamic women are treated unequally and cruelly. The object of this report is to challenge this stereotype and the argument of gender equality within the Islamic Religion/Muslim society.

Educational and Economic Rights of Muslim Women

Muslim women in most contemporary Muslim societies face many challenges and dilemmas especially with the rise of Islamic conservatism or extremism globally. The use of Islamas a political ideology and the use of Islam as a source of law and public policy within the context of these societies have had a particularly discriminatory and oppressive impact on women. Given the importance of shari'ah, not just as a systemof law but also as part of Muslim culture, the power and influence it has over a Muslim society cannot be underestimated. However, the only interpretation that dominates society is still a traditionalist (non-historicised) interpretation that often discriminates against women.

Muslim women cannot reject shari'ah as it would be seen as rejecting their heritage, their identity, and often, when they question some aspects or dimensions of shari'ah, they will be accused of rejecting their religion. Adopting feminism, meanwhile, is regarded as betraying their religious, political and nationalist identities. Many Muslim women regard this as a false dichotomy and think that there are other choices that Muslim women can make (Hariri 1987, pp51).

It must be noted that religious extremism is not confined to Islamalone, but what is unique to Islamis that codified Islamic law or shari'ah prevails in almost all contemporary Muslim societies and in recent times there have been greater demands for more Muslim laws to be implemented in all areas of life. Unfortunately, the codified Islamic laws in many of these countries are also problematic, being frequently contradictory to contemporary notions of rights and equal legal status of men and women. With global Islamic resurgence since the 1970s and 1980s throughout the Muslim world, most governments in most Muslim countries - whether modern or secular-oriented - all have to respond to these demands of their Muslim constituencies. The compromise made by these governments have allowed for more and more Muslim laws that are retrogressive for women to be adopted and implemented as shari'ah laws.

The Qur'an provides clear-cut evidence that woman is completely equated with man in the sight of God in terms of her rights and responsibilities. The Qur'an states: "Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds" (Qur'an 74:38). It also states: ...So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether male or female. You proceed one from another ...(Qur'an 3: 195).

Woman according to the Qur'an is not blamed for Adam's first mistake. Both were jointly wrong in their disobedience to God, both repented, and both were forgiven. (Qur'an 2:36, 7:20 - 24). In one verse in fact (20:121), Adam specifically, was blamed. In terms of religious obligations, such as the Daily Prayers, Fasting, Poor-due, ...