Muslim Women – Individualism and Stereotypes

Contrary to the Western belief that Muslim women are submissive and oppressed, a survey released by the Gallup* organization in 2005 reveals that when questioned on what bothered Muslim women the most —nothing about the hijab, or head scarf was mentioned in any of the survey’s open-ended responses. Their greatest concern was not the veil or the control of patriarchal societies, but rather, the “lack of unity among Muslim nations, violent extremism, and political and economic corruption.” They were more alarmed about significant issues that might leave a negative impact on their lives and the lives of their children. To them, the “hijab” is perceived as a sign of modesty, not submissiveness. Survey results revealed that the majority of Muslim women would not allow themselves to be relegated to the background because of the “hijab.” They believed that Islam gave them many privileges and among them, the right to pursue political status, individual freedom, and education.

It is Western ideas, not those of Islam, that have triggered uproar around female oppression and Muslim women’s submissiveness to the dominant male figures in their lives. To prove this point, thousands of Muslim women showed that they were no different than men when they actively participated in the revolutions ranging from the Arab Spring to the pandemic of violence that took place from Libya to the Philippines. Most Muslim women are confident and leave very little room for the men in their lives to stop them from exercising their rights. Yes, on a smaller and culturally biased scale, the Taliban has made its mission to execute non-compliant Muslim women such as their attempt to execute Malala Yousufzai who fortunately survived the attack and is currently an educational activist. However, the January 20, 2016 deadly attack on 150 Pakistani college students and teachers–male and female– proves that women alone were not the target. Such horrific attacks have made it clear that terrorist groups who claim to be Muslim are merely power machines fueled with hatred, resentment, and prejudice. They commit crime and terrorist acts for reasons that are certainly non-Islamic. They are against education and democratic societies or countries that promote equality between the sexes. Their actions and the actions of the majority of Muslim states that operate under culturally biased theocracies are practicing a tradition, not a religion and certainly not Islam. Islam is a religion of peace that calls for female liberation, education, protection, and respect. God promotes education for both men and women. “…Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endued with understanding that receive admonition.” (Quran, 39:9). There is no distinction in this verse between men and women. The Quran provides women with their birth and equal status rights.

Indeed, Islam delivers women from being treated as second-class citizens. It offers them respectable status and standing in today’s society. Prior to Islam, female infants were buried alive “When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned – For what crime she was killed;” (Quran, 81.8-9) mainly because they were not boys. The Quran forbids such practice. Islam also advises against divorce unless it is absolutely necessary “…Dwell with your wives in kindness for even if you hate them, you might hate someone in whom God has placed so much good” (Quran, 4:19). According to the Quran, women have the right to receive and to retain personal property that they may have inherited or earned prior to marriage. “From what is left by parents and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large,-a determinate share” (Quran, 4:7). In the subject of marriage, women were given many rights. Preceding Islam, women were bought and sold like cattle. They were even murdered if their master found it in his fancy to do so. Yes, the Quran states that Muslim men are allowed to marry up to four women, “If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to prevent you from doing injustice” (Quran, 4:3), but interestingly, in a subsequent verse, God reveals that it is impossible to do perfect justice among them. “You will never be able to do perfect justice between wives even if it is your ardent desire” (Quran, 4:129), thus, clarifying that if a man chooses to favor one wife over the other, he can never be fair no matter how hard he tries. Multiple wives might have been encouraged at the onset of Islam to invite converts to the religion since prior to Islam, there were no limits on how many women a man could marry. “Muslims regard this Qur’anic command as strengthening the status of women and the family for it sought to ensure the welfare of single women and widows in a society whose male population was diminished by warfare, and to curb unrestricted polygamy” (Esposito, 97). Subsequently, Islam raised the status of women and gave them more rights than the West would like to believe.

Muslim women have been known historically as heads of state and successful entrepreneurs. Two highly honorable women were Khadija B. Khuwaylid 620 C.E., and Zaynab b. ‘Alī (d. 681). Khadija was the first wife of Prophet Mohammed and the first woman to convert to Islam, was considered one of the most prominent business women in Mecca. Then, Zaynab, the grand-daughter of Prophet Muhammad was among the most illustrious and admirable figures of the Ahl al-Bayt (immediate family members of the Prophet). She played a central role both during and after the Massacre at Karbala (d. 680), where her brother al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Alī, and 72 of her nephews and other brothers were killed by the Umayyads. She gave such an emotional and powerful speech in the royal court that resulted in the release of prisoners taken at Karbala. There is also Al-Malika al-Ḥurra Arwa al-Sulayhi (d. 1138) who ruled as the queen of Yemen in her own right. She was well-versed in various religious sciences, Quran as well as poetry and history. A fairly effective ruler was Razia Sultan (d. 1240).She ruled the Sultanate of Delhi between d. 1236 and d. 1240. She was a major patron of learning, establishing schools and libraries across northern India. The notion that the aforementioned figures were women had no bearing on societal rankings in the Muslim world at that time. A female leader was considered an honor, not a disgrace. It is only centuries later that Islamic law was replaced with chauvinistic principles and misogynistic traditions. Accurate interpretations of “sharia” or Quranic law do not order women to be retired or secluded from society, but rather, they grant them freedom and equal status with their male counterparts.

Muslim women will continue to recover what Islamic law had awarded them to begin with and will work toward achieving and maintaining equal status with men, not only in the Muslim world, but in the West as well. It is true they face daily survival struggles, but it is not the veil or the “burka” (long loose robe covering the body from head to toe) that lie at the foundation of those struggles. They battle with the political and economic unrest in their countries and elsewhere. Many of those who wear the head cover experience rampant discrimination and constant surveillance in the United States and in other westernized countries as opposed to those who have adopted western culture, dress code, and values. Either way, to them Islam will remain at the core of their piety and discriminatory comments or even murder as in the February 10, 2015 case of the three Muslim students who were attending the university of North Carolina, will not stop them from practicing their religion. Such acts or so-called “hate crimes,” can only make Muslim women stronger in the face of Islamophobia. Islam does not have a democratic or a republican face – it plays no role in judging people for their beliefs, specifically, believers in monotheistic religions. “Those who believe (in the Quran), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve” (Quran, 2:62).

We must learn to refrain from judging others based on their religion or physical appearances. People do not deserve to be judged for dressing modestly or for wearing a Quran, a cross, or the Star of David around their necks. Who are we to judge? We are only human and it is only God who remains the final judge. “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things) (Quran, 49:13).

 

*Gallup: Gallup, Inc., is an American research-based, global performance-management consulting company. Founded by George Gallup in 1935, the company became nationally known for its public opinion polls conducted in several countries.