Between ideals and reality: violence against women and the real image of women in Islam
It is often perceived that Islam is biased against women. Such percep- tion, however, is not ill conceived. This is because the patriarchal conjugal relationships practiced in countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia show the subservient roles women play in relation to their husband...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Institute of Oriental Philosophy
2013
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| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/36789/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/36789/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/36789/1/Zaleha_Kamaruddin_and_Umar_A._Oseni.pdf |
| Summary: | It is often perceived that Islam is biased against women. Such percep- tion, however, is not ill conceived. This is because the patriarchal conjugal relationships practiced in countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia show the subservient roles women play in relation to their husbands. This perception is further aggravated when honour killing is still being practiced in the name of Islam. Adding salt to the wound, exploitations of abusive husbands, unfair treatments with regard to women’s legal, marital and financial rights by the shariah courts in many parts of the Muslim world are also rampant. These practices given as examples above are actually against the principles and the spirit of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w). For example surah al-Baqarah verse 228 and the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) state the rights and responsibilities of both men and women where both are to honour and protect one another. This discussion will therefore look into how Islam treats women, and the most accurate treatment of men over the women will be seen through the history of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). The biography of the Prophet is taken to be the main reference in this discussion because it is through his biography that Islam was practiced and exemplified. It is hoped that after the actual practice is explained, the ill conceived perception that Islam is bias against women is dispelled and the real image of Islam and women will be appreciated. |
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