Women Rights in a Muslim Country

Table of Contents

Thesis Statement3

I. The beginning3

A. History of Islam3

B. Islam in History5

The Eighth Century5

Tenth to Thirteenth Centuries6

C. Women in Quran- Eve Mary6

II. The Role of Women Through History7

A. Women of the Prophet Mohammad7

The Wives of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a real gift to Muslim women who are devoid of good role models today; who better to emulate in their actions than the women chosen by Allah to be the life companions of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), the best of all creations.7

B. Ummayad Dynasty9

III. Women's rights and choices11

A. Islamic Role11

B. Sexual Equality, divorce individual dignity12

The Economic Aspect of Women in Islam14

C. Feminist Movement in Islam15

D. Equality in Marriage16

E. Interview with person from Middle East17

IV.-Women in democratic and non-democratic countries17

A. Turkey17

B. Saudi Arabia20

C. Israel22

D. Morocco23

V.-The west understanding of the Muslim Women, especially The United States view24

A. Myth24

Islam Degrades Women25

B. Voice28

Work Cited33

Thesis Statement

The main purpose of this thesis is to understand the role of women in Islam and Islamic countries. This paper focuse on the issue that how the women through out the Islamic history are being treated. This paper shows the role of Eve, Marium, wives of Prophet Muhammed(P.B.U.H) and the women of recent era. This thesis shows that islam has given every right to women. Women of islam has the right to live their life of their own choice. They have the right to study, to adopt a career, to marry the person of their own choice etc.

I. The beginning

A. History of Islam

The world Islam means "submission to God". The Holy Quran describes Islam as an Arabic word Deen (way of life). The followers of Islam are called Muslims. The literal meaning of Muslim is "one who surrenders" or "submits" to the will of God. In order to understand Islam, the basic portrayal of belief in Quran must be considered(Abu-Shaqua, 45). Before the birth of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be upon Him), the Arab society was sunk into darkness. Although the Arabs believed in the unity of God, but they also claimed that God has entrusted His duties to various gods, goddesses and idols. For this purpose, they had more than 360 idols. They considered angels as the daughters of God. They were ignorant of social values(Ahmed, 100). They were nomadic people who were dependent on cattle for their living. There was no government or law. All power existed with the rich. The society was full of barbarity and brutality. Tribes fought with each other over trivial matters for centuries. A slight argument over horses or water could lead to the slaughtering of thousands of innocent people (Mernissi, 265).

It was the birth of Prophet Mohammad in 570 A.D in the city of Makkah which brought a revolution to the entire fate of the nomadic Arabs. He became famous among the people of Makkah at a very early age because of his allegiance and reliability(Al-Faruqi, 67). He was widely known as Al-Ameen (honest, trustworthy.)

At the age of 40, when Mohammad ...