WOMEN TREATMENT IN ISLAM

Women Treatment in Islam

Introduction

The role of women, their treatment and their status in Islam has been a subject of a lot of discussion and debate. There are contradictory point of views found among authors regarding women treatment in Islam and various other aspects surrounding it. Many believe and quote from the Koran verses that suggest cruelty against women while detailed comprehension of them and placing them within the context by others reveal that Islam itself is not an agent. Based on various readings the paper will argue what Koran really says about women rights and responsibilities and their treatment and what is actually understood and practiced.

Discussion

According to J.M. Roberts, women in Islam have an altogether different role in society from women in Jewry and Christianity and have enjoyed lesser freedom rights throughout history than women of these two religions. They are not allowed to attend prayers in Mosques and are told to pray at home. The most striking symbol is the veil that women wear in many Moslem lands and the way it is imposed by informal pressure sometimes. With regard to marriage and the role of women in this relationship and their status, the author asserts and quotes a verse that suggests that women need to be obedient to their husbands who has authority over woman since God has made him superior and so if a woman is disobedient, she can be beaten. Also, Roberts asserts in his book that men are allowed to have four wives according to the Islamic law, treating them all equal, and giving them a dowry that remains with them but she can be divorced anytime by her husband at will, even if she has not asked for it.

The problems he has highlighted regarding the treatment of women in Islam and their rights can have many counter arguments and can be contrasted with those presented by other authors. The question that arises from the reading is to understand whether Islam in reality devalues and mistreats women when it has since its inception maintained the claim of universality and is regarded as a 'Religion of Peace' by many. It is here important to understand that Islam itself is not an agent and it neither devalues nor mistreats women. If women are mistreated, it is because Moslem men mistreat them by not truly understanding the essence of the scripture, texts and reliable ...