The Myth & The Reality
By Dr. Sherif Abdel Azeem
17. EPILOGUE
The one question all the non-Muslims, who had
read an earlier version of this study, had in common was: do Muslim women
in the Muslim world today receive this noble treatment described here? The
answer, unfortunately, is: No. Since this question is inevitable in any
discussion concerning the status of women in Islam, we have to elaborate
on the answer in order to provide the reader with the complete picture.
It has to be made clear first that the vast
differences among Muslim societies make most generalizations too simplistic.
There is a wide spectrum of attitudes towards women in the Muslim world today.
These attitudes differ from one society to another and within each individual
society. Nevertheless, certain general trends are discernible. Almost all
Muslim societies have, to one degree or another, deviated from the ideals
of Islam with respect to the status of women. These deviations have, for
the most part, been in one of two opposite directions. The first direction
is more conservative, restrictive, and traditions-oriented, while the second
is more liberal and Western-oriented.
The societies that have digressed in the first
direction treat women according to the customs and traditions inherited from
their forebears. These traditions usually deprive women of many rights granted
to them by Islam. Besides, women are treated according to standards far different
from those applied to men. This discrimination pervades the life of any female:
she is received with less joy at birth than a boy; she is less likely to
go to school; she might be deprived any share of her family's inheritance;
she is under continuous surveillance in order not to behave immodestly while
her brother's immodest acts are tolerated; she might even be killed for
committing what her male family members usually boast of doing; she has very
little say in family affairs or community interests; she might not have full
control over her property and her marriage gifts; and finally as a mother
she herself would prefer to produce boys so that she can attain a higher
status in her community.
On the other hand, there are Muslim societies
(or certain classes within some societies) that have been swept over by the
Western culture and way of life. These societies often imitate unthinkingly
whatever they receive from the West and usually end up adopting the worst
fruits of Western civilization. In these societies, a typical "modern" woman's
top priority in life is to enhance her physical beauty. Therefore, she is
often obsessed with her body's shape, size, and weight. She tends to care
more about her body than her mind and more about her charms than her intellect.
Her ability to charm, attract, and excite is more valued in the society than
her educational achievements, intellectual pursuits, and social work. One
is not expected to find a copy of the Quran in her purse since it is full
of cosmetics that accompany her wherever she goes. Her spirituality has no
room in a society preoccupied with her attractiveness. Therefore, she would
spend her life striving more to realize her femininity than to fulfil her
humanity.
Why did Muslim societies deviate from the ideals
of Islam? There is no easy answer. A penetrating explanation of the reasons
why Muslims have not adhered to the Quranic guidance with respect to women
would be beyond the scope of this study. It has to be made clear, however,
that Muslim societies have deviated from the Islamic precepts concerning
so many aspects of their lives for so long. There is a wide gap between what
Muslims are supposed to believe in and what they actually practice. This
gap is not a recent phenomenon. It has been there for centuries and has been
widening day after day. This ever widening gap has had disastrous consequences
on the Muslim world manifested in almost all aspects of life: political tyranny
and fragmentation, economic backwardness, social injustice, scientific
bankruptcy, intellectual stagnation, etc. The non-Islamic status of
women in the Muslim world today is merely a symptom of a deeper malady. Any
reform in the current status of Muslim women is not expected to be fruitful
if not accompanied with more comprehensive reforms of the Muslim societies'
whole way of life. The Muslim world is in need for a renaissance that will
bring it closer to the ideals of Islam and not further from them. To sum
up, the notion that the poor status of Muslim women today is because of Islam
is an utter misconception. The problems of Muslims in general are not due
to too much attachment to Islam, they are the culmination of a long and deep
detachment from it.
It has, also, to be re-emphasized that the purpose
behind this comparative study is not, by any means, to defame Judaism or
Christianity. The position of women in the Judaeo-Christian tradition might
seem frightening by our late twentieth century standards. Nevertheless, it
has to be viewed within the proper historical context. In other words, any
objective assessment of the position of women in the Judaeo-Christian tradition
has to take into account the historical circumstances in which this tradition
developed. There can be no doubt that the views of the Rabbis and the Church
Fathers regarding women were influenced by the prevalent attitudes towards
women in their societies. The Bible itself was written by different authors
at different times. These authors could not have been impervious to the values
and the way of life of the people around them. For example, the adultery
laws of the Old Testament are so biased against women that they defy rational
explanation by our mentality. However, if we consider the fact that the early
Jewish tribes were obsessed with their genetic homogeneity and extremely
eager to define themselves apart from the surrounding tribes and that only
sexual misconduct by the married females of the tribes could threaten these
cherished aspirations, we should then be able to understand, but not necessarily
sympathize with, the reasons for this bias. Also, the diatribes of the Church
Fathers against women should not be detached from the context of the misogynist
Greco-Roman culture in which they lived. It would be unfair to evaluate the
Judaeo-Christian legacy without giving any consideration to the relevant
historical context.
In fact, a proper understanding of the
Judaeo-Christian historical context is also crucial for understanding the
significance of the contributions of Islam to world history and human
civilization. The Judaeo-Christian tradition had been influenced and shaped
by the environments, conditions, and cultures in which it had existed. By
the seventh century C.E., this influence had distorted the original divine
message revealed to Moses and Jesus beyond recognition. The poor status of
women in the Judaeo-Christian world by the seventh century is just one case
in point. Therefore, there was a great need for a new divine message that
would guide humanity back to the straight path. The Quran described the mission
of the new Messenger as a release for Jews and Christians from the heavy
burdens that had been upon them:
[7:157] "(4) follow
the messenger, the gentile prophet (Muhammad), whom they find written in
their Torah and Gospel.* He exhorts them to be righteous, enjoins them from
evil, allows for them all good food, and prohibits that which is bad, and
unloads the burdens and the shackles imposed upon them. Those who believe in
him, respect him, support him, and follow the light that came with him are
the successful ones."
Therefore, Islam should not be viewed as a rival
tradition to Judaism or Christianity. It has to be regarded as the consummation,
completion, and perfection of the divine messages that had been revealed
before it.
At the end of this study, I would like to offer
the following advice to the global Muslim community. So many Muslim women
have been denied their basic Islamic rights for so long. The mistakes of
the past have to be corrected. To do that is not a favor, it is a duty incumbent
upon all Muslims. The worldwide Muslim community have to issue a charter
of Muslim women's rights based on the instructions of the Quran. This charter
must give Muslim women all the rights endowed to them by their Creator. Then,
all the necessary means have to be developed in order to ensure the proper
implementation of the charter. This charter is long overdue, but it is better
late than never. If Muslims worldwide will not guarantee the full Islamic
rights of their mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters, who else will ?
Furthermore, we must have the courage to confront
our past and reject outright the traditions and customs of our forefathers
whenever they contravene the precepts of Islam. Did the Quran not severely
criticize the pagan Arabs for blindly following the traditions of their
ancestors? On the other hand, we have to develop a critical attitude towards
whatever we receive from the West or from any other culture. Interaction
with and learning from other cultures is an invaluable experience. The Quran
has succinctly considered this interaction as one of the purposes of creation:
" O mankind We created you from a single pair of a male and a female, and
made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other" (49:13).
It goes without saying, however, that blind imitation of others is a sure
sign of an utter lack of self-esteem.
It is to the non-Muslim reader, Jewish, Christian,
or otherwise, that these final words are dedicated. It is bewildering why
the religion that had revolutionized the status of women is being singled
out and denigrated as so repressive of women. This perception about Islam
is one of the most widespread myths in our world today. This myth is being
perpetuated by a ceaseless barrage of sensational books, articles, media
images, and Hollywood movies. The inevitable outcome of these incessant
misleading images has been total misunderstanding and fear of anything related
to Islam. This negative portrayal of Islam in the world media has to end
if we are to live in a world free from all traces of discrimination, prejudice,
and misunderstanding. Non-Muslims ought to realize the existence of a wide
gap between Muslims' beliefs and practices and the simple fact that the actions
of Muslims do not necessarily represent Islam. To label the status of women
in the Muslim world today as "Islamic" is as far from the truth as labelling
the position of women in the West today as "Judaeo-Christian". With this
understanding in mind, Muslims and non-Muslims should start a process of
communication and dialogue in order to remove all misconceptions, suspicions,
and fears. A peaceful future for the human family necessitates such a
dialogue.
Islam should be viewed as a religion that had
immensely improved the status of women and had granted them many rights that
the modern world has recognized only this century. Islam still has so much
to offer today's woman: dignity, respect, and protection in all aspects and
all stages of her life from birth until death in addition to the recognition,
the balance, and means for the fulfilment of all her spiritual, intellectual,
physical, and emotional needs. No wonder most of those who choose to become
Muslims in a country like Britain are women. In the U.S. women converts to
Islam outnumber male converts 4 to 1. 85 Islam has so much to offer our world
which is in great need of moral guidance and leadership. Ambassador Herman
Eilts, in a testimony in front of the committee on Foreign Affairs of the
House of Representatives of the United States Congress on June 24th, 1985,
said, "The Muslim community of the globe today is in the neighbourhood of
one billion. That is an impressive figure. But what to me is equally impressive
is that Islam today is the fastest growing monotheistic religion. This is
something we have to take into account. Something is right about Islam. It
is attracting a good many people." Yes, something is right about Islam and
it is time to find that out. I hope this study is a step on this
direction.
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