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22nd March 1998

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Plight of Muslim women

Ishtiaque Ahamed

A feminist agenda is forcing its way to newspaper headlines across the world. In India women are fighting for 33 per cent reservation in Parliament and legislative assemblies. Muslim women in the repressed Arabian societies are clamouring for change. In Iran, a beginning has been made by President Mohammad Khatami appointing a woman to an important position. Women's participation in diverse fields has been increasing in most democratic nations. But the insignificant participation of Muslim women in Indian and in Muslim societies, particularly in the Islamic countries, is a matter of concern.

A leading feminist wrote "Politics means collective endeavour for social transformation that empowers women to fight any form of oppression, exploitation, injustice and degradation." Muslim men have curtailed most of the rights of their women. According to the orthodox ulema, the primary duty of a conservative Muslim woman is to look after her husband and children. She is not allowed to venture outside her home except with the permission of her husband or father. This provision is strictly enforced in Saudi Arabia and now in Afghanistan. Why have the self-proclaimed guardians of Islam, the Taliban, forgotten that women in Islam have been valiant warriors and able rulers? Where are Aisha and Khadeja in Taliban's Afghanistan?

The challenges faced by women in Islamic countries are known. The Quran allows them to earn their livelihood. Taliban bans women from working, and bars girls from schools. Islamic history shows that Khadeja, the first wife of the Prophet, ran her own business, engaged her own employees and chose her own husband. There can be no role model better than Khadeja for the sad world of Muslim women today. Women have been put under a strict dress code in Iran after the revolution. It is a reality that this strict purdah is not liked by all. They are forced to obey the dress code in the name of Islam.

However, major changes are taking place in Iranian society today. The process began last year when the daughter of the former President of Iran was elected to the male-dominated majlis (parliament). These changes signify that women's liberation in Iran is gathering momentum. The election of Khatami is a protest vote against the conservative forces in Iran. Women in Iran feel that their assertive role from their house to parliament will give new substance to the women's movement in Iran. The religious clergy will never take the initiative for granting them a place in society and governance without strong efforts made by the women themselves.

The twentieth century has been an era of vigorous re-awakening in the areas of political thought, literature and knowledge. Hoda Shaaraawi is recognised by historians as the first leader of the women's liberation movement in Egypt. She founded the first women's federation in 1923 with women from the upper and middle classes. They fought to abolish the veil, to raise the age of marriage for girls, to prevent polygamy, to diminish the absolute right of men to divorce and to give women the right to vote.

This organisation worked hard to bring women's rights to the forefront as part of the national struggle for liberation in Egypt. Doreya Shafik was a brave fighter for women's rights, and organised a political party for women in Egypt in 1953, called Hisb Ben El Nil. She led a demonstration to parliament demanding the right to vote for women, but failed to achieve her objective and committed suicide.

Despite the severe curtailment of democratic liberties, the women in all Arab countries including Algeria, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen and Tunisia have organised their struggles in various fronts, whether military, political, economic, social or cultural. The Arab Women's Solidarity Association fights for freedom and human rights inside the family, nationally and internationally. If the patriarch class system is global then resistance must be global too. In Pakistan, the "Muslim girls' lot is reduced to chadar, choolha aur chardivari" lamented Fehmida Riaz, the hapless poetess who was exiled by the then President of Pakistan. Zia-ul-Haque for her bold views.

In Pakistan and Bangladesh women are in the forefront of the movement for women's as well as human rights. It is for this reason that even Zia-ul-Haque, despite his zeal for Islamisation, could not remove the Muslim Family Ordinance of 1962 enacted by President Ayub Khan guaranteeing certain rights to women. In Malaysia, there are a number of women's organisations actively campaigning for their rights. Sisters-in-Islam works for creating awareness among the Muslim women. In Dhaka, reformist groups are campaigning for the re-interpretation of Muslim personal law to bring it in line with modern social values. In India efforts are on to involve women in the governance of the nation. In the recent panchayat elections, about one million women participated as candidates.

In Indian society Muslim women are pushed to the wall, particularly in rural areas. They are the victims of, first, the selfish interpretation of Islamic laws by the religious class and, second, of the low literacy level. In November 1995, when 45 Muslim women filed their nomination to participate in the 'civic bodies' election from the area in the vicinity of Darul-Uloom, Deoband, the ulema became alarmed. They issued a fatwa barring Muslim women from participating in elections as it will bring them into contact with men. Their fatwa hardly had any impact on women and conscious Muslim voters. It was rejected by them. The ulema must change their approach, otherwise the Muslim masses will declare a fatwa against them.

Illiteracy is another problem. The literacy rate for Muslim women is a shocking 19 per cent, which is less than half of that of women from other communities. The national literacy rate for women is 39 per cent. There is a need for paying greater attention to education than to talaq and uniform civil code. Muslims should not also stick to the traditional forms of education.

(Courtesy Hindustan Times)


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