Women empowerment in Islam

SRINAGAR: Before giving description on this issue let me know the latest Ratio of Boys/ girls in India. According to the census of 1991, the number of girl child (age group 0-6 yrs.) in India was 945 per 1000 boys. It was reduced to 927 girls / 1000 boys in 2001 and 918/1000 boys in 2011. Such a huge level of Decline in the number of girls was the indication of the lack of women empowerment in the country.

For example the Usilampatty Taluk, of Tamil Nadu India is known to be endemic in Female infanticides, where husband orders his wife, who gave birth a baby girl “Go ahead and snuff her Out” as per the figures of Medical association of India five Million infant girls have been slain, being victims of Foeticide. This Luxury enslaved modern era, too is treating female child as a menace. This huge reduction in girl child number was because of the pre-birth discrimination, gender biased sex selection, crimes against women, social issues etc.

The above data shows that no parents want that they have a girl child and with the use of the latest Technology, parents in advance knows that who are in the Womb of the mother, and if the child is boy then they feel and think they are the luckiest parents on earth and distribute the sweets among their relatives. And when the same parents knows that it is the girl child in the mother’s womb they plan to abort it or if nothing happens then their faces darkens and is filled with inward grief, sorrow, with shame. They think how they hides themselves from people and relatives, because of the bad news they had! Shall he return it own (sufferance and contempt) or burry it in the Dust.

“Prophet Mohammed (SAW) said “whoever is tested with daughter and treated them well, they will be for him a shield against the Fire of Hell”.

The above data reminds us the past of the Jahiliyya people or pre- Mohammed SAW societies who buried their daughters alive. Narander Modi recently launched the “BETI PADOU BETI BACHOU” SCHEME, but the best place that was given to girls was in Islam. The buried infant of Jahiliyya or Pre- Mohammed (SAW) Arabia has been uplift with the right of Inheritance.

Prophet Mohammed (SAW) who advised Go slowly, “SHE IS A CRYSTAL POT”, to the Sahaba who was trotting on a camel along with his daughter, is the Greatest Liberator of Woman ever in the History.

“There is a powerful saying “when you educate a man, you educate a man But when you educate a women, you educate a generation” this is because of the benefits of educating girls permeates the entire family and have far reaching impacts within the entire society. Women makes up almost half other total population of India, but still they lag behind men in a lot of areas. It is harrowing to note that a lot of females are not even allowed to be born and they feel shame on their birth. Many of those who are fortunate enough to see this world are denied of some of their most basic rights, equality education and health care.

Beti padhou Beti bachou is an effective campaign to save girl child and educate the girl child all over the India. It is a scheme run by the government of India with the aim of spreading awareness as well as improving the efficiency of welfare services for the girls of India.

Let’s compare this scheme with this example of Our Prophet Mohammed (SAW) it is evident from Prophet Mohammed (SAW) saying that a daughter is bestowed as a path to eternal success for both mom and Dad. The affection and affinity Prophet Mohammed (SAW) has poured upon his darling daughters Fatimah (RA) and Ayesha (RA) who entered in marital life with Prophet in her early teenage has been a sublime guideline for parents all the times.

At a time when female children were buried alive in Arabia and women were considered transferable property, Islam honoured women in society by elevating them and protecting them with unprecedented rights. Islam gave women the right to education, to marry someone of their choice, to retain their identity after marriage, to divorce, to work, to own and sell property, to seek protection by the law, to vote, and to participate in civic and political engagement.

“ALLAHS Messenger (PBUH) incited: whoever had a daughter born to Him and he did not burry her alive or humiliate her, and he did not prefer his son over her, ALLAH (subhan Wataala) will admit him to Paradise Her”

You have hard that women’s place in Islam is that women are deprived of freedom and equality. This is the result of either ignorance about Islam or the biased propaganda of anti-Islamic ideology and a prejudice of Media. But in reality the fact is just opposite. The best place in which a women is safe and have all the right are in Islam.

It is not out of place here to examine the place given to women in some of the so-called glorious civilizations prior to Islam. For instance, in Greek mythology a woman, Pandora, was considered to be the source of all evil. In the name of art, the Greeks depicted women in such a way that promoted unbridled sex. In the second civilization, the Roman one, their philosopher, Seneca, reprimanded Romans about the degenerating family system. A sport named “Floralia” promoted licentious atmosphere.
When it came to Christianity, Chrysostom says: “Woman is an unavoidable evil, a delicious calamity and an attractive trouble.” Aristotle declared: “The female state is a deformity.” A Roman Catholic, Aquinas, believed: “A female is a misbegotten male.” Nietzsche, the German philosopher, opines: “Woman is the source of folly, unreason.” In modern Europe, women were not given equal rights and the situation led to feminist movements that have been constantly struggling for equal rights for women.
Before the advent of Islam in Arabia, the position of the fair sex was appalling. Girls were sometimes killed as soon as they were born. The infant girls were buried alive. A man could marry and abandon or divorce a woman any number of times. The number of wives was unlimited. Islam emancipated woman in all respects. Provisions for empowerment of women in the Islamic system of life:

1. Freedom. Girls are as free to receive education as boys are. “It is obligatory for every man and woman to receive education.” Education and training in etiquette is the best gift of parents to children. A girl cannot be married off to anybody without her consent. As man has liberty to divorce; a woman is also allowed to take “khula” (divorce) if she dislikes her husband who is cruel, unjust or impotent. A widow or a divorcee is allowed to re-marry if she wishes. In Islam it is preferred that women remain at home to look after the family and train children. Still if no male guardian lives with her or if he is ill or his income is insufficient, she may go out to earn but in hijab. During the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), there were women traders and there were instances when women participated in wars to supply water or to nurse the wounded. At present thousands of Muslim women in hijab work in hospitals, banks, schools, colleges and many other congenial working places.

2. Equality. There is no gender disparity in Islam. “And whoever does righteous good deeds — male or female — and is a true believer in the Oneness of Allah, such will enter Paradise and not the least injustice, even to the size of a Naqira (speck on the back of a date-stone), will be done to them.” (Qur’an, 4:124) Man is the head of the family. Critics of Islam quote this out of context. This position of man is to safeguard and strengthen the institution of the family. It is the responsibility of man to provide food, shelter and other needs to all family members. Women are equal to men in all civil and criminal acts of judiciary.

3. Security: The security of woman in Islam is very important. She is not inferior to a male. “The person to whom a daughter is born and he does not ... mete out preferential treatment to boys, Allah will reward him with heaven.” (Hadith i.e. saying of the Prophet). Parents are motivated to nurture girls. The responsibility to provide bread and meat to girls and women lies with the male guardian. “You should feed her when you eat, and clothe her when you yourself put on clothes. And in case of temporary boycott due to strained relations, it should be limited to the four walls of your house.” (Hadith). When she travels a long distance, a male guardian must accompany her to facilitate her journey. Islam restricted the number of wives to four. Divorce, though permissible, is not encouraged.

4. Economic empowerment. Women receive money in the form of bride price (mehr). She gets bread and meat from either father or husband. She has a lawful share in property. “For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much — a legal share.” (Qur’an, 4:7)

5. Dignity: In contrast to the Christian idea that woman is the source of evil and she opened the door to Satan, Islam believes that Satan simultaneously seduced both Adam and Eve. The mother’s place is higher than the father’s. Heaven lies under the mother’s feet. Woman is the ruler/queen of her husband’s establishment. The veil is only a protective device to shield her from mischievous staring eyes. When women are asked to wear veil, men are ordered not to stare at women. “And tell the believing women to reduce (some) of their vision.” (The Qur’an: 24:31)

So why a girl child is treated less in the present societies. If our Prophet Mohammed (SAW) don’t differentiate the girl child and he gives her the best status and place in the society, then who we are. Are boys better than girls in Love affection, caring with their parents? Who leaves parents in the old age, who are our mother, our sister, our wife, if they we killed at their birth time then are we here in the present world?  Why in the present societies crimes against women are raising day by day and instead of such security we cannot stop this all. This is because our women’s are following the path of modernization, westernization and the luxurious life.

So change your mentality and attitude about the women, who sometimes is our Mother, wife, our sister. Islam is the only religion in the world if a women follows it by their hearts then no one humiliate the women and they achieved the highest place in the world and in the Akhrat (day of judgement).