WOMAN IN ISLAM SUBMISSION

Most Muslims speak with pride in pointing out that women received
certain rights at the time the Quran was revealed to Prophet
Mohammad.

Just over a hundred years ago, in England, in 1850, women were
finally allowed the right to own property. In 1857, divorce became
accessible by the formation of the court for Divorce and
Matrimonial Causes. Muslim women have had these rights for fourteen
hundred years.

However, in practical terms, in today's Islamic world, the majority
of women are treated by men as second class citizens. As mentioned
in a previous article, such a status for women is not attributable
to the laws in the Quran but to religious laws other than the
Quran. This is in spite of the fact, that the Quran came to us
through Prophet Mohammad's mouth and that God informs us in the
Quran, that it is complete, perfect, fully detailed and the only
source of religious law for the submitters (Muslims). An attempt
will be made in this article to give some examples, inshallah, to
display the great disparity between what the Quran advocates versus
accepted practices, which have given women the low status in Muslim
countries.

EQUALITY OF MEN & WOMEN

"Their Lord responded to them: 'I never fail to reward any
worker among you for any work you do, be you male or
female - you are equal to one another. Thus, those who
immigrate, and get evicted from their homes, and are
persecuted because of Me, and fight and get killed, I
will surely remit their sins and admit them into gardens
with flowing streams.' Such is the reward from GOD. GOD
possesses the ultimate reward." 3:195

"The believing men and women are allies of one another.
They advocate righteousness and forbid evil, they observe
the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory
charity (Zakat), and they obey GOD and His messenger.
These will be showered by GOD's mercy. GOD is Almighty,
Most Wise." 9:71

"GOD promises the believing men and the believing women
gardens with flowing streams, wherein they abide forever,
and magnificent mansions in the gardens of Eden. And
GOD's blessings and approval are even greater. This is
the greatest triumph." 9:72

"The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing
men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient
women, the truthful men, the truthful women, the
steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the
reverent women, the charitable men, the charitable women,
the fasting men, the fasting women, the chaste men, the
chaste women, and the men who commemorate GOD frequently,
and the commemorating women; GOD has prepared for them
forgiveness and a great recompense." 33:35

RELIGIOUS LAWS NEVER AUTHORIZED BY GOD

The Quran prohibits even Prophet Mohammad from issuing any
religious teachings other than the Quran or explaining the Quran in
verses 69:43-47 and 75:16-19. The religious scholars, however, in
defiance of the Quran have created religious laws never authorized
by God.

MENSTRUATION

The following verse deals specifically and only with sexual
intercourse during menstruation. However, most women through
teachings of the scholars abstain from their daily religious
practices (fasting, salat) during menstruation.

"They ask you about menstruation: say, 'It is harmful; you
shall avoid sexual intercourse with the women during
menstruation; do not approach them until they are rid of
it. Once they are rid of it, you may have intercourse
with them in the manner designed by GOD. GOD loves the
repenters, and He loves those who are clean.'" 2:222

DRESS CODE

"O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives
of the believers that they shall lengthen their garments.
Thus, they will be recognized (as righteous women) and
avoid being insulted. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful." 33:59

"Tell the believing men that they shall subdue their eyes
(and not stare at the women), and to maintain their
chastity. This is purer for them. GOD is fully Cognizant
of everything they do." 24:30

"And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and
maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts
of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They
shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code
in the presence of other than their husbands,.....They shall not
strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal
certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to GOD, O
you believers, that you may succeed." 24:31

The verses quoted above are the only verses in the Quran giving the
dress code for women - to lengthen the garments and to cover the
chest. The Muslims of today have created unreasonable dress code
for women based on tradition and customs in the name of God and
Islam. There is also, no mention in the Quran, that the head
should be covered for men or women.

POLYGAMY

"If you deem it best FOR THE ORPHANS, you may marry their
mothers - you may marry two, three, or four. If you fear
lest you become unfair, then you shall be content with
only one, or with what you already have. Additionally,
you are thus more likely to avoid financial hardship." 4:3

"You can never be equitable in dealing with more than one
wife, no matter how hard you try. Therefore, do not be so
biased as to leave one of them hanging (neither enjoying
marriage, nor left to marry someone else). If you correct
this situation and maintain righteousness, GOD is
Forgiver, Most Merciful." 4:129

Verse 4:3 makes it clear that the ONLY condition for polygamy is
for the sake of orphans, while verse 4:129 discourages polygamy
even for that one exception. A law which allows men to marry a
second time without meeting the condition of orphans stands in
violation of the Quran.

TAKING CERTAIN VERSES OUT OF CONTEXT

"O you who believe, when you transact a loan for any
period, you shall write it down. An impartial scribe
shall do the writing. No scribe shall refuse to perform
this service, according to GOD's teachings. He shall
write, while the debtor dictates the terms. He shall
observe GOD his Lord and never cheat. If the debtor is
mentally incapable, or helpless, or cannot dictate, his
guardian shall dictate equitably. Two men shall serve as
witnesses; if not two men, then a man and two women whose
testimony is acceptable to all. Thus, if one woman
becomes biased, the other will remind her. It is the
obligation of the witnesses to testify when called upon
to do so. Do not tire of writing the details, no matter
how long, including the time of repayment. This is
equitable in the sight of GOD, assures better witnessing,
and eliminates any doubts you may have. Business
transactions that you execute on the spot need not be
recorded, but have them witnessed. No scribe or witness
shall be harmed on account of his services. If you harm
them, it would be wickedness on your part. You shall
observe GOD, and GOD will teach you. GOD is Omniscient." 2:282

Financial transactions are the ONLY situations where two women may
substitute for one man as witness. This is to guard against the
real possibility that one witness may marry the other witness, and
thus cause her to be biased. Unreasonable laws have been made and
continue to be made abusing this verse, giving women a lower status
in society.

WOMAN AS LEADERS

One of the major controversial issues in Islam to those who do not know
Islam is where is the woman's role in the political system. Can a woman
take the leadership role? Is it prohibited?

The answer will be different if you look at the book of God, the Quran, or
if you look at the book of man, the Hadiths that was written about 250
years after the Prophet's death.

When God tells us a story in he Quran, He does not do so just for
entertaining us, but to learn a lesson. "We narrate to you the most accurate
history through the revelation of this Quran. Before this, you were totally
unaware." 12:3 "In their history, there is a lesson for those who possess
intelligence......" 12:111

The role of an important woman in the history of the world as much as
Muslims are concerned is the story Belquees, the Queen of Sheba. See
27:22-44. God mentioned her history in the Quran to let us know that a
woman in a ruling position is not offensive as far as God is concerned. She
represented a democratic ruler who consulted with her people before
making important decisions, See 27:29. She visited Solomon, talked to
him, made decisions for herself and her people, not hiding behind walls , or
shying behind another man.

After witnessing what God gave Solomon, she became a submitter
(Muslim), while still the Queen of Sheba.

"She was told, "Go inside the palace." When she saw its interior, she
thought it was a pool of water, and she (pulled up her dress) exposing her
legs. He said, "This interior is now paved with crystal." She said, "MY
LORD, I HAVE WRONGED MY SOUL. I NOW SUBMIT WITH
SOLOMON TO GOD, LORD OF THE UNIVERSE.""

Here we witness one of the first Muslim women in charge of a nation,
ruling them as a queen of Sheba. Do we learn a lesson from the Quran ? we
should. The lesson is that God in the Quran never put restriction on a
woman in a ruling position. These days we have two Muslim women in
position of power, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Turkey.

CONCLUSION

Belief in God mandates that we believe God. God has stated in his
proven, final scripture, the Quran, that it is complete, fully
detailed and the only source of religious guidance. As submitters
(Muslims) we have to accept God's assertion and look to the Quran
and God for guidance.