Islamic Countries and Women’s Rights in Them (Others)

Apparently things have been going on in Islamic countries toward women that are not according to the teachings of the Islamic religion. Assaults on women epically young girls have been increasing in domestic violence. They have been assaulted with acid attacks, honor killings, FGM and forced marriages in some Islamic households. This is barbaric, inhumane and completely contrary to Islamic teachings so, why is it happening? Islam never condones humiliation, beatings, mutilation or outright murder especially as a means to exert authority or to enforce one’s own opinions on another people. Islam teaches us to approach differences in opinion with tolerance and forbearance. They have scripture. “To you your way and to me mine.”(109:6) and “There shall be no compulsion in religion.” (2.229). Only when women and girls can live with dignity, in safety, not fearing bodily harm from family members, and with freedom of conscience as the Qur’an demands, cn a country rightfully call itself “Islamic”.

How do you tell a tradition of people that they have treated women wrongly for 1,400 years? Somehow throughout the years so many tribal practices became religion whether right or wrong. Before you knew it the actual religion got pushed aside and evil tribal practices of abuse towards women took over as the rule in some areas. In tribal Arabia men have the leadership. That is not Islam. In the religion women are partners of the men and in the making of the society.  African women must have the freedom from genital mutilation and early forced marriages. They should have the freedom of education and a choice of mate in life. Successful Iranian women often have to find their success by leaving their home country because of persecution of freedom of thought in their homeland.

Finally many of the abuses done to women are being reported in the media. Most domestic violence is never reported. Husbands will bite their women if they refuse to wear their hijab. Women in Islam are currently guided by primary Islamic sources such as the ijma, qyias, ijtihd in form such as fatwas. In a majority of Muslim countries, women exercise varying degrees of their religious rights with regards to marriage, divorce, legal status, dress code and education based on different interpretations. There are women in select areas of the Middle East who accept domestic violence. In select Arab and Islamic countries the women believe that the man or husband is justified to physically harm her.  That includes hitting and harming her. The role of Muslims and their women is different depending on where they live.

On Afghanistan 94% say that a woman must obey her husband compared with only 34% in Kosovo.  Muslims in former Yogoslav countries Central Asia and parts of North America are more likely to accept divorce .  In the Palestinian Territories there is more acceptance of men and women to support equal  inheritance rights for their sons and daughters. So it depends on where you live that depends on how a woman lives.