Islam and honour to women
On her freedom of choice, the Prophet (P.B.U.H) has emphatically stated that a girl's consent is a condition to the consummation of marriage in Islam. What this means is that a girl should never be coerced into marriage.
During the Prophet's time, a man forced his daughter into marriage. The girl then sought clarification from the Prophet (SAW) on whether or not the father had the right to do what he did.
The Prophet (P.B.U.H) informed her that once the marriage was consummated against her will, she could call for abrogation. Such is the unique honour that Islam has done to woman.
Further honour that Islam has done to women finds expression in the following facts.
•In the administration of a household, the woman is to be totally catered for by the man.
The Quran states; "... but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother's food and clothing in a kind manner....." Quran 2:233
•The Prophet (SAW) also states thus, "...The man is totally responsible for his family (wife, children, parents...)
• In general terms, she is to be treated with kindness and tenderness. The Quran mentions inter-alia, "... And live with them (your wives) honourably...
• On the treatment of parents, the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet (SAW) have instructed that mothers should be well catered for by their children.
The Quran states thus; "And we have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years, give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination". Quran 31:14
• Her right to employment is a basic fact in Islam.
I would like to add that Islam considers the training of children and taking care of them and the household as the natural and primary role of a woman.
Further, it (Islam) has made it incumbent upon man to cater for her. It is in the light of the above that Islam opines that her work outside the home should be guided by the principle of necessity and the principle of contributing towards the upkeep of the women’s community in particular and the society at large.
Consequently, and in a situation of necessity, she is to pursue a work which benefits her status as a woman and also has to have strict adherence to the principle of proper veiling and lack of undue mixing and interaction with men.
This is an area which needs a lot of explanation but for want of space, that cannot be done here. Hopefully, it will be addressed in detail later.
• Veiling of women in Islam is a mark of civility and, indeed, an honour to them. Based on the argument of civilisation and the argument of value, it has to be noted that man was considered uncivilised in the stone age because he/she went out naked.
When clothing was invented, man was classified as a civilised being. Therefore, covering of the body is a mark of civilisation.
Further, anything which is valuable has to be hidden and protected. It may, therefore, be inferred from the above two arguments that any woman who is not well covered is uncivilised and does not have value.
It is, therefore, paradoxical to consider "naked" women on our streets today as civilised. Consequently, veiling of Muslim women is an index of honour, civilisation and value.
• Islam has further established that a woman can inherit. Quran chapter 4 has explained in detail Islam's attitude towards her right to inheritance.
• It has never been the position of Islam that the woman is the product of the devil or the seed of evil. The Quran does not also place man as the dominated lord of the woman who has no choice but to surrender to his dominance.
Islam does not blame Eve alone for the first sin. The Quran makes it clear that both Adam and Eve were tempted and that both of them sinned. It further states that God granted repentance and forgiveness to both.
They were addressed jointly as it finds expression in Quran 2:35-36, Quran 7:19 and Quran 20:117-123.
As I stated earlier, Islam's attitude towards the woman has been misconstrued and has been wrongly portrayed.
It is clear from the above that Islam has done a lot for women. It is an attitude that has not been well trumpeted for it to be placed in the right perspective.
Islam's attitude towards women was/is corrective in the sense that it sought/seeks to correct ill-attitudes of earlier civilisation towards them.
It is, indeed, an attitude of pragmatism, progressiveness, realism and, above all, an honour to women. (Nuamah, 1998; 169-181).
The writer is a Theologian/Educationist
