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Verses of Al-Qur'an
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Ahadith of the Holy Prophet
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Her Status in the Light of Qur'an and Hadith
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Status of Women in Non-Muslim Nations
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Feminist Movements and Women's Rights in the
Modern World
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Woman Suffrage
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Woman in Pakistan
I- VERSES OF AL-QUR'AN
Following
verses of the Qur'an establish beyond any shadow of doubt that Islam
gives very high status to the women:‑
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Permitted
to you, on the night of the fasts, is the approach to your wives. They
are your garments and ye are their garments. (2:187)
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Your
wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye
will: But do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear
Allah, and know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter) and give
(these) good tidings to those who believe. (2:223)
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And women
shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what
is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And Allah
is Exalted in Power, Wise. (2:228)
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O
mankind! reverence your Guardian‑Lord, Who created you from a single
person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from them twain scattered
(like seeds) countless men and women;‑ reverence Allah, through Whom ye
demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the wombs (that bore you):for Allah ever watches over you. (4:1)
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From what
is left by parents and those nearest related there is a share for men
and a share for women, whether the property be small or large, ‑ a
determinate share. (4:7)
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And in no
wise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His gift more
freely on some of you than on others: to men is allotted what they earn,
and to women what they earn: But ask Allah of His bounty: for Allah hath
full knowledge o£ all things. (4:32)
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Men are the
protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one
more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their
means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in
(the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. (4:34)
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It is He
Who created you from a single person, and made his mate of like nature,
in order that he might dwell with her (in love). When they are united,
she bears a light burden and carries it about (unnoticed). When she
grows heavy, they both pray to Allah their Lord, (saying):"If Thou
givest us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever) be grateful." (7:189)
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The
Believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another: they enjoin
what is just, and forbid what is evil; they observe regular prayers,
practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His apostle. On them will
Allah pour His mercy; for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. (9:71)
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And Allah
has made for you mates (and companions) of your own nature, and made for
you, out of them, sons and daughters and grandchildren, and provided for
you sustenance of the best: will they then believe in vain things, and
be ungrateful for Allah's favours? (16:72)
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Whoever
works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We
give a new Life, a life that is good and pure, and we will bestow on
such their reward, according to the best of their actions. (16:97)
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And
among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among
yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put
love and mercy between your (hearts):Verily in that are signs for those
who reflect:(30:21)
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And We have
enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents; In travail upon travail did
his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning; (hear the
command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is (thy final)
goal. (31:14)
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The Prophet
is closer to the Believers than their own selves, and his wives are
their mothers. (33:6)
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For
Muslim men and women, ‑ for believing men and women, for devout men
and
women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and
constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who
give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for
men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage
much in Allah's praise,‑ for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and
great reward. (33:35)
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O mankind!
We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you
into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may
despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of
Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full
knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). (49:13)
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And of
everything We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction.
(51:49)
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And Allah
sets forth, as an example to' those who believe, the wife of Pharaoh:
Behold, she said: "O my Lord! build for me, in nearness to Thee, a
mansion in the Garden, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save
me from those that do wrong", And Mary the daughter of ‘Imran, who
guarded her chastity; and We breathed into her (body) of Our spirit; and
she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His
Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants). (66:11‑12)
[Back
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II ‑
AHADITH OF THE PROPHET (PBUH.)
Traditions
of the Prophet of Islam about the status of women are quoted as under:‑
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Muawiyah‑b‑Ja'hemah
reported that Ja'hemah came to
the
Messenger of Allah! t intend to join a battle and have come to you for
consultation. He enquired: Have you got mother? `Yes' replied he. He
said: Then keep near her, because Paradise is at her feet. (Ahmad, Nisai,
Baihaqi)
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Bahaj‑b‑Hakim
reported from his father who from his grandfather who had reported: I
asked: O Messenger of Allah! who is to be most obeyed? He said: Your
mother. I asked: who is next? He said: Your mother, I asked: who is
next? He said: Your mother. I asked: who is next? He said: Your father;
and then your nearer relations and then your near relations. (Tirmizi,
Abu Daud)
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Mugirah
reported that the Messenger of Allah said; Allah made unlawful to you
disobedience to mothers, burying live of daughters, and refusing help.
And he disliked for you frivolous gossips, frequent questions and
squandering property. (Bukhari, Muslim)
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In his
famous Farewell Address, delivered at Arafat on the occasion of his last
pilgrimage in 10 A.H., the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
declared: "Well then, people! verily there are rights in favour of your
women which are incumbent upon you, and there are rights in favour of
you which are incumbent upon them. As to what is incumbent upon them in
your regard, is that they should not let your beds be trampled by others
than you, should not allow those to enter your houses whom you do not
like without your authorization, and should not commit turpitude. If
they do commit that, then God has given you permission to reprimand
them, to separate yourself from them in beds, and to strike them but not
hard. If they abstain and obey you, then it is incumbent upon you to
provide their food and dress in accordance with good custom. And I
command you to treat women well, because they are like captives in your
houses, possessing nothing for themselves, and you, on your part, take
them as a deposit from God, and permit yourselves the enjoyment of their
persons by means of a word of God. Have therefore the fear of God with
regard to women, and I order you to treat them well. Attention! Have I
communicated? O God, be witness!" (Ibn Hasham quoted by Dr. Hamidullah)
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Hakim‑b‑Muawiyah
from his father reported: I asked: O Messenger of Allah! what right has
the wife of one among us got over him? He said it is that you shall give
her food when you have taken your food, that you shall clothe her when
you have clothed yourself, that you shall not slap her on the face, nor
revile (her), nor leave (her) alone except within the house. (Ahmad, Abu
Daud, Ibn Majah)
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Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: The most perfect of
the believers in faith is he who is the best of them in conduct, and the
best of you are those who are the best to their wives. [Tirmizi
(approved, correct)]
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Anas
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: When a woman says her five
(prayers) and fasts her month, and guards her private parts, and obeys
her husband, let her enter Paradise by whichever door she likes. (Abu Nayeem in Hilya)
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Abu Omamah reported from the Messenger of Allah who used to say: Next to
fear of Allah the believer finds nothing good for him than a virtuous
wife. If he bids her, she obeys him; if he looks at her she gives him
pleasure; if he gives her a promise, she fulfils it, and if he is absent
from her, she guards herself and his property. (Ibn Majah)
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"It is
reported by Abdullah bin Umar that during the lifetime of the Holy
Prophet, the companions treated their wives most politely for fear that
a Commandment concerning them might be revealed, and not until he had
passed away did they begin talking with them freely." (Bukhari).
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Anas
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: Whoever maintains two girls
till they attain maturity, he and I will come on the Resurrection Day
like this; and he joined his fingers. (Muslim)
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‘Ayesha
reported: A woman came to me, while there were two of her daughters with
her. She was begging of me, but found nothing from me except one date
which I gave her. She divided it; between her two daughters and she
herself did take nothing out of it. Then she got up and went away. The
Holy Prophet came and I informed him (of it). He said: Whoever suffers
for any thing on account of these daughters and (still) treats them with
kindness, they will be a shield for him from hell. (Bukhari and Muslim)
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Ibn Abbas
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: If any body has got a female
child, and then does neither bury her alive, nor treats her unjustly,
nor prefers his children (meaning male children) to her, Allah will
admit him in Paradise. (Abu Daud)
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Ibn
Abbas reported that the Holy Prophet said: "If one brings up three
daughters or sisters, teaches them good manners and treats them kindly
and lovingly till they no longer need his help, Allah will make Paradise
obligatory for him." One man said: what if he has two? He replied. And
he also, Ibn Abbas said that if the people had enquired about one, the
Prophet would have said the same thing. (Shariah
Sunnah)
[Back
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III ‑ HER
STATUS IN THE LIGHT OF THE .QUR'AN AND HADITH
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Man and
woman proceed from the same stock, they are the members of the same
species and they are born of the same parents. The Qur'an says: "O
Mankind! reverence your
Guardian ‑
Lord, Who created you from a single soul, created, of like nature, his
mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and
women‑..." (4:1). God created Adam and from him created Eve and from
this pair of human beings, He spread abroad a multitude of human
beings. God has created everything in pairs (Al‑Qur'an 51:49) and the
man and woman form one pair among the creations of God. Man and woman
are members of humankind and the Qur'an has invariably called them
spouses of each other or helpmates and companions of each other. As
human beings, man and woman are equal having the same human rights and
obligations. Man and woman, when they are united, constitute a family.
Man is the father and bread‑winner of the family while woman is the
mother and mistress of the house, managing the .house and bringing up
the children. Role .of both is equally essential for the cause and
advancement of humanity. Man and woman are two complementary parts of
humanity and in the absence of one of them, humanity is not complete.
The roles of the man and woman are neither opposed to each other nor
inferior or superior to each . other, but are equally important and
complementary of one another.
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Woman
enjoys very high status of respect and honour in an Islamic society. As
a wife she is the queen and mistress of the house. She manages the house
and brings up and trains the children. She enjoys full and complete
social, religious, cultural, legal and economic rights. She is entitled
to receive dower and maintenance from her husband. She can own and
manage her property and can also purchase or sell the property without
the intervention of her husband. She can sue and can be sued and she can
enter into contracts independently of her husband. In case of
differences with her husband she can nominate an arbiter or can take the
matter to the court. She can get divorce or‑can seek the dissolution of
marriage in certain situations. Husband and wife are garments of each
other being very near and close to each other. They are for mutual
support, comfort and protection of each other. The Qur'an calls the wife
as the tilth of the husband and thus lays down the responsibility of her
protection and security on her husband. According to the Qur'an, the
women have similar rights on men as the. men have got over the women
(Al‑Qur'an 2:228). Thus she enjoys equal rights with her husband. (For
details, please see chapter 2).
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In the
position of a mother, the woman enjoys a unique status of honour and
esteem. She is the focus of attention for all the members of the family.
In a Muslim home her opinions carry a lot of weight in all family
matters. This is due to the teachings of Islam. The Qur'an ordains that
the obedience to parents is next to obedience to God. When the Qur'an
enjoins upon the believers to obey their parents; it especially mentions
the services rendered by the mother (31:14) and thus indirectly places
the position of the mother above that of the father. The Prophet of
Islam (may Allah's peace be upon him), according to a well reported
Tradition, declared in unambiguous words that the best person for one's
association and obedience is one's mother. According to another
tradition, the Prophet (PBUH) declared that the paradise is under the
feet of one's mother. As mother she enjoys many legal rights in addition
to respect and obedience. She is entitled to receive share in
inheritance from her children and is also' entitled to receive
maintenance from her children in certain situations. (For details,
please see chapter 1)
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The
Qur'an in its verses (58 and 59 of chapter 16) draws a very vivid
picture of the pagan Arabs on the birth of a female child. The birth of
daughters was considered to be a bad omen in the family and a matter of
great shame and insult. So the evil custom of burying alive of female
children in infancy was common in certain tribes of the pagan Arabs.
Islam not only abolished this criminal practice of killing the daughters
but also enjoined upon the parents to accord the daughters equal
treatment with their sons. The Prophet (PBUH) declared the act of
bringing up of daughters and giving them good treatment to be a shield
for the parents from hell. According to another tradition, the Prophet (PBUH)
said that whoever brings up two daughters, treats them well and educates
them, Allah will make paradise obligatory for him. As daughter, the
female has got equal rights with the male children of her parents. She
is entitled to maintenance and receives share in inheritance (please see
chapter 3). Woman also enjoys respectable status in the position of
sister in a Muslim home. She receives inheritance on the death of her
brothers in certain circumstances. According to an authentic Tradition
the Prophet declared whoever brings up two or more sisters and ‑teaches
them good manners, Allah makes paradise obligatory for him. (For
details, please see chapter 4).
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Islam
has conferred the same religious, social, economic, legal and political
rights and obligations on the woman as those which have been bestowed
upon the man. Like man she is obliged to discharge all the duties placed
upon her by the Islamic faith such as worship of one God, belief in God
and His Messenger, prayer, Zakat, fasting and pilgrimage. However
on account of her nature and physical constitution, she has been given
certain concessions in the fulfilment of certain religious obligations
in some situations. She is exempt from Jihad and Ju’muah
prayer in congregation in the mosque. During menstruation she is exempt
from fasting, prayer and certain rituals in Hajj. Otherwise a man
and woman are equal in the performance of religious duties.
Woman in
Islam enjoys very wide legal rights. She has got rights of getting
married as much as a man has got. She has full liberty to choose her
partner in life. No marriage under Muslim Law can be solemnised without
her consent. If she is forced into marriage, she can sue in a court of
law for its dissolution. If she is married during her minority, she can
exercise her option after attaining puberty and can repudiate the
marriage. She is entitled to maintenance from her husband like food,
clothing and lodgement. She enjoys absolute and unrestricted rights
regarding dower or bridal gift. which she is entitled to receive from
her husband. It is interesting to note that the husband has got no such
right to receive any obligatory gift from his wife. She can get divorce
and can seek for dissolution of marriage in certain situations. Woman
enjoys rights of property in Islam. She can acquire, own, possess and
dispose of her property independently of her father or husband. Islam
has bestowed upon her rights of inheritance in her various positions
like wife, mother, daughter and sister after the death of her close
relatives.
In the
social and political field also, she enjoys many rights. She can
participate in all the social, public and religious festivals and events
after observing the rules of decency, modesty and proper dress. She can
adopt any profession or legitimate source of earning income and can
participate in the family welfare. She has as much rights for getting
education as a man has got. She can participate in Jihad though
it is not obligatory for her. In the political life of Muslim Ummah
she can not only participate but also enjoys rights and obligations.
The Qur'an prescribes the mode of her Ba'iat (allegiance to the
Prophet PBUH). Female citizens of an Islamic state have also got right
of mutual consultation and of being consulted as the male citizens have.
Islamic history bears evidence that the Prophet (PBUH) and the pious
caliphs used to consult the women in many important matters. Enjoining
good and forbidding wrong is an important political function of an
Islamic state and the woman have also been enjoined by the Qur'an
(9:71.) to discharge this duty along with men. In the modern
interpretation(and construction of these concepts, she enjoys right of
vote, right to contest for elections and right to seek for public
offices.
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The
question of absolute equality between man and woman is a complete
nonsense according to Islam. ,As discussed above, Islam confers equal
rights on the women and men in various fields of life. As a human being
woman enjoys equal status and equal. rights with man. But in certain
spheres of life, Islam makes distinction between a man and a woman and
bestows different rights and obligations on them. It is not on account
of any hatred or prejudice against any sex but due to the natural,
biological .and physiological differences between the sexes. Islam has
taken these natural differences into account and has assigned distinct
roles and functions to each sex. So Islam treats the man and woman as
equal in most of the fields of human life, but it differentiates between
them when there is natural scope for it: Otherwise as human beings, as.
complementary parts of humanity, as spouses of each other and as members
of the same pair of human species; men and women are equal. The Qur'an
says: "O Mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a
female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each
other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who
is the most righteous of you ...." (49:13). Thus Islam does not make any
distinction among the human beings on the basis of colour, race, sex,
language, place of birth etc.
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Islam
has done indeed a great service to the humanity by emancipating the
women from so many religious, moral, legal, social and political taboos.
It has raised the status of woman and uplifted her to the honourable and
respectable position of a human being while she had been degraded to the
position o a mere chattel and a piece of property. However, it is a
great pity that many people particularly non‑Muslim scholars have tried
to belittle the importance of this great contribution o Islam. By
referring to the verses of the Qur'an regarding the evidence of woman
(2:282), woman's share in inheritance (4:11.12)'permission of polygamy
to man (4:3) and instruction; regarding purdah (Al‑Qur'an 24:31,
33:59), they try to establish that Islam has granted lesser legal rights
to the woman in comparison with man and thus has given a lower status to
the woman. These objections have been discussed a~ length in the
relevant chapters of this book and have been rejected as. nonsensical
and ridiculous. To recapitulate we can briefly say that so far as
woman's evidence is concerned, it is not equal to man only in cases of
complicated commercial and mercantile transactions. Evidence is to be
given by only one woman and the presence of the other woman is required
to remind her if she forgets. (For details; see chapter 10). Her share
in inheritance is generally equal to one half of that of man simply
because Islam places the responsibility of earning livelihood for the
family on the shoulders of man and absolves the woman of any such
responsibility (For details, see chapter 9). So far as polygamy is
concerned that had existed in the world from time immemorial and most
often in its worst forms. It is Islam which restricted this practice by
limiting number of wives at four and linking the permission with
the equality bf treatment and justice between the wives (for details,
see chapter 11). No doubt some instructions have been issued to the
women regarding observing, of modesty and wearing of proper dress when
they come out of their houses, but by doing so, Islam has not in any way
restricted their movement or made them prisoners confined in their
houses. Rather, Islam has taken these measures to protect their person
and honour from men of loose character and eve‑teasers. (For details,
please see chapter 12).
[Back
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V ‑ STATUS
OF WOMAN IN NON‑MUSLIM NATIONS
Woman had
practically no status and no rights in the non-Muslim nations of
ancient and medieval times. Before the advent of Islam, the women were
no better than animals or chattels. In many countries of the world they
were generally regarded as slaves or at the best as domestic servants
whose chief duty was to serve the men and please them by satisfying
their sexual appetite. They had no rights or privileges in any sphere of
life like social, economic, legal or political. They had no rights of
inheritance, no rights of owning of property, no rights of earning
livelihood, no rights in marriage, dower or divorce, not to speak of any
political rights. They were treated like commercial goods and purchased
and sold in open markets. For years together, the scholars and
philosophers remained engaged in interesting debates over the issues
like; whether a woman has got a soul? whether a woman is a human being?
whether she possesses any entity? whether she has got any honour?
whether she has some rights? etc. etc. Now let us study briefly the
plight of woman in various leading civilizations and communities of the
world.
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Women in
ideal Jewish society were viewed as wives and mothers. They managed the
household and _ produced the children. Their contracts could be
disallowed by their husbands or fathers. Women were responsible for the
religious training of their children, yet had no public religious role.
Polygamy and divorce were allowed. Men and women were punished for
adultery, women more severely. Menstruating women were avoided as
unclean. The word for wife, beulah, meant "owned" and the scriptures
instructed the wife: "Thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall
rule over thee."
The husband had proprietary rights over his wife. The property rights of
the wife were limited. Her earnings and her property income belonged to
her husband. In ancient Israel, a husband could divorce his wife at any
time. Though dower was specified in the contract of marriage but was
seldom handed over to the wife for her use and enjoyment. The woman had
got no
right to demand divorce from her husband for any reason
whatsoever.
In the matters of inheritance, daughters were excluded by sons and
mothers inherited nothing from their children. Polygamy was common and
Mosaic law did not impose any restrictions on the number of wives a
Hebrew husband could have. A father had rights of selling his daughter
during minority. Ten men were required in offering a public prayer and
if there were nine men and lot of women, the prayer could not be offered
as the women were counted to be non‑entities. A woman was not to touch
pickles, wine or soup if she was not ritually cleansed.
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Christian doctrine both praised women and blamed them for Adam's fall.
Jesus welcomed women as well ‑as men as followers. However, Saint Paul
forbade them to preach or teach.
Jesus Christ did not forbid polygamy. The canon law of the Christian
church did not provide for divorce. Separation could be granted by the
church only upon the proof of sufficiently serious grounds like
adultery, extreme cruelty or heresy of one of the partners. Following
views of some early Christian doctors throw light on the status of women
in Christian society:(quoted by Syed Muzaffar‑udDin Nadvi in his book
Human Rights and Obligations)
"Woman is
the organ of the Devil." ‑St. Bernard.
"Woman is
the fountain of the arm of the Devil, her voice is the hissing of the
serpent." ‑ St. Antony.
"Woman is a
scorpion, ever ready to sting. She is the lance of the Demon." ‑ St.
Bonaventure.
"Woman is
the instrument which the Devil uses to gain possession of our souls." ‑
St. Cyprian:
"Women is
the gate of the Devil. The road of inequity, the sting of the scorpion."
‑ St. Jerome.
"Woman is a
daughter of Falsehood, a sentinel of Hell, the enemy of Peace; through
her Adam lost Paradise." ‑St. John Damascene.
"Through
woman the Devil has triumphed, through her Paradise has been lost; of
all beasts, the most dangerous is woman." ‑ St. John Chrysoston.
"Woman has
the poison of an asp, the malice of a dragon." ‑ St. Gregory, the Great.
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Hindus
in India absolutely gave no status to a woman. Under Hindu Law, wife was
under complete‑ subjugation of her husband who could seize her property
at any time. Child marriage was the common practice and the minor had no
right to repudiate such a marriage after attaining puberty. Sons
excluded daughters from inheritance. Widows and other females had got no
absolute rights in the estate left by the deceased relations. In the
laws of inheritance, distinction was also made between, self acquired
and ancestral properties. Hindu Law considers the marriage as sacrament
and makes no provision for its dissolution. In the early Hindu period,
polygamy was in practice with no limit as to number of wives. A high
caste Brahmin even today is allowed to have as many wives as he chooses.
A woman was considered as a source of sin and moral degradation. She
addressed her husband as "My God". The law required the woman to be
extremely obedient and submissive to her husband so much so that she
should practically worship him and in certain situations even die with
him. Views of some Hindu law‑givers about the status of woman are given
as under:(quoted by Syed Muzaffar‑ud‑Din Nadvi in his book Human Rights
and Obligations).
"A wife, a
son and a slave are devoid of property. Whatever they acquire becomes
his whose they are." ‑ Manu viii, 416.
"A woman is
never fit for independence." ‑ Manu ix, 3.
"Women are
devoid of the senses, and incompetent to inherit." ‑ Baudhayan.
"Drums,
peasants,. the depressed animals and women ‑ all these ought' to be kept
under iron sway" enjoins the Ramayan.
"There can
be no friendship with women. Women's hearts are in fact the dens of
wolves" ‑ Rig Veda:10, 95, 15.
"A woman's‑
heart is devoid of self‑control and fidelity, and in the balance of
reason she weighs very light" ‑ Rig Veda:8, 13, 17.
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In
Rome, men who were citizens had public responsibilities and women were
to bear children and manage household. Poor women found ways to add to
the family income and peasant women worked in the fields. With the
passage of time, Roman women gained the right to conduct their business
and personal affairs themselves and also to attend public functions.
Prostitution was common. Prostitutes had less restrictions, so some
women got themselves registered as prostitutes in order to get freedom.
Slave women were economically and sexually exploited.
The Romans gave power to the men of propertied class to divorce their
wives. The husband simply presented his wife with a letter declaring
their mutual release. But the wife had no right to sue for divorce.
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The
Greeks considered the women inferior to men. They followed Aristotle's
view that women should be passive, obedient and silent. Generally the
women could only leave their homes to attend funerals and some religious
celebrations. They had no control over the property they could own or
inherit. Wives were usually less educated and significantly younger to
their husbands. Prostitution was common and slave women had a miserable
plight.
The wife was a mere chattel marketable and transferable to others and
subject of testamentary disposition. She was regarded as an
indispensable evil for ordering of a household and procreation of
children.
The husband could dismiss his wife for any cause. However the wife had
no right to leave the house of her husband. She could only present her
case to the court on grounds of cruelty and degenerate behaviour.
The Greek women were always considered as minors and were expected to
obey blindly their male kinsmen. A chaste woman was a precious thing.
House of a prostitute became focus of all attention which attracted all
the classes of Greek society.
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Status
of woman in China was perhaps at the lowest ebb. The women were given
the lowest position in society while they performed most of the menial
jobs. Nobody was happy when a female child was born. So none wept for or
mourned her death. Marriage was arranged by formal agreement between the
heads of the families. After marriage, a woman passed on under the
authority of her husband and his family. Any property brought by the
bride, apart from her personal ornaments, was transferred to the
ownership of her husband's family. The position of a bride was largely
weak, but it strengthened with time more particularly after the birth of
sons and performance of mourning for her husband's seniors.
-
Among
the pre‑Islamic pagan Arabs, the wife had no locus standi. She
was considered to be a mere chattel and was regarded to have no soul.
The woman was treated like a very inferior creature. The Qur'an draws a
very vivid picture of a pagan Arab on the birth of a daughter. When
anyone of the pagans received the news of the birth of a female‑child,
his face turned black and he started hiding himself from the people
because of the ‘sad news'. He asked himself: "Should I bear this insult
and keep up with it or should' I bury it alive? So the evil practice of
burying the female children alive was common among the pagan Arab
tribes. Women, after the death of their husbands, were inherited by the
sons like ordinary pieces of property. The power of divorce possessed by
the husband was unrestricted and unlimited. They knew no rule of
humanity in treating their wives. Under the laws of inheritance,
succession was confined only to able male relations who could take up
arms to defend the tribe against foreign aggression. Wives, mothers,
sisters, daughters, minors, incapable, and infirm male heirs had no
right in the estate of the deceased. Polygamy was common and
prostitution was generally run through the slave girls.
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V ‑
FEMINIST MOVEMENTS AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN THE MODERN WORLD
Demands by
women for equal rights and equal status with men and freedom to decide
their own careers and life patterns have been a continual theme in
western society for at least the last two hundred years. The American
Revolution of 1776 and French Revolution of 1789 perhaps provided the
philosophical basis to the western women for their own insurrections.
Mary Wollstonecraft wrote "A vindication of the Rights of woman" is
sharp reaction to the revolutionary French Declaration of the Rights of
Man. Her book was published in 1792 in England and it challenged the
idea that women exist only to please men and demanded equal treatment
with men in education, work, politics etc.This
sparked off the Feminist movement in Britain which demanded the equal
rights for women in education, employment, politics, besides woman's
right to vote. First Woman's Suffrage Committee was formed in 1865 in
Manchester. In 1867, a bill presented to parliament by John Stuart Mill
was lost, 73 in favour and 196 against.
From 1876 onwards, the women suffrage societies and other feminist
organisations had to make a lot of struggle through demonstrations,
agitations, militant methods or violence to achieve their rights.
However, not until the Married Women's Property Act of 1870 did British
wives secure the right to own property. Not. until 1918 were British
women allowed to vote at the age of 30 and run for parliament in 1919.
Not until 1928 did they get the right to vote on the same basis as men.
In the
United States, the American Declaration of Independence was the model
for the Declaration of sentiments drawn up by the first feminist
convention, in Seneca Falls, N.Y., in 1848. Signed by 68 women and 32
men the Seneca Falls declaration stated: "We hold these truths to be
self-evident:
that all men and women are created equal... The history of
mankind is a history ‑ of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part
of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an
absolute tyranny over her..." The convention demanded for women the
right of equal education and the right to preach, to teach, and to earn
a livelihood. It also passed a resolution stating "that it is the sacred
duty of the women of this country to secure to themselves their sacred
right to the elective franchise." Thus was laid the foundation for the
woman suffrage movement in the United States.
National
Woman Suffrage Association was formed in 1869 while in the same year
another feminist organisation called American Woman Suffrage Association
was established. These two organisations amalgamated in 1890 and started
the movement for women's ~ rights particularly the right to vote.
However, the right to vote was long delayed ‑ until 1920. The resistance
to the women franchise can be judged from this very fact that Amendment
to the American constitution, known as the Anthony Amendment, seeking
for the women equal rights of vote, was moved in‑1878 which was defeated
many times in the Congress until 1919 when it was passed by the Congress
and was ratified by the States in 1920.
Elsewhere,
especially in continental Europe, the situation was often even less
progressive. French women did not receive the vote until 1944 and still
remain, under the Napoleonic Code, severely restricted in property and
other rights relative to men and
husbands.
It would
not be without interest to mention here the efforts made ‑by the United
Nations for the liberation and emancipation of women and for securing to
them many socio-political rights in the modern world. The U.N. charter
of 1945 was the first accepted international document that clearly
defines equal rights for women. To implement the provisions of U.N.
charter, the commission on the status of women was established. In 1948
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United
Nations. In 1952, U.N. General Assembly adopted convention on the
Political Rights of women'. It provides that the women shall be entitled
to vote in all elections and be eligible for election to all elected
offices. The United Nations declared 1975 to be the International
Women's year and established 1975‑85 as the U.N. Decade for Women.
Movements
for women's rights meet resistance in different countries in different
shapes. In the beginning the political parties resisted it , as they
were, uncertain of the effects of women's votes. 'The; religious circles
opposed their participation in anything that did not pertain directly to
the home and rearing of children. Economic interests wanted to keep
women as a voiceless labour‑force.
Women today
in most of the countries of the world can vote and be elected to public
offices on the same basis as men. This has been achieved only . after
centuries of , work, by individuals and organisations. Whatever .has
been achieved by the woman in the modern world has been on account of
the hectic, struggle made sometimes through peaceful means but more
often through agitations and violent ways. But Islam has given her more
than that without even her asking for or demanding it.
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VI ‑ WOMAN
SUFFRAGE
Right of
vote has been given to the women in different countries of the world in
the year indicated against each:.
|
U.K. |
1928 |
New
Zealand |
1893 |
|
U.S.A. |
1920 |
Australia |
1902 |
|
U.S.S.R. |
1917 |
Canada |
1948 |
|
China |
1947 |
India |
1949 |
|
Japan |
1945 |
Pakistan |
1956 |
|
Germany |
1919 |
Iran |
1963 |
|
France |
1944 |
Syria |
1949 |
|
Italy |
1945 |
Turkey |
1934 |
|
Sweden |
1919 |
Egypt |
1956 |
|
Finland |
1906 |
Tunisia |
1959 |
|
Norway |
1913 |
Indonesia |
1949 |
|
Denmark |
1915 |
Burma |
1935 |
|
Spain |
1931 |
Thailand |
1932 |
|
Ceylon |
1934 |
|
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VII ‑ WOMAN
IN PAKISTAN
The
Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, makes the
following provisions in its various Articles for the uplift of the
status of women and ensuring them rights in the socio‑economic and
political life of the nation.
-
I . Every
citizen shall have the right to acquire, ‑hold and dispose of property
in any, part of Pakistan, subject ‑to the Constitution and any
reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the public interest. (Article
23)
No
distinction has been made by the above mentioned Article regarding the
property rights of citizens on the basis of sex. Men and women have
equal rights in this field.
-
(i) All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection
of law.
(ii) There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex
alone.
(iii) Nothing in this Article shall prevent the State from
making any special provision for the protection of women and children.
(Article 25)
-
(i) In respect of access to places of public entertainment or resort, not
intended for religious purposes only, there shall be no discrimination
against any citizen on the ground only of race, religion, caste, sex,
residence or place of birth.
(ii)
Nothing in clause (I) shall prevent the State from making any special
provision for women and children.‑ (Article 26)
-
(i)
No citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service
of Pakistan shall be discriminated against in respect of any such
appointment on the ground only of race, religion, caste, sex, residence
or place of birth.
Provided
further that, in the interest of the said service, specified posts or
services may be reserved for members of either sex if such posts or
services entail the performance of duties and functions which cannot be
adequately performed by members of the other sex. (Article 27)
-
The State
shall encourage local Government institutions composed of elected
representatives of the areas concerned and in such institutions special
representation will be given to peasants, workers and women. (Article
32)
-
Steps shall
be taken to ensure full participation of women in all spheres of
national life. ‑ (Article 34)
-
The State
shall protect the marriage, the family, the mother and the child. ‑
(Article 35)
-
The State
shall ‑
make
provision for securing just and humane conditions of work, ensuring that
children and women are not employed in vocations unsuited to their age
or sex, and for maternity benefits for women in employment; . . . . . .
prevent
prostitution, gambling and taking of injurious drugs, printing,
publication, circulation and display of obscene literature and
advertisements; (Article 37)
-
The State
shall ‑
(a) Secure the well‑being of the people, irrespective of sex,
caste, creed or race, by raising their standard of living, by preventing
the concentration of wealth and means of production and distribution in
the hands of a few to the detriment of general interest and by ensuring
equitable adjustment of rights between employers and employees, and
landlords and tenants;
(b) provide for all citizens, within the available resources
of the country, facilities for work and adequate livelihood with
reasonable rest and leisure;
(c) provide for all persons employed in the service of
Pakistan or otherwise, social security by compulsory social insurance or
other means;
(d) provide basic necessities of life, such as food, clothing,
housing, education and medical relief, for all such citizens,
irrespective of sex, caste, creed or race, as are permanently or
temporarily unable to earn their livelihood on account of infirmity,
sickness or unemployment;
(e) reduce disparity in the income arid earnings of
individuals, including persons in the various classes of the service of
Pakistan; ‑ (Article 38)
-
Until the
expiration of a period of ten years from the commencing day or the
holding of the [third] general election to the National Assembly,
whichever occurs later, [twenty seats] in addition to the number of
seats referred to in clause (1) shall be reserved for women and
allocated to the Province in accordance with the Constitution and law. ‑
Article 51 (4)
Comments;
20 seats have been reserved‑for women in National Assembly of Pakistan
by the above‑mentioned Article.
-
The
Constitution does not make distinction between man and woman regarding
their political rights. So a woman in Pakistan has got right of vote and
right to contest for representative offices.
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