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Women's rights in christianity and islam
Women's rights in christianity and islam
Evaluate feminist views on religion today
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Christianity and Islam are two of the world’s largest and most recognized religions. Both religions believe in one God and each has a holy book, the Quran and the Bible. Both books encourage belief in God and teach patience and honesty. They both also forbid lying and stealing and believe in some type of Heaven and Hell. So, if they have so much in common, why is there so much conflict between the two? This question is the exact reason why I chose to take World Religion. I thought it was important to learn and understand the beliefs of other religions so that I could better understand the issues affecting society today. In this essay I will focus on the role of Christian women versus the role of Muslim women.
As society has changed throughout life on earth so has the view of women socially and religiously. Both Christianity and Islam agree that women and men were created by God, but beliefs differ from that point forward. The Christian idea of Adam and Eve is illustrated in the Bible as follows:
“A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner” (Timothy, 2.11-14).
What this verse reveals is that God believed that Eve was to blame for seducing Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. In Islam, the belief is that everyone is responsible for their own actions and both Adam and Eve, or Hawwa as they call her, were equally responsible for the sin of eating fruit from the tree. This is illustrated in chapter 7, verse 23 of the Quran, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon u...
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I have always found the role of women in religion to be a fascinating and diverse subject, varying from community to community. Sometimes, the role of a woman in society is so closely linked to her religious role, that the two are indistinguishable. For example, why is it that some women are expected to upkeep the home and children without question? How are such gender roles assigned? Are these gender roles created by religion and upheld by culture or created by culture and upheld by religion? Where do such social expectations stem from? What does the daily life of a woman in religious groups that hold such expectations look like? And given these questions, is it possible for such roles to evolve? Has social change within gender roles occurred in the context of religion? In order to find the answers to these questions and questions like them, one must seek further insight of religion itself and the social context within which it exists.
The first religion and its views on women that will be discussed in this essay is Islam. Islam is a religions founded in Saudi Arabia almost two thousand years ago, by the prophet Muhammad. In fact, Muhammad dedicated much attention towards women in the Koran, the holy book of Islam. However, even though much was dedicated to women in the Koran, it was not dedicated to them in the sense of equality. Women in Islamic culture were apparently much lower on the totem pole than men, "The men are made responsible for the women, since God endowed them with certain qualities, and made them the bread earners...If you experience opposition from the women, you shall first talk to them, then [you may use such negative incentives as] deserting them in bed, then you may beat them (129)." Excerpt...
The first story in the bible, which is the creation of everything, is the main source of justification for the oppression in woman in the church. The passage tells the story that God created all animals, implying that He created male and female animals; however when creating humans, this was not the case. God created man in the image of God but did not create woman at the same time nor in the same way. God felt that man was alone and it is not suitable for him not to have a mate (Genesis 2:18), so God created women. God created man by taking clay from the earth and breathing life into him (Genesis 2:7), however when creating woman he took one of Adam’s ribs and formed it with flesh (Genesis 2:22). Adam then say...
Abu-Lughod, Lila. "Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections On Cultural Relativism And Its Others." American Anthropologist 104.3 (2002): 783-790. Print.
In the debate titled Of the Equal or Unequal Sin of Adam and Eve, two authors; Isotta Nogarola and Ludovico Foscarini, argue about the original sin committed by Adam and Eve. Nogarola first states that Eve lacked a sense and constancy and that she therefore sinned less than Adam did. In her case the serpent thought of Adam as invulnerable due to his constancy. God created Adam to have unchanged opinions and state of mind, in order to avoid falling into the serpent’s persuasion, however Eve’s vulnerability led her to a severe sin. God found Adam guilty for the sin because he esteemed man more highly than woman and led his command towards Adam to not eat the fruit from the tree. Weak and inclined to indulge on the fruit, Nogarola claims, Eve
Religion is a key aspect to the culture of today’s society, as well as, for thousands of years prior. One major key distinction remains, most religions are male dominated traditions. Catholic, Islamic, and Jewish philosophy truly exemplify this. However, the importance and major role women play within the realm of different theologies is evident. Mary, the Catholic Virgin Mary, the Jewish Rachel, and Islamic Fatima are three important saints whose influence and importance is recognized. The term saint sometimes may blur between mortal beings and heavenly realms. Nonetheless, the three saints named have significance within their particular religious content. Rachel, Mary and Fatima contrast significantly in legends, descriptions and religious philosophies, but are comparable in devotions and reasons revered.
Jaoudi, Maria. Christian and Islamic spirituality: sharing a journey. Mahwah, N.J.: Paulist Press, 1993. Print.
The traditions of Islam revolve around the blessed words of Muhammad revealed to him through Allah. These revelations guide Muslims through not only the act of worship, but also through a lifestyle strictly designated in the words of the Qur'an. Those who criticize Islamic customs often accuse the Qur’an of attempting to govern society under prehistoric law. This holy book dates back to the lifetime of the prophet Muhammad in the 7th centuries Clearly times have changed; yet many Islamic customs have not evolved through time. One of the most controversial topics in Islam today addresses women’s issues. Popular American culture portrays Islamic women as veiled and silenced figures living in a world of submission. Feminist groups in the United States focus on Muslim women and attempt to liberate the strong hold of Islamic tradition on women’s freedom. Over 900 million Muslims continue to worship Allah worldwide. Islam continues to thrive as one of the major monotheistic religions across cultures and the followers of Islam respect and defend the words and customs laid out in the Qur’an.
Tavernise, Sabrina. "Muslim women use Koran in quest for equal rights." International Herald Tribune 17 Feb. 2009: 2. Infotrac Newsstand. Web. 7 Feb. 2012.
G. Esposito, John L (2002) Islam; What Everyone Should Know. New York. Oxford University Press Inc.
Initially, Old Testament describes women as the corrupter of man. However, through interpreting the action of Jesus Christ, we see that he holds women in equal roles as men, to include mention of female apostles. The New Testament does not promote equality but does mention the acts of Jesus. Finally, the Qur'an places women in a subservient role allowing men to keep their under control, by any means. Interpretations of the Gods word under the disguise of organized religion are the product of the gender discrimination of the time and continue to paint women as lesser creatures in the eyes of God.
Kenneth Jost. 2005. “Understanding Islam.” Annual Editions: Anthropology 11/12, 34th Edition. Elvio Angeloni. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.