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The status of women in Muslim society
The status of women in Muslim society
The status of women in Muslim society
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Islam is a way of life and has teachings that Muslims must follow. One of the teachings that is stressed for both men and women is Haya. The word Haya can be easily translated in English as modesty, shyness, and/or humility. Some people have the misconception that Haya is just for women and can be easily achieved by wearing a hijab, but it is not. Men and women are both required to follow this teaching and it is not easily attained. Many Muslim men seem to have the idea that Haya is only for females, but they seem to forget a moment from the prophet’s life where he “Passed by a man who was admonishing his brother regarding Haya and was saying, "You are very shy, and I am afraid that might harm you. “In response to this remark, Prophet Muhammad …show more content…
A man’s body must be covered from the navel to the knees. It should not look like the clothing worn by women. It should not be tight or see-through. A man is not allowed to wear garments made of silk, or jewelry made of gold. These types of embellishment are forbidden to men, but permitted for women. As you can see men and women have a dress code so that they may preserver part of their Haya. In Islamic States they take the certain aspect of concept Haya way too far. The concept that they enforce is the hijab for women to the point it seems oppressive. Women I these countries are required to wear the hijab and the burkas (a covering for the face and body). If they are seen in public without it, they face harsh punishments. Rules in Islam aren’t meant to be tyrannical or forced on anyone. Also, many leader in the Islamic State forget get is the rules for men and that Haya applies to both genders. The other aspect of Haya is behavior. This includes the way you talk and act. Having Haya in your behavior means that one will have respect for oneself and others. Also one would not draw attention to themselves. A Muslim wouldn’t use foul language, or put themselves in a situation where they would be alone with the opposite sex. A Muslim may use Haya in this aspect to prevent themselves from sinning when they are alone because a Muslim knows that Allah (God) is
Furthermore, Haydar expresses that she has been able to embrace the modesty in veiling and that it allows her to be seen as a whole person. She addresses the fact that “many Americans see veiling as an oppressive tool forced on Muslim women by the men in our culture” (414). Yet, Haydar informs the readers that veiling isn’t specific to the Islam culture and is also a choice for many women. She even points out that many other religions promote and advocate for modesty in
Qatari women have much more freedom than Saudi Arabian women because Qatar does not rely on a restrictive type Wahhabism and instead follows a style of Wahhabism that is more progressive and forward looking than the Saudi Arabian version. Wahhabism is a fundamentalist branch of Sunni Islam founded in the eighteenth century and named after Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. Wahhabism attempts to return to the core roots of Islam, eliminating impurities in Islam like idol worship. First and foremost, Qatar has not developed an indigenous Wahhabist ulama, so Wahhabism does not have the same absolute control over the government and political system that it does in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism dictates law: Sha’ria law is the basis of almost all secular law. In Qatar, however, the political system is actually rather secular, practicing “Wahhabism of the sea” rather than Saudi Arabia’s “Wahhabism of the land.” Further, Qatar’s “Wahhabism of the sea” is free flowing like
The hijab, while not always popular, has seem to be customary for most women to wear in the Islam world for good or for bad. Prior to the 21st century the hijab was not very popular and was looked as a rarity, but now most women adopted this clothing choice for a multitude of reasons. Many women choose to wear it because they feel god instructed women to wear it, to highlight modesty, to show faith in god, or to show Muslim identity. There are many reasons women wear the hijab, even if the veil is forced upon them because of family members; However, the sight of the veil concerns many women activists whose main priority is to insure equality for all women. Many women activists don’t like the veil to be forced upon women and the idea
The author of this essay thinks it is ridiculous that women cannot wear their hijab in certain places around the world. Many people think the hijab is not necessary. However, it is part of what Muslim women believe. She explains in her essay, "So next time you hear about a hijab ban think about your best pair of jeans or your faded t-shirt with the logo of your favorite band" (Fakhraie 461). A hijab is just like every other piece of clothing that covers up the body. It can be part of their religion, or they can wear a hijab just because they like how it
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...
In conclusion, the body of evidence suggests that fears regarding the limitations placed on women by Islamic culture are exaggerated in most areas. Women have reached the highest political posts, most influential jobs in business, and obtained teaching posts at prestigious universities in almost every country with a significant Islamic culture. Some of the most tolerant cultures have even begun allowing female imams to lead prayer and teach other Muslims. While Islamic culture has plenty of work to do regarding the status of women, it must be recognized that a healthy portion of the criticism is unwarranted.
The religion of Islam has obtained the reputation of violence and misogyny in recent decades due to radical sects in the international spotlight. Although violence has been limited to radical groups, many people outside of the religion view Islam’s law, Shari’ah law, to define the status of women below men. However, from the original holy text, the Qur’an, and the Prophet Muhammad’s Sunnah, a framework of equality and mutual respect across sexes is evident. Although the Qur’an is the unadulterated Word of God, it is interpreted by Muslims in many different ways. It has been through these patriarchal interpretations of the five schools of Islamic law that the status of women has been impinged upon (Barlas, 2002). The Qur’an itself contains versus which demonstrate the equality of men and women, but also seemingly contradicts itself by undermining the status of women. These contradictory phrases have recently been interpreted by female scholars differently than the original schools to support the equality of sex. Muhammad’s life also displays his affection and respect for his wives as opposed to a lifestyle of misogyny. In the end, the status of women in Islam has been largely degraded by human interpretation of the text to create a power dynamic between a husband and his wife, or wives. Although a woman’s status has been lowered in the eyes of many Muslims, recent civil rights movements and women activists are challenging these emboldened concepts to achieve social and political leadership.
Women have always been thought of as something that needed to be controlled in Muslim culture. Their bodies are a source of shame that must be covered during prayer and also in the public (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 3). Veiling, done by a hijab or chador, is when women either wear a headscarf to cover themselves or they wear a veil that covers their entire body, excluding her hands and eyes (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 1; Mir-Hosseini 2003: 41; Berger 1998: 93; Smith-Hefner 2007: 390-391; Brenner 1996: 674; El Guindi 1999: 6). Veiling is used as a tool for oppression. By having women veil themselves, it enforces the control by the male run and male dominated society (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 7). Also, the punishment for women appearing without a veil transitioned as the concept of veiling was addressed, transitioning from seventy-four lashes, to being arrested and held between ten days and two months for being “immodest” women and offending public morality, or fined 50,000 to 500,000 rials (Mir-Hosseini 2007: 8). The oppression of veiling is perpetuated through the thought that it is a woman’s religious duty to wear one, condemning foreigners and women in society if they refuse. Although it is a tool for oppression, there was resistance the oppression. In ...
Highlighting the main beliefs of Islam as well as criticising these philosophies, Al Ghazali’s main contribution to Islamic theology was showing the relationship between God’s power and human acts.
Hijab is a choice that some women or girls make for their own security, for more privacy, or because it makes them feel comfortable and confident about themselves. It should be a choice though, and as it is not proven to us that it is obligatory, countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan should remove their laws that insist every girl puts the veil on. Freedom of choice should be given in these countries. It is not required in Islam so it shouldn’t be forced on anyone anywhere. In addition to this, Islam’s beauty is it’s freedom, the choice it provides you with, let it not be ruined.
The hijab is a very important and powerful Muslim symbol that is worn by billions of Muslim women all over the world. Many wear the hijab as a symbol of faith, while others wear it to protect themselves from society’s expectations of women. Some people think that banning the use of the hijab in public is a violation of freedom of religion and freedom of expression. However, others think the banning of the hijab is a necessary precaution. The wearing of the Muslim hijab should be banned in public because it is impractical, Muslims use it to separate themselves from society, and it is a security risk.
Within the Middle East, the largest population of the men and women are Muslim. The Muslim religion suggests that women wear a veil or hijab, which is a head scarf that only exposes a woman’s eyes, accompanied by a burqa which is a full body cloak. The sole purpose of the clothing is to cover a woman’s feminine features from men’s eyes. The Qur’an, an Islamic scripture, supports and slightly obligates the uniform by saying that women are to be conservative, “let them wear their head covering over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments.” (Qur’an).
In the Islamic faith, Muslim women are required to dress modestly by God. In the Qur’an, God speaks directly to all Muslim women and says “...guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment (The Qur’an 24:31)”. Muslim women have to wear a hijab, or a head covering, when they are in public places and when they are around men who are not close relatives. In fact, countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have a mandatory dress code enforced. Muslim women in these countries have to wear a hijab and an abaya, or a full-length, loose fitting garment on top of their clothes. Although God requires Muslim women to dress modestly and Saudi Arabia and Qatar have a dress code, it is entirely their choice on what they would like to wear.
I hope that with this understanding in mind, Muslims and non-Muslims, both men and women can start a process of communication and dialogue in order to remove misconceptions, suspicions, and fears. So as you can see, there are many challenges for today's Muslim woman whether in the westernized world or in traditional societies. Through internal and external dialogue, I am confident we will find the ways to remain true to the Shariah and Sunnah and contribute to the world today.