Human Rights
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally
accountable to God in glorifying and worshipping Him – setting no limits on her
moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman’s equality in her humanity
with men. In the Quran, in the first verse of the chapter entitled “Women”,
God says:
“O mankind! Be careful of your duty toward your Lord who
created you from a single soul and from it its mate and from them both have
spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward God
in Whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and towards the wombs (that
bore you). Lo! God has been a Watcher over you.” (Quran 4:1)
Since men and women both came from the same essence,
they are equal in their humanity. Women cannot be by nature evil (as some
religions teach) or then men would be evil also. Similarly, neither gender can
be superior because it would be a contradiction to equality.
Civil Rights
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedoms of choice and
expression based on recognition of her individual personality. First, a
non-Muslim woman can not be forced to convert for marriage, or upon the
conversion of parents. The Quran states:
“There is no compulsion in religion. Right has been made
distinct from error.” (Quran 2:256)
Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their
opinions and ideas. There are many traditions of the Prophet which indicate that
women would pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning
religion, economics and social matters.
A Muslim woman has full right to approve or deny a
proposal of marriage, and her name is to be kept after marriage. A Muslim
woman’s testimony is valid in legal disputes. In fact, where women are more
familiar, their evidence is conclusive.
Social Rights
The Prophet said:
“Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim
(male and female).” (At-Tirmidhi)
This includes knowledge of the Quran and the Hadeeth as
well as other types of knowledge. Men and women both have the capacity for
learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation to promote good
behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of life, Muslim women must
acquire the appropriate education to perform this duty in accordance with their
own natural talents and interests.
While bearing, raising and teaching of children, and providing
support to her husband and maintenance of a home are among the first, and very
highly regarded, roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside the
home for the good of the community, she may do, so as long as her family
obligations are met.
Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences
between men and women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable
for men and other types for women. This in no way diminishes either’s efforts
or benefits. God will reward both sexes equally for the value of their work,
through, it may not necessarily be the same activity.
Concerning motherhood, the Prophet said:
“Heaven lies under her feet.” (An-Nasai)
This implies that the success of a society can be traced
to the mothers who raised it. The first and greatest influence on a person
comes from the sense of security, affection, and training received from the
mother. Therefore, a woman having children must be educated and conscientious
in order to be a skillful parent.
Political Rights
A right given to Muslim women by God 1400 years ago is
the right to voice her opinion on social issues. On any public matter, a woman
may voice her opinion and participate in politics. Also, Islam does not forbid
a woman from holding important positions in government which suit her role as a
woman. Abdurrahman Ibn Awf consulted many women before he recommended Uthman
Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.
Economic Rights
Islam is clear in its teachings that God created men and
women to be different, with unique roles, functions and skills. As in society,
where there is a division of labor, so too in a family, each member has
different responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are entrusted
with the nurturing role, and men, with the guardian role. Therefore, women are
given the right of financial support.
The Quran states:
“Men are the maintainers of women because God has made some of
them to excel others and because they spend of their wealth (for the support of
women).” (Quran 4:34)
This guardianship and greater financial responsibility
given to men requires that they provide women with not only monetary support
but also physical protection and kind respectful treatment.
Muslim women have the privilege to earn money, the right
to own property, to enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets
in any way she pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any claim
on her earnings, including her husband.
The Quran states:
“And in no wise covet those things in which God hath bestowed
His gifts more freely on some of you than on others; to men is allotted what
they earn, and to women, what they earn; but ask God of His bounty for God hath
full knowledge of all things.” (Quran 4:32)
A woman inherits from her relatives. The Quran states:
“For men there is a share in what parents and relatives leave,
and for women there is a share of what parents and relatives leave, whether it
be little or much – an ordained share.” (Quran 4:7)
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/355/
Rights of a Wife
The Quran states:
“And among His signs is that He created for you mates
from among yourselves that you may live in tranquility with them, and He has
put love and mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs for people who
reflect.” (Quran 30:21)
Marriage is therefore not just a physical or
emotional necessity but, in fact, a sign from God! It is a relationship of
mutual rights and obligations based on divine guidance. God created men and
women with complimentary natures and, in the Quran, He laid out a system of
laws to support harmonious interaction between the sexes.
“…They are your garments and you are their garments….”
(Quran 2:187)
Clothing provides physical protection and covers
the beauty and faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each
protects the other and hides the faults and compliments the characteristics of
the spouse. To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim
wives have various rights. The first of the wife’s rights is to receive mahr,
a gift from the husband, which is part of the marriage contract and required
for the legality of the marriage.
The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite
any wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food,
shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his
capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands. The
Quran states:
“Let the man of means spend according to his means,
and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what God
has given him. God puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him.”
(Quran 65:7)
God tells us men are guardians over women and
are afforded the leadership in the family. His responsibility for obeying God
extends to guiding his family to obey God at all times.
A wife’s rights also extend beyond material needs.
She has the right to kind treatment. The Prophet said:
“The most perfect believers are the best in
conduct. And the best of you are those who are the best to their wives.”
God tells us He created mates and put love,
mercy and tranquility between them.
Both men and women have a need for companionship
and sexual needs, and marriage is designed to fulfill those needs. For one
spouse to deny this satisfaction to the other, the temptation exists to seek it
elsewhere.
Duties of a Wife
With rights come responsibilities. Therefore,
wives have certain obligations to their husbands. The Quran states:
“…The good women in the absence of their husbands
guard their rights as God has enjoined upon them to be guarded….”(Quran 4:34)
A wife is to keep her husband’s secrets and
protect their marital privacy. Issues of intimacy or faults of his that would
dishonor him, are not to be shared by the wife, just as he is expected to guard
her honor.
A wife must also guard her husband’s property. She
must safeguard his home and possessions, to the best of her ability, from theft
or damage. She should manage the household affairs wisely so as to prevent
loss or waste. She should not allow anyone to enter the house whom her husband
dislikes nor incur any expenses of which her husband disapproves.
A Muslim woman must cooperate and coordinate
with her husband. There cannot, however, be cooperation with a man who is
disobedient to God. She should not fulfill his requests if he wants her to do
something unlawful. A husband also should not take advantage of his wife, but
be considerate of her needs and happiness.
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/428/