Role of Women in Islam Past and Present - 3043 Words

Mariam Abrar, GEND 341, Paula Humfrey, May 25, 2006. My selected topic is: Role of Women in Islam Past and Present In this paper I will argue that the position of women in Islam according to the Qur an and Hadiths (tradition) of the Prophet differs vastly from Islam in practice, currentely. It is not the Islamic ideologies that determine the position of women in the Islamic societies; it is rather the pre-Islamic patriarchal ideologies existing in a particular society, combined with the lack of education and ignorance, which construct the Muslim women s position. In the early days of Islam, women enjoyed more freedom than many Muslim women today. Women were protected by laws concerning such areas as inheritance, divorce, and†¦show more content†¦Women can do work like men, but they do not have to do it to earn a living. They are allowed and encouraged to take the duties of marriage and motherhood seriously and are provided with the means to stay at home and do it properly. The majority of people try to blame the problem on religion however the real problem is cause by tribal customs. Re ligion does not play a big part on the status of women but it is tribal customs that play the big role in the status of women. Women s views were listened to, respected, and usually supported, by the Prophet* as we have seen. Women have sometimes headed Islamic provinces, like Arwa bint Ahmad, who served as governor of Yemen under the Fatimid Khalifahs in the late fifth and early sixth century. Women are also entitled to respect as mothers: Allah says in the Qur an (31:14): â€Å"And we have enjoined on man (to be good to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him...†According to The Prophet* â€Å"Paradise lies at the feet of mothers†...and in another hadith the Prophet* told a man that his mother above all other people, even his father, was worthy of his highest respect and compassion.Hadiths are the sayings of Prophet Mohammad (May Peace Be Upon Him). Marriages in Islam: Marriage in Islam does not mean that the man takes over the woman s property, nor does she automatically have the right to all his property if he dies intestate. Both are still regarded as individual people with responsibilities toShow MoreRelatedIslam : A Monotheistic Religion1505 Words   |  7 Pages Modern Challenges Paper Islam is a monotheistic religion taking into account disclosures got by the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century A.D., which were later recorded in the Quran (or Koran), Islam s consecrated content. Islam has spread quickly during the time and today the religion is, by a few estimations, the biggest on the planet. Devotees of Islam are called Muslims. The Arabic word Islam signifies accommodation, mirroring the confidence s focal precept of submitting to Allah. IslamicRead MoreMuslim Women As A Symbol Of Oppression856 Words   |  4 PagesIn the past decade, Islam has been viewed as a male dominant religion. 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