Are Muslim Women Under Oppresssion or Not
Are Muslim Women under Oppression or Not?
Among the many topics of interest to non-Muslims, the status of Muslim women and the theme of their rights, or rather, the perceived lack of them seems to be foremost. The differences in how the Islamic countries interpret and follow the Islamic laws, seems to contribute to this perception. An acceptable number of Muslims and non-Muslims do agree that women should have more equal rights, whilst others believe that traditional gender differences under Muslim law are proper and positive in the Muslim society. The meaning of the words “Muslim” and “oppression” might help us to understand the argument over whether Muslim women are oppressed by the Islamic laws. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, under the definition of Muslim, the etymology of the word Muslim is given as the “active participle of aslama to submit oneself to the will of God, of which the noun of action is islām.” The OED goes on to say that one is referred to as a Muslim if one is “a follower of the religion of Islam,” and that Muslim as an adjective means “of or relating to Islam, its followers, or their culture” (defs. A1 and B). The same dictionary defines oppression as the “prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority, control, or power; tyranny; exploitation” or “the action of forcibly putting down or crushing; the repression or suppression of a person or thing” (defs. 2a and 4). It is now clear then that the argument is whether or not the Muslim women are being suppressed or treated unjustly under the Islamic laws. My own view is that Muslim women are not oppressed under the Islamic law. Women who follow Islam voluntarily may not be equal to men in the manner defined by Western feminists, but their cultural core differences from men are acknowledged by the Islamic laws, and they have rights of their own that do not apply to men. Before presenting my own claim, I will present two opposing views on the oppression of Muslim
Among the many topics of interest to non-Muslims, the status of Muslim women and the theme of their rights, or rather, the perceived lack of them seems to be foremost. The differences in how the Islamic countries interpret and follow the Islamic laws, seems to contribute to this perception. An acceptable number of Muslims and non-Muslims do agree that women should have more equal rights, whilst others believe that traditional gender differences under Muslim law are proper and positive in the Muslim society. The meaning of the words “Muslim” and “oppression” might help us to understand the argument over whether Muslim women are oppressed by the Islamic laws. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, under the definition of Muslim, the etymology of the word Muslim is given as the “active participle of aslama to submit oneself to the will of God, of which the noun of action is islām.” The OED goes on to say that one is referred to as a Muslim if one is “a follower of the religion of Islam,” and that Muslim as an adjective means “of or relating to Islam, its followers, or their culture” (defs. A1 and B). The same dictionary defines oppression as the “prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or exercise of authority, control, or power; tyranny; exploitation” or “the action of forcibly putting down or crushing; the repression or suppression of a person or thing” (defs. 2a and 4). It is now clear then that the argument is whether or not the Muslim women are being suppressed or treated unjustly under the Islamic laws. My own view is that Muslim women are not oppressed under the Islamic law. Women who follow Islam voluntarily may not be equal to men in the manner defined by Western feminists, but their cultural core differences from men are acknowledged by the Islamic laws, and they have rights of their own that do not apply to men. Before presenting my own claim, I will present two opposing views on the oppression of Muslim
Cited: Maqsood, Ruqaiyyah Waris. "Islam Does Not Oppress Women." Islam. Ed. William Dudley. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 28 Feb. 2013. "Muslim Women." Current Issues: Macmillan Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Opposing Viewpoints In Context Saidi, Tamim. "Islam or Culture – Which Is to Blame?" Engage Minnesota. N.p., 11 Jan. 2008. Web. 05 Mar. 2013. Sher, Samrah. "Muslim Women Are Not Oppressed." Niche of Truth. N.p., 23 Mar. 2010. Web. 05 Mar. 2013. OpposingViewpoints In Context. Web. 28 Feb. 2013.