Women, Islam, and Human Rights

Paper Summary:

This paper begins with a look at the oppressive treatment of women in Mulsim societies and how this oppressive treatment took root. The paper then points out how Muslim women who recognize the civil rights abuses under many current Islamist regimes, remove themselves from Muslim society, which makes them unable to affect other Muslims. Consequently, these women cannot necessarily effect a change within Muslim society. The paper argues that women who are practicing Muslims are precisely the people who need to become interested in civil rights. In fact, women in Islam need to work for human rights, before there are no Muslim women left who believe in human rights. The paper concludes that by refusing to stand up to the unjust deprivation of their basic human freedoms, Muslim women are allowing people to corrupt their religion. Therefore, the preservation of Islam is the strongest argument for Muslim women working for Human Rights.

From the Paper:

"First, it is important to note that, in its purest form, Islam may be the least-sexist of the world's major religions. Even the hijab, which is seen by many Westerners as a sign of anti-female oppression, was not initially intended as a means of suppressing women. On the contrary, the hijab was seen as a temporary solution to an increase in anti-female violence, meant as a stop-gap measure until men gained the appropriate self-control. However, cultural norms interfered. Like all cultures, Muslim culture sprang from a background of sexism. Purist ideals that were meant to elevate women to the status of equal were twisted and perverted to be used as a means of suppressing women. In fact, women faced a serious problem; because the subjugation of women was so intertwined into daily practice and absorbed into the religion, to question the role of women in Muslim society was oftentimes seen as questioning the existence of Allah. Therefore, many women suffered silently, internalizing Islam's negative teachings about women."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hassan, R. (2007). Are human rights compatible with Islam? Retrieved August 21, 2007 from The religious consultation on population, reproductive health and ethics. Web site: http://www.religiousconsultation.org/hassan2.htm
• Karon, T. (2001). Time.com Primer: the Taliban and Afghanistan. Retrieved August 21, 2007 from Time Web site: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,175372,00.html

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