Women in Islam

Term Paper # 99183

Canadian Studies > Gender, Race, Class issues
Religion and Theology > Islam
Women Studies > Culture

Women in Islam

A look at the attitudes towards married women in Islam.

1,343 words () | 6 sources | APA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the treatment of married Muslim women who live under the dictates of Islamic law. In particular, it looks briefly at marital issues such as polygamy, feminine "modesty" in marriage (specifically the wearing of the traditional veil) and at the matter of domestic violence and whether the Koran specifically permits such acts. In addition, it discusses divorce as it exists under the tenets of the Koran and some time is devoted to the contentious issue of Sharia law and what it portends for Muslim women living in modern western states, specifically Canada.

From the Paper:

"Additionally, the Koran does not encourage violence against wives - at least according to a small group of feminist scholars who have examined the Holy Text. Specifically, they cite Chapters XVI and LXXXI along with Chapter IV which all indicate that women are to be not be "ill-treated" and that relationships between men and women should be characterized by charity and sharing. Furthermore, the "Hadith" or "Sayings of the Prophets" emphasize that only "wicked men" insult women and that the "most perfect believers" were those who treated their wives compassionately. "

Sample of Sources Used:

Coleman, Isobel. (2006). Women, Islam and the new Iraq. Foreign Affairs, 85(1): 24-38.
Douki, S. Nacef, F., Belhadj, A., Bouasker, A. and R. Ghachem. (2003). Violence against women in Arab and Islamic Countries. Archives of Women's Mental Health, 6: 165-71.
Song, Vivian. (2004, June 11). "Proponents insist laws are misunderstood". Toronto Star, A2.
Stowasser, Barbara Freyer. Women in the Quran: Traditions and Interpretation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994, 1-100
Thompson, Rachel. (2004, Fall) "Muslim women say no to Sharia". Herizons, 18(2): 7