Epigraph:
But whoso does good works, whether male or female, and is a believer, such shall enter Heaven, and shall not be wronged even as much as the little hollow in the back of a date-stone. (Al Quran 4:124)
March 8 is International Women’s Day. For our collection on Women Rights, especially Muslim women rights, please click here
International Women’s Day 2017: 15 Inspiring Quotes By Women, For Women
Source: NDTV
Suggested reading by the Muslim Times: Three Hijabis: The Three Muslim Women, Who Received Nobel Prize
On March 8 every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated to felicitate women and their achievements. Women have come a long way in their struggle for equality, but there is still a long distance to cover. This year, the theme for Women’s Day is ‘Be Bold For Change.’ And to encourage women to be bolder, stronger and more powerful in all spheres of life, we have 15 inspiring Women’s Day quotes. These powerful statements, made by women and for women, will inspire you to celebrate women in all their glory. Have a look:
1. “A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” – Gloria Steinem
2. “We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai
3. “In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.” – Margaret Thatcher
4. “For I conclude that the enemy is not lipstick, but guilt itself; we deserve lipstick, if we want it, AND free speech; we deserve to be sexual AND serious – or whatever we please. We are entitled to wear cowboy boots to our own revolution.” -Naomi Wolf
5. “At the end of the day, don’t forget that you are a person, don’t forget you are a mother, don’t forget you are a wife, don’t forget you are a daughter.” – Indra Nooyi
6. “The education and empowerment of women throughout the world cannot fail to result in a more caring, tolerant, just and peaceful life for all.” -Aung San Suu Kyi
7. “Beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin. It’s about knowing and accepting who you are.” – Ellen DeGeneres
8. “Don’t let anyone tell you you’re weak because you’re a woman.” – Mary Kom
International Women’s Day 2017: Famous quote by boxer Mary Kom
9. “Women need to be empowered through the strongest tool – education. They don’t need to be subservient to anyone, but at the same time, men must change their mindset towards women. If they are more respectful towards them, then things will change at the grassroots level. It will happen slowly, but everyone has to move together.” – Madhuri Dixit
10. “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” – Michelle Obama
International Women’s Day 2017: Famous quote by former US first lady Michelle Obama
11. “Girls should never be afraid to be smart.” – Emma Watson
12. “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders.” – Sheryl Sandberg
13. “There is only ONE sign that a woman wants to have sex and that is that she says YES.” – Deepika Padukone
14. “I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde
Women Rights in Islam
Definition
According to the Oxford dictionary, ‘Women’s Rights are the rights, that promote a position of social and legal equality, of women to men’
According to the Oxford dictionary, ‘they are the rights, claimed for the women, equal to those of men, as regards to suffrage that right to vote, as regards to property, etc’.
‘Modernising’, according to the Oxford dictionary means, ‘to make modern, to adapt to modern needs or habits’.
And according to the Webster’s dictionary it means… ‘To make modern, or to give a new character or appearance – e.g., to modernise ones ideas’.
In short, modernising is a process of updating or opting for the betterment of the present status itself – It is not the present modern status itself.
Can we modernise ourselves, to master our problems, and to realize a new way of life, for the whole human race?
I am not concerned about the modern ideas, the conclusions and the categorical statements made by scientists and inexperienced armchair experts, as how a life should be lived by a woman.
I am going to base my conclusions and considerations on truth, which can be proved by experience.
Experience and unbiased factual holistic analysis, are the sure test, between the gold of truth, and the glitter of theory.
We have to check our thinking against reality, otherwise many a times, our mental process will go astray – Indeed the great brains of one time, believed that the world was flat.
Women Rights in Islam
Islam’s radical revolutionary support, gave women their due right and status in the days of ignorance… 1,400 years ago.
Islam’s objective was and continues to be, to modernise our thinking, our living, our seeing, our hearing, our feeling and striving for the women’s upliftment and emancipation in the society.
Before I dwell further with the topic, I would like you to make note of a few points.
Approximately one fifth of the world’s population, consists of Muslims. There are different Muslim societies – Some may be close to Islam, some may be far away from Islam.
The ‘Women’s rights in Islam’ should judged according to the authentic sources, and not what individual Muslims do, or what the Muslim society does.
The authentic sources of Islam, are the Qur’an, which is the word of God, and the authentic Sunnah, and the traditions of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him).
Qur’an will never contradict itself, nor will the authentic Hadith contradict itself… neither will these two authentic sources, contradict each other.
Sometimes the scholars differ, and many a times, these differences can be removed by analysing the Qur’an as a whole, and not just by quoting one particular Verse. Because if one particular verse of the Qur’an is ambiguous many a times the answer is given somewhere else in the Qur’an – Some people quote one source and neglect all the other sources.
It is the duty of every Muslim, male or female, to seek the pleasure of God, and to act as His trustee on this world, and not to try and gain fame or satisfy one’s own ego.
Islam believes in equality of men and women – ‘Equality’ does not mean ‘identically’.
In Islam, the role of a man and woman is complimentary, it is not conflicting. It is that of a partnership, it is not contradictory, so as to strive for supremacy.
IA
http://www.londonschoolofislamics.org.uk
But that’s the whole point. Women and men don’t have a “role”. They can be whatever they want to be. Trying to pigeon-hole people into a role based on their gender is NOT equality. E.g. telling women they should be wives; mothers; they should take care of the home etc. If women choose to do those things; fine, but if they don’t; also fine. There is no one role – they can be and do whatever they choose (as can men).
except of course being a mother. Yes, many ‘roles’ can be interchanged but motherhood cannot.
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