Is the western media painting a wrong picture of the women in the Arab world? Despite of contention of the politicians, scholars and women rights groups are the Arab women in reality content with their veiled existence? I think time has come for us to become an impartial judge and judge the Arab society as distinct from the liberal western societies.
The popular allegation against the Arab world is that they have kept their women under veils depriving them of all forms of liberty, education and employment. They are forced into arranged marriages and are victims of triple talaqs, while they themselves do not have the right to ask for divorce. A close look into the realities of the Arab life will show that at least some of these allegations are mere myths far-fetched from the realities of life.
As for education, Arab women especially from the upper echelons of the society attend schools, colleges and universities. Many of them are professionals and even employed. Lack of education and employment opportunities are prevalent among the impoverished Arabs, men and women alike. Gender disparities are common in the Islamic world whereas can we totally rule out gender discrimination and sexual harassment of women in workplaces in the western world?
As for marriages, the Shariah rules allow women right to choose their husbands and ask for divorce. Unfortunately despite of claims made by Islamic scholars the elders in the Arabic society who prefer family value to women’s independence hardly follow these rules. There should not be so many fracases about the veils and burqa worn by the Arabian women as it is part of their culture. Women’s independence does not necessarily mean sartorial revolution where to be independent means to walk in skimpy sexy clothes.
While much remains to be redressed, but the best way the western world can help the Arab women at least for the time being is promising them a descent life away from the devastations of the wars in Iraq and Palestine.
Comments
Arpita Mukherjee I commend you for addressing these common misconceptions regarding Arab women I am confused by one thing. Firstly, why did you choose to use a picture of Michael Jackson in a niqab for this article? I’ll assume that you were not aware of this 2006 incident in Bahrain where Michael was spotted wearing Muslim womens clothing or that it was just a tongue in cheek reference to your title.
Reality is always hidden behind the veil. To know the truth we have to lift the veil.
Asalaamu Alykum wa rahmatullah,
Thank u so much for this article, I am happy to see someone is finally speaking about the myths and unfair alegations against Islamic dress. Masha’Allah keep up with the good work.
hahaha, it was michal Jackson!!!! ok, I have a question. In the rest of the world woman can go anywhere and do anything they want and 99% of the time, they are perfectly safe doing it. So why would a Muslim woman never be safe from Muslim men? It seems that only the ones in the vails live in fear.