The Muslim Woman

A section of poor Muslim women often face the brutality of a male-dominated society. Women and girls all over the world(of all religions and nationalities)are not safe from violence and exploitation in the so called ‘age of globalization and information technology’. We still love to follow the cruel adaptations of our primitive lives that structured our religious and national identities. It pains me to read widespread reports of ‘Honour Killings’ among the Islamic society. According to old Muslim values, its the female who bears the family decency and the males are to defend it at any cost. In simple words, its the woman or girl who must pay with her life for any dishonor that befalls upon her family and society due to her actions. In most Arab societies, women are solely responsible for the protection of their virginity, the loss of her most precious asset in incidents, other than in proper marriage, would inevitably lead to death. Most honor killings are done by the girl’s own family members. Sometimes it is astounding when people justify honor killings in the name of Islam. I am absolutely sure that the Great Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would not have advised such horrific followings. The killings are extensions of old Arab and nomadic rituals that have been in existence long before Islam’s advent to this plane. Due to the raising of voice among many Muslim women with the help of media, we are coming to know the senseless violence that are being meted out to the women who knowingly or even mistakenly fail to follow the rigorous steps. These conservative religious teachings are results of personal radical ambitions and age-old beliefs of depriving the feminine society. Media is not the only way of relieving these poor women. The time has come for the heads of states to come up with modern ideas to combat radicalism and blind beliefs. Image: Hinduonnet Source: Boston Globe

It is unfortunate but true, that a woman is always treated as a ‘sex object’ in all cultures. It is more so true in the ultra-conservative Arab society, where a woman is often stigmatized for having ‘breast cancer’. To talk about breast cancer is considered taboo in the middle-east countries. However, as a welcome relief, more and more Arab women are openly speaking about the disease to help their fellow comrades fight this ‘social stigma’. Robin Roberts, the anchor of ‘Good Morning America’ spoke to three women in the United Arab Emirates, determined to bring breast cancer awareness among their fellow countrywomen. Among them, Fakhira Lufti and Adila Nasser are breast cancer survivors and Dr. Houriya Kazim is a leading cancer surgeon. The three women are determined to break the cycle of shame associated with breast cancer in the Arab world. Such is the level of shame associated with cancer that even when they refer to cancer they just say ‘that disease’. According to Lufti, Nasser and Kazim some women do not admit to have breast cancer because they fear that their husband might abandon them. Arab mothers hide their disease out of fear that it would be difficult to marry off their daughters. Women are also afraid of losing their breast to surgery and making them less feminine. While you can hide your breast-surgery under clothes, but what concerns women most is loss of hair from chemotherapy. It is saddening to know that women are more concerned about socially dictated norms than leading a healthy life. It is however, heartening to know that more and more Arab women are now shedding their veils of oblivion and spreading breast cancer awareness. Source: ABC News

Despite of a large number of women rights movement across the globe it seems that the larger portion of the fruits of women rights have gone to the woman of the western world while their sisters, especially in the Islamic world still remain deprived behind the veil of anonymity. For a society that treats its women as wealth to be possessed and kept fettered inside the secure environs of home, Nadia Abu Amar, an Israeli Arab’s desire for freedom cannot be tolerated. So even by escaping from her home in Ramle to a women’s shelter in Jerusalem she could not save herself from being killed by the male relatives of her family in the name of salvaging the family honour. Nadia’s case is not a stray incident among the Israeli Arabs. Honour killing is prevalent not only throughout the Arab world, but also in Pakistan, Afghanistan and even among some non-Islamic groups in India. For a woman it is her duty to maintain her family honour at all costs even if that amounts to settling for an unhappy arranged marriage. While women have been guaranteed rights to participate in electoral politics and cast their votes to choose their representatives during elections but they do not have the right to choose the mode of life they prefer worth living. According to Ramle police superintendent, who is investigating Nadia’s case, even if an Arab woman spoke on a cell phone or laughed with a man it will be regarded as violation of family honour. Israel on its part is trying to resolve the incidents of honour killings by executing strict measures against the perpetrators of the crime. However, unless there is an endogenous social reform from within the conservative societies, Islamic and non-Islamic, any exogenous legal effort will prove futile. Source:ABC News