Perspective: Islam and Women’s Rights | Kashmala Ahmad

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"For men there is a share of that which parents and near relatives leave, and for women there is a share of that which parents and near relatives leave, whether it be a little or much - a determined share." (Al-Qur'an 4:8)

Times of Ahmad | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: Chicago Tribune
By Kashmala Ahmad | March 11, 2018

Women's History Month is the "honorary observance of the month of March, as designated in 1987 by the U.S. Congress, in recognition of women's many accomplishments throughout history. A variety of agencies, schools, and organizations observe the month by focusing on the 'consistently overlooked and undervalued' role of American women in history. Libraries and communities promote special events that emphasize the achievements of women." As an American Ahmadi Muslim, celebrating women's achievements, I feel proud that my religion has given me all my rights, privileges, dignity, and respect-as my birthright, 1,400 years ago.

In America, the right to own property was given to women in 1839. The Married Women's Property Act allows such women to own and control their property themselves, and makes it their own right. Before the advent of Islam, a woman was not allowed to own property. She didn't even have the right to inherit from her own father!

When she was married, she became her husband's property, and it was against the law to be separated or divorced from him. When God chose the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to be the messenger for all of mankind he improved the status of Muslim women. In the book, "Muhammad the Liberator of Women, Hazrat Mirza Bashir ud-Din Mahmood Ahmad said about the Holy Prophet Muhammad that, "He proclaimed in the name of God that man and woman by virtue of their humanity, were equal of each other, and when they lived together, just as man had certain rights over woman, so had woman certain rights over man. Women could own property in the same way as men. A husband had no right to use the property of his wife, as long as his wife, of her own free will, did not let him have some of it. To seize her property by force, or in a manner which made it doubtful whether her natural shyness had not stood in the way of her refusal, was wrong. Whatever the husband of his own free will should give away to the wife, would be the property of the wife and the husband would not be able to take it back from her."

This clearly shows that even though Married Women's Property Act was enacted in 1839, Muslim women's right to inherit and manage property was already established in Islam 1,400 years ago. While women had to fight for their rights, and had many movements such as the Women's Suffrage Movement, Muslim women had their rights handed to them many centuries ago. The Holy Qur'an says, "For men there is a share of that which parents and near relatives leave, and for women there is a share of that which parents and near relatives leave, whether it be a little or much - a determined share" (4:8).

One cannot say that Muslim women are oppressed, when they obtained their rights much before any other nation. On the topic of women, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community says, "I consider women to be nation builders, and so they play a vital and immeasurable role in developing peace in the world by raising their children in the best way and educating them".

All in all, this is only one example where Islam protects women's rights, giving her dignity and respect in society.


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