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"Between the justice of Islam and the injustice of tradition"

Read the article on the Jordan Times website

By Hala Lattouf

If you search for the words “Women in Islam” on the Internet you are likely to find two things: commentary suggesting Islam is derogatory to women, and attempts to debunk this myth. Unfortunately, the image of Muslim women in the world is that of rigid obedience and supplication to men. In reality, we reflect the customs, practices and socially ascribed religious beliefs of our culture. In preparing this paper a number of topics ran through my mind. Poverty or democracy in Islam would have been fitting subjects due to my current service as minister of social development. Yet, as a woman from Jordan, I see women in Islam often being misrepresented and misjudged.

The other day my daughter told me she heard Muslim women could not be leaders in government. As a woman working in government, this statement took me back. I wondered where she heard this idea. Here in Jordan, we have been progressive in enhancing the rights of women. His Majesty King Abdullah is a tireless advocate for women and children, and has described crimes against them as “sabotage” against the community. We have also increased women’s participation in public life. The present Cabinet, Senate and the Lower House of Parliament have a much greater number of women than in times past. Jordan was even the first Middle Eastern country to have a female garbage truck and taxi driver. Surprisingly, 24 per cent of Jordanian youth who participated in a survey analysing morals and values believed women were more suitable than men as political leaders. Ten per cent of these were young men. This is significant because it shows a male population who would put their political future in the hands of women.

However, a recent survey of over 5,000 Jordanian women contained some more intuitive statistics. According to the study, 81.4 per cent of these women felt they were being treated unjustly due to existing traditions and customs. In contrast, only 14.2 per cent held Islam responsible for discrimination. I interpret this to mean the cultural norms need adjustment, not the Islamic faith.

Although a practicing Muslim, I have never considered myself solely a “Muslim” woman per se, rather a Jordanian-Arab Muslim. However, since 9/11 I have come to identify myself with these women more than simply by nationality. I find myself often, if not always, “randomly selected” and searched by airport security just as frequently as other Muslim women. I am portrayed in the media alongside them as part of a discriminated gender, despite the situational differences between women across Muslim countries. Some may think it odd for a woman born and raised in the heart of the Middle East to not experience gender stereotyping. My parents made every effort to raise me as a strong human being, with a very enlightened belief of Islam. I never felt inferior to men. Now, with children of my own, I try to instil the same sense of equality I experienced growing up. I realise they do not live in a vacuum, and that society and cultural values play an important role in influencing how they think.

Many Muslim women live happy and fulfilling lives in their home countries. Why then, do I continually see reports in the media suggesting acts of abuse and intolerance are committed in the name of Islam? The Islam I practice and read about in the Holy Koran does not condone these actions. However, tradition, much which comes from pre-Islamic societies, perpetuates this image. Some of these customs have led to cruel injustices. Sadly, many try to justify harmful traditions through their faith. This gives power and legitimacy to their actions.

Having said this, not all of these traditions are bad. Drinking Arabic coffee during marriage proposals, helping strangers who have lost their homes and providing generous hospitality for guests are some of the many positive traditions in the Arab culture.

When I married my husband we signed a marriage contract in accordance with Islamic teachings. This document promotes equality, prevents abuse and is similar to a prenuptial agreement. In it, I could specify conditions my husband must legally meet. Such conditions may include the right of divorce, the ability to deny him additional wives, entitlement to servants, or the location of our future home. Women can even require payment for cooking and cleaning if they choose to do so, I personally prefer to do neither. Unfortunately, some women feel they cannot take advantage of these rights either for fear of being denied marriage or because their cultural upbringing, under the guise of religion, has led them to believe women are not equal to men.

Furthermore, Islam grants women exclusive financial independence. Not only do I have the opportunity to list the “cans” and “cannots” in my marriage, but any money I bring into the relationship remains mine. Any wages I earn after I am married are also mine to spend as I wish. While Islam requires a man to pay and support the needs of his family, the woman is exempt from this responsibility. Yet tradition in some families requires girls to pass their inheritance on to their brothers, something we are working hard to change.

Islam provides women with an extensive array of political rights. Early Muslim women gave a monetary pledge of allegiance to the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him). According to the Hadith, Caliph Omar consulted both men and women as to who should be his successor. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was even employed by his future wife, Khadija. Additionally, the first convert to Islam, the first tortured and killed for their beliefs in Islam, and the first Muslim judge were all women.

Comparatively speaking, many women in modern Islamic societies have made advances much faster than in Europe or the United States. Various heads of government such as Megawati Sukarnoputri, former president of Indonesia have served in Muslim states. The office of prime minister has also been held numerous times by women such as Khaleda Zia in Bangladesh, Tansu Ciller in Turkey, and the late Benazir Bhutto in Pakistan. The United States has yet to elect a female president, while Europe has made some progress with female leaders such as Margaret Thatcher and Angela Merkel. In addition, Turkey and Sri Lanka were among the first to grant women the right to vote, while Switzerland waited until 1971. Undoubtedly, Muslim women have made substantial advances in Islamic nations.

Despite this political progress, harmful social traditions exist which do not follow the council of Islam. Honour killings, for example, are violent acts which find no root in the Muslim faith. It is an abhorrent tradition handed down from pre-Islamic times. Jordan has recognised its existence and has spoken out against it. Under Islamic law, adultery is nearly impossible to prove. To eliminate honour killings, we need to change the cultural mindset to understand that these murders are a crime in Islam and society. In all offences Islamic law punishes men and women equally, and our secular laws attempt to do the same.

The Shehada, or testimony, is also widely questioned. It is often thought that this means two women are needed to testify before a court of law in the place of one man. This is actually only limited to situations when women were not directly involved. They are, however, still allowed to testify, whereas men were prohibited from testifying in cases pertaining specifically to women, such as a woman’s virtue.

I often hear other human rights activists discussing how they can rescue Muslim women from the presumed horrors men afflict on their lives. This confuses me because I am certainly not the only woman who loves and treasures her father, brother, and son. I most certainly will not be the last. I come from a culture with many positive traditions. It is a culture where immediate and extended family ties are strong. It is a culture where a mother can choose to work as a homemaker if she so desires. Homemaking is viewed as a respectable career and not demeaning servitude. I come from a culture which knows its neighbours and cares for their well-being just as if they were their own family.

The Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) instructed us, “God enjoins you to treat women well, for they are your mothers, daughters, aunts”. Although these words were spoken centuries ago, they hold true for all people today. As Muslim women, we are caught between the justice of Islam which provides protection and equal rights, and the injustice of certain traditions which subject some to abuse. Muslim women are not alone in this struggle. We, as an international community, must do more to guarantee equality among both men and women and overcome the negative aspects of our respective cultures. Otherwise, we stand to lose our humanity.

The writer is Minister of Social Development. She contributed this article, which was published in the G-8 magazine, to The Jordan Times.