Women in Islam

Islam Religion

The Islam religion is a type of religion that has a strong patriarchy belief. Just as Christians worship Jesus Christ in Christianity, Prophet Muhammad is the overall leader in Islamic Religion. In Islamic religion, husbands often treat women as properties or possessions and this has led many men to control women for a long period of time.  For example, women are allowed to have only one husband while men are allowed to marry four wives and beyond if they desire. Also, in the country of Iran, the legal age a Muslim girl can marry is about nine years old and fourteen years old for boys (http://content.time.com). Wives in Islamic religion face a great difficulty when it comes to divorcing their husbands because of the patriarchy rules and religious beliefs.  Many women fear of divorcing their husbands due to poverty and also loosing custodies over their children. But on the other hand, men can divorce their wives any time and anywhere they decide.

Like many other religion, most women in Islam religion face major oppression in cultural, social, political, and economical sectors. Apart from marriage, the Islamic laws and culture has a great impact on women’s opportunities to employment, female circumcision, dress, education, rights to inheritance, her ability to receive justice in case of sex crimes, permission to use birth control and many more.  Although the women’s movement and other human rights movement have made it possible for women in Islam to get some equal rights as men, most of these women are still oppressed today. We see example in their clothing because women are told to wear the hijab so they will not expose their bodies. In my opinion, this is wrong because it does not give the woman the right to express herself sexually if she wants and also wear other clothing she desires.  Overall, the Quran, which is like the Bible, is the main spiritual guideline for Muslim women and most of these guidelines teach women to submit to men.

In terms of technology, Muslim women all over the world use digital media and online social networks to help them develop and understand the discourses and gender relations in Islamic religion (http://www.wisemuslimwomen.org). In addition, emails and blogs help women to communicate with one another and also participate in political, social and religious activity among Muslim women. Despite the fact that these technologies may be available to the well-educated, elite women in Islamic societies, not all women especially the uneducated have access to these technologies.  Lastly, I believe women should not be oppressed in any religion because both men and women are created equal in the sight of God. Also, I believe when Muslim women come together as one to fight gender and other forms of discrimination, I believe all forms of discrimination or oppression will stop so women can have their freedom as men.

Works Cited

Digital Technology. Women’s Islamic Initiatives and Spirituality and Equality.

Retrieved on November 8, 2013 from

<http://www.wisemuslimwomen.org/currentissues/digitaltechnology/>

The Women of Islam.  Time World.  Retrieved on November 8, 2013

<http://content.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,185647,00.html>