"I feel more intimidated by the flaunting of semi naked bodies in soft porn outfits, than I do a fully covered muslim Muslim woman" [Piffle]
"The very same headscarf revered as a sign of 'holliness' when worn by Catholic Nuns, is reviled as a sign of 'oppression' when worn by Muslim Women" [Sherif Abdel Azim]
Western politicians and media criticize Islam as an anti-women.They fear the growing trend amongst young, educated women all over the world to embrace Islam to reclaim their rights and dignity.
Just about everything that feminist in the West strives for in the 70's was already available to Muslim women 1400 years ago. Women enjoy more protection and respect within Islam compared to any faith.
The rights of a Muslim woman include the right to have her survival and sexual needs met by her husband, a marriage contract , divorce, refuse a marriage, and maintain her name when entering marriage. She also has the right to inheritance, own and run her own business, exclusive possession of her assets and dispose them in ways that she considers appropriate.
In the spiritual realm, women are equal to men as the only distinction amongst the Believers is the level of their piety. The status accorded to women in Islam is the best exemplified in the reply of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) when asked about Paradise.
"It is at feet of the mother" [Bukhari]
Western politicians and media portray Islam as anti women's rights by highlighting cultural and politician practices in Muslim lands that have nothing to do with Islam.
"Islam is not what some Muslim do but all Muslims are supposed to do!"
What Hitler, raised in Christian family, did was not what Jesus (pbuh) preached!
Muslim regard the West 's attacks on Islam as nothing but hypocrisy as reflected in their backing of groups that suppress human rights in Muslim lands.The hegemony control of the oil natural gas reserves in Muslim lands is the primary goal of the western powers.
"On entering Baghdad on April 9, 2003, US forced stood by as loosters burned and ransacked government ministries- except the oil ministry which they guarded diligently. " [The Star, January 11, 2007]
Muslim view the attacks against Islam as ways to divide and weaken Muslims to further the West's hegemonic ambitions. Every aspects of Islam is now under a magnifying glass,- to search for subjects to distort and misrepresent Islam as backward and violent.
They do not spare even the hijaab, the dress of the Muslim women. They highlight it as 'proof' of women's servitude in Islam. The effects have been the reverse. Islam is the fastest growing religion. More women than men are embracing islam in the west and other places!More women are wearing the hijaab, as a statement of their Muslim identity and liberation from Western lifestyles, that enslaves women to the fashion and cosmetics industries.
The Muslim women seeks spiritual beauty. Her hijaab is an external expression of her inner commitment to lead a way of life that pleases Allah the Most Merciful. Rather than making rules on dress styles, Islam teaches both men and women how to be modest and humble in their dressing. The dress of Muslims must be loose enough to hide the shape of the body. The dress must not transparent, similar to dress identified with the dress of the disbelievers, and resemble the dresses of, or seek or attract, their opposite genders.
Wearing expensive apparel to show-off one's status and affluence is not the way of Islam. The Noble Quran calls on the descendants of Adam to wear their 'beautiful apparel at everytime and place of prayer' [7:31]
Islam does not require a person to dress totally in black, blue or green. Only saffron, the colour associated with polytheist, is prohibited as dress colour for Muslims. The dress of Muslims must cover their Aurat or 'parts that elicit desire'. Most hijaab-wearing women do not cover their face and hands.A small though easily visible minority wear a face veil (niqab) . They have been harassed and discriminated in 'liberal' West.
The defenders of individual freedom expose their hypocrisy by their calls to ban in public places the personal choice of a tiny segment of the population. Cultural practices and personal choices are constantly highlighted to portray Islam as a backward religion that needs modernization. Their real aim of the secularist is to destroy the rise of Islam as a complete way of life and reduce it to a 'private matter'.
The Bible requires women "to cover their head"
[1 Corinthians 11"3-13]
Moderns interpretations have their downplayed the significance of these verses in the Bible. There is nothing wrong in being modern, that if is a user of mobile phones. You can buy a more modern mobile phones every few months. Islam is not mobile! Islam is God's final revelation to humankind. The True Believers obey the commands of Allah The most Merciful. They seek to understand the wisdom behind the guidance found in the Noble Quran.
Islam redirects humankind from the false worship of created things to the true worship of the Lord of all created things.
The critics of women's rights in Islam expose their hypocrisy by their silence towards the multi billion dollar porn industry ($57 billion in 2006 in USA) that treats women like filth.
It is easy to understand why women are leaving the Western-secular culture and embracing Islam that restores their dignity.
-Dr. Y Mansoor Marican, Ph.D-
