The very question of whether Islam and feminism can co-exist will shock most people who know about the religion and the term “feminism.” It will raise eyebrows for many, thanks to the impression given by media. But do they necessarily have to contradict? Can you be a Muslim and a feminist at the same time?
One definition of feminism states that it is a collection of movements and ideologies aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. The word was derived from the French word féminisme in the late 19th century, through French and American revolutions.
From ancient times, human beings have lived in patriarchal societies, which meant women were often oppressed and denied of different rights. Thus, the idea of feminism came about, to ensure equal rights and justice for womankind.
Does Islam support feminism? Can a religion, founded some 1500 years back in the middle of a desert be congruent with a modern ideology only a couple of hundred years old? The Qur’an, considered by Muslims to be the verbatim word of God, and hence the complete guideline to life, clearly states, in Chapter 3, Verse 195: “Their Lord responded to them: I never fail to reward any worker among you for any work you do, be you male or female – you are equal to one another. Thus, those who immigrate, and get evicted from their homes, and are persecuted because of Me, and fight and get killed, I will surely remit their sins and admit them into gardens with flowing streams.”
And in Chapter 16, Verse 97: “Anyone who works righteousness, male or female, while believing, we will surely grant them a happy life in this world, and we will surely pay them their full recompense (on the Day of Judgment) for their righteous works.”
The above verses, and many others, from the Qur’an, as well as the Hadith, repeatedly mention the equality of women. The arrival of the Prophet, in the sixth century, improved the situation of women compared to pre-Islamic Arabia. The marriage of a man to several women was not an invention of Islam. It was a mainstream cultural practice of the day.
What Islam did was to limit the number of wives a man could have to four (provided he equally provides for all of them), not the other way round. Contrary to popular belief, several marriages was not primarily because of physical demands, but to protect women from hunger, poverty, and social evils, who were often widowed because of the war-mongering tribes of those days.
Another point raised by many is the inheritance law of Islam, which states that women should inherit half of what men get. Again, this is an improvement from pre-Islamic Arabia, where even that share was not guaranteed to women. Furthermore, the reason for this rule was that traditionally, men had to provide for themselves as well as their wives and children.
This is true in today’s world as well, at least in most cases. Furthermore, Islam asks men to give dowry to women before marriage, as her protection, unlike the ill-practices of the bride’s family giving dowry to men in South Asia and many other developing parts of the world.
Women (as well as men) have been asked to cover themselves properly, something the media tries to portray as oppression of women. The reason, of course is to protect and safeguard women, to respect them. Wearing skimpy clothes does not prove that a woman is a strong, independent woman. It is no secret how terribly oppressed the lives of budding fashion models in Paris, and other such places, are.
It is important to note that texts of most major religions of the world contain elements that do not place men and women equally. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, all Abrahamic monotheistic religions originating in the Middle East some 1450, 2000, and 3000 years back, have similar viewpoints when it comes to women: They are asked to be quiet and submissive.
Hinduism, often called the oldest religion, originating in the Indian subcontinent, advocates restricting women’s rights. Buddhism, the other major religion of the world, also asks wives to be obedient to their husbands. This is not to blame any of the religions, but to make a point that it would be wrong to point fingers at Islam. All religions reflect the time, place, and culture they originated in.
To sum up, we can see that Islam and feminism do not have to contradict. Conflict between feminists and Islamists do not bring about any solution, they just complicate things even more, especially in a Muslim country like Bangladesh, where the conflict further slows down the process of achieving women’s equality. Contrary to popular (and wrong) belief, Islam and feminism can very well work together, in the Muslim societies of the world as well as in other places.
