Someone wise once said “Man is born free, but everywhere he is found in chains.” How well this fits the situation Muslims face today. In an increasingly widespread effort to denigrate Islam and its followers, Muslim women have been projected as oppressed and as having little or no rights, even though it is Islam that first liberated women from the evils practised during the time of ‘jahiliyya’ (pre-Islamic age of ignorance), when girls were buried alive.
Here a poet’s famous part of a couplet comes to mind when talking about unresolved women’s issues: “A veil has fallen over men’s eyes.” This rings true today; the historic landmark status accorded to women by Islam more than 1,400 years ago has been forgotten, so much so that misrepresentation, and misunderstanding have become more and more prevalent, often perpetuated by Muslims themselves.
The book “Unveiling the Ideal: A New Look at Early Muslim Women” by Shayan Afzal Khan, therefore comes across as a refreshing attempt to set the record straight. Published in Malaysia by Sisters In Islam - a non-governmental organization which seeks to end discrimination against women in the name of religion - is a collection of stories of women in Islam, who were strong in both intellect and character.
The book is presented in an effort to break the stereotypical Western image of Muslim women as suppressed. It stresses that the facet of their lives as contributing, valuable members of the society - particularly outside the sphere of their homes - has often been overlooked, and even ignored.
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4:00 AM
Moderate Islamist here
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