Hindu Women's Rights Compared To Muslim Women's Rights

The original article appears to be a very good defense. However I think we need to remember (or accept) that all religions can be made to look like self-serving, occult-like institutions by picking and choosing select material from the the "whole religion". Also, abuses occur from inhumane or ignorant interpretations of all religions.

format_quote Originally Posted by Daffodil

Oh yea and by the way ganeshsikim...Women had no rights watsoever untill 1400 years ago when the quran was revealed.

Can you back up this statement?

The quran backs up my statement. its all in there, why do u want to hear it in my words, when u can hear it in gods words.

Dnt forget, untill the quran was revealed ppl used to think women didnt even have a soul!

before the quran was revealed ppl used to bury their daughters alive.

before the quran was revealed ppl used to have hundreds of wives n were treated like crap etc etc.

This article shows the historical situation of women before Islam elevated them and gave them rights:
http://www.load-islam.com/C/Women/Th...omen_in_Islam/

format_quote Originally Posted by searchingsoul

The original article appears to be a very good defense. However I think we need to remember (or accept) that all religions can be made to look like self-serving, occult-like institutions by picking and choosing select material from the the "whole religion". Also, abuses occur from inhumane or ignorant interpretations of all religions.

so true.

format_quote Originally Posted by Ansar Al-'Adl

This article shows the historical situation of women before Islam elevated them and gave them rights:
http://www.load-islam.com/C/Women/Th...omen_in_Islam/

Thanks Ansar for a nice article outlining the status of women.

In Christianity Paul began spreading the religion to non-jewish. He taught that via the baptismal practice all people, women included, were equal. I do agree that as the Church became more structured and corrupt, the status of women declined. Forgive me if you feel I'm wrong but I see this in Islam as well.

I think that Christianity and Islam both intend for the status of women to be elevated but outside influences have sometimes prevented this from occuring. The same may be true of other religions.

Hi Searchingsoul,

format_quote Originally Posted by searchingsoul

Forgive me if you feel I'm wrong but I see this in Islam as well.

In some places today people have preferred culture over religion and that has resulted in some deviation from this way, but the reality is that in Islamic history, the lofty status given to the women by Islam has always been maintained by the Muslim scholars.

For example, earlier I provided the following quote from the classical 14th century renowned scholar of hadith, Imam Adh-Dhahabi:
The renowned scholar of hadith, Imam Ad-Dhahabi (d. 1358CE) writes:

Lest one should suppose that all the responsibilities are on the wife and all the rights belong to the husband, we mention that the husband is obliged to be gentle, kind, and loving to his wife. He must show forbearance and patience toward her in case she is occasionally abusive or ill-tempered. It is his duty to feed and clothe her and to provide for her needs well, within his means, according to the command of Allah Most High: Live with them on a footing of kindness and equity (4:19) and the advice of the Prophet: Consult with women. Indeed, you have some rights over your women and they have some rights over you. It is their right on you that you provide for their food and clothing generously, and your right on them is that they do not let anyone whom you dislike in the house, walking upon your floor. (Related by Ibn Majah and Tirmidhi who declared it Hasan Saheeh)

He said: "The best among you is the one who is best to his wife" (Related by Ibn Hibban) in another version it is the one who is most kind to his wife. The Prophet himself was very gentle and kind in dealing with women.

The Prophet saws also said: "If any man shows patience with his wife's bad temper, Allah will give him a reward similar to the reward of Ayyub (Job) for his patience, and if any woman shows patience with her husband's bad temper, Allah will give her a reward similar to the reward of Asiyah daughter of Muzahim, the wife of Pharoah (Cf. Qur'an 66:11)."

It is reported that a man came to 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab raa to complain about his wife's ill-temper. While he was waiting for 'Umar to come out of his house, he heard 'Umar's wife scolding him and 'Umar quietly listening to her, and not answering her back. The man turned around and started walking away, muttering to himself: "If that is the case with 'Umar, the leader of the believers, who is famous for his uprighteness and toughness, then what about poor me?!" At that moment, 'Umar came out of his house and saw the man walking away. He called him and said, "What is it you want of me, O man?" The man replied: "O leader of the believers, I came to complain to you about my wife's bad-temper and how she nags me. Then I heard your wife doing the same to you, so I turned around, muttering to myself, 'If that is the situation of the leader of the believers, then what about me?'" 'Umar replied, "O my brother, I bear with her because of her rights over me. She cooks my food, bakes my bread, washes my clothes, breast-feeds my child...and yet none of these are her duty;* and then she is a comfort to my heart and keeps me away from forbidden deeds. Consequently, I bear with her." The man said, "It is the same with me, O leader of the believers." 'Umar said: "Then, O my brother, be patient with her, indeed this life is short. (Adh-Dhahabi, Al-Kabâ'ir 194)

This was always the understanding amongst Muslim scholars throughout Islamic history. In fact, there have been many Muslim women who have been scholars in Islamic history as well:

Question: Were there any women scholars (apart from the Companions) amongst the salaf and the later generations? If there were, could you please name some of them?

Answered by the Fatwa Department Research Committee - chaired by Sheikh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî

If we look into the biographical works written about the scholars, such as al-Dhahabî’s encyclopedic Siyar A`lâm al-Nubalâ’, we find the biographies of many women mentioned for every era of Islamic history.

We will mention just a few of the notable scholars from various eras:

Mu`âdhah al-`Adawiyyah (d. 83 AH). One of the scholars and reliable narrators from the generation of the Successors (the students of the Companions). She related from `Alî b. Abî Tâlib, `Â’ishah, and Hishâm b. `Âmir.

`Amrah bint `Abd al-Rahman b. Sa`d al-Ansârîyyah (d. 98 AH). She was a Successor and one of the prominent students of `Â’ishah. She also learned from the Companions Umm Salamah and Râfi` b Khadîj. She was one of the important legal scholars of Madinah from the generation of the Successors.

Hafsah bint Sîrîn al-Ansâriyyah (died after 100 AH). She was a student of Umm `Atiyyah, Anas b. Mâlik, and other Companions. She was also one of the legal scholars from the generation of the Successors. Qatâdah was among her students.

Amah al-Wâhid bint al-Mahâmilî (d. 377 AH). She was a noted jurist of the Shâfî’î school of law and a muftî in Baghdad.

Karîmah bint Ahmad al-Marwaziyyah (d. 463 AH). She was one of the most important narrators of Sahîh al-Bukhârî and had many prominent students, including al-Khatîb al-Baghdâdî.

Zaynab bint `Abd al-Rahmân b. al-Hasan b. Ahmad b. Sahl al-Jurjâniyyâh (d. 615 AH). She was a prominent scholar of Khorasan. She was one of the students of the famous language scholar al-Zamakhsharî from whom she received an academic degree.

Yâsamîn bint Sâlim al-Harîmiyyah (d. 634 AH). She was a scholar of hadîth. Ibn Bulbân was one of her most prominent students.

Zaynab bint Makkî b. `Alî b. Kâmil al-Harrâniyyah (d. 688 AH). She was a prominent scholar from Damascus and a teacher of Ibn Taymiyah, the famous hadîth scholar al-Mizzî (the author of Tahdhîb al-Kamâl), and many others.

Zaynab bint `Umar b. Kindî b. Sa`îd al-Dimashqiyyah (d. 699 AH). She was also one of the teachers of the famous hadîth scholar al-Mizzî.

Khadîjah bint `Abd al-Rahmân al-Maqdisiyyah (d.701). She was a scholar and writer, a student of Ibn al-Zabîdî and others. She was also one of the teachers of the famous hadîth scholar al-Mizzî.

Zaynab bint Sulaymân b. Ibrâhîm b. Rahmah al-As`ardî (d. 705 AH). She was one of al-Subkî’s and al-Dhahabî’s teachers. She had heard al-Sahîh from Ibn al-Zabîdî.

Fâtimah bint Ibrâhim al-Ba`lî (d. 711 AH). She was also a student of Ibn al-Zabîdî and a teacher of Ibn al-Subkî and many others.

Fâtimah bint `Abbâs b. Abî al-Fath al-Hanbaliyyah (d. 714 AH). She was a prominent Hanbalî legal scholar and muftî, first in Damascus and then in Cairo. (SOURCE)

Regards