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Striking perfect balance between rights and responsibilities

In Europe the growing population of single mothers is causing concern to sociologists. Against this backdrop, it would be worthwhile to study woman’s place in Islam. This is all the more necessary because Islam is the second largest growing religion in the West and North America after Christianity. In Britain the new converts ratio between men and women is 4:1. It would be even more ironic that most converts in Europe are women, given the widespread hate campaign against Muslims. It is indeed a paradox in the Western societies that routinely accuse Islam of curbing the freedom of women and confining them to four walls of their home.

It is time for the West to find a solution to the problems of the rising number of single mothers and divorces. Islam is a religion of balance and moderation and it is apparent in the rights and responsibilities the faith assigns to men and women. Although Islam does not discriminate between sexes so far as the rights are concerned, it however does not assign the same role to men and women. Equality of rights should not be confused with the equality of responsibilities. Islamic principles ensure that a woman should not ignore her family and home. Having emphasised this, Islam confers highest dignity and respect on women. The ongoing debate in the West about the family values is nothing but adopting Islamic way of life whereby women are assigned the household responsibilities especially the upbringing of children.

Motherhood is an institution in Islam. Tensions in the family cause break-up of marriages in the West. But in Islam women cope with the burden for the sake of children. Therefore, there are lesser drop-outs in schools among Muslims and lesser number of those who abandon the parents’ homes. No wonder, more and more Western women, who come in contact with Islamic teachings, are turning to the faith.

Before the advent of Islam, concubinage and slavery were the recognised social institutions which were demolished by Islam. Women regained their status and rights of inheritance as well as the rights of separation under the Islamic system. The Quranic concept of equality between man and woman is best expressed in the following verse: "They (the women) are men’s raiment and men are their raiment" (2:187). Men and women are each other’s support system — that is they are for mutual support, mutual comfort and mutual protection.

Polygamy in Islam has been the target of ruthless criticism in the West. The West, however, does not realise that the Islamic sanction for polygamy is conditional. The Quran says: "If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans. Marry women of your choice. Two or three or four. But (if) you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only ONE" (4:3).

It is clear from the above verse that polygamy is not a laissez-faire phenomenon but only under special circumstances. In any case polygamy is better than illicit free sex prevalent in Western societies. Dr Annie Besant rightly said: "There is pretended monogamy in the West, but there is really polygamy without responsibility".

Likewise divorce is not easy in Islam, contrary to Western propaganda. The West is ill-informed about the conditionalities laid down in Islam for divorce, which has been declared as the most despicable act, though permitted, as a last resort.

Thus Islam is the faith, the natural way, for the mankind. And the rights of women and orphans and the implications of family relationship fall under its purview prominently. Islam is the only religion which accords women an elevated status and ensures an enduring bond between wife and husband and between mother and children. The family values, which the Western societies are desperately seeking, are enshrined in the Holy Quran.