WOMEN LIBERATION, WOMEN RIGHTS, WESTERN VALUES, ISLAMIC VALUES

The Liberated Woman:

We see some common characteristics in modern secular society concerning what is required of men and women:

Open chest shirts for the female, a necktie for the male.
Belly exposed shirts for the female, tucked-in shirts for the male.
Men's dress patronizes opaque clothing where as feminine clothes are transparent.
Modern society labels a man as improperly dressed when not in full suit but women are celebrated if they keep their legs uncovered, even on a cold winter night.

The society that condemns the exhibition of male physical curves and labels them as "perversion" provides artificial "aids" to under developed areas of the female. Everyone has heard the term, 'single mother' but you hardly ever hear about the 'single father'. The fashion world usually controlled by males, aims to create instability in the female mind.

She is taught that "wearing the least" is something that builds "status" and taking it all off is "liberation". (Omar, Kamel 1989)

She is taught to hate her own body. The form of her eyelashes and brows, the style of her walking and speech, the color of her lips, nails and cheek are all given an artificial look. She also hates the natural trend of her hair. In such a society, "hair fashion designers" and cosmetic manufacturers make big money.

Whereas men balance themselves on a three-inch base heel of the shoes, the woman is expected to balance herself on a half a centimeter heel. This creates an abnormality called Lordosis in medical terminology. Males make big money, displaying female nakedness through their respectible trades like cabarets, strip bars, fashion shows, and especially commercial advertising (Do I want the Mustang or the sexy blonde in the advertisement?), nude paintings, magazines and now Internet web pages.

Modern urban culture does not only show the above but it also shows: Alarming statistics with manifold percentage increase, compared to past decades,

of single parents, children with no fathers, broken families, sex crimes, divorce, suicide and drug use among teens, asylums for unclaimed children, homes for unwanted parents, clinics for delinquent youth and neurotic adults.

Recent estimates suggest that up to 80% of US society displays some form of psychological symptoms, and that up to 22% have psychological problems serious enough to interfere with their day to day living which are diagnosable (Chicago Tribune 12/1999).

Data in the United States also shows that 25 to 35 percent of girls are sexually abused, usually by men well known to them (Kilbourne 1999:253). A high percentage of women so assaulted suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (the same disorder that a large number of Vietnam veterans suffer from) which leads to addiction and substance abuse and eventually to poverty and homelessness. Thus women in America live in a "war zone" in their own homes. If they survive childhood, their boyfriends or husbands eventually get them!

In such societies "liberation" of women has been reduced to a slogan to sell products. Such sellers of "liberation", mostly men, offer women "liberation" via smoking, alcohol, food and their natural longing for stable relationships [which have dwindled in such a society]. This commercial "liberation" comes at a great cost to women and serves to isolate them through addiction. As addicts make great consumers, the sellers of such "liberation" want to keep it that way (Kilbourne 1999).

When such sellers of "liberation" are faced with genuine demands for gender equality, like the ERA [Equal Rights Amendment in the United States], they reject them outright and a government funded and controlled by them makes it fail [ERA failed to pass in 1982].

Such powers that be in these societies not only attack any genuine efforts towards liberation of women in their own society [as they are commercially disadvantageous to them], but also attack all other ideas presented as truly liberating to women, by other societies [to which they export their commercial culture] by labeling them, "harsh, barbaric, primitive". They do this through their control of the media, which in most cases is not only owned by them but depends on them, through their advertising dollars, for its very survival .

This paper attempts to reassess the History of Women's Rights, taking note of things that have been widely ignored in popular presentation of the subject. The paper also serves to clarify the position of a book, the Koran that has been distorted and misrepresented through the ages, by those having vested interests.

SOMALIS IN KENYA (General Perspective)

People Profile The Somali of Kenya

More About the Somali People:
Religion: Islam Population: 1,000,000 in Kenya Status: 0.01% Christian
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NARRATIVE PROFILE

Location:

The Somali of Kenya are part of a much larger people group which inhabits almost the entire Horn area of Africa. The majority of the Somali people live in the country of Somalia. Somali are also the principle inhabitants of the Ogaadeen (Ogaden) region of Southeastern Ethiopia, the country of Djibouti, and the North Eastern Province of Kenya. There are perhaps 6 million Somalis, including the Digil-Rahawiin.

History:

Firm evidence for the history of the Somali people dates back to only about AD 1000. -Ahmed, Ali Jimale, Ed. The Invention of Somalia (New Jersey, U.S.A.: The Red Sea Press, Inc., 1995), p. 233-256.
There are folk genealogies tracing certain Somali clans to the Arabian Peninsula and associating their ancestors with the Sharifs, the family of prophet Mohammed. Linguistic, cultural and historical evidence, however, indicates they came originally from the southern highlands of what is now Ethiopia.
The basis of such claims to Arab origin may lie in trading and marriage alliance relations with old Arab colonies on the Somali coast. Anthropological studies indicate the Digil-Rahawiin (Maay-speaking) peoples represent the earliest migration group and also the most southern.
The Somali peoples were never under any unified political structure. Sporadic attempts such as the Gareen dynasty from the Ajuuraan in Central/Southern Somalia in the 1500s (Cassanelli 1992) and the Bartire around Jigjiga, Ethiopia, in the late 1700s were overthrown violently by other clans.
The clans, with various genealogical ties, or political or military alliances, have provided a broad, loose identity. In the colonial era, the various European powers easily established a hegemony, then a dominance over various divisions of the Somali peoples.

Identity:

Somalis are not a unitary people group, but a grouping of broad clan federations since they are divided by language and by clan conflicts. Although all Somalis profess strong allegiance to Islam the traditional clan rivalries claim a higher allegiance. Clan identity is maintained even when groups come to speak non-Somali languages.
In reference to the outside world, however, there is still a sense of broader identity as Somalis. Many people of Somali ethnic origin who now speak other languages may still identify themselves as Somali to outsiders. Some people who formerly spoke Somali languages, like the Sakuye and Gabbra, no longer consider themselves part of the Somali peoples.
Language: The Somali language is a member of the Eastern Cushite family of languages. The language situation, however, is quite complex. Linguists analyze several languages among the Somali peoples which are not mutually intelligible. 70-80% of Somali in Kenya speak various mutually-intelligible dialects of standard Somali. But others speak Maay (a language related to Somali) or Garre-Ajuuraan (an Oromo language close to Borana) as a mother tongue. Many Somalis speak various languages as a second language.
Political Situation: The Somali clans were nomadic, though they maintained established boundaries for the herding area of each clan and sub-clan. There was never any established political system which encompassed all the Somali people.
When the Oromo people began spreading out in their turn from the Ethiopian southern highlands, the Somali clans did resist their encroachments on recognized Somali settlement and herding areas. Nevertheless the actual borders were somewhat vague and flexible, and military clashes were common among the Somali clans themselves. In the colonial period, borders of lands ruled by France, Britain, Italy and Ethiopia were drawn across land where the Somali peoples lived.
The Italians ruled the southern area of Somali bordering the old Kenya Colony, and in 1925 the British ceded a section of Kenya colony to Italy. The Ogaadeen/Hawd area of British Somaliland was ceded to Ethiopia after WW II, settling a firm border between Ethiopia and British Somaliland. This separated the Ogaadeen clan from other clans. These borders have been maintained to the present, with Ethiopia and Kenya defending the territories in their colonial borders from attacks by Siad Barre who attempted to reclaim the "Greater Somalia" of pre-colonial times.
There has always been tension and rivalry between the clans, growing to military conflicts at times. This was diminished under colonial administration, but flared up again at times after independence and the unification of British and Italian territories for the first time in history. After the total breakdown of order in the civil war of the 1990's, the north (former British Somaliland) restored order and peace shortly, while Mogadishu and the southern areas continue in self destruction.
Clans are the basic point of cultural and political identity for Somalis. Clans are genealogically based and cut across language lines. The following chart shows how the Somali of Kenya are divided:

Hawiye:
Murule(also known as Jidle(Formerly from Beled weyne, Somalia--found in Mandera District.
Ajuuraan--found in Wajir, Marsabit and Isiolo.
Garre--found in Moyale, Mandera and Wajir.
Degoodiya--found in Wajir, some in Mandera, a few in Garissa, Marsabit and Moyale.

Daarood:
Ogaadeen--found in Wajir and Garissa District.
Daarood-Harti--found in Nairobi, Mombasa and towns throughout Kenya, including towns of North Eastern.

(Non Daarood, non Hawiye)
Ishaaq --found in Nairobi, Mombasa and other towns, and towns of North Eastern.

Customs:

These nomadic, pastoral people have a culture primarily centered around camels with a few cattle and goats in the more productive areas. Women and young children care for sheep and goats while the young men and boys are responsible for herding the highly esteemed camels.

In a land that has an average rainfall of less than four inches a year the Somalis' lives are consumed with finding water and grazing land for their livestock. Formerly, the diet consisted almost entirely of milk and milk products but now includes maize meal and rice for most.

Families live in portable huts; each wife has her separate hut made of bent saplings and woven mats. Villages consist of a group of huts for related families arranged in a circle or semi-circle with cattle pens in the centre. Home building and home making are the women's responsibility.
Men herd and protect the camels and cattle (cattle mainly in area south of Garissa and camels mainly to Wajir and Mandera), women take the responsibility of milking the animals, food preparation and family nurture.

Many refugees from Somalia in Nairobi and Mombasa are involved in innovative commercial ventures. Big shopping malls have been introduced like the famous (Garissa Lodge)In Eastleigh, Nairobi.

Kenyan Somalis are small town merchants in Maasai and Turkana areas. Some Somalis love to chew qaad (khat), also called miraa, a mild stimulant. In Kenya, some Somalis who are longhaul transport drivers chew miraa to stay awake on long trips. Miraa is also a social pastime.

The Somalis love poetry and have a rich oral tradition in poetry.

In Islam, A man is allowed to marry four wives ONLY under a strict condition.

Polygamy is widely practiced. While Islam dislikes divorce and gives the couple a say in their divorce, Divorce is the prerogative of men only in somali culture and is now easy and common among the Somalis. More Liteacy/education and islamic community advise needed to counter this trend.

In case of divorce the children are divided by gender, boys to the father and girls to the mother.

Religion:

The Somalis accepted Islam before 1000 A.D. Their commitment to Islam has led to the development of legendary claims of lineages in the Arabian Peninsula, but these claims are not supported by linguistic evidence and other oral traditions.
Some Somalis may refer themselves as Arabs. These people staunchly profess unwavering commitment to Islam, but the Islamic teaching of unity is superseded by clan loyalties and destructive philosophy of individualism.

In recent years, the Borana "Ayaana" possession cult has been growing in Mandera and Wajir districts. This needs to be checked. At the same time Islamic fundamentalism has been gaining ground over the traditional Sufi mystical orders. Islamic schools and madrasas have gained more recognition while having established NGOs and brought financial aid from Muslim organizations in Sudan, South Africa, North America, Europe, Kuwait, Pakistan, Saudia Arabia and Iran.

Somali Islamic Reformers think that Islam is already suited for the 21st century.They just need to cope with it.Traditionalists often react violently against the attempts at change.

Christianity:

Efforts at Christian mission have met with little success.

The Somali are a very proud group and associate Christianity with people whom they regard as inferior.

There are only a few hundred Somali Christians worldwide.Many of them under christian and jewish donors and stay far from somali countries.

Somali Christians are despised.

Much contact work has been done by Christians working in medical, aid and literacy ministries in refugee camps in Kenya, where some Somalis have been interested and responsive.This is more so in relation to poverty and goodies given for conversion to christianity.

The gospel is most clear to them when it is presented in Biblical poetic stories. The entire Bible is available in standard Somali. Somali literacy is about 25%. Radio broadcasts and taped Christian messages are more successful, attested by mail responses to the broadcasts. Somali-language Bible correspondence courses have had some modest success.
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SOMALI PROFILE QUESTIONNAIRE

1. HAVE THEY HEARD THE GOSPEL?

Ratio of pastors/evangelists to population:

0 pastor/evangelist for every ??? persons total pastor/evangelists -
0 Ratio of missionaries to population:
1 missionary for every 25,000 persons total missionaries -

ASK THEM WHO JESUS CHRIST IS TO THEM:

0.5% Believe Jesus is the Son of God and name themselves Christian.
0.01% Believe he is the Son of God and see him as their savior
99.49% Believe Jesus is a prophet, teacher, a good man, but not God's Son
0 % Believe in local, traditional religion rather than in Jesus 0% Have not heard who Jesus really is

2. HAVE THEY RESPONDED TO THE GOSPEL?

Christian witness to the Somali is very difficult and response to the Gospel has been very limited. The number of Somali Christians in Kenya are very few (Less than 30-40 maximum in a population of around 1 million).

3. DO THEY HAVE A CHURCH?

Ratio of churches to population:

There is just one fellowship in Kenya, but not an institutional church.. There are Somali expatriate churches in Canada, the UK. Total number of communities (cities, towns, villages): Unknown


4. THEY HAVE THE BIBLE TRANSLATED INTO THEIR MOTHER TONGUE?

The Somali New Testament was first printed in 1968 and more than 40,000 copies have been printed, but only about 3,000 distributed throughout the Horn of Africa. Most are still in storage. That is the intensity, a period of 40years in missionary activities.

The entire Somali Bible was printed, about 2,000 copies in 1979, and 4200 copies in 1992. Genesis, Exodus, Isaiah, Psalms, Proverbs, Luke, John and Acts are also produced individually. SIM now handles orders for a Somali-language Bible correspondence course printed by the Eastern Mennonite Mission.

Portable Recording Ministries provides the New Testament, Genesis and Exodus on audio cassette. The Jesus film is available and Language Recordings has produced a cassette and poster series.

5. ANY HINDRANCES TO USE OF THE SCRIPTURE?

Literacy Rate:

?% Ministry to the devout Muslim Somalis of Kenya's North Eastern Province is a very difficult task. Any attempt at open Christian witness is either ignored or met with violence, thus forcing Christian ministries among the Somali to concentrate on service as a means of building good will so that Christian dialogue may take place.

Banditry and insecurity were the major hindrances before.Now many are educated and see it as backwardness.Most Somali raised and educated in Kenya now read and write english and swahili without instructions. However, refugees or residents who lived in Somalia often not literate in English.

6. WHAT OTHER FORMS OF GOSPEL PRESENTATIONS ARE AVAILABLE

Recordings: Yes

Literature: Yes

Audio-Visual: Yes Radio Yes

Films/Video: Yes (Jesus Film)

7. ARE THEY RECEPTIVE TO CHANGE AND CHRISTIANITY?

The Somali are very restrictively Muslim. They are very proud and self-sufficient people and somewhat warlike. Christianity is strongly opposed by Muslim leaders.

8. IS OUTSIDE (CROSS-CULTURAL) ASSISTANCE REQUIRED FROM MISSIONARIES?

Yes, anyone working or living among the Somalis should be well versed in Islam and be sensitive to their Muslim culture and religion. A recent problem was experienced by US marines in Garissa when they attempted to provide free health activity.The elders were not informed and so instructed their people that US was providing free health and AIDS.

Acceptance by the Somali will be difficult to earn.Many christian missionaries can't comprehend The Somali language which is indispensable to effective work.
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Bibliography
Ahmed, Ali Jimale, ed. The Invention of Somalia. New Jersey:

The Red Sea Press, Inc., 1995.
Cassanelli, Lee V. The Shaping of Somali Society:

Reconstructing the History of a Pastoral People, 1600-1900. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1992.

Hanley, G. Warriors and Strangers. London: Hamish Hamilton, 1971.
Kjaerland, Gunnar.

Culture Change Among the Nomadic Borana of South Ethiopia. California: Fuller Theological Seminary (unpublished dissertation), June 1977.

Lawrence, M. New Wind in a Dry Land (Prophet's Camel Bell). NY: A. A. Knopf, 1964.
Lewis, I. M. Peoples of the Horn of Africa. London:

Int'l African Institute, 1969 (reprinted, Haan Press, 1995).

Menkhaus, Kenneth J. Rural Transformation and the Roots of Under Development in Somalia's Lower Jubba Valley.

Columbia: University of South Carolina (unpublished dissertation), 1989.
Schlee, Günther.

Identities on the Move: Clanship and Pastoralism in Northern Kenya. Nairobi, Kenya: Gideon S. Were Press, 1994.

Orville Boyd Jenkins An Anonymous Contributor August 1996 Updated 15 April 2002

ISLAM love for animals..

I love cats and here please find what ISLAM tells us about animals..

Kindness to animalsThe Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) not only preached to the people to show kindness to each other but also to all living souls. He forbade the practice of cutting tails and manes of horses, of branding animals at any soft spot, and of keeping horses saddled unnecessarily (Muslim, Sahih Muslim).
If he saw any animal over-loaded or ill-fed he would pull up the owner and say,

"Fear Allah in your treatment of animals." (Abu Dawud, Kitab Jihad).

A companion came to him with the young ones of a bird in his sheet and said that the mother bird had hovered over them all along. He was directed to replace her offspring in the same bush (Mishkat, Abu Dawud)

During a journey, somebody picked up some birds eggs. The bird's painful note and fluttering attracted the attention of the Prophet (pbuh), who asked the man to replace the eggs (Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari).

As his army(during Islam return to Mecca) marched towards Makkah to conquer it, they passed a female dog with puppies. The Prophet (pbuh) not only gave orders that they should not be disturbed, but posted a man to see that this was done.

He stated,
"Verily, there is heavenly reward for every act of kindness done to a living animal."

Misconception Against ISLAM (Why should know the truth)

http://www.muslim-answers.org/Introducing-Islam/miscons.htm

Misconception #1: Muslims worship a different God

First of all, there is only One God who created the Universe and all of mankind. Throughout history, people have created false gods in their minds and come up with false ideas about Almighty God, but regardless of this there is still only One True God - and He alone is worthy of worship. Unfortunately, some non-Muslims have come to incorrectly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians. This might be due to the fact that Muslims sometimes refer to God as "Allah", but also because over the centuries there have been many lies and distortions spread by the enemies of Islam. In actuality, Muslims worship the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus --- the same God as Christians and Jews. The word "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God and it is the same word that Arabic speaking Christians and Jews use to refer to God. If you pick up an Arabic translation of the Christian Bible, you will see the word "Allah" where "God" is used in English. For more information on the word "Allah", please read: Who is Allah? But even though Muslims, Jews and Christians believe in the same God, their concepts about Him differ quite a bit. For example, Muslims reject the idea of the Trinity or that God has become "incarnate" in the world. Also, the teachings of Islam do not rely on or appeal to "mystery" or "paradox" --- they are straightforward and clear. Islam teaches that God is Merciful, Loving and Compassionate and that He has no need to become man (nor do humans need for Him to). One of the unique aspects of Islam is that it teaches that man can have a personal and fulfilling relationship with Almighty God without compromising the transcendence of God. In Islam there is no ambiguity in Divinity --- God is God and man is man. Muslims believe that God is the "Most Merciful", and that he deals directly with human-beings without the need of any intermediary. Actually, the phrase "In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful" is one of the most repeated verses in the Holy Qur'an. Additionally, the pure and straightforward teachings of Islam demand that Almighty God be approached directly and without intermediaries. This is because Muslims believe that God is completely in control of everything and that He can bestow His Grace and Mercy on His creatures as He pleases - no Atonement, Incarnation or blood sacrifice is necessary. In summary, Islam calls people to submit to the One True God and to worship Him alone.


Misconception #2: Muslims worship Muhammad

According to Islamic belief, the Prophet Muhammad was the last Messenger of God. He, like all of God's prophets and messengers - such as Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus -- was only a human being. Christians came to the mistaken assumption that Muslims worship Muhammad by formulating an incorrect analogy - they worship Jesus so they assumed Muslims worship Muhammad. This is one of the reasons that they called Muslims by the incorrect name "Mohammedans" for so many years! Muhammad, like Jesus, never claimed divine status. He called people to worship only Almighty God, and he continually emphasized his humanity so that people would not fall into the same errors as Christians did in regards to Jesus. In order to prevent his deification, the Prophet Muhammad always said to refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His slave". Muhammad was chosen to be God's final messenger --- to communicate the message not only in words but to be a living example of the message. Muslims love and respect him because he was of the highest moral character and he brought the Truth from God - which is the Pure Monotheism of Islam. Even when Islam was in its very early stages, God revealed that Muhammad "was sent as a mercy to all of mankind" - thus informing us that the message of Islam would become very widespread. Muslims strive to follow the great example of Muhammad, peace be upon him, but they do not worship him in any way. Additionally, Islam teaches Muslims to respect all of God's prophets and messengers - but respecting and loving them does not mean worshipping them. All true Muslims realize that all worship and prayer must be directed to Almighty God alone. Suffice it to say that worshipping Muhammad --- or anyone else --- along with Almighty God is considered to be the worst sin in Islam. Even if a person claims to be Muslim, but they worship and pray to other than Almighty God, this cancels and nullifies their Islam. The Declaration of Faith of Islam makes it clear that Muslims are taught only to worship God. This declaration is as follows: "There is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, and Muhammad is the Messenger and Servant of God".

Misconception #3: Islam is a religion only for Arabs

The fastest way to prove that this is completely false is to state the fact that only about 15% to 20% of the Muslims in the world are Arabs. There are more Indian Muslims than Arab Muslims, and more Indonesian Muslims than Indian Muslims! Believing that Islam is only a religion for Arabs is a myth that was spread by the enemies of Islam early in its history. This mistaken assumption is possibly based on the fact that most of the first generation of Muslims were Arabs, the Qur'an is in Arabic and the Prophet Muhammad was an Arab. However, both the teachings of Islam and the history of its spread show that the early Muslims made every effort to spread their message of Truth to all nations, races and peoples. Furthermore, it should be clarified that not all Arabs are Muslims and not all Muslims are Arabs. An Arab can be a Muslim, Christian, Jew, atheist - or of any other religion or ideology. Also, many countries that some people consider to be "Arab" are not "Arab" at all -- such as Turkey and Iran (Persia). The people who live in these countries speak languages other than Arabic as their native tongues and are of a different ethnic heritage than the Arabs. It is important to realize that from the very beginning of the mission of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, his followers came from a wide spectrum of individuals -- there was Bilal, the African slave; Suhaib, the Byzantine Roman; Ibn Salam, the Jewish Rabbi; and Salman, the Persian. Since religious truth is eternal and unchanging, and mankind is one universal brotherhood, Islam teaches that Almighty God's revelations to mankind have always been consistent, clear and universal. The Truth of Islam is meant for all people regardless of race, nationality or linguistic background. Taking a look at the Muslim World, from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Malaysia to Afghanistan is enough to prove that Islam is a Universal message for all of mankind --- not to mention the fact that significant numbers of Europeans and Americans of all races and ethnic backgrounds are coming into Islam.
Misconception #4: Islam degrades women

Even though many aspects of Islam are misunderstood by non-Muslims, the ignorance, misinformation and incorrect assumptions that are made in regards to Islam's treatment of women are probably the most severe. Numerous verses of the Qur'an make it clear that men and women are equal in the site of God. According to the teachings of Islam, the only thing that distinguishes people in the site of God is their level of God-consciousness. Due to this, many people are surprised to find out that Islamic Law guaranteed rights to women over 1400 years ago that women in the Europe and America only obtained recently.

For example, Islam clearly teaches that a woman is a full-person under the law, and is the spiritual equal of a male. Also, according to Islamic Law, women have the right to own property, operate a business and receive equal pay for equal work. Women are allowed total control of their wealth, they cannot be married against their will and they are allowed to keep their own name when married. Additionally, they have the right to inherit property and to have their marriage dissolved in the case of neglect or mistreatment.

Also, Islam does not consider woman an "evil temptress", and thus does not blame woman for the "original sin". Women in Islam participate in all forms of worship that men participate in. Actually, the rights that Islam gave to women over 1400 years ago were almost unheard of in the West until the 1900s. Less than fifty years ago in England and America, a woman could not buy a house or car without the co-signature of her father or husband! Additionally, Islam gives great respect to women and their role in society --- it gives them the right to own property, marry who they want and many other rights. Also, it should be mentioned that the Prophet Muhammad's mission stopped many of the horrible practices in regards to women that were present in the society of his time. For example, the Qur'an put an end to the pagan Arab practice of killing their baby daughters when they were born. Additionally, Islam put restrictions on the unrestricted polygamy of the Arabs of the time, and put many laws in place to protect the well-being of women. Today, most of the so-called reforms in the status of women came about after the West abandoned religion for secularism. Even those in the West who claim to follow the so-called "Judeo-Christian tradition" really follow the values of Western liberalism --- but just to a lesser degree than their more liberal countrymen. For more on this subject, please read: Women in Islam versus Women in the Judaeo-Christian Tradition --- The Myth and The Reality. If women in the Muslim World today don't have their rights, it is not because Islam did not give them to them. The problem is that in many places alien traditions have come to overshadow the teachings of Islam, either through ignorance or the impact of Colonialization.

Misconception #5: Muhammad wrote the Qur'an

In addressing this misconception, it is interesting to not that no other religious scripture claims to the direct word of Almighty in toto as clear and as often as the Holy Qur'an. As the Qur'an clearly says: "if had been written by man, you would have found many discrepancies therein". At the time the Qur'an was revealed, the Arabs recognized that the language of the Qur'an was unique and that it was distinctly different from the language normally used by the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. The Arabs of that time, by the way, were known for their beautiful poetry and Muhammad was known to be an illiterate man! The Qur'an clearly says that Muhammad was unable to read and write, so if this wasn't true, certainly his contemporaries would have protested and rejected him. However, there are no reports of this. Certainly there were people who rejected Muhammad's message, just like other prophets were rejected, but none for this reason. On the contrary, Muhammad, peace be upon him, had thousands of loyal followers and the results of their efforts spread Islam from Spain to China in just over a century! It is also interesting to note that even though the Qur'an is not poetry, the Arabs more or less gave up writing poetry after it was revealed. It could be said that the Qur'an is the piece of Arabic literature par excellence - and Muhammad's contemporaries realized that they couldn't out do it. Additionally, it is easy to prove that Muhammad did not possess a great deal of the knowledge which is expounded in the Qur'an: such as knowledge of historical events, previous prophets and natural phenomenon. The Qur'an says in several places that Muhammad and his people did not know these things - so, again, if this wasn't true, certainly his contemporaries would have rejected his claims. Suffice it to say that not only is the Qur'an the most memorized and well preserved scripture on earth, it is also unequaled in eloquence, spiritual impact, clarity of message and the purity of its truth.

Misconception #6: Islam was spread by the sword

Many non-Muslims, when they think about Islam, picture religious fanatics on camels with a sword in one hand and a Qur'an in the other. This myth, which was made popular in Europe during the Crusades, is totally baseless. First of all, the Holy Qur'an clearly says "Let there be no compulsion in religion". In addition to this, Islam teaches that a person's faith must be pure and sincere, so it is certainly not something that can be forced on someone. In debunking the myth that Islam was "spread by the sword", the (non-Muslim) historian De Lacy O' Leary wrote: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever accepted." (Islam at the Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8.). It should also be known that Muslims ruled Spain for roughly 800 years. During this time, and up to when they were finally forced out, the non-Muslims there were alive and flourishing. Additionally, Christian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim lands of the Middle East for centuries. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan all have Christian and/or Jewish populations. If Islam taught that all people are supposed to be killed or forced to become Muslims, how did all of these non-Muslims survive for so long in the middle of the Islamic Empire? Additionally, if one considers the small number of Muslims who initially spread Islam from Spain and Morocco in the West to India and China in the East, one would realize that they were far too few to force people to be members of a religion against their will. Additionally, the great empire and civilization established by the Muslims had great staying power -- its citizens were proud to be part of it. The spread of Islam stands in contrast to the actions of the followers of Christianity, who since the time of the Emperor Constantine have made liberal use of the sword - often basing their conduct on Biblical verses. This was especially true of the colonization of South America and Africa, where native peoples were systematically wiped-out or forced to convert. It is also interesting to note that when the Mongols invaded and conquered large portions of the Islamic Empire, instead of destroying the religion, they adopted it. This is a unique occurrence in history - the conquerors adopting the religion of the conquered! Since they were the victors, they certainly could not have been forced to become Muslims! Ask any of the over one billion Muslims alive in the world today whether they were forced! The largest Muslim country in the world today is Indonesia --- and there were never any battles fought there! So where was the sword? How could someone be forced to adhere to a spiritually rewarding and demanding religion like Islam?

Misconception #7: Muslims hate Jesus

Many non-Muslims are surprised to find out that according to Muslim belief, Jesus, the son of Mary, is one of the greatest messengers of God. Muslims are taught to love Jesus, and a person cannot be a Muslim without believing in the virgin birth and miracles of Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. Muslims believe these things about Jesus not because of the Bible or any other religion, but simply because the Holy Qur'an says these things about him. However, Muslims always emphasize that the miracles of Jesus, and all other prophets, were by "God's permission". This having been said, many Christians feel to not believe that Jesus is the "Son of God", "God Incarnate" or the "Second Person" of the Trinity. This is because the Qur'an clearly says that Almighty God does not have a "Son" --- neither allegorically, physically, metaphorically or metaphysically. The Pure Monotheism of Islam rejects the notion of "defining" God (which is basically what the "Doctrine of the Trinity" does), saying that someone is "like" God or equal to him, or praying to someone else besides God. Also, Islam teaches that titles such as "Lord" and "Savior" are due to God alone. In order to avoid misunderstanding, it should be clarified that when Muslims criticize the Bible or the teachings of Christianity, they are not attacking "God's Word" or Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. From the Muslim point of view, they are defending Jesus and God's Word --- which they have in the form of the Qur'an. Muslim criticism is targeted at writings that some people claim are God's word, but Muslim's simply don't accept their claim that they are really God's word in toto. Additionally, Christian doctrines such as the Trinity and the Atonement are criticized by Muslims precisely because they did not originate from Jesus, peace be upon him. In this way, Muslims are the true followers of Jesus, peace be upon him, because they defend him from the exaggerations of the Christians and teach the Pure Monotheism that Jesus himself followed.

Misconception #8: Islam is fatalistic

Most Muslims find it rather odd that their religion, which strikes a beautiful balance between faith and action, could be accused of being "fatalistic". Perhaps this misconception came about because Muslims are taught to say "Praise be to God!" whenever anything good or bad happens. This is because Muslims know that everything comes from Almighty God, who is the All-Knowing Sustainer of the Universe, and that since a Muslim should rely completely on God, whatever happened must have been for the better. However, this does not mean that Muslims are not taught to take action in life --- just the opposite is true. Islam requires not only faith, but action --- such as regular prayer, fasting and charity. To be more precise, in Islam actions are part of one's faith. Islam total rejects the extreme beliefs of some religions that teach that you shouldn't go to a doctor when sick, but only pray for God to heal you. Islam's outlook is very positive, since it teaches that human beings can take positive action in this life. This was certainly what was taught by Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, to his followers --- since they obviously took the action of spreading Islam from Spain to Morocco in a very short period of time. Even though Islam teaches that God knows what human beings will do before they do it, human beings still have free will. Certainly God, who is All-Knowing and All-Wise, knows what is going to happen to everyone before it happens -- to deny this would be a denial of God Himself. However, if human-beings did not have free will, it would be ridiculous and un-just for God to demand that they do certain things and believe certain things. Far from being "fatalistic", Islam teaches that a human-being's main purpose in life is to be God-conscious. Due to this, Muslims worry less about material matters and view their earthly life in a proper perspective. This is due to the fact that Islam clearly teaches that if people worship and depend on Almighty God alone, then they have nothing to worry about - since God wants what is best for them. True freedom, from the Islamic perspective, does not mean aimlessly following all of your human desires for food, drink, wealth and sex. On the contrary, freedom means being able to control one's base desires and fulfilling them in a proper and legal way. This brings one's desires in tune with what God wants for us --- only then is a person truly free!

Misconception #9: The Islamic Threat

In recent years, a great deal of attention in the media have been given to the threat of "Islamic Fundamentalism". Unfortunately, due to a twisted mixture of biased reporting in the Western media and the actions of some ignorant Muslims, the word "Islam" has become almost synonymous with "terrorism". However, when one analyzes the situation, the question that should come to mind is: Do the teachings of Islam encourage terrorism? The answer: Certainly not! Islam totally forbids the terrorist acts that are carried out by some misguided people. It should be remembered that all religions have cults and misguided followers, so it is their teachings that should be looked at, not the actions of a few individuals. Unfortunately, in the media, whenever a Muslim commits a heinous act, he is labeled a "Muslim terrorist". However, when Serbs murder and rape innocent women in Bosnia, they are not called "Christian terrorists", nor are the activities in Northern Ireland labeled "Christian terrorism". Also, when right-wing Christians in the U. S. bomb abortion clinics, they are not called "Christian terrorists". Reflecting on these facts, one could certainly conclude that there is a double-standard in the media! Although religious feelings play a significant role in the previously mentioned "Christian" conflicts, the media does not apply religious labels because they assume that such barbarous acts have nothing to do with the teachings of Christianity. However, when something happens involving a Muslim, they often try to put the blame on Islam itself -- and not the misguided individual. Certainly, Islamic Law allows war --- any religion or civilization that did not would never survive --- but it certainly does not condone attacks against innocent people, women or children. The Arabic word "jihad", which is often translated as "Holy War", simply means "to struggle". The word for "war" in Arabic is "harb", not "jihad". "Struggling", i.e. "making jihad", to defend Islam, Muslims or to liberate a land where Muslims are oppressed is certainly allowed (and even encouraged) in Islam. However, any such activities must be done according to the teachings of Islam. Islam also clearly forbids "taking the law into your own hands", which means that individual Muslims cannot go around deciding who they want to kill, punish or torture. Trial and punishment must be carried out by a lawful authority and a knowledgeable judge. Also, when looking at events in the Muslim World, it should be kept in mind that a long period of colonialism ended fairly recently in most Muslim countries. During this time, the peoples in this countries were culturally, materially and religiously exploited - mostly by the so-called "Christian" nations of the West. This painful period has not really come to an end in many Muslim countries, where people are still under the control of foreign powers or puppet regimes supported by foreign powers. Also, through the media, people in the West are made to believe that tyrants like Saddam Hussein in Iraq and Moamar Qaddafi in Libya are "Islamic" leaders -- when just the opposite is true. Neither of these rulers even profess Islam as an ideology, but only use Islamic slogans to manipulate their powerless populations. They have about as much to do with Islam as Hitler had to do with Christianity! In reality, many Middle Eastern regimes which people think of as being "Islamic" oppress the practice of Islam in their countries.

So suffice it to say that "terrorism" and killing innocent people directly contradicts the teachings of Islam.

WOMEN AND ISLAM(Rights, Misconceptions, The Truth)

What status do WOMEN have in ISLAM?

Prof. Abdur Rahman I. Doi
Professor and Director,
Center for Islamic Legal Studies,
Ahmadu Bello University, CONGO-AFRICA.

In Islam there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to Allah is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good conduct and the same punishment for evil conduct.

The Qur’an says:
"And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women" (2:226)

The Qur’an, in addressing the believers, often uses the expression, “believing men and women” to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their respective duties, rights, virtues and merits.

It says:
"For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward" (33:35).


This clearly contradicts the assertion of the World, the media and anti-Islam crusades have that women do not possess souls and that they will exist as sexless beings in the next life. The Qur’an says that women have souls in exactly the same way as men and will enter Paradise if they do good :

"Enter into Paradise, you and your wives, with delight". (43:70)

"Who so does that which is right, and believes, whether male or female, him or her will We quicken to happy life" .(16:97)

The Qur’an admonishes those men who oppress or ill-treat women:

"O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given them  except when they have become guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike something and Allah will bring about through it a great deal of good". (4:19)


Considering the fact that before the advent of Islam the pagan Arabs used to bury their female children alive, make women dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka‘ba during their annual fairs, and treat women as mere chattels and objects of sexual pleasure possessing no rights or position whatsoever, these teachings of the Noble Qur’an were revolutionary. Unlike other religions, which regarded women as being possessed of inherent sin and wickedness and men as being possessed of inherent virtue and nobility, Islam regards men and women as being of the same essence created from a single soul.

The Qur’an declares:
"O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over you". (4:1)

The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) said, “Women are the twin halves of men.”

The Qur’an emphasizes the essential unity of men and women in a most beautiful simile:
"They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them". (2:187)

Just as a garment hides our nakedness, so do husband and wife, by entering into the relationship of marriage, secure each other’s chastity. The garment gives comfort to the body; so does the husband find comfort in his wife’s company and she in his. “The garment is the grace, the beauty, the embellishment of the body, so too are wives to their husbands as their husbands are to them.” Islam does not consider woman “an instrument of the Devil,” but rather the Qur’an calls her muhsana "a fortress "against Satan because a good woman, by marrying a man, helps him keep to the path of rectitude in his life. It is for this reason that marriage was considered by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a most virtuous act.

He said: “When a man marries, he has completed one half of his religion.”

He enjoined matrimony on Muslims by saying: “Marriage is part of my way and whoever keeps away from my way is not from me (i.e. is not my follower).”

The Qur’an has given the raison d’être of marriage in the following words:
"And among His signs is this, that He has created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them; and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect". (30:21)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was full of praise for virtuous and chaste women. He said:
"The most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman. He once told the future khalif, ‘Umar: “Shall I not inform you about the best treasure a man can hoard? It is a virtuous wife who pleases him whenever he looks towards her, and who guards herself when he is absent from her.”

On other occasions the Prophet said:
"The best property a man can have is a remembering tongue (about Allah), a grateful heart and a believing wife who helps him in his faith".

Before the advent of Islam women were often treated worse than animals. The Prophet wanted to put a stop to all cruelties to women. He preached kindness towards them.

He told the Muslims: “Fear Allah in respect of women.”

And: “The best of you are they who behave best to their wives.”

And: “A Muslim must not hate his wife, and if he be displeased with one bad quality in her, let him be pleased with one that is good.”

And: “ The more civil and kind a Muslim is to his wife, the more perfect in faith he is.”

THE LAST SERMON BY PROPHET MOHAMED REGARDING WOMEN IN ISLAM(Shortly before his death)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was most emphatic in enjoining upon Muslims to be kind to their women when he delivered his famous khutba on the Mount of Mercy at Arafat in the presence of one hundred and twenty-four thousand of his Companions who had gathered there for the Hajj al-Wada (Farewell Pilgrimage).

In it he ordered those present, and through them all those Muslims who were to come later, to be respectful and kind towards women. He said:

"Fear Allah regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of Allah, and made their bodies lawful with the word of Allah. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means.


In Islam a woman is a completely independent personality. She can make any contract or bequest in her own name. She is entitled to inherit in her position as mother, as wife, as sister and as daughter. She has perfect liberty to choose her husband.

The pagan society of pre-Islamic Arabia had an irrational prejudice against their female children whom they used to bury alive. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was totally opposed to this practice. He showed them that supporting their female children would act as a screen for them against the fire of Hell:
It is narrated by the Prophet’s wife, ‘A’isha, that a woman entered her house with two of her daughters. She asked for charity but ‘A’isha could not find anything except a date, which was given to her. The woman divided it between her two daughters and did not eat any herself. Then she got up and left. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to the house, ‘A’isha told him about what had happened and he declared that when the woman was brought to account (on the Day of Judgment) about her two daughters they would act as a screen for her from the fires of Hell.
The worst calamity for a woman is when her husband passes away and, as a widow, the responsibility of maintaining the children falls upon her. In the Eastern World, where a woman does not always go out to earn her living, the problems of widowhood are indescribable. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) upheld the cause of widows. Most of his wives were widows. In an age when widows were rarely permitted to remarry, the Prophet encouraged his followers to marry them. He was always ready to help widows and exhorted his followers to do the same. Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said: “One who makes efforts (to help) the widow or a poor person is like a mujahid (warrior) in the path of Allah, or like one who stands up for prayers in the night and fasts in the day.”
Woman as mother commands great respect in Islam. The Noble Qur’an speaks of the rights of the mother in a number of verses. It enjoins Muslims to show respect to their mothers and serve them well even if they are still unbelievers.

The Prophet saw states emphatically that the rights of the mother are paramount.

Abu Hurairah reported that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked: “O Messenger of Allah, who is the person who has the greatest right on me with regards to kindness and attention?” He replied, “Your mother.” “Then who?” He replied, “Your mother.” “Then who?” He replied, “Your mother.” “Then who?” He replied, “Your father.”

In another tradition, the Prophet advised a believer not to join the war against the Quraish(a pagan tribe during the advent of Islam) in defense of Islam, but to look after his mother, saying that his service to his mother would be a cause of his salvation.

Mu’awiyah, the son of Jahimah, reported that Jahimah came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said, “Messenger of Allah! I want to join the fighting (in the path of Allah) and I have come to seek your advice.” He said, “Then remain in your mother’s service, because Paradise is under her feet.”
The Prophet’s followers accepted his teachings and brought about a revolution in their social attitude towards women. They no longer considered women as a mere chattels, but as an integral part of society. For the first time women were given the right to have a share in inheritance. In the new social climate, women rediscovered themselves and became highly active members of society rendering useful service during the wars which the pagan Arabs forced on the emerging Muslim umma. They carried provisions for the soldiers, nursed them, and even fought alongside them if it was necessary. It became a common sight to see women helping their husbands in the fields, carrying on trade and business independently, and going out of their homes to satisfy their needs.
The predominant idea in the teachings of Islam with regard to men and women is that a husband and wife should be full-fledged partners in making their home a happy and prosperous place, that they should be loyal and faithful to one another, and genuinely interested in each other’s welfare and the welfare of their children. A woman is expected to exercise a humanizing influence over her husband and to soften the sternness inherent in his nature. A man is enjoined to educate the women in his care so that they cultivate the qualities in which they, by their very nature, excel.
These aspects were much emphasized by the Prophet (peace be upon him). He exhorted men to marry women of piety and women to be faithful to their husbands and kind to their children. He said:
Among my followers the best of men are those who are best to their wives, and the best of women are those who are best to their husbands. To each of such women is set down a reward equivalent to the reward of a thousand martyrs. Among my followers, again, the best of women are those who assist their husbands in their work, and love them dearly for everything, save what is a transgression of Allah’s laws.
Once Mu’awiyah asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “What are the rights that a wife has over her husband?” The Prophet replied, “Feed her when you take your food, give her clothes to wear when you wear clothes, refrain from giving her a slap on the face or abusing her, and do not separate from your wife, except within the house.” Once he was heard praising the women of the tribe of Quraish, “...because they are the kindest to their children while they are infants and because they keep a careful watch over the belongings of their husbands.”
The Shari’ah regards women as the spiritual and intellectual equals of men. The main distinction it makes between them is in the physical realm based on the equitable principle of fair division of labor. It allots the more strenuous work to the man and makes him responsible for the maintenance of the family. It allots the work of managing the home and the upbringing and training of children to the woman, work which has the greatest importance in the task of building a healthy and prosperous society.
It is a fact, however, that sound administration within the domestic field is impossible without a unified policy. For this reason the Shari’ah requires a man, as head of the family, to consult with his family and then to have the final say in decisions concerning it. In doing so he must not abuse his prerogative to cause any injury to his wife. Any transgression of this principle involves for him the risk of losing the favor of Allah, because his wife is not his subordinate but she is, to use the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him), “the queen of her house”, and this is the position a true believer is expected to give his wife. In contrast to these enlightened teachings of Islam in respect of women, Western talk of women’s liberation or emancipation is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her honor, and degradation of her soul!

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