Reviewed by ASIF
ANWAR ALIG
Women in
Islam: Exploring New Paradigms, by Moin Qazi, Notion Press, Chennai – 600 005
(India), 141pp, Indian Rupees199, Soft.
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Islam is usually denounced in the pretext of few common
Muslims’ misbehavior with the fairer sex to judge its women rights. Referring
to the verses of Holy Qur’an and examples from Prophet Mohammad’s (peace be
upon him) relation with his wives, this book is seminal for readers’ awareness
om women rights and their social status in Islam. The verses describe women’s
role for mankind’s sustainability.
This book breaks the myths with sufficient
argument. It initiates debate for awareness about Islam as the only religion in
human history which inspired women to attain best positions spiritually,
economically, socially and politically through their equal participation. Women
willfully enjoyed their rights in the Arab world some fourteen centuries ago
while world’s rest cultures treated them mere inheritance objects.
Dr. Moin Qazi points out that so called women
emancipation and freedom in Western World had the heights of hypocrisy until
few centuries ago. Islam offered freedom to women in everything including economic
rights as equal partners to shape human the societies fourteen centuries ago. West
recognized women as human existence to be granted equal rights several centuries
later in around 19th century. Until then women hardly had any rights
to own properties in the Western World. They remained the deliberate ‘objects’—as
male properties.
Unlike West, Islam enforced the rights of women
with this freedom to lead life with respect as partners for human sustainability
in the light of Qur’an and Hadith. Islam didn’t coerce women from involvement
in businesses besides their primary roles of homemakers. It propagated societies
to develop strategies to ensure that their women have presence in all professions
to enjoy equal pays and in the meanwhile they also maintain self-dependence in whatever
roles they play. Furthermore, their financial security was also assured. Such
concepts can be best understood from Qur’an and hadith.

The messenger of Allah repeated his followers in the
last command in farewell pilgrimage in Makkah: “I command you to be kind and
considerate to women.” He conveyed that “it is only the generous in character
who is good to women, and only the evil one who insults them.” Isn’t it vivid explanation
of Islam propagating the rights which women deserve as equal participants in mankind’s
growth?
Muslim women are often questioned for specific attires.
Holy Quran directs them as committed women to dress virtuously in the respective
societies. Their dresses mustn’t incite any sexual attraction. Attires should reflect
intellectual and spiritual being instead of provoking diverted attention to other’s
sexuality.
This book has the examples of Muslim women’s participation
in several public affairs like battlefields during the early years of Islam. Even
prophet’s wives volunteered for such roles as the ideals for future generations.
The Holy Qur’an gives this right to women to choose their spouses with freedom.
Parental forces to the Muslim daughters to go into conditioned marriages with
somebody are cultural practices. Such practices don’t have any connection with the
Islamic values and therefore denounces them.
With profiling history’s twenty renowned Muslim
women and their towering contributions to shape the destinies of future
generations this book concludes with an appealing message for introspection. They
were inspiration for everybody, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, as great women in
Islam. By devoting their lives, they defined women rights in Islam in the true
spirits for centuries.
Islam projects women as partners for the growth of human race. Ironically,
biasness against this religion by those not aware of this faith questions women
rights in this faith. This book breaks several myths with arguments to come out
of various such misunderstandings.
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