In Islamic Sharia, women are men’s equal in rights and duties. Islam is the first world system that freed women from all the shackles and unjust restrictions that were imposed on them. This is because oppression and marginalization of women was integral to the social systems preceding Islam. Islam sustains women as mothers, sisters, daughters, and wives, and guarantees all their rights. It is thus incorrect to attribute the marginalization of Eastern women to the teachings of Islam. The suffering of Eastern women was rather due to violations of the teachings of Islam regarding women in favor of ancient traditions and obsolete customs that have nothing to do with Islam.

Muslim women have suffered because of many restrictions unrelated to Islam, and these restrictions have led to many problems, such as spinsterhood, deprivation of inheritance, etc. Rather, the Muslim community lost a lot of its creative energies when we - the Muslims - allowed the marginalization of women and excluded them from positions of influence in our societies. I do not know of another topic that has preoccupied scholars, thinkers, and researchers in this intense manner since the beginning of the last century and until the present day. Our contemporary Arab and Islamic libraries are abound with thousands of books, research papers, conferences and symposia minutes that dealt with women issues. Yet, this topic remains unprobed!

I believe there are three approaches to this issue,

First is the Islamic lens, which has fairly treated women, liberated them from the shackles of other civilizations that coincided with Islam, the Greek civilization – represented by its two leading philosophers, Plato and Aristotle; the Roman Law, Indian religions and sacred books that attributed to women alone the brunt of the original sin. Besides, the Pre-Islamic Arab Jahiliyyah has denied women their right to life, education, ownership, inheritance, etc. In this stifling milieu, Islam came to decisively lift the injustices and humiliation of women by all those who denied them their dignity and rights. The Qur’an clearly states, “Women have rights similar to those of men equitably” (Qur’an 2: 228) commanding, “Do not retain them (women, in marriage) to harm them or to take advantage of them.” (Qur’an 2: 231). The Prophet (pbuh) also says, “Women are the twin halves of men.”

Islam has firmly stood against female infanticide. It unprecedently reinstated women rights fourteen centuries ago. Islam has maintained women’s right to inheritance, education, and free choice of their husbands. It has also maintained the woman’s independent financial liability apart from her husband, asserting her right to unchecked disposal of her property, and – as a wife – to retain her family’s name to avoid losing her independent character to her husband’s. Islam has also underscored women equality to men in duties, responsibilities, and rights. Such rights allow women to be creative in the community as no lesser peers to men. It is authentically reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “If I were to prefer some to others, I would prefer women to men.” Such preference is not adulatory to an oppressed segment in the community. Rather, it draws attention to the merits of women and even notable to aspects of their superiority to men.

The second approach is that based on customs and traditions, more than on clear ordinances in the Qur’an and the Sunnah that both maintain the elevated status of women on social, scientific, and humanitarian levels. This approach draws women back to the pre-Qur’an era, when many women rights acknowledged by Islam were denied. Its advocates even invoke an isolationist attitude towards women. Islam however has come to liberate women from such isolation and engage them in the development and progress of the community, in which process they share full responsibility.

The third approach, however, is that of Western modernism that links to new notions and philosophies which go against many fixed values in the history and faith of our communities.

I would briefly maintain a clear demarcation between modernism - with all its associating precautions – and modernization, which is a process of dynamic interaction with and renewal of religious and moral tradition involving benefiting from the treasures in such tradition. In its Western sense, modernism is not the optimum model to be mainstreamed and marketed globally. This brings up the following question:

Is modernism the optimum alternative for a community that preserves the values of motherhood and family, despite the numerous violations committed in the name of religion in this respect? Or should we accept reality and try to change or renew it based on our different identities and diverse cultures? Otherwise, the result would be total moral and material decline! Indeed, the Arab and Muslim world is now in dire need, more than ever before, to enhance the status of women and their role in the processes of community development and progress, especially in light of the current challenges. This requires affirmation of the great role played by women, fair and honorable treatment of them, benefiting from their latent powers, and respecting the rights ensured to them by Islam.