Phew!They never call it quits!Self-lampooning has become a cherished pastime with the pundits of various religious faiths. In fact the fatwa by clerics of Darul Uloom Deoband decreeing a woman's earning as haram for a Muslim family, in keeping with the Sharia, was a real rib-tickler. Now, now, no need to breathe down my neck. All ye high priests are just getting what you've been asking for-sniggers and scorn.
The Muslim intelligentia is quoting extensively from the Sunnah (deeds, saying and life of Prophet Muhammad) to prove how the fatwa is against the spirit of Islam. Others have been citing the example of conservative Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia, which do not bar women from working, to oppose the decree. My advice: People don't bring the Prophet and Islam into this rather trivial and ridiculous inference. How about using simple human reasoning to turn the fatwa on it's head.
Let's begin with the defination of religion. According to the New Oxford Dictionary religion is the 'belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or Gods'. The worship has incorporated various moral, spiritual and social codes, outlined by different religions, for a noble and vice-free living considered integral to establishing a connect with the 'superhuman power'. The moral and social codes have witnessed a great flux down the ages with the evolution of human society. What was considered acceptable then is taboo now and what is prohibited now was a norm then.
Social codes of most societies, until a few centuries back, restricted women to the role of homemakers and child bearers. Men were the born bread winners. This segregation of roles, had little to do with religion as we understand it. It was more a matter of conveniece keeping in mind the peculiar social requirements of the time. Moreover, it facilitated establishing male hegemony in patriachal societies. Looking after parents and shouldering the economic responsibilities was exclusively a sons's calling.
The 21st century has witnessed a paradigm shift in the social evolution of women from the kitchen to the boardroom. Pro-creation is no longer the only highpoint of a woman's life. This social metamorphosis of women is a 21st century phenomenon which might have been altogether unacceptable and largely unrequired in the Arabia of nineth century when the above decree might have sounded saner. This social shift is hardly indicative of a lack of belief in God or of moral depravity.
If a woman is earning by just means how does her money become haram for her family vis-a-vis that earned by her husband, son or brother? The explanation, according to fatwa framers lies in Sharia prohibiting the proximity of men and women in the workplace. The underlying insinuation of this prohibition is shockingly disrepectful to both men and women living in civilized societies. No doubt that concern regarding the chastity of women has bordered on the obsessive in many religions, however, this one takes the cake. Women and men sharing workplace are not looking for means to commit the Cardinal Sin. If drawing a screen between men and women is the only means of protecting a woman's virtue, then there is not much that separates us from animals in this context at least. Anyhow if it is men whom women need to be constantly protected against then why not keep a closer eye on the likely culprit than the victim? Why penalise the latter for the sins of the former?
I am not giving a short shrift to moral codes of a society but am questioning the selective use of these codes to short-change women in the name of religion and ludicrously enough in the name of God.
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If logic would have worked with such people, they would not have come-up with such suggestions. They can probably only be convinced by somebody who knows the text equally well and points to a particular section which proves them wrong.
ReplyDeleteIn Islam 'Quran' is considered the indisputable word of God. But it is obvious to an unbiased reader that it is catering to a particular audience in a particular time in history. Even then it doesn't specifically bar women from working though it does state that the should cover their breasts and shoulder with lose fitting garments in presence of men other than their fathers, husbands and children. The Sunnah on the other hand is compilation of the life and practices of Prophet Muhammed and is not exactly a holy book. However, there are times when holy books have upheld archaic laws which cannot be refuted as such, it is then left to human intellect to decide whether these laws are inviolable in the quest for God or are byproducts of redundant social requirements.
ReplyDeleteThey are surely not interested in the victim. In fact, little or no interest is shown in order to preserve women from domestic rapes. The focus lies on preserving MEN from becoming impure by committing a sin such as adultery.
ReplyDeleteMaybe knowing the texts from an intellectual point of view is not enough, but one could try to encourage TV, radio programmes, etc., founded on such texts and which make the 'narrative' of pious family where women work accessible and admissible.
(I arrived here through VS' blog).