Our Religious Rage towards Women
To all religious fanatics — You can straightaway outcast me but have a read first.
I believe in constructive criticism but the moment it humiliates the criticized, it loses its credibility and purpose. Pointing out faults and lacking has been the very basis of human development. One’s patriotism should not blind him from seeing the faults of his people. Biased opinions with an inclination towards our own can be more damaging than we think. And I find this very common, be it a religious or political bias, we turn to avoid unpleasantries. Our scholars have greatly emphasized on Prophetic stories in their sermons, they have shown us the perfect religion we have. What they have hesitated to mention are the things we might not be proud of, that the majority of our history is imperfect. Our downfall as a state, society, and institution is real. How many of you have heard about it? We don’t talk about the things we don’t like and the same is happening with our women. Males who are mostly in-charge of the family systems in our community, don’t recognize women’s issues. And our misinterpreted religion has played a role of a catalyst. I know it is a bold and unprecedented statement but it needs to be addressed whether anyone likes me or not or considers me an outcast.
We are the product of a religious system of evil
I have been through this. Through the valley of fire, burning myself inside out. Blaming, shaming, and calling out. Responding to religious ignorance and disobedience with hatred and declarations. I have assassinated characters thinking my thoughts to be religious. For most of my adolescent years, I have blamed females for leaving home and doing the same things I did. For a long time, I have believed that a women’s place is in the home. And I wasn’t alone in thinking so. Many more like-minded people existed and do exist today as well. Mistakes I did in the name of religion were because of an established system. A system in which a version of the religion was presented as unquestionable. A pre-defined set of rules that could not be changed or challenged, even if they were influenced by the culture and customs. A firm thought had been implanted into the masses that the religion as well as the propagators of the religion were perfect. This school of thought created a bunch of self-proclaimed elite, people who presented religion according to their modalities. These so-called religious scholars and their sermons took people into oblivion. Over decades, a system was designed where faith wasn’t considered complete until it wasn’t blind. Such a system of loyalty, not towards the religion and its scripture but the preachers, destroyed the peaceful essence of Islam, particularly in the sub-continent.
How we Crippled Women in the name of Religion
Islam gives men and women equal rights. It gives us the right to life, education, property, the right to free choice. Once women understand this, their lives will change. In Islam wives of Prophet Mohammad(S.A.W) are considered role models for women in general. And the Prophetic wives have played a diverse role in Islamic history — from teachers, scholars to combat fields and great merchants, women in Islam have done wonders. But unfortunately, UNICEF notes that out of 24 nations with less than 60% female primary enrollment rates, 17 were Islamic nations; more than half the adult population is illiterate in several Islamic countries, and the proportion reaches 70% among Muslim women. In the 12th century, Ibn Rushd claimed that women were equal to men in all respects. Medieval Bimarestan or hospitals included female staff as female nurses. Muslim hospitals were also the first to employ female physicians. Women are allowed to work in Islam, subject to certain conditions but what we are witnessing today is completely contrary to what Islam stands for. Women are completely deprived of their rights particularly in the middle and lower-middle-class sections of the society. Women should remain bound within the wall of our homes and men, the ultimate caretakers of the family are in charge of everything — an inhumanely ignorant concept is considered religious. It seems like every sharia law is meant for women and men have been let loose. Unlike men, women are not told to follow the religion, they are targeted and harassed for not doing so. Why do I say we have used religion to cripple women? It is because even the genuine rules and regulations set by our religion when enforced strictly, lead to depreciation of women instead of uplifting them.
From the Religion of Peace to a Religion of Rage
Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance but for decades now especially in our part of the world, we have presented it as a religion of ignorance and intolerance. With more than a dozen sects and the animosity within, religious preachers have acted as the fuel to the fire. No one is patient enough to hear other opinion. Like some of my readers would find it hard to read all this. Rage is all that is propagated. Our scholars sell perfection and shout at anyone questioning it. Look general population is always innocent even though they are the ones committing the crime. It is the messenger and the light bearer who is to be blamed. The responsible cluster of people who should be punished for leading people into darkness. For creating a society intolerant of each other and every other different opinion.
Our Religious Rage towards Women
A culture of no tolerance towards women is thought to be Islamic. And scholars are to be blamed absolutely. They have defined women as obedient, submissive creatures where men are their masters. It is the religious obligation of wives to look after their husbands in every way and maintain their chastity. Women should raise their children and let men deal with financial needs. Such a portrayal of women is not wrong but it’s only showing one side of the coin and then exploiting it. Fearless women with great ambitions, who are willing to go to any part of the world to achieve their goals, can also be Muslim women of pious nature. Divorce is not encouraged but it is a provision available. Vulnerable women in troublesome relationships asking for divorce can be pious. We were never shown this side. Anyone asking questions and acting out of the set norms was dealt with rage. Female lower socio-economic class is so oppressed that they can’t dare to ask for equal rights in education, property, or opinion. And when women from the upper class sometime go rogue, every woman is blamed and shamed for it. Their method of acquiring education, what they wear, and how they behave, everything is questioned and scrutinized. Women are trolled like no one and harassed and blamed in general. By nature, women are weak and have been exploited throughout history in various civilizations. Islam that once liberated women is witnessing them again in shackles but this time in its name.
