Download - University of Salford Institutional Repository
Download - University of Salford Institutional Repository Download - University of Salford Institutional Repository
ABSTRACT THE CHANGING POSITION OF WOMEN IN ARABIA UNDER ISLAM DURING THE EARLY SEVENTH CENTURY This study of the position of women in Islamic society during the period of the Prophet in the early seventh centuryA. D., i compares their status with - the status of wo . men in pre-Islamic Arabia, and investigates the changes. if any, which the new faith brought to the women believers. The thesis is composed of three chapters. The purpose of the first chapter Is to outline the nature of the socilo-economic and legal status of women in Arabia before Islam; it surveys the concept of Jahiliyyah, the tribal society as a whole, the practice of burying daughters alive. marriage. polygamy and divorce. The second chapter contains an over view of the new moral and legal status granted to women under Islamic law. according to the specific rules governing the rights and duties of the people as laid down by the Prophet himself. This can therefore be taken as the ideal example, in all aspects. of the true Islamic community. The third chapter contains cases of illustrious and influ I ential women in the first seminal period of Islam: Khadija. the first believer and c -V first wife of the Prophet. Aisha, the young wife and important transmitter of tradition and FAimah. the Prophet's daughter. and 0 other various examples of women in different aspects. 1
INTRODUCTION The Islamic and Arabic world today has been influenced in many areas by the western world, through various channels including colonisation, -the media, translations. ýliteraturej, or through the , presence, of Muslim-students in western countries. One of the , principal. areas to have been! affected, is the, status of women. - ýý Muslim women have been, -and still are, often portrayed as submissive and subordinate to their male counterparts. While there are many parts of the world-in which women in practice seldom enjoy real equality with, men., Muslim, and Arab women are repeatedly singled out as. illustrative of-suppression, and degradation brought about - it is held - by the teaching of., their faith. - Since the last century, different schools of, opinions in the, Muslim countries have hold - contrasting views, as to -the status of Muslim women.,! At, one'end'of the spectrum, -unconditioned liberation of the Muslim and Arabian women, and equality with men was advocated. ý, The beginning, of this C6- appeared in the writings of Rifa, aý, Rafiýal-Taht; wiAn Egypt. -He 0 IN called for-co-educational schools, -as an, end-to, segregation ofýthe-, sexes from an early age. and, for., the removal of -the-, -veilý' Qisimýý - Amin in Egypt contributed two books to this field; (Taýir. (al-Marlah - the first called al-Marlah) "Liberation of Woman" in 1898. His-second, book al-JaZdah) I'The, New Woman",, established his reputation amongst some readers as an extremist due to the uncompromising arguments and. proposals it contained. 2 There was also Huda ShFarawl' in Egypt. who is considered to be the founder'of the Egyptian womenlsý l... For more detail, see MuDammad. Atmads al-Marlah al-Mauriyyah Bayn-al- Magi Wa al-Ua4ir, (The Egyptian Woman between the past and the present). P. 46. 2, Ibid, P* 47 2
- Page 1 and 2: THE CHANGING POSITION OF WOMEN IN A
- Page 3: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to exp
- Page 7 and 8: The status of women in Islamic and
- Page 9 and 10: civilization or of both combined. S
- Page 11 and 12: funcultivatable valley', although i
- Page 13 and 14: 2) The second source of support was
- Page 15 and 16: and would not take them captive, be
- Page 17 and 18: fight Muslims; not satisfied with t
- Page 19 and 20: From the Qurlan, we know that she w
- Page 21 and 22: would not marry at all unless she h
- Page 23 and 24: unequal match. "If you can't find a
- Page 25 and 26: ut also among the Hebrews and Arame
- Page 27 and 28: that The fact is/ this marriage doe
- Page 29 and 30: elated to the economic and social c
- Page 31 and 32: However. Islam forbade this kind of
- Page 33 and 34: How was the wife treated Most of th
- Page 35 and 36: 49 Another example is the Zainah ma
- Page 37 and 38: 'Excepýi for rare cases in countri
- Page 39 and 40: ArZý; The wife of Shai used to dis
- Page 41 and 42: A man could divorce his wife. remar
- Page 43 and 44: women as the Qurlan says: For those
- Page 45 and 46: divorce. the man takes compensation
- Page 47 and 48: The Woman's Inheritance in Pre-Isla
- Page 49 and 50: among his children. giving to a mal
- Page 51 and 52: asking him to bring his mother, Lay
- Page 53 and 54: Burying Daughters Alive In Pre-Isla
INTRODUCTION<br />
The Islamic and Arabic world today has been influenced in many<br />
areas by the western world, through various channels including<br />
colonisation, -the media, translations.<br />
ýliteraturej, or through the<br />
, presence, <strong>of</strong> Muslim-students in western countries. One <strong>of</strong> the<br />
, principal. areas to have been! affected, is the, status <strong>of</strong> women. - ýý<br />
Muslim women have been, -and still are, <strong>of</strong>ten portrayed as<br />
submissive and subordinate to their male counterparts. While there<br />
are many parts <strong>of</strong> the world-in which women in practice seldom enjoy<br />
real equality with, men., Muslim, and Arab women are repeatedly singled<br />
out as. illustrative <strong>of</strong>-suppression, and degradation brought about - it<br />
is held<br />
- by the teaching <strong>of</strong>., their faith. - Since the last century,<br />
different schools <strong>of</strong>, opinions in the, Muslim countries have hold -<br />
contrasting views, as to -the status <strong>of</strong> Muslim women.,! At, one'end'<strong>of</strong><br />
the spectrum, -unconditioned<br />
liberation <strong>of</strong> the Muslim and Arabian<br />
women, and equality with men was advocated. ý, The beginning, <strong>of</strong> this<br />
C6-<br />
appeared in the writings <strong>of</strong> Rifa, aý, Rafiýal-Taht; wiAn Egypt. -He<br />
0 IN<br />
called for-co-educational schools, -as an, end-to, segregation <strong>of</strong>ýthe-,<br />
sexes from an early age. and, for., the removal <strong>of</strong> -the-, -veilý' Qisimýý -<br />
Amin in Egypt contributed two books to this field;<br />
(Taýir.<br />
(al-Marlah<br />
- the first called<br />
al-Marlah) "Liberation <strong>of</strong> Woman" in 1898. His-second, book<br />
al-JaZdah) I'The, New Woman",, established his reputation<br />
amongst some readers as an extremist due to the uncompromising<br />
arguments and. proposals it contained. 2 There was also Huda ShFarawl'<br />
in Egypt. who is considered to be the founder'<strong>of</strong> the Egyptian womenlsý<br />
l... For more detail, see MuDammad. Atmads al-Marlah al-Mauriyyah Bayn-al-<br />
Magi Wa al-Ua4ir, (The Egyptian Woman between the past and the present).<br />
P. 46.<br />
2, Ibid, P* 47<br />
2