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movement and "she was recognised throughout the Arab, world as an early
leader in the field of the woman's rights ..... she came to the public
attention during the public nationalist demonstrations in Egypt against
the British. These took place at the end of world war 1.11 1
At the other end. of the spectrum, extremists tried to prevent
women-from making any. contribution to their society., The most rigid
advocates of this view deprived them of fundamental rights, such as
equality with men in education. in the mistaken belief that this is in
accordance with Islamic laws.
Between these two extremes, a third approach has emerged trying to
create a middle zone, where women can contribute to their society and
at the same time observe the Islamic laws and traditions; as for
example, MuhammadcAbdu in Egypt. who concentrated on improving the
status of women in the villages of Egypt. He draw upon the aspects
of Islamic law which enjoin liberal treatment of women to. argue for
the end of humiliation and oppression.
The first question to consider here is whether Islam does or
does not guarantee its female adherents the rights and the status
which enable them to function in and contribute to their society and,
secondly, if it does, how this can be achieved in today's fast moving.
complicated and demanding societies. A study of the early sources,
and of the practice of the first Islamic community in Mecca and
al-Madinah during the time of the Prophet and the first four caliphs
and comparison of this community with the pre-Islamic Arabia may help
to formulate an opinion on the subject.
1. See Fernea, Elizabeth and Bezirgan. Basimas Middle Eastern Muslim
Women Speak, P. 194.
2. See Muhammad. Aýmad, op. cit., Pe 52
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