How will Muslim societies and states deal with the rights of women?
In Islam, as I understand it, men and women are partners before God with the same duties and responsibilities. Women have the rights of divorce and inheritance—and they had them long before Western countries adopted these same standards. I also understand that many of the infringements against the rights of women done in the name of Islam today are cultural practices, perhaps even prejudices, rather than necessarily religiously inspired. That may be so. But these views remain very powerful; and frankly, the distinctions I make here, although theoretically true, are not often recognized by many practicing Muslims—in the Middle East, in particular. Therefore, what matters is not so much the theoretical discussions we can have about this, but rather the practical reforms Muslims themselves are making in the name of Islam. If it is so that Islam recognizes the equality of men and women, then Muslims themselves will have to put in constitutional and legal protections for women that cannot
In Islam, as I understand it, men and women are partners before God with the same duties and responsibilities. Women have the rights of divorce and inheritance-and they had them long before Western countries adopted these same standards. I also understand that many of the infringements against the rights of women done in the name of Islam today are cultural practices, perhaps even prejudices, rather than necessarily religiously inspired. That may be so. But these views remain very powerful; and frankly, the distinctions I make here, although theoretically true, are not often recognized by many practicing Muslims-in the Middle East, in particular. Therefore, what matters is not so much the theoretical discussions we can have about this, but rather the practical reforms Muslims themselves are making in the name of Islam. If it is so that Islam recognizes the equality of men and women, then Muslims themselves will have to put in constitutional and legal protections for women that cannot
