Women rights in Islam

I have had the great opportunity to learn a lot about Islam since I got here. At least, some Saharwis view om their own religion. This week I asked our Arabic teacher to write about her perspective. She works in the the women's union. I wanted her to write with her own words how she sees the women's rights in Islam. Women in the camps are in charge of many important institutions and many Saharawi women are involved in both politics and in family life. However most women in Sahara just make food and stay home with their children. But that is because the want to. It is not better or worse. Just different. And in the end women who choose a different path are not looked down on, as long as a warm lunch and dinner is prepared for the family.

Do women long for more rights? I asked my students why a man could marry a non Muslim while a women could not. And both the girls and the boys in my class explained to me that men are more reasonable and more responsible then women. Women are controlled by their feelings. One of the girls in my class admitted that she didn't like this. She added that even though she didn't like it, she respected the it since it is the words from the Quran. It is the words from Allah.

Lehedie's perspective:

Islam is based on the fact that the men and the women complete each other and their relationship should be based on cooperation and not on fighting and conflict. In Islam women are not treated differently in general believing, reward and punishment. However the two genders are different physical and psychological so it is normal to have different responsibilities and roles in the society.

The family in Islam is the foundation to build the society on and the strength of this family create a good and strong society. The women have a huge role in this family. The women have a right to marriage, motherhood and to have a house. In Islam the woman has the right to choose her husband and also she has the right to divorce if life is not good enough to stay together.

The man in Islam is financially responsible for the woman. It is his obligation to do this. This right for women doesn't mean that she can't own her money and spend it as she likes. She has the same financial independence as the man. The woman has the right to work, if she needs or wants to. But what she earn is her own property and she can spend it as she likes. The man doesn't have any right to ask questions, and he still have the responsibility to support the family without her money.

Hijab in Islam is one of the main things that achieve integrity, shelter from lustful looks, and modesty in the society and it stops public indecency. This hijab clothing is something Muslims are proud of, and it discourages premarital sexual relationships.