Muslim Women

Muslim Women

September 11, 2001 in Manhattan, New York: All anyone can see from miles away is the smoke rising from the twin towers. The beloved towers - a monument to New York City and a national treasure - are now burned to the ground. The once lively and bustling city is now consumed in horror, confusion and utter panic. Screams and cries fill the city. Civilians are dead. Families are destroyed. Dreams are shattered. Everyone is asking the same question: Who would carry out such a despicable act? Of course we needed answers. Since I was only 9 years old at the time, I didn’t understand too much of what was going on but I knew one thing for sure: Muslims, all of a sudden, were being targeted by the media. The generally ignored religion suddenly became an infamous center of attention in the post 9/11 times. As the topic of Islam evolved over the years, the media presented anything and everything that seemed negative about Islam in order to maintain the faulty image of a dangerous religion. Provoked by feelings of hurt, anger, and vengeance many people began to attack and marginalize Muslims in America, especially the women for their distinguishable way of dress. This belief, in particular, bothered me because all my life, I’ve been exposed to and learned the exact opposite: Muslim women, along with everyone else, are to be treated as equals and respected. Contrary to the common western belief, Islam does not subject women to oppression and inequality; rather, it has liberated and honored all individuals since its beginnings.

            Common misconceptions about the unfair treatment of women in Islam have been floating around the west for many years and have now become the prevalent view for most western women. Oppression, defined in Merriam Webster as “unjust or cruel exercise of authority or power,” is the most prominent misconception people have regarding Muslim women. I believe the impression of women being oppressed in Islam is perpetuated by the misinterpretation of culture as religion, by Muslim women’s dress codes being out of place in the West, and the different roles men and women play in Islam. The gender roles also lead to the other misconception: gender inequality. With such prevailing stereotypes in the west, many western women are unable to comprehend the true Islamic teachings on the treatment of women. With the increasing population of American Muslims in the United States, I believe it is beneficial for western women to understand the true meaning of being a Muslim woman to prevent any hatred or racism.

I want to start off by addressing the main reason I believe people in the west do not fully comprehend the Islamic take on women’s rights. Most often people tend to bunch culture and religion together, when they should be treated individually. Many countries that declare themselves Muslim countries and claim to follow the Islamic law (Shariah), are actually displaying a false image of the teachings in Islam. Saudi Arabia is a great example of that. In Saudi Arabia, the issue of women’s rights is a very controversial one because it denies many rights of women. Saudi Arabia just granted women the right to vote, but this new ruling is still very vague and unclear. The Quran (Holy Scripture followed by Muslims), revealed 1500 years ago, states that women are allowed to voice their opinion and participate in political matters. Also, the concept of hijab (head covering) is viewed differently in different countries.  In Pakistan, where I am from and have visited several times, the hijab is not something that is required for women to wear. In countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran, the hijab is a requirement for all women. These countries, as well as other “Muslim” countries should never be looked at as a representation of Islam. One cannot base their beliefs on what the Muslim countries say is right or wrong because the countries themselves differ in opinion on what is right and what is wrong in Islam. In order to fully understand how women should be treated in accordance with Islam, one should look to the historical texts and research the topic rather than base their opinion from “Muslim” countries whose understanding and execution of the Shariah differ greatly.

The way many Muslim women dress is judged and viewed as a source of hindrance to a woman’s freedom. When I go outside wearing a hijab, I can tell that people are often intimidated by it. Many refrain from talking to me or asking me questions. Whether ignorance is the source of hindrance, I am not sure but it is something I’ve noticed all too often. Generally in our society, most people assume a women who dresses modestly, specifically speaking in a hijab and abaya (full length garment), is being oppressed. Dressing like that in our society is not the “norm”. Therefore when people see women covered up, they begin to judge. Ironically enough, the real reason women are advised to cover up in Islam is to show modesty and protect themselves from lustful gazes and unwanted advances by the opposite sex. Just yesterday, I attended a Muslim conference where well-known scholar, Imam Abdullatif Finch came to speak. He defined modesty as “recognizing your self value.” The following story is a good illustration to express the perspective many Muslims hold regarding the significance covering oneself: “A guy once asked a Muslim man ‘Why do your women cover themselves?’ The Muslim man just smiled and pulled two pieces of candy from his pocket. He unwrapped one and left the other covered. He dropped the two on the floor and asked the guy which one he’d choose to eat.” This story is simply an example of why dressing modestly is a representation of self worth for many Muslim women. Also, it in no way means to belittle the value of those who choose not to cover up.

            The Quran says “And tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest…And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent….” (Quran 24: 30 -31). Not only does covering up offer protection and self respect, it also represents a woman’s inaccessibility and devotion to her husband. In Islam, a woman should cover herself in front of all men whom she is able to marry. Basically this includes all men except for her husband, brother(s), and immediate uncles. Covering up prevents a woman from being seen as a sexual object by men. It is true that not all men view women degradingly as a piece of meat, but there are ones who do and it is because of those exceptions that women are advised to dress modestly. Wearing a hijab or an abaya is a choice made by women rather than something they are forced into doing as the majority of our western society believes. No person in Islam should be forced to act a certain way. There are cases where women are pressurized by families to wear a hijab, but those stories should not be seen as a representation of Islam.  If a woman is forced to cover herself, then that is a clear breach of religious rights since dressing modestly is a choice that is supposed to be left to the individual to decide. For many women, concealing their body allows them to feel liberated. “Muslim Women in the United Kingdom and Beyond: Experiences and Images” by Tansin Benn presents the personal experiences and beliefs of Muslim women in the west. In his book, in response to whether life for women would be improved if Islam had an input into British society, one woman was quoted saying “Women would be liberated and freed from having to compete with males for success across the social spectrum, and from being used and abused as mere objects of play.” (Jawad, 95).

Muslim men and women play different roles in the family and people regularly misinterpret this as a subjugation of women. The man’s responsibility lies largely outside the family. The Quran states “Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he whose provision is restricted - let him spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it. Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.” (Quran 65: 7). This verse tells us the man is to provide as much financial and material support as he is possibly able to for his family. The woman’s responsibilities lie within the household where she is accountable for taking care of household chores and the children. From the western perspective, it is through these distinct gender roles that the idea of inequality of the sexes is raised. However as stated in “Women in Muslim Family Law” by John L. Esposito, “Family law has been the heart of the Shariah and the major area of Islamic law.” (Esposito, xiv). Because of the overwhelming importance of family, these roles were distributed to the husband and wife not to accentuate the prioritization of the sexes, but rather based on the need to create a balanced social institution. “Their roles are not competitive but complimentary.” (Ahmad, 2).

Appeal to the egalitarianism of Islam is reflected upon behind the reasons countless women are now converting to Islam in the United States. According to the New York Times, “One expert estimates that 25,000 people a year become Muslims in this country; some clerics say they have seen conversion rates quadruple since Sept. 11.” (Wilgoren). Interestingly enough, the majority of the people choosing to embrace this religion are women. The statistics of women converting to Islam contradicts the western belief that women are treated unjustly in Islam because if Islam indeed considered women subordinate to men, there wouldn’t be such an increase in women’s conversion rate. In reality, women are attracted to the religion upon learning how much a woman is respected in Islam. In fact “They [American female converts] argue that Islam is the most feminist religion.” (Naoual, 16). In comparison to the western culture some “American convert women find that Islam provides them with an interesting construction of gender that allows them to live according to their nature without being treated as sex objects, but respected as women.” (Naoual, 17). It is evident from these undeniable facts that tons of women in our country turn to Islam when they realize the lack of respect and equality offered in western society when compared to that of Islam.

These statistics support the fact that seemingly oppressive factors – such as women’s clothing and separate household responsibilities – are in fact a representation of how Islam uniquely and effectively defines a woman’s rights and equality. Many Muslim countries fail to portray and apply Shariah law appropriately, creating a false image of the religion. In Islam, a woman’s dress symbolizes modesty and self-respect, whereas in western society it is looked down upon as a symbol of inequality. Similarly, the differing responsibilities of a husband and wife are viewed as subordination of women when, in reality, they are designed to help build a flourishing family life. These undisputable realities affirm the fact that women, as defined by Islam, are an essential group in society who deserve to be treated as equal and respected individuals. 


Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck, Jane I. Smith, and Kathleen M. Moore. Muslim Women in America the Challenge of Islamic Identity Today. New York: Oxford UP, 2006. Print.

Ahmad, Khurshid. Family Life in Islam. Leicester: Islamic Foundation, 1981. Print.

Esposito, John L. Women in Muslim Family Law. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse UP, 1982. Print.

The Holy Qur'an - القرآن الكريم. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://quran.com/>.

Jawad, H. A., and Tansin Benn. Muslim Women in the United Kingdom and Beyond: Experiences and Images. Leiden, the Netherlands: Brill, 2003. Print.

"Oppression." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oppression>.

"Women in Islam." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Web. 09 Nov. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Islam>.

Naoual, Elkoubaiti. "Women and Conversion to Islam: The American Women's Experience."Oriental Women Organization (2011): 1-21. Print.

Wilgoren, Jodi. "A Nation Challenged: American Muslims." New York Times 22 Oct. 2001: 1-2. Print.