This is a very difficult topic to deal with, regardless of how one puts it. While this is written about islam, some things need to be made clear.
First of all, throughout cultures, civilisations, times, women have always been oppressed. Theyve been abused, degraded, used for entertainment etc. This isnt something that one group of people have the trademark on.
Even until recent modern times, be it the Victorian era, or even modern day America, women had to fight for their rights, quite recently in terms of history.
Finally before beginning the discussion, I would like to make the following clear. Perhaps no religion or philosophy from those years back, when I say those years back, lets put Islam as the youngest of all the religions/philosophies, was really put into a formulated system until quite some time after its originitor had died. Then too the problem of interpretation came along. Adding to all this the fact is, that all of these systems were influenced by social, cultural and political factors, so no system can be claimed to be untouched my man.
In regards islam, the time after the prophets death, the amount of political turbulence is enough to make any realist realise that knowing for sure what is authenticly apart of islam and not is a tricky subject.
So while that is another topic on its own, Ill just speak from what more orthodox muslims and their scholars accept and think.
First of all, all of the judeo abrahamic faiths, were strong patriacharl systems. Its safe to say that even in the most primitive societies not of these faiths , this is still the case. While there is no doubt that Islam came and gave much rights to women, theres also no doubt it was still strongly in favour of the man, when coming to rights concerning women. Whether or not this was a 'time based law', meaning it should change when the circumstances makes it necessary, or whether its meant to stay the same is difficult to answer.
The problem is that Islam, in comparison to modern religions, has a built in negation of change. The idea of bidah, meaning innovation, and the idea that the older generations closest to the prophet were the best, including his companions, means that the majority of jurists kept on passing the same type of laws, which means the modern scholars who are very strict, refuse to change any of it. Its scary ground for them.
Again, by the standards they were living in, islam made much improvement for women, but to a modern woman living today, some of the ideas and laws seem ludicrous.
Theres almost like a special priviledge for men. They can become caliphs, not women. They can hold real positions of government not women. They can do their slaves, not the other way around. They can take four wives, not the same for women. Man has almost the amazing right of divorce, while the woman has to go through some lengthy appeal system to get divorced. Inheritance laws, Etc ,etc
Now for almost everything I can say, theres going to be alot of people pointing out hadith which states numerous good things about how islam views women. Having said that, I could easily point out where the hadith says things negating those same ideas. Then people will just question authenticity. You cant use a certain source when it suits you, then drop it when it doesnt, there has to be some consistency, otherwise there cant be an argument.
So hadith aside, what does the quran say? Speaking to a family member the other day, I said without the hadith, the quran is more directed at the men. To which he answered, " Well what do you expect its a patriacharl sociey". So without hadith and jurists to use consensus and analogy, there wouldnt be a thing such as a woman's right to divorce.
On the abuse side of things, its again a sore topic. Without looking to hadith, the quran speaks about beating women. For centuries, the interpretation has been more or less consistent, even someone with basic understanding of arabic knows daraba is to hit. Over time its been mellowed out a bit, and modern scholars( few) have some new interpretations.
The quran also speaks about slaves and war slaves. Now I dont know about anyone else, but I seriously do not believe that this was some magical love making session. Where the slave welcomed her master whenever she saw him. Perhaps she eventually came to just submit. But other than that, for me, it must have been one of the most abusive things that can happen to a person.
In the hadith, there will be again numerous things talking about treating women correctly. But there will be times when it speaks about hitting of slaves and women. Again, how does one really accept one and not the other? Are we not even told by the prophet to beat our children if by a certain age they do not pray?
Finally, for every time a man is told how to treat his wife, there is ennumerable mentions of the status of the husband to the wife. How obedient she should be, how to handle his affairs, her rewards. By far it would outnumber hadiths the other way around. Their is no doubt that orthodox islam would put paramount importance of subservience and obedience to her husband.
Perhaps the funniest part of the story is apparently what happens in heaven. Men are told we gettting this super hot women, with apparently well developed chests, big eyes, theyll be virgins, and theyll always be virgins ( this must be heaven lol ).
But again what is this really saying? Girls with small breasts arent beautiful? That virgins are the epitome of perfection? That men get this massive orgy on getting to heaven? I spoke to a girl who told me this idea completely bothered her. And yet the quran says very little if anything about what women get.
Personally looking at all of this, to me it shows clearly that the laws were made for the man. A girl friend of mine, who is quite religious, told me that she feels sharia law was written by men for men. It was quite a shocking statement coming from her, knowing how much she loves her faith.
The big question is whether the laws were formed for a certain time period, and the general rule to change as necessary. But is such dynamism and change a part of islam? Or is it something we are trying to put in because it seems out of line with our new ideals growing up in a modern world?
I would say I definetly feel its a part of Islam. It always has been. I think the majority of people would be ok on changing certain things, but definetly not major things.
So in other words, is the islam of then, formulated under its cirumstances and political, social and cultural factors, the real islam? Has it been trimmed and toned to meet the inherent ideals of an already female hating society at that time, or is that just the truth god wanted? Or have we been duped for the last few hundred years?
In those peoples defence, they did the best they could. The society was clearly man driven, and it would take years and lots of education to change their attitudes. Clearly world wide, its been happening in other parts of the world, in large the muslim world has fallen behind in this.
The problem is, is that to say they were wrong, is to undermine their other laws, which we all love and uphold, and primarily for most muslims, they feel their system is perfect and from god himself. They cant live in this uncertainty, theyve never even entertained such an idea.
Perhaps everyone need to sit down and realise that islam isnt perfect, because much of its laws are human made. Perhaps that would relax that hold their reverance has on them thinking for themselves a bit, and allow them to make some positive changes.
At the very least, it should at least make them more tolerable to others from different faiths.
