SPIRIT OF ISLAM MARCH 2O18

9 Spirit of Islam Issue 63 March 2018 THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN For the first time in the human history, women were given their due legal rights, thanks to Islam, which specifies that property must be divided among the rightful heirs which included women. A woman can possess a property separately, and neither her father nor her husband can exercise any right over it. On this subject, a retired Chief Justice of the Delhi Court, Mr. Rajinder Sachar had this to say: "Historically, Islam had been very liberal and progressive in granting rights to women. Islam had granted these rights to Muslim women over 1400 years ago." Entitling women to have a share in property, contrary to the custom of the time, is a clear proof that Islam had no desire to degrade them. A woman also has the right to demand maintenance and the court can ask her father or her husband for a contractual sum. And at the time of marriage, a woman is entitled to mehr or dower, which should be solely in her name, not her father’s. The mehr or dower is in no way a payment for conjugal rights. It is in fact a token sum of money, which symbolizes in material form, the man’s responsibilities towards his wife till his last breath. A woman is also free to give or refuse her consent to marriage. No one can force her to marry against her will. At the time of the marriage she is required to give her consent, failing which the marriage would be invalid. Marriage according to Islam, is a bilateral contract, based on the free consent of the two contracting parties. The Prophet of Islam said, “An unmarried girl should not be married until her permission has been taken”. Thus, we can see that Islam as it is accords respect and equality to women. To sum up we can best say that in the matter of gender equality the maxim of Islam is “Equal in respect, different in role”. o Dr. Farida Khanam hub@the spiritofislam.org Hard Work Hard work is the brightest jewel in the crown of human virtues.