Why were Ahmadis killed in Lahore? 35 years of state persecution (part 1/3)

Why were Ahmadis killed in Lahore? 35 years of state persecution (part 3/3)

"A feminist nikahnama"

In the Name of Allah the Gracious, the Merciful.

In response to Rafia Zakaria's column published in Dawn.com it was imperative to have a response or a feedback from readers, since Dawn.com does not provide readers with comments on columns written in Dawn.

The article states the general situation Muslim women face during the negotiations of their marriage. It points to the fact that a girl / woman does not have a right to dictate her own terms and agreements and on the amount of Meher (a must paid dowry by groom to bride according to Islamic law). Instead, meaningless issues are discussed rather "long negotiations" are done on issues of wedding dress and numbers of guests.

Although this article is in response to a new delimma created by pseudo Islamic clerics whether a misyar marriage is legal in Islam. However, most of the pseudo Sunni clerics argue that Misyar Marriage is not a Sunni version of Sigeh or Muttah rather it is women's own choice to give up her rights to men. Man does not have to pay for woman's maintenance and it can be of his choice to whenever he can come and leave from her.

Similarly, Muttah or Sigeh marriage is a Shia version, whereas a temporary marriage where similar rights are given up and marriage can last for minutes to years, no maintenance required or followed up.

In other words, to by pass or shrug off the responsibilities that comes with marriage and are prescribed in the Holy Quran.

Although article has been written and stressed more on giving choice on women to negotiate her own terms of Meher, divorce and custody of children and in Ms. Zakaria's way would be an equality if someone wants to contract a Misyar or Sigeh/Muttah marriage.

Though well articulated but lacking actual substance and solutions to problems faced by Muslim women in general. Such issues arise in Muslim world when according to well known and recognized Hadith (sayings of the Prophe SAW) by most Muslim scholars, the hadith says, "There will nothing left of Islam but name and people will come to scholars to ask questions in matter of faith they will find Swine and Apes sitting instead..."

This sums up the situation which is Muslim world is facing by not accepting the true teachings of Islam as guided by the reformer of this age the Promised Messiah and the Mahdi Mriza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian.

Women's Status in Religion

In the Name of Allah the Gracious the Merciful

Women's status in society has been of oppressed, abused and neglected one in the history of mankind. In modern times grass roots feminist philosophy has risen to a point where every measure is judged through the yardstick of men vs women. It is unfortunate that this issue has been politicized so much that now we even argue on minute grammatical words as to why we say "mankind" and why not "womenkind" why we use "He" where we should include "He/She" to give equality to women. This absurd argument has taken to the extrems where if one does not incorporate to such norms and it just happened to be a male person he would be considered as "sexist".

Mankind (just to ensure to be grammatically correct not being "sexist" here) has evolutioned to 21st Century but we are still far behind in maturity of our minds. As a human being the purpose of our life is not to indulge in such petty arguments, rather it is, according to Islam (www.askislam.com), to make human beings spiritually strong enough that humans can reach and manifest God Almighty's different attributes to perfection. It is for this reason human beings were created. I chose Islam's version of life reason being other religious scriptures do not clearly identifies the purpose of life for human beings in this world on the other hand, Holy Quran, (www.alislam.org) does mention the purpose of creating human beings.

Coming back to Women's status in religion an article written by Mr. Nicholas Kristof in New York Times (http://bit.ly/65i0B9) has raised certain questions which I thought I would like to respond to his points which he pointed out in his article. Although I'm not a religious scholar, however, my analysis or understanding on religion is that a religion should never be made a scapegoat for crimes and inequalities perpetuated by people in the name of religion or Supremebeing i.e. Allah, God, Yehweh, Bhagwan etc. In Holy Quran as we read, "Say, Call upon Allah or call upon Rahman; by whichever name you call Him, His are the most beautiful names"(Ch.17 verse 111). In other words religion or God should never be blamed for human-beings shortcomings or perpetuated crimes and inequalities.

Islam is the only religion that has established the law of inheritance prior to Islam neither any religious scripture provided such law nor their was a custom/norm that women should inherit from their late husbands property or from their father's property. When Islam came into being people living in Arabia were uncivilized. In fact it was not only Arabia but at that time Romans and Iranian Empires who at that time thought to be 'civilized' nations did not have any formal law of inheritance. Women were captured or taken as one's property if a father dies and he left behind his wives the son would keep the ones he liked and others were either mistreated or given away for "donation" or a "trophy". The history of world is filled with such stories.

When Islam came it provided women with a higher status then before and secured the sanctity of a woman by making paradise lying in the feet of the mother for a child who would give respect and honor to his/her mother. Similarly, sanctity of a woman was secured by providing her the status of wife and Holy Quran says, "Men are garments for women and women are garments for men" which means that in a human civilization garments are used to hide indecent exposure as well as it is used for beautiful apperance. Similarly, husbands and wives are suppose to be enjyoing each others company as well as hiding each others weaknesses (see Holy Quran www.alislam.org).

Thus Islam provided women with status, dignity and respect which most of the cultures and religion did not practice to the standards of Islam. Compare to other religions as Mr. Kristof mentioned in his NY Times article, 'The New Testament quotes St. Paul (I Timothy 2) as saying that women “must be silent.” Deuteronomy declares that if a woman does not bleed on her wedding night, “the men of her town shall stone her to death.” An Orthodox Jewish prayer thanks God, “who hast not made me a woman.”' Islam does not discriminate women and in Holy Quran you will not find a single teaching that a woman must be silent, nor you will find a prayer thanking God for "not making me a woman" (see www.alislam.org).