Equalityin Islam
Islam places a strong and central emphasis on equality, social justice, and women ’ s rights. Islam is clear that all people have inherent equal worth and must be treated fairly, regardless of their identity. Before his death, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stressed this in his famous final sermon, encouraging his community to uphold racial and ethnic equality and women ’ s rights.
Women hold a special place in the Islamic faith as contributors to the religious texts, leaders, mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, community members, and individuals. The first convert to Islam, for example, was the Prophet Muhammad’s wife, Khadija. Khadija was a successful businesswoman in her own right. She was instrumental in helping to spread the Prophet Muhammad’s message, and he often sought her guidance and input on both religious and community matters.
Increasing and cementing rights for women formed a large part of the early years of the faith. Prior to the advent of Islam, women and daughters were often viewed as less favourable. This was in part due to the financial burden associated with providing for girls and women who were unable to bring in an income of their own, as well as costs associated with dowries, which were paid from the family of the bride to the family of the groom upon marriage.
Islam changed many practices which contributed to the undervaluing of daughters.
Female infanticide, which was driven by social and economic factors, was outlawed, and traditional dowry practices were altered. Instead, Islam brought in a ‘marriage gift’, or mahr, which is paid from the groom ’ s family directly to the bride herself, and which she retains as her own wealth.
Islam also brought in things like property and inheritance rights for women almost a thousand years before women in Europe were permitted similar rights. The result of these changes was the increased status of daughte Throughout the religious texts there are man women ’ s rights and men ’ s responsibilities tow Some of these are contextual to the time of their essence – equality for women – is still day.
Islam encourages its followers to support and uphold human rights, and be active citizens in the pursuit of this equality. Unfortunately, in practice, the equal status of women and minorities in Islam isn’t always realised in societies, families, and communities. Patriarchal interpretations of the faith, cultural customs, and the ongoing impacts of colonialism and associated conflicts have all left a mark on how Islam is practised with relation to equal rights.
Despite this, Muslim communities have a long history of women (and men) fighting for gender justice through their faith. For many women, Islam is something that validates and asserts their equality, and there is a strong and global movement of women seeking to remove patriarchal bias and inequality from interpretation of religious text, from Muslim communities broadly, and from society in general.
As with all cultures and societies around the globe, Islam and Muslim cultures have not been immune to the impacts and influences of patriarchy and discrimination. And just like in other cultures and communities, there are always movements and individuals pushing internally for their rights and equality.
If you would like to know more about diversity in Islam, you can visit the ‘ resources ’ section of our website, where we have lots of information about this topic –www.amwchr.org.au/resources