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Equality between men and women in terms of the human value:
Equality between men and women in terms of the human value: Equality between men and women in terms of the human value: As to the human value, Islam has eliminated inequity between men and women in terms of the human value. God says (what means): "O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women." 4:1 Among the well-established facts in Islam is the fact that Islam has given women full unrestrained powers to run their own civil, economic and personal affairs without being subjected to any restrictions upon their liberty. Thanks to dawning of Islam, women have become responsible for all their civil, economic and personal acts and eligible to assume their obligations and manage their properties. They have enjoyed fully their civil characterand financial independence.(Moreover), a husband cannot even recover anything he has already given to his wife in a way against her will. God says (what means): "And it is not lawful for you (men) to take back (from your wives) anything of whatever you have brought (the women)." 2:229 Thus, Islamic law treats men and women equally in terms of duties, responsibilities and penalties before the law. In the early golden ages of the Arab history, Muslim women took part in different political, social, scientific, civil, economic activities. They also enjoyed all the freedoms and good things available then, without any restrictions, which is proven by the Arab-Islamic history. Rights and duties of wives: The Holy Quran and Sunna both devote special attention to women affairs taking into consideration her biological traits by cherishing her with a comprehensive set of rules just to protect her and determine her role both in family and matrimonial life, we will try to condense these as follows: 1- Right to choose a husband: Consent of the woman is one of the stipulations of the marriage contract. If a guardian marries her off without her consent, marriage will be invalid. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: "A woman without a husband (or divorced or a widow) must not be married unless she is consulted, and a virgin must not be married unless her permission is sought." Khansa bint Khidam Al-Ansariya narrated that her father gave her in marriage when she was a matron and she disliked that marriage. So she went to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and he declared that marriage to be invalid. Moreover, Islam makes it clear that no one has the right to force her into or prevent her from remarrying her former husband. God says what means : "And when you have divorced women and they have fulfilled the term of their prescribed period, do not prevent them from marrying their (former) husbands, if they mutually agree on reasonable basis. This (instruction) is an admonition for him among you who believes in Allah and the Last Day. That is more virtuous and purer for you. Allah knows and you know not." 2:232 It is stipulated that man should be economically equal to woman and of the same social standard while she should not be necessarily equal to him. 2. Marriage Contract: In Islam, the marriage contract is based on a declaration (ijab) and a related acceptance (qabul), and the consent of the woman is among its conditions. Other different conditions of marriage are accepted as long as they comply with the Islamic teachings. In Islam, a man is required to offer a dowry (Mahr) to the wife (to be) expressing his desire to marry her. It has no ceiling; they can determine it according to their financial capacity. God says (what means): "And give to the women (whom you marry) their Mahr (obligatory bridal money given by the husband to his wife at the time of marriage) as an endowment." 4:4 This dowry is anexclusive right ofwomen; their fathers or whoever close to them have no right to have even part of it. Moreover, women do not have to contribute to the preparation of thematrimonial home as; in Islam, the husband is required to prepare and furnish a matrimonial home suitable to the social class of the wife. Another right given to women by concluding the marriage contract is expenditure. A husband is required to feed and clothe his wife and provide a suitable family residence…, etc. According to Islamic teachings, a wife is completely financially independent from her husband. Even if she is rich, she is not responsible for any of the family's expenditures; it is the role of the husband to spend on his family. In Islam, spending on the wife is of great reward. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: "if you spend dinar in the sake of God, if you spend dinar for ransoming a slave, if you offer dinar for [as charity] to a poor man, and if you spend a dinar on your wife- the one that will earn you the greatest reward is the one spent on your wife." Among the Islamic lofty teachings is that a husband should never reveal his wife's secret (private affairs). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: "The most wicked among the people in the eye of Allah on the Day of judgment is the men who goes to his wife and she comes to him, and then he divulges her secret." Furthermore, etiquette of marriage includes good conduct with wives and consorting with them in kindness. God says (what means): "And live with them honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allah brings through it a great deal of good." 4:19 According to the Islamic perspective, among the signs of the perfect faith and high morals is kindness toward one's wife. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: "The most perfect of believers in faith are those who are the finest in manners and most gentle toward their wives." He also says: "The best among you are the most charitable toward their wives, and I am the best among you toward my wives." (The prophet, peace be upon him, wanted to set an example for the Muslims). Treating women honourably is among the signs of the perfect character while mistreating them shows meanness and wickedness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) says: "Those who hospitably cherish them are the generous among you and those who humiliate them are the evil among you." |