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On other Pages:
> Our Journey To The Day Of Resurrection, Part-X [Page-3] > “I Love Not Things That Set”! [Page-3] > Purchasing Paradise [Page-4] > India and Pakistan: Lengthening Shadows of a Toxic Past [Page-5] > PLUCKING EYEBROWS: A topic we pretend does not exist [Page-6] > Tu bacha bacha ke na rakh ise [Save it not, let it be broken] [Page-6]
> Capitalistic world order has incentive to ignore the backward sections of society
[Pages 7] Together we can change our society
Join Bihar Anjuman [www.biharanjuman.org] Chapters of Bihar Anjuman |
Dear
Readers, Throughout history, women have been greatly oppressed in almost every civilization. In the part of the world where we live, women were not treated any better. Hinduism, which is the one of the oldest religions of the world, described women as such: “In childhood a female must be subjected to her father, in youth to her husband, when her husband is dead, to her sons; a woman must never be independent” (Manu, V 140). Unfortunately, many women were forced to sacrifice themselves by jumping onto their husband’s burning funeral pyre, because they were taught that a life without their husband was meaningless and futile. And even in western Europe and North America, until these past few decades, women could not own property, make a contract, inherit property, or vote. Great female British writers, such as Jane Austen and Fanny Burney, produced many examples in their novels of rich heiresses who were defrauded of all of their wealth by their husbands who would either gamble their property away or spend it lavishly. The principles of Islam advocate and nurture the development of a positive self-esteem as it corrects our thoughts, feelings and actions; teaching us to elevate our self from the lowest of low to developing a sense of discernment and inclining toward the most ‘ihsan’ (beautiful) way of being. By delineating a guiding ideal that is possible, practical, and attainable Islam decreases the discrepancy between the ideal and the perceived self. The goal of tazkîyah (self-purification) is to make one be and do the right thing in the best of ways and to strive for excellence, with the belief that one is doing it for the pleasure of Allah (SWT). It encourages one to realize one’s potential of becoming the representative of Allah (SWT), toward which aim mankind was created. This belief is powerful enough to make one develop a positive self-esteem. Just the idea that the creation of mankind is for a higher goal should make us choose a healthier, higher life. The Islamic dress code ensures the development of a sense of self-esteem grounded in a genuine respect for women. I will take hijab as an example and explain how it can foster a healthier and deeper sense of beauty. Hijab is an Arabic word, which literally means to cover or conceal and is now used to describe the dress code of a Muslim woman. Many feel that Hijab is degrading and oppressive towards women, but that’s only because they do not properly understand it. Hijab is actually a beautiful gift given to women to protect themselves from the ills that haunt society today. When a woman leaves her tight, fashionable clothes and dons the modest clothing and headgear that characterize most Muslim women, they feel a rejuvenated sense of freedom. Why? Because they no longer worry about how others judge their appearance. When woman is dressed in Hijab, she can expect that when people look at her they don’t view her as an object for a particular “need”, but rather as a woman who has decided that her body is not public material for the world to see. It is my belief that when it comes to raising awareness of women's rights Muslim women with their positive self-esteem based on a spiritual rather than a material understanding of inner worth, can have a profound understanding and awareness of their rights because it is an awareness derived from their spiritual growth. Since women are vitally important in all aspects of society, having the right and sound self-esteem can have a positive effect on what constitutes their responsibility toward themselves, others and society at large. In order to achieve this task, we through this medium truly wish that May Allah (SWT) grant us the strength for a successful establishment of our proposed “RAHBAR University” where hundreds of thousands of women can light a candle rather than curse the darkness…. Editor-in-chief |
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