Paucity of Sexual Harassment

Women in pre-Islamic civilizations throughout the human history prior to Islam, women
have
been victimized and made to suffer too much. They endured unbearable deprivation,
sorrow
and oppression in all past civilizations. In other words, they were treated as if they were not
human beings.

The Greeks said regarding a woman: she is like a poisonous tree and she is evil
emanated
from Satan. She may be sold like any merchandise.

For the Romans: she does not have a soul. They would torture women by pouring boiling
oil
on them or dragging them by horses.
For the Chinese: she is cursed water that washes away good fortune. A Chinese man
would
have the right to bury his wife alive. If a man were to die, his wife would be passed on as
inheritance.

For the Indians: a woman is worse than death, hell, and fire. A woman didn’t have the
right
to live after her husband’s death. Therefore, she had to be burned along with his corpse.
For the Persians: it is permissible to marry any of the female relatives without
exception
(incest). A Persian husband could command his wife to die.
The Jews said: a woman is a curse because she is the cause of sin and temptation. She
is
impure during her menses. It is permissible for her father to sell her.

The Christians: the French held a discussion in 568 a.d. Some of the issues discussed were:
is
a woman a human or not? Does she have soul or not? If she has a soul, is it a human soul
or
an animal soul? And if it is a human soul then is it equal to a man’s soul or lower than it?
Finally, after long deliberation, they came to the conclusion that she is a human, but she
was
created only to serve man.
During the rule of King Henry viii of England, the parliament decided that it is unlawful
for
women to read the new testament (bible) because they are impure.
As for the Arabs before Islam: they hated women more than death. They used to
burry
female infants alive or threw them into an abandoned well.
Islam: the true liberator of women
After this long history of injustice, Allah, the most exalted, showered his mercy on
humanity
by a religion (Islam), the teaching of which came to change the ugly human history and to
create a life which humanity had never witnessed before in all its civilizations.

Women in the Quran:

the noble Quran, the Muslims’ infallible book revealed by almighty Allah, is replete with
verses speaking about women, which indicates the honorable status Islam holds for
them.
There is a full surah (chapter) named: "women". This chapter is among the longest ones
in
the Quran. Hereunder are some of such verses (which mean):
• {…and due to the wives is similar to what is expected of them, according to what
is
reasonable.} [Quran 2:228]
• {…and live with them in kindness.} [Quran 4:19]

• {…do not prevent them… (From remarrying their [former] husbands if they agree
among
themselves on an acceptable basis).} [Quran 4:19]
• {…but give them [a gift of] compensation - the wealthy according to his capability and
the
poor according to his capability.} [Quran 2:236]
• {lodge them [in a section] of where you dwell out of your means and do not harm them
in
order to oppress them.} [Quran 65:6]
• {…give them their due compensation as an obligation.} [Quran
4:24]
• {… and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave.}
[quran4:7]
• {…for women is a share of what they have earned.} [Quran 4:32]

• {…and give them from the wealth of Allah which he has given you.} [Quran
24:33]
• {… and you (husbands) are their (wives) garments.} [Quran
2:187]
• {…seek not against them means (of annoyance).} [Quran 4:34]

• {…it is not lawful for you to inherit women by compulsion…}[Quran

4:19]
• {and do not make difficulties for them in order to take [back] part of what you
gave
them…} [Quran 4:19]
• {…either you retain her on reasonable terms or release her with kindness.}
[quran2:229]

women in the sunnah (prophetic tradition)

the prophet of Islam, Muhammadwas sent by Allah almighty, among many other
things, to elevate the status of women and maintain their honor.
He was once asked: "who is the most beloved person to you, o messenger of
Allah?"
he replied: "aa'ishah".

Whenever hewas given a gift or something hewould say: "take this to so and so
because she was a friend of khadeejah’s (his wife, May Allah be pleased with her)" [as a

token of his loyalty to her after her death]

Prophet said:

• "treat women kindly." [Al-bukhari and Muslim]

• "the best amongst yourselves, are the best to their wives, and i am the best to
my
wives.” [At-tirmithi and others]
• "you (men) are responsible for providing for them (women) in the best way".
[Muslim]
• "the most rewarding wealth is the wealth you spend on your family". [Ahmad]

• "from the good fortune of the man is a righteous wife". [At-tayaalisi]

• "whatever you spend (on your family) is counted as a charity, even if it were the morsel
of
food that you feed your wife". [Maalik]

a woman came to the prophet and said: "o prophet of Allah, pray for me and my

husband." the prophet said: "may Allah shower his blessings upon you and your
husband". [Ahmad]

'Aai'shah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated: "the prophetand i would bathe
together from the same basin". [Ahmad, ibn maajah and others]

How Islam Protect the Rights of women:

Islam even protects the lives of polytheistic women by forbidding their being killed in wars.
It
was narrated on the authority of ibn ‘umar, May Allah be pleased with him, that he said, “a
woman was found killed during one of the battles led by the prophetthereupon he
forbade killing women and children (in wars)." [Al-bukhari, Muslim and others]
18- Islam protects the rights of the woman by prohibiting burying her alive and making
it
*obligatory
{for mento is provide
a share her withthe
of what a good upbringing
parents andrelatives
and close education. Allah,
leave, andthe
foralmighty,
women is a
says
share
(what
of means):
what {and and
the parents when the relatives
close girl [who leave,
was] buried aliveorismuch
be it little asked- -an
forobligatory
what sin she was
killed.} [Quran 81:8-9] the messenger of Allahsaid: "whoever has a female child whom
share.} [Quran 4:7]
he neither buries alive, nor humiliates, and never favors a male child of his over her, Allah
will admit
* {Allah him to paradise.”
instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of
two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one's
estate. And if there is only one, for her is half. And for one's parents, to each one of them is
19- Islam protects the rights of the woman by considering her a fundamental component
a
of
sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents [alone]
goodness in the world and the hereafter. The messenger of Allahsaid: "if one is given
inherit
the following four, he will have the goodness of both this world and the hereafter: a
from him, then for his mother is one third. And if he had brothers [or sisters], for his mother
thankful
is a sixth, after any bequest he [may have] made or debt. Your parents or your children -
heart, an ever-remembering tongue (that always remembers and mentions Allah), a
you
persevering body (that is patient) when under ordeal and a wife who maintains his honor
know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. [These shares are] an obligation
and property."
[imposed] by Allah. Indeed, Allah is ever knowing and wise. And for you is half of what your
wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what they
leave, after
20- Islam any bequest
protects theyof[may
the rights have] made
the woman or debt. And
by considering herfor
asthe
thewives
finest is one in
thing fourth if
you
this
world.no
leave The messenger
child. of Allahsaid:
But if you "thethen
leave a child, world
foristhem
but enjoyment,
is an eighthand the finest
of what you leave, after
enjoyment
any bequest is you
a righteous
[may have]woman
made (wife)."
or debt. And if a man or woman leaves neither
ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister, then for each one of them is a
sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made
21- Islam protects the rights of the woman by placing paradise, the aim of all the
or debt, as long as there is no detriment [caused]. [this is] an ordinance from Allah, and
believers,
Allah
under her feet. What a great honor the woman has received in Islam! The messenger of
is knowing and forbearing.} [Quran 4:11-12]
Allah said: "(the way to) paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers." it was narrated that

a man
24- came
Islam to thethe
protects prophet
rights ofand
thethe latterby
woman asked him: her
granting "do all
you have
her civilarights.
motherShe
(alive)?"
thus he
came
answered
to have theinright
the affirmative,
to concludethereupon,
contracts ofthe prophet
sale, said: authorization,
purchase, "then, stick to partnership,
her, as (the loan,
way to) paradise lies beneath
mortgage, to gift, and so on. her feet."

25- Islam protects the rights of the woman by removing from her the permanent state
22- Islam protects the rights of the woman by removing from her the curse of perpetual sin
of
which the previous religions stained her with; rather; Islam considers hawwaa’ (eve) and
being minor, as it acknowledged her full legal competence and gave her the right of
her
guardianship over her property and other affairs.
husband, Adam (Adam), may Allah exalt their mention, as having sinned and then been
given repentance and forgiveness. Allah the almighty says (what means):

* {but Satan caused them to slip out of it and removed them from that [condition] in
which
they had been.} [Quran 2:36]
* {but Satan whispered to them.} [Quran 7:20]
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
When Adam (Adam) may Allah exalt his mention, and eve had sinned, Allah condemned
one
With the onset of Islam and its special teachings, the life of women entered into a new
person
phase only, who was Adam, as Allah says (what means): {then Satan whispered to him;
he
- a phase which differed vastly from the previous one and became one in which women
said,
availed "o ofAdam,
all kinds shallofi direct you to
individual, the tree
social and of eternity
human andThe
rights. possession
basis of that will teachings
Islamic not
deteriorate?"}
with [Quran 20:120]
respect
23- Islam toprotects
women is the exactly
rights what
of thewe read in
woman bythe Noble Qur`an:
assigning to her a share in inheritance after
she
ْ herself had been (for long centuries) a part of it. Allah the almighty says (what
means):
َََ‫ْ ْو وه َن وثال ر َاي وهنه َن و معرففا ا‬
َ‫ر‬ ‫َ ْ ر‬ ‫َ ا ر ا‬
“…and they have rights similar to those against them in a just
manner…”
i.e. the women possess rights and privileges in the same measure as the responsibilities
which they
shoulder within the society.
Islam considers a woman, just like a man, to possess a human soul, will and choice, and
perceives her
to be on the path of spiritual perfection, which is actually the purpose of human creation. It is
for this
reason that it has placed man and woman alongside each other, addressed them together:
‫َفو فارَنا اونَف رَسي‬

and:

‫َفو فارَنا و ر َي ياماساَه‬

and imposed moral, educative and scientific curriculum upon both of

them.
By means of verses such as:

ْ َ ‫ْام أ َ ث فو ْواه و رَر َ ول ر َفف ْواه و رر َْوا ألناـا و و اَ اواهان و ار َوَك و ان اَن و‬
‫ْ ْ ْ َارَسيمدم‬
“…and َ whoever does good, whether male or female, and he is a believer, these shall enter
the
garden.”1
Islam has promised the benefits of complete prosperity to both the
sexes.
By verses such as:
ْ َ ‫م ْا ا لْواه و رَر َ ول ر َفف ْواه و رر َْوا ألناـا و و اَ و ن ااوه او َسهه ْالسَن َو ففه َو بَفه و ْون ان ََسن ْر َ رَس ْواَنم ْما و ح ْففك اف‬
‫عث فمي ْ َهدم‬ َ ‫يامـفر و انْر‬
َ
“Whoever does well whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make
him
live a happy life, and We will most certainly give them their reward for the best of what they
did.”2

it has elucidated that every man and woman, by adhering to and implementing the Islamic
curriculum, can achieve material and spiritual perfection, and possess a pure, good life that is
replete
with ease and comfort.

Islam considers a woman, like man, to be completely free and independent, and the Noble
Qur`an, by
way of verses like:
َ‫ْف راوثر و سـ ففر ْوسبحر او س َْ هه ا‬
َ
“Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns.”3

Or

ْ ‫ْواه و رَر َ ول ر َفف و حسسَن و ْواه و ءا فْنهنَعث فل‬

‫َ سف‬
“Whoever does good, it is for his own soul, and whoever does evil, it is against
himself.”4
It declares this freedom to be for all people - men and
women.
We observe that the Islamic penal code sentences both genders with the same kind of
retribution, as
can be seen in the following verse and other similar verses:
َ‫و هـي رَني و اـي رَني َينن ْمَف َوثر َون فَي فارناس و َاف ونْن ا‬
‫َ َ َْام ْ ْاي‬
“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication - flog each of them with a
hundred
whippings.”5
On the other hand, since independence is an inevitable consequence of (free) will and choice,
Islam
has also extended this independence to all monetary privileges, permitting women to enter
into
various kinds of monetary transactions and regarding her as the rightful owner of her income
and
investment.
ْ َ ‫َحس رَن اوصهبـ‬In‫و‬Suratul
‫مبحبري و‬Nisa we‫ ا‬read:
‫وصهبـ فر ي‬ ‫سفلف َو مم رَن‬
‫ا ا‬
‫ْفار و بحبرَي ْه‬
“Men shall have the benefit of what they earn and women shall have the benefit of what
they
earn.”6
In view of the fact that the word ‫(با ست کا‬used in the verse) - unlike the word ‫ ب‬- is used to
denote ‫سک‬
acquisition of wealth, the use of this word conveys the meaning that the wealth which is
acquired
becomes associated with the person acquiring it7, and also taking into consideration the
general
‫دم‬.‫ْااونَف رَسا و افر َناح أ رَن ْون رَنياما‬
rule:

“All the people have authority over their own wealth”,

We can easily infer that Islam holds the fiscal independence of women in great esteem and
does not
differentiate between a man and a woman in this regard.
In short, Islam regards a woman as a fundamental element of the society and thus, she should
not be
treated as an entity that is lacking in will, and dependent upon or in need of a guardian.
 1. Suratul Ghafir (40), Verse 40
 2. Suratul Nahl (16), Verse 97

3. Suratul Muddaththir (74), Verse 38
4. Suratul Jathiyah (45), Verse 15
 5. Suratul Nur (24), Verse 2
 6. Suratul Nisa (4), Verse 32

7. Refer Al-Mufradat of Raghib Isfahani. It should be known that this point is
applicable in

instances when ‫ صحر‬and ‫ افحبري‬are used in conjunction with one another.
worldwide,
If the Harvey
whether
Weinsteinwe’resexual
discussing
abuse “revenge
revelations
porn”,
shocked
gender
you,based
then violence,
you’re dangerously
or
ignorant to reality. According to RAINN, an American is assaulted every 98 seconds, one
sexual
out
harassment in the workplace.
of every six women will deal with rape or attempted rape in her lifetime, and 90 per cent
This is where Islamic teachings and Prophet Muhammad’s example provide a solution that
of
no state truly can. And while there are people who don’t believe that sexual abuse is even
rape victims are women.
a
problem, someand
I’m a Muslim, on athe left
civil will disagree
rights thataaccountability
lawyer with toin
special interest a higher power
advocating foriswomen’s
a solution.
rights. My advocacy is informed not just by the law, but by strategies detailed in Islamic
teachings and Prophet Muhammad’s example to pre-empt sexual abuse. Yes, the cancer of
sexual abuse against women that we see in Christian majority America is just as prevalent
in
Muslim majority Pakistan, but also in Hindu majority India and state atheist China. This
proves that men worldwide are failing in our responsibility to end sexual abuse and gender
based violence.

Let’s start by understanding two facts. First, a woman’s attire, alcohol intake, marital
status,
and education level do not contribute to sexual abuse – abusive men do. Second, sexual
abuse doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Every level of society – social norms, media, and
Government – is complicit in promoting the rape culture that perpetuates sexual abuse.

--------Social norms demonize a woman for speaking out, victim-blaming her by asking what
she was wearing, whether she gave signals inviting abuse, or asking why she didn’t speak
up
sooner.

The media also advances rape culture by disregarding women and their voices. Why didn’t
the allegations against Weinstein gain clout when Rose McGowan screamed them from the
top of her lungs years ago? Why has society advanced people like Harvey Weinstein,
Roger
Aisles, Bill Cosby, Bill O’Reilly, and even our Commander in Chief to the pinnacle of
success,
despite the decade long testimony of sexual abuse and rape from dozens of women?

How can we rely on government when 97 per cent of rapists never see a day in prison,
judges
punish rape of an unconscious college woman with a measly three months in jail, award
rapists with equal custody of the child born from a woman they raped, and the US
Department of Education rolls back rules that protect women in college from sexual
assault?
The fact is that states are not moral actors – people are. But when people let bad
behavior
go unchallenged we inch closer to societal anarchy. In truth, any expectation that we can
simply pass a law to stop sexual abuse is foolish.

Despite laws in France that criminalize sexual

Harassment, an astounding 100 per cent of French Parisian women on public transit
report
sexual harassment. France’s proposed response is legislation to ban catcalling. Such
legislation, if passed, will also fail because state laws only punish the actor once the act is
completed, they don’t prevent the act in the first place. This scenario plays out
repeatedly