By Aayat Rizwan
What is Feminism? is the belief that everyone, regardless of gender, should have equal rights and opportunities.
What is Equality? Equality the state of being equal, especially in status, rights and opportunities. Equality means each individual or group of people is given the same resources and opportunities, regardless of their circumstances. Many scholars have given their verdict that either you are a Muslim or you’re a feminist. You can’t be both. However looking at the facts before you, it becomes quite apparent that Islam is by no means opposed to feminism as the true concept of feminism is equality.
The Relation of Islam and Feminism
Many scholars have given their verdict that either you are a Muslim or you’re a feminist. You can’t be both. However looking at the facts before you, it becomes quite apparent that Islam is by no means opposed to feminism as the true concept of feminism is equality.
Acquisition of Knowledge
Our Holy prophet (s.a.w.) stated that the acquisition of knowledge is compulsory for both men and women. Here Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (s.a.w), who has laid down the foundation of Islam and brought it to completion, has stated that knowledge, education and learning opportunities are not something that should be reserved for men alone, but women have every right to them well.
Example of the Wives of The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.)
Bibi Khadija, the first wife of our Holy Prophet (s.a.w.), was a successful merchant and business women with riches greater than all men in Makkah. In fact, she was known to be the richest person in Makkah. Some historical accounts and media reports note that at the peak of her wealth as a premier merchant of Makkah, her estate and trading network encompassed up to 80,000 camels and several thousand servants. If Islam was against a women having her own business, or was a religion that suppressed women why would our Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) marry Bibi Khadija (R.A)? This is proof that Islam is not a religion that is against women working for themselves, if that is what they wish to do.
Bibi Ayesha (R.A) was a scholar, narrator of Hadith, translating around 2000 Ahadith and the teacher if many Sahaba. Many of these Sahaba were men and in no way were they against the idea of being taught by a women because they did not believe themselves to be better than women. In Islam a person’s greatness is never determined by their gender but by their conduct. Similarly many other wives worked in fields that they wished without any suppression.
