It is true that male domination was prevalent in society till recently and its traces still exist. This is true of all communities. But in the case of Muslims, male dominance assumes a different colour because of the hijab. Muslim women had the right to property 1400 years ago. They could not be forcibly married. They had the right to divorce and widow re-marriage was accepted by society. They had the freedom of expression and participated in decision-making. Unfortunately, Muslims started following other communities in which men dominated and are paying the price for it.
Islam, while granting equal rights to women, advises them to use the hijab only to prevent male domination over them and to avoid situations causing the same. The crime rate against women is proof of the fact that irrespective of development, women are victims of sexual harassment. While taking up challenging careers and scaling new heights, women should also take care of family values.
N. Mohamed,
Chennai
