http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9§ion=0&article=67656&d=29&m=7&y=2005&pix=community.jpg&category=Features
Friday, 29, July, 2005 (22, Jumada al-Thani, 1426)
Why This Male Guardian's Consent for Everything?
Jawahir Al-Subaie, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
There is an underlying presumption that men are to be completely trusted
with the power to control the lives of women. Women are not able to study,
work, travel or even have surgery without the consent of their male guardian.
The Qur'an states that "Men are the protectors and maintainers of women," but
it does not state that men have the right to dictate the lives of women.
Acquiring an education is a God-given right for both men and women. Yet
women require permission to study whereas men don't. One of the greatest
intellectual minds was that of the Prophet's beloved wife, Aisha. She exerted
immense influence and was more knowledgeable than most men. Abu Al-Ashari, a
companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him), said: "If we companions of the
Messenger of God had any difficulty on a matter, we asked Aisha about it."
Aisha did not require permission to learn so why is this not the case for women
here?
If a woman chooses to study then it is her right to do so. There is no
need for a male guardian to consent. There is not one verse in the Qur'an which
gives any man the right to prevent a woman from studying.
It is true that more girls are being educated today than ever before, but
there are still many who are being forced to stay home as their families feel
that education is unnecessary. Other girls who are fortunate enough to study
still have to struggle with their families in order to continue further
education. Boys are not forced to endure these obstacles because they have the
right to study without a male guardian's consent. This double standard must end.
Just as women should have the right to study without acquiring consent,
they should have the right to work if they choose to. Since Islam prohibits men
from forcing women to work then this should also imply that men do not have the
right to prevent women from working. If a woman wants to earn a living for
herself then why should anyone stop her from doing so? After all, if her
husband divorces her, who will compensate her for all those years spent home?
Will her ex-husband continue to support her for the rest of her life? Unless
every woman is guaranteed full financial support for the rest of her life then
no man should have the right to prevent her from working.
Also why do women require consent to travel? As long as a woman is
accompanied by a "mahram" then why must she have consent by her male guardian?
Furthermore, women requiring consent by a male guardian to have surgery
is not only absurd but is also a slap in the face to every woman. This is a law
which has no basis in Islam.
This obsession with the male guardian's consent has ruined the lives of
many women, especially "hanging" women. Islam never granted men the right to
decide if a woman should study, work, travel or have surgery. Therefore, men
should not be granted such power. Men are not perfect, and the assumption that
they are, must end. Women should be given the right to choose how to live their
lives as has been granted to them by Islam more than 1,400 years ago.
* * *
(Jawahir Al-Subaie is a Management and Information Systems student. She
is based in Alkhobar.)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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