Signs of Islam using the Koran as the foundations of its life and values being more accepting of women whether they are married or single are easier to see than in Christianity that made use of the Bible as the basis of its spiritual teachings. Accommodations in Islam which means accepting women as people of sacred, substantial, cultural, social and moral worth began its call even before pre-Islamic Arabia (ST 91). Increasingly, however, Christians are turning women into little more than just sex objects. Many other societies have actually demoted women with two pieces of skimpy cloth walking down the ramp, viewed on tubes for global audience use, drowning the usual human values, robbed of natural human distinction. The core of a woman is being destroyed by the image of being just sex objects. Mankind should remember that the origin of all is just one pair. Eve’s progeny reminds mankind to be grateful for her willingness to be the mother of the first children earth ever had and the generations later should be proud of the founding of humankind. Femininity is a tribute to society. Childbearing honors women who bear a child in her womb for nine long months, who goes through the pains of giving birth, and the burden of breastfeeding. Being a woman and a capable mother have great societal significance to Muslims, recognizing and accepting women’s role.
There are two top religions in the world today that is reaping much awareness and credit. The 1st is Islam, which is the cult of those who believe in Muhammad as a messenger of God, differing according to culture, and Christian religion, the cult of those who believe in Jesus Christ the son of Mary, modified according to culture,. Though Muhammad and Jesus Christ have both been influenced by some patriarchal views (Social teachings 30), they have also in many ways differing concepts about women in their respective time and society. Like, in one occasion when it came to the knowledge of Muhammad that a couple committed adultery, he ordered them to be stoned to death right in front of his mosque (Social teachings 50), on the other hand when Jesus received the report from a witness saying, a certain woman committed adultery. And so, she must be penalized according to Jewish law. Jesus said sternly, “Let him who is without sin among you throw the first stone at her”. Discarding double standard of morality (Social teachings 6,7,8,9).
However, in his personal affairs, Muhammad advised his men to treat their women with kindness (Social Teachings 62). Today, long time after Jesus and Muhammad, these values have so much evolved as intellectual education intensifies bringing about much understanding of human nature and modifications to a changing ecosystem. It can not be denied however, that there still exist varying scales as to acceptability of women in Islam or in Christianity.
Accepting of women in society is relative, when looked upon the perspective of Islam after the time of Muhammad as against those of the Christians after the time of Jesus, without neglecting cultural values. In Islam women were raised on a pedestal over 1, 400 years ago (Jumuah 2003), when Muhammad directed his followers to regard women with compassion (Social Teachings 62). They were acknowledge to be the sisters of men, bestowing rights: to education up to the highest intensity, the right to decide on their marriage partner, the right to end an unhappy marriage, the right to inheritance, and the rights of a full citizen of a state (Jumuah 2003), though, cultural differences still exist. While Christianity is more liberal. It leaves women to find its own level in the strata of society (Luke 8:1). Christian codes do not specify and provide rights for women. Christians adopts rights for women founded by men as cultural dictates (Fiorenza 1083) incorporated in individual state and governmental laws, which changes from time to time as revised to suit a presumed social need (Luke 11:31).
Islam considers that men and women are at par when it comes to value as pieces and parts of humanity (Jumuah 2003), but, these changes from customs to ethnicity.
A man can not be victorious in his life without a woman. Their rights and tasks crossover and balance their totality because their roles are harmonizing and shared, although their duties might clash in certain areas of life in accordance with their basic physical and psychological disparity. Where each is equally liable for their actual tasks (Jumuah 2003), according to culture. Not one sex is either better or lesser than the other in any way. Depending upon the Muslim culture where one belongs. There are however, those who practice primarily, according to their culture, which is not definitely a teaching of Islam according to its advocates. Because, culture does not crossover nor influence the Islamic code which is likewise the Qur’an. Since the Qur’an is all embracing and above anyone’s culture. They oppress women which is simply a reflection of local customs that are definitely inconsistent and contrary to the teachings of Islam (Jumuah 2003). Not only material and physical rights are given to women. They have also the right to be treated with kindness and consideration because it is provided for in the Qur’an. Under Islamic law the following provisions are given to women: when a Muslim woman marries she does not lose her maiden name in place of her husband (Jumuah 2003). She has the right to keep her identity. She is given a gift by her husband to be, prior to their marriage which is also called a dowry (Social Teachings 58). It is a personal gift that is at her disposal or which she can spend to buy properties, invest on whatever she feels she must without the influence of anyone from her family (Social teachings 58). The man must provide for the needs of his wife and the family even if she has the money of her own (Social teachings 58). She is not in any way obligated to spend anything for the family, which relieves the woman from the burden of earning a living. She however has the option to work if she finds it necessary. As the family is similar to any systematic organization, leadership is bestowed upon men. The Qur’an Clearly states that the husband is to some degree higher than the wife being the leader and guardian of the family. This does not in any way presume a right nor a license to be the tyrant of the household. It is rather the complete responsibility of the husband to care for the family (Jumuah 2003). Karen Armstrong in a biography said, the emancipation of women was dear to the Prophets heart, describing: women were treated inferiorly with no rights like slaves in pre-Islamic time, but Muhammad allowed them to stand as witnesses and gave them the right to inheritance (Social Teachings 104, 105). The concept of women’s dress is of Islamic moral, social and legal values. By their observance of proper dress code, men and women alike protect their honor and reputation in a society contributing to it largely along peace and order. It is also A Qur’anic revelation
While Jesus did not marry, Muhammad had several wives after Khadija his first wife, for different reasons such as: widows who needs provisions (ST 76), widows with orphans who needs a fatherly attention (ST 77), literacy of a woman, wealth of a woman, the widow being the wife of the enemy (ST 77 & 79), political alliances and as a virgin wife like Aisha (ST78). A woman has four reasons to marry: wealth, family status, beauty and religion Social Teachings 81). Divorces were allowed even before pre-Isalmic times (ST 91), while it was only a male prerogative in the Jewish law (ST 21). But, Jesus made it irrevocable (ST 28). Jesus helped women, honored them like the hunchback, one he called daughter of Abraham after she was healed from illness (ST 10), and praised another for anointing him with oil (ST 13).
Jesus parables showed his compassion for women (ST 19).
Sister Mary John Mananzan, OSB, 1998, in her book Woman and Religion cited:
the root of women’s oppression in religions was recognized in an ecumenical consultation of Church women in 1985 by seven Asian countries representatives: As Church people we have come to realize that the highly patriarchal churches have definitely contributed to the subjugation and marginalization of women. Thus we see an urgent need to reexamine our Church structures, traditions, and practices in order to remedy injustice and to correct misinterpretations and distortions that have crippled us (Mananzan 1998).
We saw how theology itself has added to these distortions. We unearthed theological premises, traditions, and beliefs that have prevented us from becoming fully human and have blurred the image of God that we are (Mananzan 1998). This was further substantiated by Denise Lardner Carmody who writes: Christianity called a woman the weaker vessel.
Throughout the Christian Church history, the Bible has been the basis for the justification of the subordination and discrimination of women. It was written in a patriarchal society, attributed to male writers, interpreted by men and taught by men for the last two thousand years (Mananzan 1998).
In the monotheistic Biblical patriarchy, God was a patriarch, a pronouncement of male domination over women, and a double standard of morality, where women were considered properties of their fathers or husbands and the women’s main contribution is to bear children, as they are mere spectators to any cultic activities, besides having to observe ritual purification after menstruation and after the burden of childbearing. When a woman becomes a widow, she will be a dependent to her son for women without male support would stand to lose everything if she does not have a son (Mananzan 1998).
Ecclesiastical patriarchalism continued as the priests of the church reacted to Gnoticism a concept which allows females in the principles of godhead. Because of this, women were lashed out to be heretical, bold and immodest, presuming to be in authority to do prophesy, teaching, exorcism, and baptism. Women were further addressed to dress in mourning dress and rags, representing patients bathed in tears, redeeming the fault of having ruined the human race, the door to hell, the causes why Jesus Christ have to die (Mananzan 1998). St. John Chrysostom blamed women for the sins of David and Solomon, and described women as a storehouse of spittle and phlegm (Mananzan 1998). Thomas Aquinas considered women as misbegotten males (Boxer 1975). The Catholic Church emphasizes married women to obey their husbands and banned divorce. Its oral theology focuses on the sins of the flesh, portraying Eve as the temptress. Women are discriminated from the hierarchy of ordination in a structure that is hierarchical and clerical.
In addition, Cynthia Lam, Women’s secretary of the Hongkong Christian council laments: In the Church, women play a traditional role; Women’s opinions are not respected. They are not taken into consideration. Women are expected to be obedient to the leaders and not to speak up (Kao 1985). One is left to wonder how is Mary the Mother of Jesus perceived from the point of view of Islam as against the point of view of Christianity.
In Islam, the Qur’an portrayed: Mary the Mother of Jesus is praised and recognized with respect and honor by every Muslim, men or women, rich or poor, formally educated or not, being the mother of Jesus, conceiving all alone, giving birth all alone, with only the angel to assist her. She was never touch by any man in all her human life. She was a virgin until when she was elevated back to paradise (Ali 1935). While in Christianity Mary the mother of Jesus has been given a husband, a line of names, a line of figures and figurines, statues of wood, gold, and silver, clothed according to the whims of its owner, worship and prayed to for blessing and intercessions. In other words if Mary the mother of Jesus is still on earth no matter how old she was she has to continue to work to give blessings to the prayers of those who believed in her intercessory ability being the mother of Jesus, a woman. While in Islam, Muslims do not ask Mary the mother of Jesus to work for them anymore as intercessor because as a woman she was done with her earthly life, she must be rewarded for the task she had accomplished in obedience to her creator.
Islam as a religion is composed of Muslims who lives the Koran, a people that are blessed with the essence of accepting women in the mainstream of its society, for they virtually are the vital components and parts, without them continuity of the race would be uncertain. While Christianity can mask the true meaning of women, it does not have to. People can learn by themselves the need for balance in a society. They can very well recognize the need and advantages to be accepting of women collectively for an ever evolving ecosystem to pursue its ends.
References
Ali Yusuf, Abdullah. (1935). The Holy Qur’an. Dar Al Arabia: Beirut, Lebanon.
Al-Jumuah Staff. (2003). Discover Islam. Riyadh: King Fahad National Library
Dale B. Martin p. 35. Familiar Idolatry and the Christian Case Against Marriage: The Christian Case Against Marriage.
Boxer, C. (1975). Mary Misogyny. London: Duchworth.
.Carmody, Denise L. (1979). Women and World Religious. Nashville: The Pantheon Press.
.Fiorenza, Elizabeth. (1983). In Memory of Her. New York: Crossroad.
Kao, Ruth. (1985). “Emerging Patterns in the Women’s Movement in Asia”, God’s Images.
p 24
Mananzan, Sr. Mary J., OSB. (Ed.). (1998). Woman & Religion. a collection of essays and
personal histories. Philippines: The Institute of Women’s Studies.
Mananzan, Sr. Mary J., OSB. (1987). “The Filipino Women” in Essays on Women. Manila: St.
Scholastica’s College Institute of Women’s Studies.
Swidler, L. (1979). Biblical Affirmation of Woman. Philadelphia: Westminster Press.
Social Teachings
There are two top religions in the world today that is reaping much awareness and credit. The 1st is Islam, which is the cult of those who believe in Muhammad as a messenger of God, differing according to culture, and Christian religion, the cult of those who believe in Jesus Christ the son of Mary, modified according to culture,. Though Muhammad and Jesus Christ have both been influenced by some patriarchal views (Social teachings 30), they have also in many ways differing concepts about women in their respective time and society. Like, in one occasion when it came to the knowledge of Muhammad that a couple committed adultery, he ordered them to be stoned to death right in front of his mosque (Social teachings 50), on the other hand when Jesus received the report from a witness saying, a certain woman committed adultery. And so, she must be penalized according to Jewish law. Jesus said sternly, “Let him who is without sin among you throw the first stone at her”. Discarding double standard of morality (Social teachings 6,7,8,9).
However, in his personal affairs, Muhammad advised his men to treat their women with kindness (Social Teachings 62). Today, long time after Jesus and Muhammad, these values have so much evolved as intellectual education intensifies bringing about much understanding of human nature and modifications to a changing ecosystem. It can not be denied however, that there still exist varying scales as to acceptability of women in Islam or in Christianity.
Accepting of women in society is relative, when looked upon the perspective of Islam after the time of Muhammad as against those of the Christians after the time of Jesus, without neglecting cultural values. In Islam women were raised on a pedestal over 1, 400 years ago (Jumuah 2003), when Muhammad directed his followers to regard women with compassion (Social Teachings 62). They were acknowledge to be the sisters of men, bestowing rights: to education up to the highest intensity, the right to decide on their marriage partner, the right to end an unhappy marriage, the right to inheritance, and the rights of a full citizen of a state (Jumuah 2003), though, cultural differences still exist. While Christianity is more liberal. It leaves women to find its own level in the strata of society (Luke 8:1). Christian codes do not specify and provide rights for women. Christians adopts rights for women founded by men as cultural dictates (Fiorenza 1083) incorporated in individual state and governmental laws, which changes from time to time as revised to suit a presumed social need (Luke 11:31).
Islam considers that men and women are at par when it comes to value as pieces and parts of humanity (Jumuah 2003), but, these changes from customs to ethnicity.
A man can not be victorious in his life without a woman. Their rights and tasks crossover and balance their totality because their roles are harmonizing and shared, although their duties might clash in certain areas of life in accordance with their basic physical and psychological disparity. Where each is equally liable for their actual tasks (Jumuah 2003), according to culture. Not one sex is either better or lesser than the other in any way. Depending upon the Muslim culture where one belongs. There are however, those who practice primarily, according to their culture, which is not definitely a teaching of Islam according to its advocates. Because, culture does not crossover nor influence the Islamic code which is likewise the Qur’an. Since the Qur’an is all embracing and above anyone’s culture. They oppress women which is simply a reflection of local customs that are definitely inconsistent and contrary to the teachings of Islam (Jumuah 2003). Not only material and physical rights are given to women. They have also the right to be treated with kindness and consideration because it is provided for in the Qur’an. Under Islamic law the following provisions are given to women: when a Muslim woman marries she does not lose her maiden name in place of her husband (Jumuah 2003). She has the right to keep her identity. She is given a gift by her husband to be, prior to their marriage which is also called a dowry (Social Teachings 58). It is a personal gift that is at her disposal or which she can spend to buy properties, invest on whatever she feels she must without the influence of anyone from her family (Social teachings 58). The man must provide for the needs of his wife and the family even if she has the money of her own (Social teachings 58). She is not in any way obligated to spend anything for the family, which relieves the woman from the burden of earning a living. She however has the option to work if she finds it necessary. As the family is similar to any systematic organization, leadership is bestowed upon men. The Qur’an Clearly states that the husband is to some degree higher than the wife being the leader and guardian of the family. This does not in any way presume a right nor a license to be the tyrant of the household. It is rather the complete responsibility of the husband to care for the family (Jumuah 2003). Karen Armstrong in a biography said, the emancipation of women was dear to the Prophets heart, describing: women were treated inferiorly with no rights like slaves in pre-Islamic time, but Muhammad allowed them to stand as witnesses and gave them the right to inheritance (Social Teachings 104, 105). The concept of women’s dress is of Islamic moral, social and legal values. By their observance of proper dress code, men and women alike protect their honor and reputation in a society contributing to it largely along peace and order. It is also A Qur’anic revelation
While Jesus did not marry, Muhammad had several wives after Khadija his first wife, for different reasons such as: widows who needs provisions (ST 76), widows with orphans who needs a fatherly attention (ST 77), literacy of a woman, wealth of a woman, the widow being the wife of the enemy (ST 77 & 79), political alliances and as a virgin wife like Aisha (ST78). A woman has four reasons to marry: wealth, family status, beauty and religion Social Teachings 81). Divorces were allowed even before pre-Isalmic times (ST 91), while it was only a male prerogative in the Jewish law (ST 21). But, Jesus made it irrevocable (ST 28). Jesus helped women, honored them like the hunchback, one he called daughter of Abraham after she was healed from illness (ST 10), and praised another for anointing him with oil (ST 13).
Jesus parables showed his compassion for women (ST 19).
Sister Mary John Mananzan, OSB, 1998, in her book Woman and Religion cited:
the root of women’s oppression in religions was recognized in an ecumenical consultation of Church women in 1985 by seven Asian countries representatives: As Church people we have come to realize that the highly patriarchal churches have definitely contributed to the subjugation and marginalization of women. Thus we see an urgent need to reexamine our Church structures, traditions, and practices in order to remedy injustice and to correct misinterpretations and distortions that have crippled us (Mananzan 1998).
We saw how theology itself has added to these distortions. We unearthed theological premises, traditions, and beliefs that have prevented us from becoming fully human and have blurred the image of God that we are (Mananzan 1998). This was further substantiated by Denise Lardner Carmody who writes: Christianity called a woman the weaker vessel.
Throughout the Christian Church history, the Bible has been the basis for the justification of the subordination and discrimination of women. It was written in a patriarchal society, attributed to male writers, interpreted by men and taught by men for the last two thousand years (Mananzan 1998).
In the monotheistic Biblical patriarchy, God was a patriarch, a pronouncement of male domination over women, and a double standard of morality, where women were considered properties of their fathers or husbands and the women’s main contribution is to bear children, as they are mere spectators to any cultic activities, besides having to observe ritual purification after menstruation and after the burden of childbearing. When a woman becomes a widow, she will be a dependent to her son for women without male support would stand to lose everything if she does not have a son (Mananzan 1998).
Ecclesiastical patriarchalism continued as the priests of the church reacted to Gnoticism a concept which allows females in the principles of godhead. Because of this, women were lashed out to be heretical, bold and immodest, presuming to be in authority to do prophesy, teaching, exorcism, and baptism. Women were further addressed to dress in mourning dress and rags, representing patients bathed in tears, redeeming the fault of having ruined the human race, the door to hell, the causes why Jesus Christ have to die (Mananzan 1998). St. John Chrysostom blamed women for the sins of David and Solomon, and described women as a storehouse of spittle and phlegm (Mananzan 1998). Thomas Aquinas considered women as misbegotten males (Boxer 1975). The Catholic Church emphasizes married women to obey their husbands and banned divorce. Its oral theology focuses on the sins of the flesh, portraying Eve as the temptress. Women are discriminated from the hierarchy of ordination in a structure that is hierarchical and clerical.
In addition, Cynthia Lam, Women’s secretary of the Hongkong Christian council laments: In the Church, women play a traditional role; Women’s opinions are not respected. They are not taken into consideration. Women are expected to be obedient to the leaders and not to speak up (Kao 1985). One is left to wonder how is Mary the Mother of Jesus perceived from the point of view of Islam as against the point of view of Christianity.
In Islam, the Qur’an portrayed: Mary the Mother of Jesus is praised and recognized with respect and honor by every Muslim, men or women, rich or poor, formally educated or not, being the mother of Jesus, conceiving all alone, giving birth all alone, with only the angel to assist her. She was never touch by any man in all her human life. She was a virgin until when she was elevated back to paradise (Ali 1935). While in Christianity Mary the mother of Jesus has been given a husband, a line of names, a line of figures and figurines, statues of wood, gold, and silver, clothed according to the whims of its owner, worship and prayed to for blessing and intercessions. In other words if Mary the mother of Jesus is still on earth no matter how old she was she has to continue to work to give blessings to the prayers of those who believed in her intercessory ability being the mother of Jesus, a woman. While in Islam, Muslims do not ask Mary the mother of Jesus to work for them anymore as intercessor because as a woman she was done with her earthly life, she must be rewarded for the task she had accomplished in obedience to her creator.
Islam as a religion is composed of Muslims who lives the Koran, a people that are blessed with the essence of accepting women in the mainstream of its society, for they virtually are the vital components and parts, without them continuity of the race would be uncertain. While Christianity can mask the true meaning of women, it does not have to. People can learn by themselves the need for balance in a society. They can very well recognize the need and advantages to be accepting of women collectively for an ever evolving ecosystem to pursue its ends.
References
Ali Yusuf, Abdullah. (1935). The Holy Qur’an. Dar Al Arabia: Beirut, Lebanon.
Al-Jumuah Staff. (2003). Discover Islam. Riyadh: King Fahad National Library
Dale B. Martin p. 35. Familiar Idolatry and the Christian Case Against Marriage: The Christian Case Against Marriage.
Boxer, C. (1975). Mary Misogyny. London: Duchworth.
.Carmody, Denise L. (1979). Women and World Religious. Nashville: The Pantheon Press.
.Fiorenza, Elizabeth. (1983). In Memory of Her. New York: Crossroad.
Kao, Ruth. (1985). “Emerging Patterns in the Women’s Movement in Asia”, God’s Images.
p 24
Mananzan, Sr. Mary J., OSB. (Ed.). (1998). Woman & Religion. a collection of essays and
personal histories. Philippines: The Institute of Women’s Studies.
Mananzan, Sr. Mary J., OSB. (1987). “The Filipino Women” in Essays on Women. Manila: St.
Scholastica’s College Institute of Women’s Studies.
Swidler, L. (1979). Biblical Affirmation of Woman. Philadelphia: Westminster Press.
Social Teachings
No comments:
Post a Comment