I could not sleep much last night. Most of the time I was tossing and turning and my brain just refused to zone out. Twice I had to get up and go to the wash room thinking I was going to get sick.
And no. It was not because I was under any stress except the usual study-related problems. It was because right before going to bed, I had made the mistake of reading e-tribune’s story on Domestic Violence Bill reaching a deadlock in a joint sitting of the parliament. The current status is that JUI-F and even PML(N) are advocating against it and Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman has vowed that he will fight tooth and nail against the bill that protects women and children from getting beaten up. Infact his exact words during the session were “Western culture cannot be promoted under the pretext of protection in Islamic states”, which indirectly means that beating up women is an eastern and Islamic culture and quite acceptable to us.
Let me tell you a very simple thing first. Why do we consider stealing or robbing someone a crime? On a human level, we consider it a moral and legal crime because we are violating another person’s rights and are harming him or her. We have been taught by our parents and then in schools that stealing is wrong. It is a criminal act and has adequate punishment. On a religious level, we are told that our Prophet (PBUH) condemned this act so much that he even said that he wouldn’t hesitate to cut-off his own daughter’s hand if she was found stealing. So, because we grew up with these things being taught to us, today most of us civilized people do not rob anyone, no matter how needy we are. Those who do eventually get punished one way or another.
I never had much hope from this Domestic Violence Bill, to put it in plain words. Reason being our society and its male-dominated environment would make sure such laws are never implemented in their true spirit. There are men who would favor this law but then they are in relative minority or atleast they are not in the parliament so it does not make much difference at this moment whether we have this law or not.
Having said that, there is one thing that I had been hopeful about. Even if such women protection laws do not get implemented in my or your life time, atleast our future generations will grow up being taught that it is wrong and a criminal act to beat up anyone, be it outside or inside of home. This is how all moral sins and legal laws have been systematically ingrained in our brains. If a boy grows up thinking beating up his wife will be criminally punishable, he is less likely to do it when he gets married.
On a human level, we all know domestic violence is wrong. What strikes me the most is that the opposition to this bill comes from the religious right or let me say so-called religious right and they use Islam to justify the violence. And no matter how many times do I read the Quran or listen to scholars discussing the rights of women, I have never come across anything that allows men to harm their wives in any way. It is beyond me how people like Fazl-ur-Rehman, Khawaja Saad Rafique and even some women parliamentarians would claim such a thing and to my astonishment, there are people who actually think they are right and are protesting against this bill ! My only question to these mis-guided people is: Why is sunnah limited to having a beard only and not seeing the way Prophet (PBUH) treated his wives? This again brings me to the point that why do we even need to use Islam to justify such inhumane thinking when we know that in our religion nothing is against nature. How could someone even think that Allah (SWT) would ever allow his fairer creation be violently treated in something as sacred as marriage? It does not make sense to me.
I think I am too shocked right now and my belief in humanity is slowly fading away. Someone asked me a few days ago that why do women need separate laws and special treatment for themselves? My answer was very simple. Women NEED special treatment and their rights have to be defined and written because unlike men, their rights are not given to them on a plate. They always have to ASK to be treated as humans. They always have to ASK men not to beat or harass them. Otherwise it is considered NORMAL treatment.
I never call myself a feminist because I’m still struggling for women to get basic human rights; Equal rights are too far off an idea to spend my energy on. But this recent news has made me fear for the future of thousands of women and children. How can we bring up our daughters in a world like? If we shelf this bill now, not only women will no longer be protected; but also domestic violence will be seen as something legal and allowed which will encourage the abusive men even more.
And for those who are confused about Islam and domestic violence, try doing your own research for once , instead of listening to Mullahs who get votes in the name of Islam. It should be unnecessary to get defensive about such a logical issue but since it looks like some of the parliamentarians are bent on defaming Islam, I as a muslim feel appalled and consider it my duty to point out what Allah (SWT) and his beloved Prophet (PBUH) actually say about women rights.
1. Sabr is Not Suffering in Silence - Webinar (Yasmin Mogahed)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mzFJikLyG8
2. Removing the Silence on Domestic Violence by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
2. Removing the Silence on Domestic Violence by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf
http://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1302132729_698.pdf
Please try to find out for yourself where this bill is unIslamic and how could it promote westernized thinking as per JUI-F's tantrum in the parliament.
My apologies if I sounded like ranting. I needed to get it out of my system.
I have seen so many people ranting about this. It may be true that the JUI-F is not making the wisest moves.
ReplyDeleteMy question to everyone who jumps at headlines exactly as they are designed to make us jump is this: what do you know of the bill? I've been looking for it, could you please provide a link so we can actually SEE the bill before we jump at JUI-F? In this world where Islam is forever on trial, where hundreds of thousands of dollars are poured into campaigns to brainwash the masses against Islam (which happens to be a crime to the entire world, Muslim or non-Muslim - because it robs all of humanity from the most beautiful solutions to all of its problems) - can we not think twice before joining in the storm and portraying Hell about Islam? Do not say that JUI-F "isn't" Islam, the Taliban "aren't representing Islam", "we are *moderate* Muslims"... it doesn't help. Really. Because while it clears your name for yourself, it still implies that *Islam has a problem*, or that some "Muslims" are extremists. (Funny these extremists barely existed before 911). And it still justifies the hundreds of thousands of innocent practicing Muslims who are being banned, tortured, murdered and imprisoned around the world.
The solution is to KNOW what we're talking about, and NOT point fingers at our own brethren (EVEN IF THEY'RE WRONG) unless we have a clue what's going on. If they are wrong - we should strive to make amends locally, while telling the international community that we're sorting it out, thank you very much.
There's a reason it's called "manufacturing consent" via the media. I'm amazed at how quick we are to conclude that the JUI-F are *NOT* anti women's rights and are *NOT* anti-domestic violence, without even knowing what CLAUSES they are objecting to?
What evidence do you have that their objections aren't VALID and that the LONG TERM effects of the bill aren't *MORE* detrimental to the welfare of women than the domestic violence aspect that's being plastered all over the place to grab our attention?
If it is indeed true (and I believe it is likely) that the JUI-F have valid concerns with certain clauses (that the majority of us don't care enough about women to have read), then I have something to say. To those who are truly concerned about women's rights: Please recognize that the media taps on your emotions and uses them against Woman, that Woman is being USED as an object (and you are unwittingly falling for the trap) to perpetrate more crime against her.
IF indeed the long term effects of the clauses that the JUI-F are ACTUALLY protesting against (funny how we paint it like they're against the entire bill) are not serious, or if the those clauses aren't seriously distorting the Divine Laws of freedom and security that the Most Merciful alone grants women, then I will happily and readily take back my words.
But I refuse to do so without having read the bill myself.
And by the way - I am not pro JUI-F or anything.
I must repeat (since I have the experience that people often miss the most important points) that JUI-F may indeed be wrong. My point is that women's issues are done to death for the sake of media attention. We should recognize that by now and research issues thoroughly before joining the world in its Islam-bashing spree.
ReplyDelete"But I'm not defaming Islam!". Yes you are sister, every time a Muslim apologizes to the world about the "Islamic extremists" instead of cleanly pointing out exactly what went wrong (which is MOSTLY foreign elements rather than local), they DO defame Islam. Why didn't we question what un-Islamic (and by extension, anti-women) elements are included in the clauses of this bill?
I think you have neither the read blogpost carefully nor have you read the recent news. It has been reported by almost all newspapers that JUI-F and some members of PML-N are twisting this bill into some kind of western conspiracy. Try reading this account to get an idea that apparently our Maulana didnt even read the text of the bill himself before calling it unislamic. I have updated the post with the text of the bill itself. Kindly go through it. And also read this:
ReplyDeletehttp://tribune.com.pk/story/360458/analysis-i-had-never-seen-right-wingers-laugh-so-hard/
Secondly, I dont think you have really understood the point im trying to make. These people in the parliament are defaming Islam, not this post. If you read carefully I have stressed again and again in my article that this is not what Islam teaches. I have actually posted some links for clarification and tried to condemn this approach that some parliamentarians have taken. Defaming Islam is the last thing I have done here, so please atleast READ what i am writing before you jump to conclusions. Im surprised that you have not bothered to check that this action of yesterday by our parliament has already been highlighted internationally and this is causing grave misunderstandings about our religion. How can you not defend yourself against this propaganda? Atleast I, as a muslim, feel I have to protect Islam from this fake Mullahs.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to one single point: In our society, we are just not comfortable with giving women their due share of respect. I quote here words of Fauzia Saeed who was present at the session:
"The main issue seems to be, as one parliamentarian had said earlier, “Now we can’t even slap our wives any more! What kind of system do you want?” That seems to be the main problem, which usually takes the form of saying, “We disagree with the text” ".
Hope you see this in a positive light.
Hey
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the point that our male-dominated environment would make sure such laws are not implemented and we selectively observe the sunnah that suits us best. I oppose domestic violence not from a religious respective but from basic rights and morals.
Living in the west and being a muslim, many times I have heard people say but it says in the Quran that its ok to beat your wife or kill infidels. So last year I made the effort again to read the Quran. I dont understand arabic so I read the english and urdu translation and it certainly was not pleasent to read a section where it was mentioned its ok to 'lightly' 'beat' your wife to discipline her. That was described as a third and 'extreme' measure if you could not discipline her by a)disucssing and explaining, b) giving some sort of warning and not talking for a few days. I doubt this is the exact translation from the Quran, I think it was more of an intrepertation or mention of the saying of the Prophet ( its difficult to make that distinction when you dont undersatdn the language Quran is in), but i was certainly shocked. I havent done much research on it and cant recall a specific context, but can certainly look up that surrah for you when I get back.
Again aside from the religios aspect of it, raising hand on a woman is the most despicable act.
Irum
Hi Irum,
ReplyDeleteI know which ayah you are talking about. If you have time, please listen to the youtube link i have shared that would make the "light beating" clear. Its only symbolic and does not mean to physically harm. Just a sign of displeasure. The youtube link of Sheikh Hamza Yousuf will make things more clear for you.