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A Question About Women, For Muslims?

I am curious why Muslims, when it's suggested that they treat women like second class citizens (i.e. 2 women witnesses are equivelant to a man - suggesting women aren't as reliable as me) always act like it's a big deal when telling people, "Yeah, Muslim women have rights. She can own property and have her own money." That doesn't really answer the question.

What rights do Muslim women actually have?

Can she speak her mind? Does she have the right to refuse to have children if she doesn't want them? Can she choose who she marries? Can she decide NOT to get married if she doesn't want to? Can she tell a man what to do (be in charge over a man)? Can she be right over a man without a man feeling so insecure that he has to get angry that she's right and he's wrong? If he smacks her - can she smack him back? Can she openly tell him he's an idiot? Can she choose to get a college education, have a job, or live on her own if she wants to? Can she go where she wants when she wants?

Update:

I don't know of any Muslim families. That's why I'm asking here. I really would like to know the answer to these questions. I am sincere in my want to understand. If this question doesn't get answers or people respond negatively saying I'm being discriminatory for asking a simple question - I'll know that I've hit a nerve. But if women do have those rights, just say so.

Update 2:

Syed, thank you. Now you said she can choose "when" she wants to marry. I asked if she can choose WHO she wants to marry and if she can choose NOT to marry at all. Are those two things against Islam? I mean, do women have to get married to whomever her family chooses for her? Or does she get to choose? Can she choose to be single?

Update 3:

Jenn - thank you. I hope you'll all forgive my ignorance. I know my questions seem silly. I just wanted an answer from an actual muslim woman.

9 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Yes we can speak our mind... Both in private and public... I voted twice. I'm 22 and the voting age in Iran is 16.

    Yes she has the right to refuse having children but mostly when a woman marries a man it is because they want to start a family.

    Yes she can choose who she marries. I married my bf... he proposed to me and that is when I introduced him to my parents. But it is their choice to get into an arranged marriage or a loved one.

    Yes she can decide not to marry if she doesn't want to. My sister has had so many proposals but she has turned all of them down bcz she doesn't feel like getting married now. My cousins (both in their 40s) have turned down every single proposals they had.

    Yep she can tell a man what to do. I ask my husband to do things for me on a daily basis.

    Yes she can be right over a man...

    First of all he is not allowed to smack her... cz hitting is an unforgiving sin in Islam. But what the hell... it is said in Islam... an eye for an eye... she can smack back.

    Yep... lol... but not to mock him or degrade him. He is not allowed to call her names either.

    Yep she can get a college education. I'm currently a student myself. Actually we both are. So is my sister, sister-in-laws, and friends. Also my cousins (the ones in their 40s) have been working ever since they graduated from college. And yes they can live on their own.

    Yes she can go where she wants when she wants. Come to think of it my mom always spent time going to parties and inviting people over for parties. And I've traveled around without my husband. Yes I tell him that I'm going to ... bcz he has the right to know. So do I, if he wants to travel. I can't just disappear!

    All in all it comes down to the culture and the family. Islam doesn't prevent women from having anything. Their culture does.

  • je
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    As a Muslim woman I will answer you question the best that I can. Firstly, women in Islam do have rights the problem is that many women do not understand this and some men take the advantage of them not understanding.

    Yes, a woman can speak her mind, I do and I live in an Islamic county. Yes, I have the right to refuse to have children (my husband has the right to accept it, ask for a co-wife or he can divorce me). I can and did choose who I marry as well as all my sister-in-laws they said yes or no. I have one sister in-law who divorced because she did not like the man she married. She does not have to remarry. Also, there are some cousins of my husband who have never married and they are in their 50's. Any woman can be right if she is respectful in doing so, same as a christian woman.. No man will want a woman who is a ***** about things she is right about. I get angery and I have the right to dispute anything.. I would not tell him he is an idiot out of respect. However, if I did nothing would happen other then his feelings being hurt. If he was to hit me for no reason I would hit him back. He has never even raised his hand to me. I have a college education and my sister-in-laws do also. Here many girls are in the colleges. There are women here who work as police officers, in the bank as nurses or whatever they like. I drive as well as many other women here. I can go where I like. But, out of respect I will call my husband and tell him this is where I am going or whatever. Basically women who are Muslim are no different then christian women they just are marketed by the media as being less then men.

    Hey weeweee umm whats up with your name, does it mean your a dick? Anyway, I said he can ask for a co-wife. I never said I would agree, I never said a woman would have to agree. Some women do not care. It is not adultery. What about when men go and cheat and they are with hundreds of women and the wife will never know till she has AIDS is that acceptable. Yet, you want to say that Islam brain washes, no I can use my brain and I don't care what any man thinks. I know I have to answer only to one and he is ALLAH(SWT)

    So, you should go and take a long bath to wash your brain because its ruined. I think you maybe are that type if someone says "the sea is sand", you would believe that because your brain can not take anymore. You are not even accurately quoting the Quran and you are stating works that the shiia use.

  • 1 decade ago

    Yes a muslim woman can speak her mind. Yes she has the right to say she does not want children. Yes she can choose who she marries, it is not allowed to force a woman to marry someone she does not like. She also has to right to not get married. Yes a woman can be right over a man, everyone makes mistakes and can be wrong with someone else having the right answer. Violence is forbidden and if he smacks her then yes, she can smack him back if she wants. Yes, many, many, many muslim women are in college and have jobs. A teaching in Islam is to improve your knowledge throughout your life, wether you be man or woman. A muslim woman can also live alone if she wants, I know plenty who do. And yes a woman can go where she wants.

    Such silly questions.

    Source(s): Muslimah
  • 1 decade ago

    Well let me think .......hm.............. well i tell you what

    OHHH YES THEY DO GET ALL THE RIGHTS YOU HAVE STATED

    A MUSLIM WOMEN CAN

    1. Yes she can speak her mind

    2.Yes, she has the right to refuse to have children if she doesn't want them.

    3. She can decide when she wants to marry, cause shes the 1 who is gona live her life, not her parents

    4. She has the right to tell what rights and wrong to her Husband

    5. She can drag the man, to the Shria court or any other court and accuse him of smacking her, and screw the man royaly

    6. Yep she can if he is a idiot

    7. Yep, she can study, whenever, and whatever she wants

    8. If the place is good and abides by the rules of Islam yes she can.

    Anymore questions, i will be glad to answere them with enough proof.

    9. yes she can also choose whom she wants to marry, as shes the 1 who is gona live with the guy, not her family!!!, so she has the right to marry anybody she likes

    In Prophet said, when u marry half of your faith is compelet. i don;t actually know if u can be single, but who cares to be single.

    Hope this answere your question

    Source(s): Islam
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  • 1 decade ago

    We wee or whatever your name is: Your quotes are all wrong. I have read the Quran more than fifty times and never have I come across words like those. Plus what you say the prophet said is also wrong. Some of the Prophet's sayings have been corrupted. Overall, women are not treated like second class citizens or animals. They have more rights than men, especially if they are mothers.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    Being a individual certified in Islamic stories, I might like to provide an explanation for that Muslim females are exempted from devout tasks in the course of the menstruation. This rule truthfully relieves females from having to hold the 5 everyday prayers, fasting and different tasks at the same time she is within the uncomfortable bodily situation of menstruation. How can one suppose a lady being requested to quick on this crisis? I ought to explain, nevertheless, that a few individuals generalize and limit all varieties of "prayers". The ritual prayer in Islam is known as "salat" and it needs to be performed five instances an afternoon in a detailed approach. This "salat" isn't required from females in the course of their menstruation. The English phrase "prayer" is extra commonplace than the Islamic "salat", and will incorporate different varieties of prayers just like the supplication that one does any time of the day, and with no need to do the rituals of the Islamic "salat". This kind of prayers isn't prohibited for females. In different phrases, menstruating females can hold praying to God, speaking to Him, praising Him, inquiring for His love and forgiveness, however with out doing it in a ritual "salat." The "submission" website isn't an Islamic website. It belongs to a sect that used to be created by way of "Rashad Khalifa", a Christian Egyptian who claimed that he used to be Muslim, then made a colossal exposure approximately a fake discovery known as the "numerical miracle of the Quran". In the equal publication he claimed that he outlined the specific date of the tip of the arena, which fully contradicts what the Quran and the Sunna pontificate. Later his fact used to be learned. He additionally claimed that the Sunnah isn't facet of Islamic regulation and that we do not have got to comply with it, so that is why his sect is fully external Islam. Hope this makes matters transparent. Salaam-peace.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Why dont you do the right thing and ask a Muslim family in your area.

    .

  • Fred
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    Muslim women have all of the rights that muslim men think that they deserve. They deserve and get 'respect', whatever that means. So much for their rights. Now, for their wrongs. They get treated like the evil witches that they are. Christianity is the same. It was eve who committed the original sin. Women are evil. Everyone knows it. Let's get over it and enjoy it (men), and let's get over it and do your duty to men (women). Isn't that how it goes?

  • 1 decade ago

    All the answers before it's right i can't add any thing more :) but not this one (weweew w) he doesn't know what he's talking about....

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