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What's that? You thought British Muslim women had the same rights as anyone else in Britain? Guess again. Some Muslim men aren't happy about it, but Muslim women have just been granted a whole list of new rights by Britain's Sharia Council. From AsiaNews.co.uk, with thanks to Nicolei:
DETAILS of a new Islamic marriage contract that will protect women's rights have been unveiled for the first time in the North West. At a meeting of top mullahs and Islamic scholars in Bury it was predicted that mosques throughout the UK will use the new contract and revolutionise Islamic marriages.Called the nikah namah provisions in the contract include:
l A wife's right not to have children
l Equal rights in divorce
l A wife's right to work and control over her own pay . . .
l Outlawing all verbal, physical and sexual abuse by the husband
l The right of a wife to visit relatives in the UK or abroadThe draft contract is the work of the UK Shariah Council and the Muslim Parliament of Britain - organisations that have voiced their concern that Muslim women can get a raw deal from existing Islamic marriage custom. . . .
The response from men was less welcoming and some were shocked over its clauses.
One man, who did not want to give his name, said he was amazed at some of the women's rights proposed.
He said: "The purpose of an Islamic marriage is to have a family but the contact is saying that a woman cannot get pregnant unless she wants to. How can that be increasing the Muslim line in the family?"
Molana Barkatullah said he knew that some men would be unhappy about it.
He added: "During the time of the Prophet, women were given rights for the first time and some of the men found that hard to deal with, but they eventually accepted these rights. That was 1400 years ago and it will happen again."
Posted by Robert at February 29, 2004 7:53 AM
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And this is the year 2004?
Posted by: Chaya Eitan at February 29, 2004 8:52 AMIt says nothing about the real injustices of Islamic marriage law: unequal distribution of the marital property (and none if the wife initiates the divorce); alimony that only runs three months at maximum (and none if the wife initiates the divorce); the wife must receive a mullah's permission to divorce while the man can divorce at will; underage marriage; and polygamy. While polygamy is illegal in the UK it is of course being practiced on the fly their, just as it is in the United States and other Western countries.
Posted by: Susan at February 29, 2004 12:13 PMOnly in modern practice of Islam have many of these unjust policies been instituted. Mohammed himself eliminated the unequal treatment of women amongst the general populace at the time. Not just with the Arabs.It is a similar phenomenon to that in some segments of Christianity and Judaism where not only women but whole segments of society have rules imposed on them by individuals that have little to do with Jesus' original teachings. Women in Judaism have had to fight for their rights. It is only humans who create these absurd interpretations. The original teachings of the religions are far more reasonable.
Posted by: Harlan at February 29, 2004 6:54 PM"A wife's right not to have children" should be interpreted as a right not to conceive at all, or to destroy the unborn baby involved after conception?
Posted by: Mark at February 29, 2004 8:20 PMHarlan what evidece do you have that only "in modern practice of Islam" have these injustices been instituted? Most of the unjust provisions I laid out are in the Koran, and also part of sharia law that was solidified and "closed" in 900 and something AD. What's your definition of "modern"? A thousand years ago?
Posted by: Susan at March 1, 2004 12:45 PMHarlan,
So all the rules governing concubines and female slaves are reasonable? A woman needs 4 reliable - excuse me, pious - male witnesses to prove rape. This also is reasonable? Mohammed marrying his youngest wife when she was nine is reasonable?
To give him credit, at least he DID wait 3 years.
mark,
Your two choices are not morally and ethically equivalent. Birth control prevents abortion. And conception after rape is yet another situation.
jay
Posted by: Jay Stevens at March 1, 2004 12:46 PM
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