Why are Muslim women, and women of the mideast treated so badly?

Question

Why do muslim extremists not like women?
Why are women and children treated as less of human beings? Why are women in Iraq afraid to drive their car alone for fear they will be attacked. Why force women to wear a burka? I do not understand, I know Allah loves women, right? Help me to understand...

PS peace, love, and bellydancing...

I am attempting to understand thats why I asked the question because I wonder and I think its good to talk about it openly. I like muslim women, the ones I have met have been very nice and good mothers. I really do seek tolerance and understanding...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1410061.stm

Answer 1

The mentality that despises women, excludes them from society and regards them as second class citizens is a wicked pagan attitude which has no place in Islam. The Qur'an summarizes the civilized social relationship between the two genders.
God's commandments about the status of women and the relations between men and women, which have been revealed to us through the Qur'an, consist of full justice. In this regard, Islam suggests equality of rights, responsibilities and duties between the two genders. Islam is based on sympathy, tolerance and respect for human beings, and does not discriminate against women in this matter.
The examples of good morals communicated to us in the Qur'an are universally compatible with human nature, and are valid for all stages of history.
The men and women of the believers are friends of one another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong, and establish prayer and pay alms, and obey God and His Messenger. They are the people on whom God will have mercy. God is Almighty, All Wise. (Qur'an, 9:71)

God emphasizes that believers will be rewarded in the same manner according to their deeds, regardless of their gender.

Their Lord responds to them: "I will not let the deeds of any doer among you go to waste, male or female-you are both the same in that respect..." (Qur'an, 3:195)

Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will give them a good life and We will recompense them according to the best of what they did. (Qur'an, 16:97)

In another verse, Muslim men and women are considered together, and it is stressed that both have the same responsibility and status in God's sight:

Men and women who are Muslims, men and women who are believers, men and women who are obedient, men and women who are truthful, men and women who are steadfast, men and women who are humble, men and women who give alms, men and women who fast, men and women who guard their private parts, men and women who remember God much: God has prepared forgiveness for them and an immense reward. (Qur'an, 33:35)

In the Qur'an there are many more verses stating that men and women are exactly equal in terms of their tasks and responsibilities and their rewards or punishments in return. There are a few differences in social issues, but these are for the comfort and protection of women. The commands of the Qur'an regard the congenital differences between the two genders resulting from their creation, and suggest a system maintaining equal justice for men and women in this light.

Islam does not see women as objects. Therefore, it is not seen appropriate that a woman of good morals should marry a man of bad morals. In the same way, it is not permitted for a woman of bad morals to marry a man of good morals:

Corrupt women are for corrupt men and corrupt men are for corrupt women; good women are for good men and good men are for good women. The latter are innocent of what they say. They will have forgiveness and generous provision. (Qur'an, 24:26)

Also as regards marriage, the duties and responsibilities of couples towards each other require equality. God demands that both spouses be protective of and supervise each other. This duty is expressed in the Qur'an in the following words:

They are covers for you and you for them... (Qur'an, 2:187)

Many rules and commandments exist in the Qur'an regarding the protection of women's rights on marriage. Marriage is based on the free will of both parties; the husband has to provide economic support for his wife (4:4); the husband has to look after his ex-wife after divorce (65:6).

The Islamic Emancipation of Women

As the verses make clear, Islam brings justice to male-female relations and puts an end to harmful practices resulting from customs and traditions of pre-Islamic societies. One example is the situation of women in pre-Islamic Arab society. The pagan Arabs regarded women as inferior, and having a daughter was something to be ashamed of. Fathers of daughters sometimes preferred to bury them alive rather than announce their birth. By means of the Qur'an, God prohibited this evil tradition and warned that on the Judgment Day such people will definitely have to account for their actions.

Finally, the wearing of the veil by women is also an illogical premise to claim that women are inferior to men. It is more appropriate to indict a society of female exploitation if it tolerates pornography rather than if it enforces the veil. Given that Allah is neither male nor female, given that He does not endear people to Himself based on their gender, given that the Creator cares about all of us male or female, given that the sexual and violent drive of men is stronger than that of women...given all this, it is illogical to cast a negative light on the following injunctions contained in the Qur'an (translation)

[33:59] O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not be annoyed...

[24:30-31] Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands...

On this misconception, there is a great deal more to write, most of it showing how current practices in many Muslim lands go against what the Qur'an and Sunnah have ordained, lands in which women are treated as property (unIslamic), are not educated (unIslamic), are forbidden their economic rights (unIslamic), and more. On this point in particular, we encourage everyone to consult the Qur'an and Sunnah before incriminating Islam. Always remember that Islam is a complete way of life from the Creator, and that Muslims are people who claim to follow that way of life. A Muslim may claim to follow Islam, but be wrong.

For further information, I suggest you refer to the following work: Yahiya Emerick's The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam 2nd edition. It should be available through your local library system or bookstores or you can order it online from Amazon.com.

Answer 2

I was reading an article that said not all women that are Muslim are treated like that. But, what region get the most news coverage? The region that's being bombed/attacked. And that's the region with the terrorist that hate women. Then again, I read the article some time ago, and don't have it with me. (it was at school I read it).

But I think it's because somewhere in their minds they think the Koran, says women should belong to men. And, I'd believe that it does, or says something that could be misinterpreted as such. But, I am not sure God wanted his women treated like how the extremist are. A lot of women a probably viewed as property, therefore not worth of being treated as a human.

Go figure, huh? Without women though, there would be no men to boss them around. Maybe they should think of that?

Answer 3

I think when 1/2 of your population is treated as second class citizens, your country can never advance. I am not sure why they are treated so horribly, or why they put up with it. The Taliban in Afghanistan could and did kill women if their shoes made noises while they walked.
No clue about Allah, what I have read from the Koran/ Quoran seems to be filled with hate and revisions of earlier verses as it occured to the writer(s).

Answer 4

This is a common misconception among westerners. I wish that people that answer questions on here, answer truth so that other people can learn. When you answer opinions out of ignorance, it is futile. For example how can you quote the Quran without ever reading it?

Every group or religion has extremists. Why do white supremists not like black people? Why do the mormon polygamists is Utah sexually assault and marry young girls in the name of "religion"? Why did Timothy McVeigh who happened to be Catholic blow up hundreds of people in Oklahoma?

In Islam women are equal to men. They have more respect and thus choose to cover themseves when out in public. Modesty is taught in Islam and for this reason crimes such as rape, assault on a woman, and fornication are virtually unheard of.

My advice is if you want to understand cultures and different religions take time to understand better.

Answer 5

Well it is not shocking to here this kind of question posted. All i got to say is most people have misunderstanding about Islam and when it comes to women in Islam they don't even care you learn the facts. Let me tell you this first, NO OTHER RELIGION GIVES MORE RIGHTS TO ISLAM THEN ISLAM. Does that shock If you are interested in learning the rights of women in islam visit the http://askmuslims.com/women.html
Lastly don't judge a religion by it people because in Middle East most the things done are culture things and not religious. Same like US or Europe should we believe that every Chrisitians and Jews people have sex before marriage and before they get married they sleep with bunch of women?

Learn and investgate before you judge.

Answer 6

The fact of the matter is, it is a mans world everywhere. Thats because it is ALWAYS the men who start the wars. IN ALL RELIGIONS.

The bible also teaches that women are suppose to be submissive to their husbands.

And I would imagine that if you were not a muslim, you could not question how the women feel over there. Unless of course you are a mind reader.

Answer 7

Because the extremeists wanted women to be less then human so they made it that way. Women are equals in the quran, but certain groups of men misinterpreted and have taught otherwise. Though most muslims I meet are not like that they know that the extremeists are out of line.

Answer 8

It's just been part of their culture for centuries...maybe even millenia. Who are we to change all that? They'll come out of it soon enough.

Also, a lot of muslim wives here (friends' mums) are treated equally and fairly here by their husbands...to a certain degree and not as extreme as it would be back in the middle east, so I guess there is progress being made.

Answer 9

I don't think they dislike women per say it is their tradition and way of thinking. In these countries women are seen and treated as the weaker sex. Men are important and hold high positions in the home, workplace and places of worship.

Personally, I think this is a barbaric and backward way of thinking. Women's liberation groups are fighting to change these ancient ways. But there is a lot of work still to be done.

Answer 10

For the same reason Catholics down play the importance of women. Why the fall of man was Eve's fault alone and Adam was blameless. Guess why women take the name of their husband as if it were a brand. Guess who wrote the tenets?

Answer 11

The rest of the world is not like the United States when it comes to the norms of society.

The state department has all sorts of travel warnings for dangerous places to travel.

http://www.mechanicsburgnewchurch.org