The Burka.....Male power?

Question

Is'nt the burke a vehicle with which muslim men can demonstrate their power over 'their' women??

Answer 1

When the niqab or burka is being forced upon a woman, YES, it's being used by Muslim men who want to assert their authority.

BUT..

If the niqab or burka is being worn voluntarily by God-fearing Muslim women, NO it is not.

Here's a blog entry by a Muslim woman who chose to wear the niqab, and in this entry she explains why she CHOSE to wear it. http://salika.wordpress.com/2006/07/03/my-niqab/

Answer 2

It is the Muslim men's way of oppressing women,and making the women feel ashamed of her looks. It is all about Muslim men and their (POWER TRIPS). The men don't even try to control their (carnal lust),so they force the women to hide their selves under a big sack,so no one can see her. I find it totally disgusting,and really do wish Muslim men,would come into the present day,and stop living in an oppressive dark ages mentality.

Answer 3

well why shouldn't women follow men?

Answer 4

................ its like low self esteem ................. if a man look at a woman ........ he would want to take her away ................. why do they mistrust their men so much ............. are they that bad ??? they had to incorporate it into the culture ................... the veil ...... no I think its only to keep a very tight grip over women ................. in Malaysia ......... not all Muslim women like veil .... they say no way .......

Answer 5

Yes you are 100% correct and it also shows how insecure they are ...........

Answer 6

Very few Muslim women wear Burka!
The majority of women who want to wear Hijab (head covering) or any other form of covering after thinking for a long time. The oppression is against wearing Hijab not vice versa! esp. in the non-muslim societies who don't know that by wearing the head covering Muslim girls and women are following their own religion's rules not submitting to men! so they just deny them the opportunity to work or they deny them a good job or a raise or a promotion. I can tell you about many girls who wore hijab against their fathers will. If you want to know more details.

I want to tell you more about women in Islam (not in Muslim countries coz it varies) i'd appreciate it if you read it. I couldn't sum it up to less than this. it's 14 pages.

THE HIJAB
Chastity, modesty, and piety are deceptively marked as shackles on personal freedom.
«"O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment. But the raiment of righteousness, that is better"» (7:26)
According to "liberated" women, the hijab not only covers the head, but also covers the mind, will, and intellect. They speak out of ignorance when they say that hijab does not belong in these modern times, when due to the constant decrease in moral values in the world today, circumstances make the hijab even more necessary. More than ever before, sex crimes are rampant and "liberated women" face increasing higher chances of being raped or sexually harassed. The Federal Government conducted research in which they found that in America, a rape is committed every six minutes.
The women, who uncover their beauty and show off their bodies and made-up faces for all to enjoy, expose themselves to be harmed. Allah enjoined hijab on the Muslim woman to protect her from harm.
Unfortunately, hijab has its down side: you get discriminated against.
For many women hijab is a constant reminder that- unlike other women- they should not have to design their lives and bodies for men.
Hijab is a woman's statement, of transcending the often-abused power of men over their lives. Furthermore, modest clothing and hijab are precautions to avoid any social violations.
"Let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms" (Surah 24:31; 33:59) (notice:God used the word "let" not "make" because some men prevent their women of their right to wearing hijab). It is the minimum standard of decency. No mention of face covering. A Muslim woman is told: cover your nakedness, do not play with femininity as a commodity. Be proud and save your intimate best for the one who stands by you in times good and bad. Speak loud and clear, the game-and-promise bedroom voice does not belong on the streets, (Surah 33:32); Walk firm and tall otherwise, the swaying, jingling advertisement of the body carries a "for sale" sign on it (Surah 24:31) [You can check the original verses I didn't include to save space, the numbers of chapters and verses are included].

MY BODY IS MY OWN BUSINESS
The Qur'an teaches us that men and women are equal the only thing that makes one person better than another is her or his character.
"Strangers speak to me in loud, slow English and often appear to be playing charades. They politely inquire how I like living in Canada and whether or not the cold bothers me. If I'm in the right mood, it can be very amusing" says a Canadian Muslim girl who started wearing Hijab "But, why would I, a woman with all the advantages of a North American upbringing, suddenly, at 21, want to cover myself so that with the hijab and the other clothes I choose to wear, only my face and hands show? Because it gives me freedom".
WOMEN are taught from early childhood that their worth is proportional to their attractiveness. Feeling that one has to meet the male standards of beauty is humiliating and can be really serious and dangerous, like developing bulimia, anorexia or suffering from liposuction complications.
Women are not going to achieve equality with the right to bear their breasts in public, as some people would like to have you believe. True equality will be had only when women don't need to display themselves to get attention and won't need to defend their decision to keep their bodies to themselves.

WHY DO I WEAR HIJAB?
Many women are being forced into a mold, coerced into selling and compromising themselves. "My body is my own business, Nobody can tell me how I should look or whether or not I am beautiful. I know that there is more to me than that" is what your statement by hijab.

HIJAB IN THE WORKPLACE: Q & A
Q. What are the requirements for Muslim women's dress?
A: Rules regarding Muslim women's (and men's) attire are derived from
the Quran, Islam's revealed text, and the traditions (hadith) of the
Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him). In the Quran, God states: «"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty...And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and adornments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers...(a list of exceptions)"» [24:30-31]
Also, «"O Messenger! Tell thy wives and
daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer
garments over their persons...that they should be known and not
molested."» [33:59]

There are similar, yet less obvious requirements for a Muslim male's
attire a Muslim man is prohibited from wearing silk clothing (except for medical reasons) or gold jewelry (do you see them complain! When you see a man who's not wearing silk nor golden jewelry do you ask him if he is oppressed? Or if he is submissive to women? A Muslim woman may wear silk or gold, it's the same, when women wearing hijab they follow God's obligations).

Q. Does Islamic dress imply that women are submissive or inferior to men?
A: Modest clothing is worn in obedience to God and has nothing to do with
submissiveness to men.

Q. Is Islamic dress appropriate for modern times?
A: Islamic dress is modern and practical. Muslim women wearing Islamic
dress work and study without any problems or constraints.


Q. But aren't there Muslim women who do not wear Islamic Dress?
A: Some Muslim women choose not to wear hijab. Some may want to wear it but believe they cannot get a job wearing a head scarf. Others may not
be aware of the requirement.

ISLAM
First of all, we should understand that Muslims believe that what they are taught, what they believe, what they practice, and all that is tied to this, is part of a divine revelation given to them by God. And so, its truth and veracity is not questionable.

Upon investigating into the traditions of Islam which is based on revelation known as the Qur'aan, we find that it becomes very clear that Muslims are taught that men and women are equal in their humanity.

So this being something that was taught 1400 years ago was a revolutionary idea in the sense that it is only within the last 100 years or so that the issue of women being full human beings has come to be accepted in western intellectual circles.

The essence of humanity is the same between male and female, and they also share the same aim and that is to worship God.

Islam means submitting to the will of God - the voluntary submission to God.

fifty years before the birth of the Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) who was born around 560 CE there was a gathering of bishops in France to discuss whether women possessed souls or not, and that, if they do possess souls, what would be their purpose on earth? Was it to worship God? And if they worshipped God, would they go to paradise? In the end it was decided that, yes, women do possess souls - which was a break from previous tradition - but that their purpose was not just to worship God, but also to serve men.

Prior to Islam, a woman was regarded by her parents as a threat to family honor and hence worthy of burial alive at infancy. As an adult, she was a sex object that could be bought, sold and inherited. From this position of inferiority and legal incapacity, Islam raised women to a position of influence and prestige in family and society."

WOMEN'S LIBERATION THROUGH ISLAM

HUMAN RIGHTS

THE SPIRITUAL ASPECT
The sacred text of the Glorious Qur'an and the history of early Muslims bear witness to the fact that women are considered as vital to life as men.

Islam refuted the idea that Eve tempted Adam to disobey God, and thus caused his downfall. The Qur'an says that they both disobeyed, and negates the idea that women are a source of evil.

In a world where women were no more than objects of sexual gratification for men, and at a time when the religious circles argued over whether women were human or not, possessing souls or not, Islam proclaimed:

"O humanity! Verily we have created you from a single male and a single female, and have made you into tribes and peoples so that you may know one another. Verily the most honorable of you are those who are most pious with God." [Al-Qur'an 49:13]

"O Mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person, created of like nature his mate, from them scattered countless men and women. Fear Allah, through whom you demand your mutual rights and reverence the wombs (that bore you), for Allah ever watches over you."
[Al-Qur'an 4:1]

and their Lord promises them in the Glorious Qur'an:

"Never will I waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female, the one of you being from the other."
[Al-Qur'an 3:195]

Thus, in the Islamic tradition, a woman has an independent identity. She is a responsible being in her own right and carries the burden of her moral and spiritual obligations.
"And one of God's signs is that He created you mates from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and between you He put love and compassion." (Surah 30:21)

Likewise in the traditions of the Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) - which is the second source of the Islamic religion - we find that the Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) said in a speech that “Indeed women are the twin halves of men”. The Arabic word shaqaa'iq, which I translated as twin halves, means taking something and splitting it in half.
The Messenger once said, "God does not judge according to your bodies and appearances but scans your hearts and looks into your deeds."
In Islam the basis of submission is not that women are submitting to men, but that men and women together submit to God. So therefore, when you read the passages of the Qur'aan, it becomes very clear that the obedient from among both the believing men and women receive paradise. Likewise, those who are disobedient, and who do not want to worship God also receive the same punishment whether they are male or female. This is why throughout the Qur'aan you find the wording addressed to both males and females. The Arabic language like French has two types of verbs, one representing the feminine and one the masculine. So in the Qur'aan you'll find both sexes being addressed.
In summary we found three bases: that they share the same humanity, have the same aim on this earth, and expect the same reward, which is the goal which they are working for collectively as human beings.
THE SOCIAL ASPECT
Education Almost fourteen centuries ago, Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) declared that the pursuit of knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim, male and female"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer.". This declaration was very clear and was largely implemented by Muslims throughout history.
Men and women both have the capacity for learning and understanding. The first and greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security, affection, and training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman must be educated and conscientious in order to be a skillful parent.
Islam elevated the position of women in society and treated them on an equal footing with men, and in some cases, as a mother for instance, clearly gave them precedence over men.
Mothers' rights When the Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) was asked by a man one was his companions "Who is the worthiest of people of my best companionship?" The Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) replied "your mother." And then the man asked a second time, and the Messenger replied your mother, and then a third time, and again he replied your mother, and on the fourth time, he said "your father". Likewise in the Qur'aan we find that it tells human beings that your mother bore you from one hardship to the other hardship, talking about the labor and difficulties of pregnancy and childhood, and then fed you for two years, suckled you, and tells us to be kind to our parents and reminds us of our mother first.
On another occasion, when a man came to the Messenger (pbuh), and expressed the desire to join a military expedition, the Messenger (p) asked him if he had a mother. When he replied that he had, the Messenger (pbuh) advised him, "Stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet". Paradise can't be at the foot steps of evil!

As daughters women have a right to just and equitable treatment from their parents. The Messenger (pbuh) gave glad tidings to those who did not insult their daughters or favored sons over daughters.
Abdullah the son of Abbas narrated: "The Messenger (pbuh) said: If anyone has a female child, and does not bury her alive, or slight her, or prefer his male children over her, Allah will bring him into Paradise." (Narrated by Abu-Dawood)

Muhammad (pbuh) is also sited in "Sahih Muslim" as saying:
"Whoever maintains two girls till they attain maturity, he and I will come on the Day of Resurrection like this; and he joined his fingers".
AbuSa'id al-Khudri narrated: "The Messenger (pbuh) said: If anyone cares for three daughters, disciplines them, marries them (to other men), and does good by them, he will enter Paradise." (Narrated by Abu-Dawood)

It is narrated by the Messenger's wife, 'A'isha, that a woman entered her house with two of her daughters. She asked for charity but 'A'isha could not find anything except a date, which was given to her. The woman divided it between her two daughters and did not eat any herself. Then she got up and left. When the Messenger (peace be upon him) came to the house, 'A'isha told him about what had happened and he declared that when the woman was brought to account (on the Day of Judgment) about her two daughters they would be her saviors from hell fire. (because she did the best she could and took care of her daughters God will save her from punishment, it's to show taking caring of female children is one of the best deeds you can do)

Marriage A woman has the right to accept or reject marriage proposals, and her consent is a prerequisite to the validity of the marriage contract. A marriage is based on mutual peace, love and compassion.
The husband is responsible for the maintenance, protection and overall leadership of the family within the framework of consultation and kindness. The mutuality and complementarity of husband and wife does not mean 'subservience' by either party to the other. Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) helped with household chores, although the responsibilities he bore and the fact that he had wives and servant.

Divorce “Divorce is the most disliked of all lawful things”, the Messenger said. Prevention is the priority. But when the life of the couple has grown destructive and counterproductive the Qur'an sets strict guidelines to forestall haste and whim. Divorce can be instigated by the husband, by the wife or by mutual consent.

RIGHTS OF A WIFE
The Qur'an states: "And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves that you may live in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs for people who reflect." (30:21) Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional necessity, but in fact, a sign from God. It is a relationship of mutual rights and obligations based on divine guidance. God created men and women with complimentary natures, and in the Qur'an, He laid out a system of laws to support harmonious interaction between the sexes. "...They are your garments and you are their garments" (2:187). Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the other and hides the faults and compliments the characteristics of the spouse. To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives have various rights. The first of the wife's rights is to receive mahr, a suitable gift from the husband which is part of the marriage contract and required for the legality of the marriage. The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands. The Qur'an states:
"Let the man of means spend according to his means, and the man whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has given him." (65:7)

The Messenger (pbuh) said: "The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives."

Women in Islam keep their own family name, rather than taking her husband's.
They do not have to work or share with her husband the family expenses.
They are free to retain, after marriage, whatever they possessed before it, and the husbands has no right whatsoever to any of their belongings (even the belongings given to them by their husbands).

DUTIES OF A WIFE
With rights come responsibilities. Therefore, wives have certain obligations to their husbands. The Qur'an states: "The good women in the absence of their husbands guard their rights as Allah has enjoined upon them to be guarded." (4:34) A wife is to keep her husband's secrets and protect their marital privacy. Issues of intimacy or faults of his that would dishonor him, are not to be shared with others by the wife, just as he is expected to guard her honor. A wife must also guard her husband's property. She must safeguard his home and possessions, to the best of her ability, from theft or damage. She should manage the household affairs wisely so as to prevent loss or waste. She should not allow anyone to enter the house whom her husband dislikes nor incur any expenses of which her husband disapproves. A Muslim woman must cooperate and coordinate with her husband. There cannot, however, be cooperation with a man who is disobedient to God. She should not fulfill his requests if he wants her to do something unlawful. A husband also should not take advantage of his wife, but be considerate of her needs and happiness.
Freedom
Women in Islam are free to follow their own beliefs, to express their opinions and to choose their husbands among other rights.
Freedom of expressing opinion Women are entitled to freedom of expression just as men are. It is reported in the Qur'an and in history that women not only expressed their opinion freely but also argued and participated in serious discussions with the Messenger (PBUH) himself as well as with other Muslim leaders. They were not shut behind iron bars or considered worthless.
Participating in public life and worship Likewise, in terms of what we might call public participation, there are acts of worship which are public in Islam, and there are acts of worship which are private. One of the public acts is the pilgrimage, and this is one of the pillars of Islam. Likewise another public act of worship is the two `Eid prayers which occur twice a year, once after the pilgrimage and once after the pass of Ramadan. Men and women both participate in that publicly.

A very interesting point to note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of women.

Also this is a verse in Qur'an "And the believing men and women are friends or allies or supporters of one another, they bid to that which is correct and they forbid that which is evil". Women just like men participate in the process in society.

Islam states that men and women are different but not in the sense that one is superior to the other. They each have a role in life. None can be replaced by the other.

If a woman commits any offense, her penalty is no less or more than of a man's in a similar case. If she is wronged or harmed, she gets due compensation equal to what a man in her position would get.

Choosing to work
If a woman wishes to work or be self-supporting and participate in handling the family responsibilities, she is quite free to do so, provided her integrity and honor are safeguarded.
(If women were obligated to provide for the family they would be abused by their employers as we see in many cases now but Islam made it a choice so that she wouldn't be taken advantage of and treated with disrespect)

If she chose to work, the money she earns belongs only to her even if she earns more money than her husband, if she wants to help her family willingly it would be considered charity because she is not obligated to provide for them.
This is well illustrated by the following incident. The Holy Messenger, peace be on him (pbuh), on one occasion admonished women to spend in charity out of their own means when two women, both bearing the name of Zainab, one of them the wife of the well known companion Abdullah bin Masood, came to the messenger (pbuh) and told him that their respective husbands were men of straitened means, but that they were comparatively better off, Would it be an act of spiritual merit if they were to assist their husbands out of their own means? The Messenger assured that helping their husbands financially would be doubly meritorious, as it would rank both as charity and as graciousness towards kindred.

ECONOMIC RIGHTS
Islam acknowledged women's individuality by granting them equal rights to contract, to enterprise, to earn and possess independently. A woman's life, her property and her honor are as sacred as those of a man.
Islam has given women a share of inheritance. Before Islam, women were not only deprived of that share, but were themselves considered as property to be inherited by men. Women receive a certain share of the deceased kin's property, a share that depends on her degree of relationship to the deceased and the number of heirs. This share is hers, and no one can take it away or disinherit her. Even if the deceased wishes to deprive her by making a will to other relations or in favor of any other cause, Islamic Law does not allow him to do so.

The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own property, to enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets in any way she pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any claim on her earnings including her husband.

Women are given the right of financial support. The Qur'an states: "Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend of their wealth (for the support of women)" (4:34). This guardianship and greater financial responsibility is given to men, requires that they provide women with not only monetary support but also physical protection and kind and respectful treatment.

Natural Humanism
”Your body has rights upon you”, said the Messenger of Islam. By this was meant a respect for the body and its needs.

Pleasing and discrete elegance is smiled upon in Islam, the world's great Civilization of Refinement, in body and soul. And the Messenger said: "God Himself is graceful and elegance pleases Him."

Islamic does not deny or demean the natural sex drive. On the contrary, it elevates it, channeling it for a healthy society.

Within the REAL partnership of matrimony, the joining of husband and wife is legitimized: here sex is no sin, but a form of obeying God.

Where the parade of enticement and seduction prevails, Islam upholds the standard of straightforward human dealings, inner mettle to inner mettle. Sex and beauty stay at home; neither commodity nor potential incentive in wider social relations, their power is curtailed to strangers, enhanced to the bonded partner. Where promiscuity runs rampant, Islam builds a society where children know their fathers, and fathers are responsible for their wives and children.

The Harem!
The severe segregation of the sexes is not a Qur'anic injunction.
Throughout Islamic history, women who, through their talent must rise in the larger society have risen.
The criterion, as always, was balance and fairness. In cases where a man took more than one wife, it was done legitimately, within the norms of fair dealing. No "Second class" categories of relationships were tolerated. No one-night stands, just a real commitment in marriage.

CIVIL RIGHTS
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based on recognition of her individual personality. First, she is free to choose her religion. The Qur'an states: "There is no compulsion in religion. Right has been made distinct from error." (2:256) Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas. A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her name after marriage. A Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes.

POLITICAL RIGHTS
A right given to Muslim women by God 1400 years ago is the right to vote. On any public matter, a woman may voice her opinion and participate in politics. One example, narrated in the Qur'an (60:12), is that Muhammad (pbuh) is told that when the believing women come to him and swear their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their oath. This established the right of women to select their leader and publicly declare so. Finally, Islam does not forbid a woman from holding important positions in government. Also Abdur-Rahman Ibn Auf consulted many women before he recommended Uthman Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.

One of the rights given by Islam in the time of the Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) was that if a woman gives a treaty to a combatant from a non-Muslim attacking force - her treaty would be honored as was the case with a female companion of the Messenger Muhammad (PBUH)- In the Christian church these companions would be called disciples for instance, the disciples of the Messenger Muhammad are the companions as they are called, They were in the hundreds and thousands not just twelve as with Jesus Christ, and there are both men and women amongst them- When the Messenger Muhammad came to Mecca, one of the women companions known by the name of Umm Hani, who was an inhabitant of Mecca and a believer in the Messenger Muhammad (PBUH), accorded certain relatives of hers protection that they would not be harmed. Her brother who was one of the main companions of the Messenger Muhammad and married his daughter, Ali Bin Abi Talib, wanted to execute two of these men because they were known for fighting against Muslims. So Umm Hani went to the Messenger Muhammad and complained that she had accorded them protection and the Messenger recognized her giving protection to those two individuals.

This is what we might call, in the classification and terminology that we now use, a political right, it's a political asylum granted to men by a woman more than 1400 years ago!

WOMEN IN THE EYES OF NON-MUSLIMS
Whenever the topic of Islam is brought up among Westerners the first objection that immediately springs into their minds is: "But women are so extremely oppressed in Islam" and "But women are second class citizens in Islam." For example, they see that Muslim women usually observe modest standards in their clothing and they automatically equate their modesty with oppression.
They appear to feel that freedom is in some way directly proportional to how little clothing one wears! And that oppression is directly proportional to the degree of modesty one exhibits in their clothing.

people who make such objections usually only have A very superficial knowledge of the true teachings of Islam, and secondly, they do not realize what The Bible requires of all believing women.

There are certain tribes in the Amazon jungle, in Australia, and in Africa, which have become accustomed to walking around in a simple g-string around their waist. What would the people of the West say if these people were to condemn the Western habit of "forcing" their women to wear "excessive amounts of clothing" and to demand that all women in the west immediately stop wearing anything but the simplest g-string around their waist? What if they were to say that the Western society should immediately stop unjustly persecuting their women and preventing them from freely roaming the streets wearing only a pair of socks? They would say that the people making these demands have no morals.

Who has the power to determine what decent and modest clothing is?
Who is to determine what decent and modest behavior is?
Muslims assign this right to God alone.

We can indeed find this lesson in the story of Adam. In the Islamic version of the story of Adam (slightly different than that of Judaism/Christianity), Adam and Eve were created by God, educated, clothed, and then allowed to inhabit heaven. They were told by God that they could have anything their hearts desired except they must not eat from a certain tree. Out of envy, the devil encouraged them to eat from the tree and told them that its fruit would make them angles or immortal. They ate from the tree and immediately, their bodies were revealed to one another, so they took to scooping up the leaves off the trees in order to cover themselves. This is when Allah sent them down to earth. What mankind learned from this lesson is that just because a person does not know the wisdom behind a command of God, and others tell him to disobey it, by the time the reason for the command is made apparent to them it may be too late.

Example of dress worn by a Christian nuns, Compare it with how Muslim women dress today. Actually, even in this day and age there still remain traces in Christianity of the common ancestry with Islam in regard to the accepted norms of modest dress for Christian women as ordained by their Creator.
Women rights in Islam (Qur'an)
Are they indeed, as the popular propaganda would have us believe, "second class citizens"? Let us read the Qur'an:

"And they (women) have rights similar to those of men over them in a just manner" The noble Qur'an, Al-Baqarah(2):228

"And their Lord has heard them (and He says): Verily! I suffer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be lost. You proceed one from another. So those who fled and were driven forth from their homes and suffered damage for my cause, and fought and were slain, verily I shall remit their evil deeds from them and verily I shall bring them into Gardens underneath which rivers flow. A reward from Allah. And with Allah is the fairest of rewards." The noble Qur'an, A'al-Imran(3):195.

"And covet not the thing in which Allah has made some of you excel others. Unto men a fortune from that which they have earned, and unto women a fortune from that which they have earned. (Envy not one another) but ask Allah of His bounty. Verily! Allah is Knower of all things." The noble Qur'an, Al-Nissa(4):32.

"Unto the men (of a family) belongs a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, and unto the women a share of that which parents and near kindred leave, whether it be little or much, a legal share." The noble Qur'an, Al-Nissa(4): 77

"And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends (allies) one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and his messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise." The noble Qur'an, Al-Tauba(9):71

"Whosoever does right, whether male or female, and is a believer, him verily We shall quicken with good life, and We shall pay them a recompense in proportion to the best of what they used to do." The noble Qur'an, Al-Nahil(16):97

"And of His signs is this: He created for you spouses from yourselves that you might find tranquility in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for folk who reflect." The noble Qur'an, Al-Room(30):21

"Whoso does an ill deed, he will be repaid the like thereof, while whoso does right, whether male or female, and is a believer, (all) such will enter the Garden, where they will be nourished without stint." The noble Qur'an, Mumin(40):40

In the Qur'an, both, Adam and Eve share the blame for eating from the tree. This can be seen in the Qur'an in such verses as Al-Baqarah(2):36, Al-A'araf(7):22-24. They were also both forgiven by God Almighty for this sin. Actually, in one verse of the Qur'an (Taha(20):121), Adam is specifically blamed.

Husbands are commanded to treat their wives with kindness and respect. In Al-Nissa(4)-19 we read "…But consort with them in kindness, for if you hate them it may happen that you hate a thing wherein Allah has placed much good."

The rights of women in Islam ( the messenger's speeches)
The Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) said: "The best believers are the best in conduct, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives."

Messenger Muhammad said: "The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manners and kindest to his wife."

Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both were equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and both were forgiven by Allah. Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the fact that the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah, the wife of Muhammad, whom he loved and respected. His favorite wife after Khadijah's death, Aeisha, became renowned as a scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature who was known to be a female "mufti" which is high position that requires deep knowledge and only few men can fill. Many of the female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential scholars, jurists and mystics.
Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been there for 1400 years, while virtually all other major civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change their negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to do so.

The Qur'an, in addressing the believers, often uses the expression,' believing men and women' to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their respective duties, rights, virtues and merits. It says: For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward. (33:35)

The Qur'an admonishes those men who oppress or ill-treat women
O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given them - except when they have become guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike something and Allah will bring about through it a great deal of good. (4:19)

Unlike other religions, which regarded women as being possessed of inherent sin and men as being possessed of inherent virtue and nobility, Islam regards men and women as being of the same essence created from a single soul. The Qur'an declares: O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over you. (4:1)

The Messenger of Islam (peace be upon him) said, "Women are the twin halves of men." The Qur'an emphasizes the essential unity of men and women in a most beautiful simile: They (your wives) are your garment and you are a garment for them. (2:187)

Islam does not consider woman "an instrument of the Devil", but rather the Qur'an calls her "muhsana" a fortress against Satan because a good woman, by marrying a man, helps him keep to the path of rectitude in his life. It is for this reason that marriage was considered by the Messenger Muhammad (pbuh) as a most virtuous act. He said: "When a man marries, he has completed one half of his religion." He enjoined matrimony on Muslims by saying: "Marriage is part of my way and whoever keeps away from my way is not from me (i.e. is not my follower)." the Qur'an has given the reasons to get marriage in the following words: And among His signs is this, that He has created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them; and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect. (30:21)

The Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) was full of praise for virtuous and chaste women. He said: "The world and all things in the world are precious but the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman. He once told the future khalif, 'Umar: "Shall I not inform you about the best treasure a man can hoard? It is a virtuous wife who pleases him whenever he looks towards her, and who guards herself when he is absent from her."

The Messenger preached kindness towards women. He told the Muslims: "Fear Allah in respect of women." And: "The best of you are they who behave best to their wives." And: "A Muslim must not hate his wife, and if he be displeased with one bad quality in her, let him be pleased with one that is good." And:" The more civil and kind a Muslim is to his wife, the more perfect in faith he is."

The Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) upheld the cause of widows. Most of his wives were widows. In an age when widows were rarely permitted to remarry, the Messenger encouraged his followers to marry them. He was always ready to help widows and exhorted his followers to do the same. Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger said: "One who makes efforts (to help) the widow or a poor person is like a mujahid (warrior) in the path of Allah, or like one who stands up for prayers all night and fasts all day."
One of the messenger's widow wives was not interested in sexual activity within the marriage, may be she was too old, that she gave away her night with the messenger to another wife of his. So he wasn't technically married to her but he was providing for her.

Once Mu'awiyah asked the Messenger (peace be upon him), "What are the rights that a wife has over her husband?" The Messenger replied, “Feed her when you take your food, give her clothes to wear when you wear clothes, refrain from giving her a slap on the face or abusing her, and do not separate from your wife, except within the house." Once a woman came to the Messenger with a complaint against her husband. He told her: "There is no woman who removes something to replace it in its proper place, with a view to tidying her husband's house, but that Allah sets it down as a virtue for her. Nor is there a man who walks with his wife hand-in-hand, but that Allah sets it down as a virtue for him; and if he puts his arm round her shoulder in love, his virtue is increased tenfold." Once he was heard praising the women of the tribe of Quraish, "...because they are the kindest to their children and because they keep a careful watch over the belongings of their husbands."

The Shari'ah regards women as the spiritual and intellectual equals of men
the Shari'ah requires a man to consult with his wife because his wife is not his subordinate but she is, to use the words of the Messenger (peace be upon him), 'the queen of her house', and this is the position a true believer is expected to give his wife.

In contrast to these enlightened teachings of Islam in respect of women, Western talk of women's liberation or emancipation is actually a disguised form of EXPLOITATION OF HER BODY, DEPRIVATION OF HER RIGHTS, AND DEGRADATION OF HER ROLE IN LIFE!

Points of misunderstanding
"For everyone leaving an inheritance We have appointed heirs, parents and near relations, and also husbands and wives to whom you are bound by solemn covenants. So give all of them their appointed shares. Surely, Allah watches over all things" (4:34)

there is no discrimination against female heirs (who earn as half as men earn in many cases) in view of the obligation of the male to provide for his family, while the female has no such obligation. In practice the rule works out favorably for female heirs.
A direction designed to secure the preservation of testimony relating to civil transactions, which requires that they must be reduced to writing, is sometime mistakenly seized upon as evidence of discrimination against females. The direction is as follows:
"…….Procure two witnesses from among your men; and if two men be not available, then one man and two women, of such as you like as witnesses, so that if either of the two women should be in danger of forgetting, the other may refresh her memory." (2:283)
There is not the slightest trace of discrimination here. In the case of male witnesses their memory of a transaction that they attest as witnesses would be refreshed when they met socially and the transaction was recalled for one reason or another. In the case of a document recording a transaction, which is attested by one male and one female witness, the female witness, under the Islamic social system would not normally have frequent occasion to meet the male witness and talk to him, so that there would be little chance of her memory of the transaction being refreshed. To overcome this lack of opportunity of refreshing the memory, it is wisely provided that where only one male witness is available two female witnesses may be called upon so that, in the very words of the text, one may refresh the memory of the other.

This provision is concerned only with the preservation of evidence, and DOES NOT deal with the weight to be attached to the testimony of a male or female witness.
It's only about witnessing not about testifying in court.

CONCLUSION
The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago.These are from God and are designed to keep balance in society; what may seem unjust or missing in one place is compensated for or explained in another place. Islam is a complete lifestyle.
It is clear that the status of women in Islam is very high. Islam grants them full security and protects them against disgraceful circumstances and uncertain channels of life.
There does exist a gap between the rights of women outlined in the Qur'an, and the prevalent reality in the Muslim world. However, images of Muslim women as ignorant, oppressed and submissive are stereotypical and do no justice to the large number of Muslim women whose firm conviction in the Islamic concepts of family cohesiveness and happiness, and their own individuality, ensures their sense of self-fulfillment.