Presented by Dure-Ajam Ahmad and Raazia Riffat on behalf of Lajna Oshkosh (Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam)

Presented by Dure-Ajam Ahmad and Raazia Riffat on behalf of Lajna Oshkosh (Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam)

Stereotypical view of Islam and women Fanatic Islam The actual Islam Rights and status of women in Islam.

Islam has given women rights that the Non- Islamic world has given women only within the past 200 years. The right to inherit property. The right to own, manage, and keep their own property. The right to ask for, and get a divorce from their husband. The right to remarry. The right to obtain an education.

Men and women are promised the same rewards. Surely, men who submit themselves to God and women who submit themselves to Him, and believing men and believing women, and obedient men and obedient women and truthful men and truthful women, and men steadfast in their faith and steadfast women, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their chastity and women who guard their chastity, and men who remember Allah much and women who remember Him Allah has prepared for all of them forgiveness and a great reward.

Men and women are given equal protection. Those who persecute the believing men and the believing women and then repent not, for them is surely the punishment of Hell, and for them is the punishment of burning. But in some other things women are given more protection than men. نا ك و ن ي ذ ؤ ي ا ل ف ن ف ر ع ي ن ا ى ن د ا ك ل ذ O Prophet! tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers that they should draw close to them portions of their loose outer coverings. That is nearer that they may thus be distinguished and not molested. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.

The Islamic society highlights three main positions occupied by women Daughter 'He who brings up his daughters well, and makes no distinction between them and his sons, will be close to me in Paradise.' Saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Wife 'The best from among you is one who behaves best towards his wife.' Saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Mother 'Paradise is at the feet of the mother.' Saying of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Veil is a sign of oppression of women The veil is imposed upon women of the Islamic faith by cruel and suppressive men in their lives.

Veiling of the women is not something Islam invented. Old Testament: When Re-bek'ah raised her eyes, she caught sight of Isaac and she swung herself down from off the camel. Then she said to the servant 'who is that walking in the field to meet us?' and the servant said 'It is my master' And she proceeded to take a headcloth and to cover herself. (Genesis: 24: 64 and 65) New Testament: But every woman that prays or prophesies with her head uncovered shames her head for it is one and the same as if she were a (woman) with a shaved head. For it a woman does not cover herself let her also be shorn; but if it is disgraceful for woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered. (1 Corinthians: 11: 5, 6)

Because, by nature, women are of the weaker sex, they need to be guarded and protected from being molested or inconvenienced by other people in any way. ن ي ذ ؤ ي ا ل ف ن ف ر ع ي ن ا ى ج ن د ا ك ل ذ O Prophet! tell thy wives and thy daughters and the women of the believers that they should draw close to them portions of their loose outer coverings. That is nearer that they may thus be distinguished and not molested. And Allah is Most Forgiving, Merciful.

Far from depriving women of their rights or freedom, the veil actually shows the high status of Muslim women, because it is a way of showing how Islam thinks of women as a precious treasure.

The Book of God does not aim at keeping women in seclusion like prisoners. This is the concept of those who are not acquainted with the correct pattern of Islamic ways. The purpose of these regulations is to restrain men and women from letting their eyes to rove freely and from displaying their good looks and beauties, for therein lies the good for both men and women. It should be remembered that to restrain one's looks and to direct them only towards observing that which is permissible This is a blessed habit through which one s natural impulses would be converted into a high moral quality without interfering with one s social needs. This is the quality which is called chastity in Islam. (The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, pp 23-25)

Covering oneself does not limit or stop one from pursuing their dreams and ambitions. In this day and age Muslim women are playing a vital role in politics, sports, education, medicine and many other fields.

(Bangladeshi Prime Ministers) Khalida Zia Haseena Wajid Benazir Bhutto (First woman Prime Minister of Pakistan) Namira Salim (First Pakistani to make it to the South Pole) Amal Abdullah Al-Qubaisi (First woman elected to the U.A.E. s Federal National Council)

Although the media today portrays Muslim women as oppressed, weak and subordinate to the men in their lives, and truth be told there are many fanatic Muslims groups who believe as thus. But the realty of Islam is that it deeply respects women, and exalts them to a high status.