title: Don’t speak for me!
Muslimas Oasis is all about sharing the voices of Muslim Women, this is hugely important when it comes to quieting the bigots who are dead set on liberating us from our own beliefs and choices.
I wrote a response to a comment by a radical christian campaigning against Sharia law, here is the original comment in part:
Shari’a (often spelled just Sharia) is the Islamic form of law; it oppresses women by forcing them to live a particular way and does not allow for any discussion on the subject. It legitimizes torture and cruel and unusual punishments, it allows for violence against non-muslims without recompense, it legalizes general brutality, and it does not allow for any real freedom of religion; other religions are forced to live ‘under’ it and pay special taxes; making them very clearly second-class citizens.
In short, Shari’a is a tyrannical and unacceptable form of law. And it is one that Islam desires for the whole world. To them it is seem as inevitable, and not only that, just and fair. This is why I say, and we all must say: No Sharia!
They went on to give anti-islam websites and sensational news stories as their proof of the harm Sharia law does. I’d like to adapt and elaborate on my original response.
Don’t misunderstand me!
People like to forget the western, modern style democracy is not the be all and end all of governmental systems. I don’t like to get too political here, but it is an idea, a theory, an ideology if you like, it is not THE way, it’s not right for every community, every place, every time, and it is not perfect. One of the things that bothers me about campaigns against Islam/Shariah, is the “My way or no way and definitely not your way” attitude of these people.
See, in Islam, we are taught to obey the laws of the land we live in as long as it doesn’t put us into sin or somehow turn us against the laws of our religion. That means we are obliged to respect the laws that do go against our beliefs – take abortion for example, in it’s current state the law is against Islamic principles (Islamicly abortion is allowed only if there is fear for the life of the mother). However abortion law doesn’t have to apply to us. We may campaign against it to the point of what is legal in the country, but we can’t go around bombing abortion clinics because they do something we consider Haram (forbidden). If the law was that you had to get an abortion if you were, say, under a certain age, or if you were over the number of children allowed, then it would pose a different problem because it would be asking us to do something against the law of Islam (Allah’s/God’s law). Would that then mean we should bomb abortion clinics? No! It means we simply go against that particular law and don’t abort our child or migrate to a place that will not impose such a law.
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: The ‘Prophet said, “It is obligatory for one to listen to and obey (the ruler’s orders) unless these orders involve one disobedience (to Allah); but if an act of disobedience (to Allah) is imposed, he should not listen to or obey it.” Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Number 203.
Some claim this means that Muslims must obey (or attempt to impose) Sharia law in spite of established national law. This is problematic for a few reasons. Firstly, Sharia is like Government; it involves a justice system, a governing system etc. and, just like any other justice system, there are specific criteria involved in imposing it. If we are living in a place that has a secular government, then there is no Sharia to be obeyed. We are still obliged to obey the laws of our religion, the law of Allah (God) but this is somewhat separate from Sharia if the two don’t exist together. Christians are also expected to obey God above the law of man in the same way.
Acts 5:27-29, “Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this Name,’ he said. ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.’ Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than men!’”
In a nutshell, both Muslims and Christians are taught to obey the ruling government, except if they are asking you to disobey the law of Allah/God.
Furthermore, Islam is a belief system, this includes political beliefs. There is not a single government on this planet, nor has there been recently, that follows true Sharia. Not a single one. They may call their law Sharia and justify horrific acts under that banner, but calling it Sharia does not necessarily make it so. People need to remember this when campaigning against Sharia based on sensational news stories, those do not prove anything except that some horrific thing has happened. The news is not, nor has it ever been, any form of scholarly text with which to judge a religion or government system.
There are some that need our help!
As mentioned above, there are some oppressive regimes that violate human rights and call it Islam or Sharia. I am not excusing, minimizing or dismissing these things and the fact that not everyone can speak for themselves. What I am saying is that spreading hate-speech and campaigning for the liberation of millions of truly free women because of these tragic situations, is not helping anyone.
One needs to ask themselves before they embark on some sort of mission, ‘Why am I doing this?’, ‘Who am I doing this for?’ and importantly ‘What authority/knowledge do I have in this situation that makes me the right person to address these things?’
Pot calls kettle black.
Through research into the early Christian suggestion that women may not have souls, I discovered there are indeed many who think Muslims believe that, along with pages and pages of other misrepresented, misinterpreted and misunderstood quotes from the Qur’an and Hadith that are taken completely out of context.
Indeed Islam never suggested such a thing and what is interpreted as such is in fact simply suggesting the natural differences between man and woman as far as physical ability, legal responsibility, the fact that women have periods and cannot fast or pray ritual prayers during this time and that a woman is wired more emotionally than a man. There was never in Islam the suggestion that is found in Christian history that a woman actually doesn’t have a soul at all and women are considered equal before Allah/God.
Surely the men who submit and the women who submit,
and the believing men and the believing women,and the obeying men and the obeying women,
and the truthful men and the truthful women,
and the patient men and the patient women,
and the humble men and the humble women,
and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women,
and the fasting men and the fasting women,
and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard,
and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember
Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.
Quran. Surah (Chapter) 33 Al-Ahzab, Ayah (Verse) 35
In defense of our men.
Anti-Sharia campaigners have suggested Sharia law “legalizes general brutality” and other such violence. There is this myth that Muslims are inherently violent, that the men are particularly abusive to their women and that this is simply ingrained in our religion, it is a part of Islam, the essence of Islam. This belief couldn’t be further from the truth.
From the sayings of the Prophet:
A man came to The Prophet and said “Advise me!” The Prophet said, “Do not become angry and furious.” The man asked (the same) again and again, and the Prophet said in each case, “Do not become angry and furious.” [Al-Bukhari; Vol. 8 No. 137]
From the Qur’an (the word of God)
“Those who spend (in Allah’s cause) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress their anger, and who pardon men, verily, Allah loves the al-Muhsinun (the good-doers).” [Surah Al-Imran (3) : Ayah 133-134]
Islam teaches that aggression is not a measure of strength but that containing aggression/anger is the essence of strength:
“A strong person is not the person who throws his adversaries to the ground. A strong person is the person who contains himself when he is angry.” [Al-Bukhari; Book 47, No. 47.3.12]
And that indeed the mercy of Allah/God towards you can depend on the mercy you show to others.
“Allah is not merciful to him who is not merciful to people “. (Bukhari)
Are Muslim Women really oppressed?
The good Muslim men are the ones who contain their anger with all people. So what about the best Muslim man?
It was claimed that Sharia law (Islamic law) “oppresses women”. Now we’ve heard that one before.
Indeed, Islam has raised the status of women, without any feminist movement, without any shifting of natural roles. Without any question, Islam has given women their pedestal in society.
“The believers who show the most perfect faith are those who have the best character, and the best of you are those who are best to their wives“. (Tirmidhi)
The status of your Mother (Note: Rasulullah means Messenger of God)
“O Rasulullah, who of mankind is most entitled to the best of my companionship?”. Rasulullah said: “Your mother”. He said :”Then who?”. Rasulullah said: “Your mother”. He said: “Then who?”. Rasulullah said: “Your mother”. He said: “Then who?”. Rasulullah said: “Your father” (Bukhari)
And last but by no means least, the most treasured provision a man can have in this world is not wealth, not power, not land…
“The world is but a provision and the best provision of the world is a pious and virtuous woman“. (Muslim)
So when you try to liberate me and my sisters, do not try it based on our men or our so-called oppressive religion. We know our place and our status and it is a good one.
Our history is one of strong women.
I was listening to a talk by the wonderful Heba Al-Shareef of IamSheba.com and she talked about the strong early Muslim women, our role models and the epitome of the spirit of the Muslim Women.
There is Saba (Sheba), the noble and powerful queen ruling over Yemen at the time of Prophet Sulayman (Solomon, peace be upon him) who believed in the message of Islam, the oneness of God, when it was brought to her.
There is Maryam (Mary) who went through the unimaginable experience of immaculate conception and giving birth to Prophet Isa (Jesus, peace be upon him) never wavering in her faith and trust in Allah/God.
There is Khadija, the first person to embrace Islam on that fateful night when Muhammad (peace be upon him) had sought her shelter in fear of what he had witnessed, Jibreel (Gabriel, peace be upon him) coming to him in the cave. Khadija was a very rich and powerful business woman of Arabia, twice the age of Muhammad when they married.
There is Aisha, the young bride who is the most precious scholar of Islam, it is from her that most of our knowledge aside from the Qur’an is passed down. Intelligent and strong, she even went to battle.
There is Summaya, the first martyr of Islam who withstood unimaginable torture and never gave up her faith until her death at the hands of her torturers.
Not to mention the many early Muslim women who accompanied the men into battle and endured torture and hardship for their faith and those who dared to believe and to stand behind their men throughout our history.
Don’t speak for me.
Ask yourself, who are you to speak on our behalf? Have you spoken to me or my sisters? Do you understand what it truly is that pains me and what it is that can or has already liberated me? Do you know that for me and millions like me, this is not only a beautiful, fitting and honorable way of life but a choice?
As a Muslim woman, I have a voice, a loud one, my OWN one and i will speak for myself. I don’t need people campaigning for my ‘liberation’ from my values to theirs. I don’t need anyone decrying my supposed ‘oppression’ at the hands of the most amazing example of a man I have ever known, my husband. I don’t appreciate anyone slandering my husband, brothers and my people in the name of freedom. I don’t want anyone else’s idea of freedom and liberation, I have my own ideas and ideals and if you were truly to give me my freedom, it would be to allow me to live according to my ideas and ideals and not according to yours or anyone else’s.
Speak for yourself and those who share your values and I will speak for me.
Comments
10 Responses to “Don’t speak for me!”
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Posted by Emma Apple
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Durriyyah
10:08 am
MashaAllah, well said! We are capable human beings able to stand up for ourselves and don't need to be "liberated." Don't you think many less women would be coming to Islam if it was so terrible? *sigh*
Amira
10:06 pm
Salaama'alaikum,
No one speaks for me. I speak for myself. I will not allow anyone to ever think they can dictate my life. I'm with Duri on this one. If Islam was so bad, just to name a few, why are rappers, ex gang members, ex drug dealrs, ex KKK members coming to Islam? When in fact, their old ways were worse. Islam saves us from those evil ways alhamduliulliaah.
Kuia
10:29 am
Well written<3 i need to link this to my fbk page. I want as many ppl as poss to see it. Mainly those who don't undrstand……yet! <3
Sonia
12:45 pm
Assalam alaikum!
MashAllah! Well said sis!
Liz
5:15 pm
What an amazing article! Once again, you've just articulated this so well. Well done!!
Kim
12:02 pm
I am a non-Muslim reader of this site and I thought this was extremely well written. I've been reading a lot on Islam lately and I can't understand how some people can have such negative things to say about it. As a woman of colour, I've learned that bigoted comments stem from a lack of knowledge and understanding. I believe with more articles like the one you've written, ignorance can be dispelled and people can learn about the beauty of Islam. Thank you!
UmmIn
8:48 pm
Mashaallah great article.
Once again I think it is also a question of mutual respect and understanding.
Umm Hend
9:45 pm
Thank you all so much for your comments.
Kim, I am so pleased to read your comment, thank you so much! We need more people like yourself who are willing to reach out and understand Muslims as we are rather than how we are portrayed so often. I truly hope you are right and that this article and others like it can be a means of opening minds and hearts.
Sisterinhijab
11:56 am
Well said sister, I love this, may Allah reward you.
Indeed we do not need others speaking for us because Allah(swt) has granted us intellect that guided us to this Most beautiful way of Life.
Why should we need being Librated from it, Says whom..?
Kulsum
2:14 am
Do not speak foe me indeed! I know my way, my choices and religion. They should leave us alone. Let's imagine the sharia oppreses us; why are they very concerned? Are'nt there issues that are badly off in the christian community.
Let us speak for ourselves first.