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Walking the Fine Line of Continuity and Innovation in Islam
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One of the most divisive debates among members of contemporary religions is the issue of balancing the two concepts of continuity and innovation. This debate has caused disagreement, conflict and even violence throughout history and has broken up most religions into sects and divisions. The dispute around the place of women in society has been one of the most critical arguments in almost all religious movements throughout time. Islamic societies have been no different in their disagreements over how much freedom and expression to grant women in a world which has seen the emergence of feminism along with the growing influence of women in society. There are vast differences throughout the Muslim world in their interpretations of Koranic passages which relate to women and more importantly the place of women in society. When Islam was founded the teachings of the prophet Muhammad and the Koran had a beneficial effect on the rights and status of women. Before modern western notions of gender equality and feminism, the reforms Muslim women were granted were almost unprecedented in nature. Muslim women were given inheritance rights, a choice regarding marriage and divorce, and most importantly a say in issues regarding faith and religion. The Koran even instructs Muslims to consider the birth of both girls and boys as the unquestionable will of god, which has helped limit social practices such as infanticide. There are numerous instances in the Koran where a husband is required to ask permission from his wife to remarry or to carry out other activities regarding the interests of the family. These rights are often overlooked currently when looking at the Muslim world. Although many of these reforms did not remain practically enforced soon after the death of Muhammad, the Koran itself theoretically ensures women a number of rights and privileges which would not have been received otherwise. Although the Koran does provide some liberation for women, it does not preach egalitarianism in the form generally accepted by the west. Men are accepted as the providers of the household, and women are described as the caregivers for children. Men and women are said to possess natural roles due to different strengths and weaknesses. Although men are said to have authority over women, this idea is no different than many notions in the Jewish or Christian traditions. The Koran actually provides more rights and reforms for women than the Bible or the Torah; however, the way the Koran is interpreted today, leaves Islamic women at a general disadvantage in areas of basic human rights in comparison with Jewish and Christian women. Many in the West assume Islam to be a monolithic religion which controls all aspects of the lives of its adherents.
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