Role of Islamic Religion in the Subjugation of Women
Islam has long been viewed as a religion which is oppressive to women. ... The status of Muslim women varies widely. ... But like a deep fault line, the issue of how women are viewed socially and legally runs through most of the Islamic world. The religion of Islam is based on the Koran, the holy book of Islam, which was written at the time of Mohammad. However, many Islamic followers also follow the religious texts of the Hadith and Sunna, two books that were written 200 years after the death of the prophet Mohammad. ... It would appear that it is the followers of the Hadith and not the Koran, that advocate submission of women. This can clearly be seen as the two texts discuss the equality of men and women. ... ” However, the Hadith says, “Women are naturally, morally, and religiously defective. ... " Another vicissitude for Islamic women lies in the fact that the Koran, as well as other religious texts, are read in the original Arabic language in which they were written. ... Islamic law is the product of Islamic jurists, people who study law for many years and then either strike down or uphold old laws, or create new laws, according to their interpretations of the Koran (Turrettini, 1997).