Reclaiming Women’s Rights in Islam: A Challenge to Muslim Patriarchy

Balala, Maha Hanaan
Maha Hanaan is an Oxford University graduate of Lincoln College with a Doctor of Philosophy in Law, M.St. in Legal Research and a Bachelor of Civil Law. She trained as a solicitor in England, UK and has experience teaching Law, Business and Economics in Oxford, UK. She is currently a senior lecturer (Law) at the University of Nairobi, Kenya.

It is not for a man, to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the Prophetic Office, to then say to people: 'Be you in service of me in exclusion of Allah.' On the contrary: 'Be sovereign unto yourselves by what you have been taught of the Book and by what you learn.' Nor would he instruct you to take angels and Prophets as Lords. Would he direct you to deny truth after you are Muslims? (Quran, Ali-'Imran:79-80) A woman is equally entitled to all the rights the same as any other human being. The distinction between genders is simply a form-based functional difference of Creation not intended for purposes of separation, but unity. The Quran indicates this as the inherent design of all Creation as reflected in nature. Thus, in reclaiming the rights every woman is entitled to, this book simply seeks to restore balance to gender reality and relations. While a woman is entitled to choose whether she exercises her rights and how she conducts herself, no one may deny a woman her rights against her volition; certainly not in the name of the Almighty who granted her inherent rights equal to any other human being (Quran, Yunus:44).