Islamic law and the Rights of Married Women

Abstract

This paper is concerned with Islamic Laws regarding the Rights of married Women. There has been biased and incomplete interpretation of this aspect of Islamic Law resulting in the view that Islamic Laws are unfair to women. It is a universal fact that men are given more privileges in Islamic law compared to Women, but there are many rights that are given only to Muslim women and no Other religions have such types of specific laws made only for women. The four main areas that are discussed in this paper in respect of the rights of Married Muslim women are women's right to custody of their children, their Right to dower, their right to maintenance and the law and legal procedures in regard to divorce. Issues such as hadanna, types of divorce, the role of dower and the changes that were made in many Muslim countries in regard to Islamic Law are the maior focus of this paper.The different schools and their thoughts in Islamic Law make it dfficult for anyone to reach particular decision in relation to married women's right under Islamic Law . An analysis of the law and the interpretation of Islamic Law in this male dominated society would allow us to understands the unique nature of Islamic Law for married women and also Clarify to us that indeed Islamic Low is not absolutely unfair and biased towards women.It is a commonly held view that Islamic law is worded in such a way that it views women as inferior to men and subjects them to continuous suffering ond problems. Although there might be some credits to such type of statements, Thorough understanding of the Islamic Law would allow us to broaden our Perspectives and make us understand that Islamic Law is not derived in a way with an intention to make women suffer. Indeed, under Islamic Law women are given many rights which are not recognized in many religious systems. Although it is very true that men are privileged with lot more facilities and Power in Islam compared to women, women are also given some exclusive rights that belong to them only. The Koranic verses have been interpreted in Many ways and in most of the cases these interpretations have been Conducted by men allowing themselves to have unfair advantages over women. It is very true that the rights of women are very limited compared to men in Islamic law, and this article aims to give a better understanding of the power and rights of married women under Islamic Law.