Womens Rights in Islamic Saudi Arabia

Womens rights in Saudi Arabia are difficult, to say the least. A woman's freedoms, her station in life, including placement in society, her role as wife and mother, are clearly defined in the chapters and verses of the Koran, as well as scholarly insight into the life of the Prophet Mohammad. The role of the woman and womens rights according to Islam, is rejected by most Western societies, and the interpretation of the traditional role of the woman is waning in certain Islamic sects, from modern interpretation of Hadith, (which is a narration about the life of the Prophet and things approved by him), and the (Sunnah, which is a record of the way the prophet Mohammed lived his life), in conjunction with the Koran. For the most part, and especially in Saudi Arabia, this redefining and “corruption” of Mohammad’s intention is criticized and viewed as an aberration of, and act against the Laws of Islam by some traditionalistic Islamists.

Womans rights in Islam do not extend to an even or equal partnership with her mate. She is on the earth for the purpose of procreation, and to please the man’s sexual appetite. A man has rule over her, is responsible for her and owns her. She is his property, and if a woman does not heed the words of her husband, he has a holy duty to chastise her.

In brief, this is a summary of some of the Koranic commandments and elucidations, interpretations and laws concerning womens rights, and womens behavior and place in Islam:



Womens Rights Concerning Divorce:

If a man wishes to divorce his wife, he must ensure that a divorce interim is fulfilled. This interim must be measured precisely. A man must count three periods of menstruation before he can divorce his wife and once the third period is in effect, he knows that woman is not pregnant, and is therefore free to divorce her. During the interim period, a man must continue to provide for his wife. He must not evict her from her home, nor make life so miserable for her that she is forced to leave on her own, unless she commits adultery. At the end of the interim period, which must be measured carefully, the man may choose to reconcile or follow through with the divorce.

If a woman is in menopause, he must wait the interim period of three months to ensure this woman is not pregnant.

If a woman is too young, and has not yet menstruated, and she discovers she is pregnant, the interim period is over when his wife gives birth. The fathers of prepubescent girls may give them away, and their new husbands may consummate their marriage with them. (In Iran after the religious revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini, a girl's marriage age was lowered to nine years, in accordance to the practice of and acceptance believing Muslims.)

A man must provide a home, spend on her and treat her equitably until the interim period is over. If she decides to nurse her child, then womans rights include payment for this service until the child is weaned. The man may choose to hire a wet nurse instead, and must pay her for nursing his child.

A man must have two equitable witnesses to divorce his wife, and then it is done by announcing three times the woman is divorced from him.

The interim period is to make sure his wife is not pregnant. If she is pregnant, then he must provide for her until she delivers her child. If the woman decides to nurse the infant, he must continue to provide for her until the child is weaned. If the man still wants to divorce his wife, he must wait until a divorce interim is fulfilled. A woman may not marry again until three menstruations have passed. This ensures the woman is not pregnant with her first husband’s child.

Womens Rights Concerning Obedience:

Husbands may beat their wives even if the husbands simply fears haughty or overbearing behavior. A woman must be obedient ot her husband, and some men beat their wives regularly to ensure her submissiveness. Womens rights to be obedient, submissive and modest are behaviors rewarded in heaven.

According to a verse in the Quran, Sura 4:34

The Prophet said: "(How odd it is that) one of you should whip his wife as a slave is whipped and then sleep with her at the end of the day" Men are guardians of women because God has favored some more than others and because men spend out of their wealth. Righteous women are to be devoted and to guard what God has guarded even though out of sight (of the husband). As for those (women) on whose part you fear ill-will and nasty conduct, admonish them (first), (next) separate them in beds, (next) beat them. But if they obey you, then seek nothing against them.

Womens Rights Concerning Polygamy:

In Pre-Islamic days, men were marrying several women, creating for themselves huge harems. Some wealthy men had hundreds of wives. It was determined that if a man cannot care for his wives, or cannot afford them, which leads to woman’s misery, then he had to limit the number of women he owned. Because of the increased number of despondent and disobedient wives, and the misery many women suffered, the Prophet Mohammed, in his revelation, changed the behaviors of his countrymen.

The Prophet Mohammad declared that Allah revealed to him, men cannot give fair treatment to all of his wives, even if he tries very hard to do so. A man does, however, have the right to get rid of one of his wives if she is undesirable, and therefore cannot be equitable in his treatment toward all of his wives. “Undesirable” leaves a broad interpretation—it can be anything from ugliness to highhandedness.

Because of the broadness of the Koranic verse, leading to various interpretations, debate over polygamy ensued, and in some circles, continues today. The number of wives a man may have in Islam is one, two, three or four. The number is not so much to appease unhappy women, to instate womens rights nor due to a sense of justice, but rather to satisfy the man’s physical desire, which often tends to result in women’s misery.

In order to keep harmony in a home, and as long as a man is sexually satisfied Islam embraces monogamous marriage.

Womens Rights Concerning Single Parenting:

If a man deems it best for the orphans, he may marry their mothers - he may marry two, three, or four. If he fears he will be unfair to one or more of his wives, then he shall be content with only one wife, or with what he already has. Additionally, he is more likely to avoid financial hardship if he only has one wife.

A woman who is widowed may be remarried, but her children are considered orphans. The Koran states that if a man—(he could be brother to her husband, or step brother or cousin)—if he feels it is in the best interest of the children, then he may marry her, as long as he treats his wives with fairness. If he cannot afford to keep additional wives and their children, the widow is at the mercy of her community. If she has livestock, she may have a chance at a decent life for herself and family, but if not, and if she cannot return to her father’s home, she and her orphaned children may end up as beggars on the street.

A child who has lost both parents, may most likely be cared for by one of his uncles, until he is old enough to care for himself. There are strict rules in guarding property of the orphan; it may not be confiscated, nor absorbed into the wealth of the man adopting the child. For example, if a family owned goats or sheep, and the adults died, the sheep and goats belong to the orphaned child. His new caretaker is to look after the herd until the child is of age. If the child is very young, it is possible the livestock may die before the child is of age, then by Allah’s own hand, the child is then left without an inheritance. If however, the uncle is benevolent, he may give the child a goats or sheep to develop his own wealth, but this is not always the case. Sometimes children coming from these sad circumstances struggle for survival, and if fortunate enough, may be able to go to Matawa School and become graduates.

For females, a girl may be left with nothing, or a very tiny dowry. She would most likely be married off as soon as possible to relieve the burden of caring for her, or end up as a servant. If she is Saudi, it is unlikely she would be a slave simply because of her heritage.

A Woman’s Rights Concerning Incest:

Incest in Islam is forbidden under these conditions:

A man may not marry his mother, his daughter, his aunts on his father’s side, the sisters of his birth mother, the daughters of his brother, the daughter of his sister, nursing mothers, girls who nursed from the same woman as him, the mothers of his wives, or the daughters of his wives with which he has consummated the marriage. If the marriage has not been consummated, he may marry the daughters. He must not marry the wives of his genetic sons while they are married to his own biological sons. He should not be married to two sisters at the same time. A man may, however, marry his first cousin, as described in the novel, Surreal in Saudi

If a man happens to marry his sister, niece, daughter of his brothers, or daughter of one of his wives, a man is commanded not to break up any existing marriage, but to ask Allah for forgiveness, and treat all of his wives with fairness.

Other practices regarding womens rights in Saudi Arabia:

-- Slave girls are sexual property of their male owners.

--A male gets a double share of the inheritance over that of a female. Womens rights defining inheritance are clearly spelled out: she gets half of what a man recieves.

--Husbands and wives are not equal: a man is a degree above a woman, and womens rights within his household are dictated by him.

-- A husband is permitted to have sex with his wife in any way, at any time under any condition he chooses. Womens rights in sexual engagement and her desires are ignored. Her refusal to have sex with her hsuband is punishable.

--A woman’s testimony counts half of a man’s testimony, but if that testimony be due to an accusation of prostitution, womans rights to bear witness are oppressed.

There are many other elements of Islam that oppress women and womens rights There isn’t one aspect of the human condition that isn’t discussed, had rules and/or interpretations of the Islamic way of life, from birth through death. The way of Islam is rigid, and, as in all faiths, not democratic. No one gets a vote on what was decreed by Allah. It just is, and devout practitioners of Islam are proud to embrace their religion and heritage, and fully practice and propagate the Laws of Allah.

It is true however, that in the interpretation of the Hadith, which is a narration about the life of the Prophet and things approved by him, and the Sunnah, which is a record of the way the prophet Mohammed lived his life, there are differences of interpretation and application of the Law, amongst the various sects of Islam. Some schools of Islamic religious studies, especially concerning womens rights, are stricter than others, and the Wahhabi followers inside Saudi, are rigid in their interpretation of the Sunnah, , and Hadith, and its relation to the Koran.

Yes, the Womens rights inside Saudi is unyielding and harsh in practice, yet there are some women who know no other way of life. In their devoutness and humility, they embrace their lot in life, and wholly support, defend and uphold what they believe, Allah has decreed.