Pakistan is though an Islamic country but many unIslamic customs and practices are existing in the country without being seriously noticed; and women are the worst affected by them. Although Pakistani woman has made progress in the academic and professional fields especially in the past two decades, Pakistan is still a male dominated, traditional and religious society where females’ rights are particularly ignored not only in tribal and rural areas but also in cities. They have not only been sexually assault and harassed, raped and humiliated on the streets for decades but their common basic rights are also violated either in the name of religion or family honor. These brutal and unfair actions are taken for unjustified reasons including misinterpretation of religion, general and sexual frustration, jealousy, and some other reasons.

Viewing woman’s position in the society from the point of religion, females are as equal as to males in Allah’s eyes; as these Quraanic Verses confirm it: “…."Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female (3:195); “……, the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) …….Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (33:35).” In Islam, women indeed carry substantial right, however, most of them are denied to them and hundreds of women in Pakistan have been victims of barbaric actions and they shot dead, burned, strangled, stoned, poisoned, beheaded or stabbed for various non-sense reasons. The top most reason of women homicide is family honor. Some of the males consider it legitimate to kill a wife, sister and daughter if they deem that a female family member has stained the family's honor by seeking divorce and marrying without family's approval without taking into account this Quraanic verse, “It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision……..(33:36).”

In Pakistan, most of People have yet to accept marriage of likeness or love. Though it is obligatory for parents and guardians in Islam to take female consent before marriage, large majority of women in Pakistan are denied from their basic right to marry with a man of their choice. Some of so-called religious people have even tried to introduce a new clause in Islam by getting the court order that the father consent is essential for marriage; it is appreciable that the court had rejected the plea. In Islam, it is not just a customary practice, as it is being considered in Pakistan, to ask female three times whether or not she accepts the man as her husband with whom she is getting married; and it might strengthen the argument that marriage of likeness is not prohibited in Islam. Neither parents nor any guardian can force a female to marry a man whom she does not want to and they might commit a sin if they do so. The Quranic verse 4:19 below (in next paragraph) indicate that forced marriage is highly disliked by Allah. Islam has designed a very simple process of marriage that adult male and female become legal husband and wife when they accept each other in front of 4 male witnesses (2 from each side), with or without presence or consent of parents. In addition, there is simply no concept in Islamic ideology where female marriage is arranged with the Quran as it happened in some cases in the interior of the province Sindh; it is a sheer violation of her social and religious right.

Similarly, till today, it is not accepted whole-heartedly that woman has a right to demand divorce if she does not want to live with her husband. Against the teaching of Islam, hundreds of women are killed because they demanded divorce form their cruel or sexually impotent husbands. When males kill women following the terrible tradition they hardly realize that they follow the orthodox and obsolete Hindu tradition of Setti in which females were burnt alive along with the dead body of their husbands. A female can demand divorce on almost any reason, and it is an obligation of the husband to give her divorce in such a case. In Islam, it is not allowed that the husband keeps marriage intact without the consent of his wife as indicated in these Quraanic verses, “O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will…….” (4:19); “If a wife fears cruelty or desertion on her husband’s part, there is no blame on them if they arrange an amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement is best; even though men’s souls are swayed by greed……………” 4:128.

Woman honor and dignity is highly respected in Islam. According to Islamic teaching, if anyone accuses a woman for sexual act out of wedlock and defames her on this reason without any authentic witness, he/she should be punished, as mentioned in these Quranic verses: “And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty stripes, and reject their testimony forever,….. (24:04); and,  “Verily, those who accuse chaste women, ………., are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter, and for them will be a great torment (24:23)”. In Allah’s eyes, those people are liars who are unable to produce authentic witness as shown in this Quraanic verse, “…..Since they have not produced witnesses! Then with Allah they are the liars (24:13). There is also no punishment for woman even though false accusations are made by the husband. If the husband accuses chastity of his wife without any solid proof, the wife just needs to reject accusation swearing upon Allah five times, “And the fifth (testimony) should be that the Wrath of Allah be upon her if he (her husband) speaks the truth (24:09)” and the matter would be considered closed.

The Qur’an stresses when a woman is accused of illicit sexual behavior, four Momin Mulsims (a Muslim of pious behavior and good reputation) must have actually witnessed that the act of sexual intercourse is in progress. Even if it is proven, which is impossible because of finding four Momin witness as per condition, it is the law or the appointed judge who should pass the verdict and not the individuals. It is unfortunate that many women were victimized merely on accusation of word of mouth that somebody has seen her engaging in inappropriate behavior. For some, an inappropriate behavior could be even if a female is simply talking or sitting next to a man other than brother, husband, father and other similar relationship. This kind of intimacy does not fall under the concept of illicit sexual conduct (Zina) and should not carry serious consequences such as murder. Being a traditional society, people of Pakistan might understand rights of female and honor when they themselves read the Qurann in their own mother tongue instead of just reciting in Arabic. It is also appropriate for those groups who do not let any opportunity to speak against the West must spend their energies to enhance honor and respect of females in Pakistan.

10 September 2003

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