SCHOOL NAME

GRADE 11/.

READING
The status of women through history
1
When we talk about part
the status
of women in the East,
we should bear in mind that many of the current beliefs
Women
like come
slavesfrom
or property
before the
about
the were
rightstreated
of women
old pagan
advent
of
Islam.
Their
personal
consent
concerning
traditions by ignorant people who mix up traditions with
anythingInrelated
to their
well-being
was considered
religion.
some areas
around
the world,
in Asia and
adventconsentmarri
unimportant
and
unnecessary
to
such
anisextent
Africa in particular, the status of woman
really that
age
they were never even treated as a party to a marriage
depressing.
contract.
contractcontractdisc
Lets agree that the status of women in general is not
perfect,
however,
that inand
the then
Muslim
world
Women
were usedwe
forcan
onesee
purpose,
discarded.
ardedindependencei
for
instance,
woman, whether
single
or married,
is and
an
They
had no a
independence,
could
not own
property
nheritplightrejoicing
individual
in
her
own,
with
the
right
to
own
and
dispose
were not allowed to inherit. In times of war, women were
of
her property
earnings
without
any
guardianship
treated
as part and
of the
loot. Their
plight
was
unspeakable.
humiliationrampant
over her (whether that be her father, husband, or
anyone else). She has the right to buy and sell, give gifts
paganunventilatedp
and
charity, and
her money
she pleases.
Furthermore,
themay
birthspend
of a daughter
in aasfamily
was not
ermitteddungattires
She
can
stay
at
home
as
a
housewife
if
she
likes
an occasion for rejoicing, but was regarded with enjoying
the
money ofThe
herpractice
husbandof, killing
the breadwinner.
She cannot
humiliation.
female children
and
uppressedworshippy
be
forcedthem
to work.
to work,
neither
burying
aliveIfinshe
thedecides
sand was
rampant.
The her
pagan
husband
nortoeven
father
can take
a penny
from
Arabs used
buryher
their
daughters
with
the fear
thather
resub-species
salary
unless
desires
to do
A wife can
even ask
these girls
willshe
grow
up and
willthat.
get married
to some
her
her their
a salary
if she wants
menhusband
who willto
bepay
called
sons-in-law.
Aftertothe death
breastfeed
herthe
baby,
have his
never
heard
a mom
of the father,
sonsalthough
used to Ishare
wives
among
doing
that. Aas
marriage
dowry
is given
by property.
the groom to
themselves
they shared
their
father's
the
bride forthat
her before
own personal
shemarry
keepsas
her
Remember
Islam, ause,
manand
could
own
family
name
rather
herand
husbands.
many
women
as he
likes,than
not taking
just four
after the It is
disgraceful
sinful for
to neglect
old
death of theand
husband,
thechildren
widow was
kickedtheir
out of
the
parents
or even
transfer
theirhut,
house.
Islam
house and
was forced
to them
live infrom
a small
which
was
encourages
husband
treat
his wife
unventilatedthe
and
dark, fortoone
year.
Shewell,
was as
notthe
Prophet
Muhammad
said:
{The
among
you are
permitted
to leave the
hut,
nor best
was she
allowed
to take
those
who
are best
to their
wives.}
.Mothers
in Islam
are
bath or
change
clothes.
After
one year,
she was
allowed
highly
honored.
Islam
recommends
treating
them
in
the
to come out of the hut. People threw the camel dung
best
way.lap
The
prophet
said:
is under
the the
feet
into her
and
asked her
to(Paradise
rub her body
against
of
mothers.).
YellingThen
at parents
is great
The the
body
of an animal.
she was
forcedsin
to too.
go round
status
in Islam
is something
unique,.
villageof
inwoman
the same
dirty attire,
throwing
the camel dung
on her right and her left. This was the indication that she
In the
Westernher
nations,
her status
is not When
enviable
has
completed
Iddat (waiting
period).
Islam
either.
Very
often,
she
has
to
work
so
hard
to live,
and
came, these practices became forbidden and
considered
sometimes
she
may
be
doing
the
same
job
that
a
man
sinful.
does, such as working in coal mines, yet her wage is less
than
his.east,
To get
where
is nowadays,
thethe
western
Further
In to
India,
theshe
Indian
woman was
most
woman
struggled
hard
for
decades
and
centuries.
Yet in
suppressed creature. She was born to serve her men
spite
of
all
these
costly
sacrifices
and
painful
struggles,
folk, her father and brother before marriage, and
she
has not
acquired
what and
Islamhusband's
has established
byafter
a
husband
and
father-in-law
brothers
Divine
decree
for
the
Muslim
woman.
Unfortunately,
the marriage. She was forced to worship her husband.
many
Muslim
women
deprived
their
After the
death
of herare
husband
sheof
had
no rights
right to live
because
of
those
who
mix
up
between
old
traditions
and was forced to be burnt alive at the pyre of her and
the
real teachings
of Islam.
husband.
This inhuman
custom was called the Sati. If
SCHOOL NAME she had noGRADE
11/.
issue from
her husband, she was forced to lie
What
Islam
has established
is that This
which suits
with her
husband's
brothersfor
to woman
get pregnant.
READING
her
nature,
gives
her"Niyoga".
full security and protects her
practice
was
called
against disgraceful circumstances and uncertain
The Arabia
status
of
women
through of
history
channels
of life.and
Equality
guaranteed
between
both no
Outside
India,isconditions
women were
for more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_rights#Ancient_civilisations
sexes
but
not
sameness,
simply
because
they
are
not
better. In Egypt and Europe
Part 2 in the Dark Ages, women
the
same.
Theworse
statusthan
of the
woman
in were
Islam not
is aeven
big
were
treated
slaves.
They
puzzle to many westerners who see the Muslim woman
as an alien coming from Mars, just because she puts a

Vocabulary

Lets work out the

meanings of the
new words through
context
pagandepressinggua
rdianship

for more info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_rights#Ancient_civilisations