Islamic Faith and Culture

Islam

In recent modern times, the Islamic faith and culture has been scarred by bad publicity and criticism worldwide concerning terrorism, fanaticism, and the treatment of women. All these issues have existed in most religions throughout time, but the treatment of women is different in which most other cultures and religions have minimized the issues and Islam, under its attempts to also end it, has failed to create a society in which the treatment of women is equal to that of men. The treatment of women, beginning from the time when they are born, to the time of their marriage, to the moment of their death, has not been equal to that of men despite the actions taken to end the injustice.

The Islamic faith rose during the life of Muhammad the Prophet (570 - 632 C.E.) who was born in Mecca, an area that was mostly Jewish, Christian, and Zoroastrian. At the age of 40, during a religious retreat at Mount Hira, he had a revelation in which the angel Gabriel spoke to him. This led to many more revelations throughout his life which led to the Qur'an being written. Muhammad spread his belief of a monotheistic religion after his first revelation. At the age of 63 he died, with Islam spread through out most of Arabia, and within the century reaching as far away as Spain and China.

Muhammad denounced the mistreatment and inequality of women. He also treated women and men as two different but complementary types of humans as the Qur'an says. Muhammad, while in Medina, once said:

"Among my followers the best of men are those who are best to their wives, and the best of women are those who are best to their husbands."

This quote clearly illustrates what Muhammad taught about equality in both marriage and everyday life...

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...common as before.

I believe what I have stated and argued above. Although I see the treatment of women a fault at which Islamic culture, not Islamic religion, has failed to resolve, I do not ignore the fact that other cultures, even my own, also have shameful faults which also have not been corrected. Islamic religion has indirectly influenced how women are treated in Islamic society, but it has also taken steps to guarantee a better life for both sides. For example, I see polygamy as good because instead of having men just sleep around without commitment as they do in other cultures, they can marry multiple women and be responsible for their financial and emotional support for their families. I also liked the fact that Muhammad, influenced by Jewish scholars, limited men to a suggested four wives so that a man can more easily be responsible for all wives equally.