No fewer than 1374 believing women, 336 children and 100 guests participated in the just concluded 22nd national convention of the Al-Mu’minaat Organisation themed ‘Global connectivity: The role of women’.
During the programme which held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state recently, the National Amirah of Al-Mu’minaat Organisation, Hajia Nimatullah Abdullateef, warned Muslim women against western ideologies.
She said Islam elevates the position of women, dignifies and honours her more than any other known religion.
She added that Muslim women enjoyed a number of rights that were not hitherto enjoyed by Western women.
Hajia Abdullateef explained that the oppressive practices were not from Islam but part of local customs and traditions of various societies.
She said, “In the world today, western ideology has made people erroneously believe that Muslim women are being oppressed by their religion, forced to cover themselves completely, denied education and other basic rights.
“Though, it is true that Muslim women, like women all over the world, have struggled against restrictive practices in education, work force participation, and family roles, however, many of these oppressive practices, do not come from Islam; rather, they are part of local customs and traditions of’ various societies.
“The truth is that Islam has come to elevate the position of women to that of dignity and nobility. Women were seen as objects of fun, pleasure and amusement during the jahiliyyah period, but when Islam came, it liberated the women from oppression and injustice, by teaching respect and honor of women.
“Islam gives women a number of rights, some of which were not even enjoyed by Western women until the 19th century. For example, until 1882, the property of women in England was given to their husbands when they married, but Muslim women always retained their own assets. Muslim women could specify conditions in their marriage contracts, such as the right to divorce.
“Also, Muslim women are allowed in Islam to keep their own last name after marriage. Furthermore, the Quran; forbids female infanticide; instructs Muslims to educate daughters as well as sons; insists that women have the right to refuse a prospective husband; gives women rights if they are divorced by their husband; gives women the right to inherit property. In fact, the Quran explicitly states that as regards worshiping Allah, the believing men and the the believing women are equal in the eyes of God.
“And these show the high level of dignity, respect and honor Islam accords to a Muslim woman and rebut the false claims of the West. At infant, if she is well brought up to become a good Muslim woman, could be the reason her parents would be admitted into paradise. At her youthful age, she completes half the religion of her husband when he marries her; and at her old age, she could also be her children are admitted into paradise.”
