By imposing Pardha upon woman, Islam confines her in the darkness of inferiority. It is the court of commonsense that has to justify the falsity of this allegation.
One’s dress clearly shows his/her level of morality and culture, it is proved by the recent experiences that sexy dresses cause assaults against women. Expressionism, a psychological disease, has turned them shameless. They are competing each other to expose their body as much as possible in order to exhibit the ups and downs of body. They wear such tight and ‘miserly’ dresses. Men and women are the opposite poles of a magnet. Circumstances press the man to act. In short, the immoral dress fashion has a major role in creating such an atmosphere in which news of sex rackets and rapes are little significant.
Islam advises woman to adhere to such a dress code that does not create unhealthy sexual appeal in men. No doubt, a dress style showing the fairness of stomach, and feet and projecting the breasts will arrest the eyes of onlookers. Prostitutes are using this style of dressing in order to advertise their goods. In our surroundings men are waiting with amorous eyes. Nobody does like his mother, sister, or wife being noted by such scoundrels. Now, photos of beautiful girls are taken using the new cell sets, which in turn, exchanged to sex market of blue film makers. Does anybody like his wife, sister or mother being enjoyed by any such lustful audience? If not, Islam says to them to keep their body from the eyes of such lascivious eagles.
The policy of Islam is to shut the doors against evils. As far as the sex is concerned, it is tantamount to an epidemic. A mere look induces another look and that another one. Gradually it develops in to an unhealthy stage. Proofs from encyclopedia or verses from bible are not needed to prove all these. Pardha not only secures safety but adds beauty to them. So some scholars insist on covering face also. The notion that Pardha curtails the right of woman and prevent them form doing noble works is baseless. In the history of Islam as well as the experiences in Muslim countries show that woman can do magnificent services even while living obediently under the protection of Purdha.
Divorce
The divorce procedure followed by Islam was also subjected to bitter critics. They accuse that, Islam lets man to throw out wives by chanting ‘twalaq’ three times.
As in the case of polygamy, let us firstly set aside the prevailing malpractices of some Muslim name holders. Indeed, the misunderstandings about the divorces are the offspring of their misuses. But it does not adversely affect the comprehensiveness of the system, just as the malpractices of Stalin does not theoretically represent the scientific socialism and the violation of minority privileges in India does not prove democracy to be communal.
Divorce is legal not only with Muslim, but Jewism, Hinduism, and communism suggested it as practical measure. Hindu Vedas advise to divorce for the inconveniences of life to which a wife is not responsible such as delivering male children alone, impotency, etc.., while Marxism lets it, as soon as one feels that he can love no more. Christianity does not legalize it, so that Christians bitterly suffer the unhealthy repercussions. The majority of families in Christian countries are on the verge of an explosion, so that the church is brooding over the amendment of laws?
Quite similar to the case polygamy, Islam was not launching a new custom, nor unconditionally encouraging the action of divorce. But in the pre-Islamic Arabia, the practice of the Arabs was to marry and divorce and marry and divorce without any limits.
The women in that era were much troubled by these practices. Islam minimized it in to three. In a married life the likelihood of having problems is many and varied. One can opine about the nature and psychology of his father and mother, since one has a long exposure. Contrary to it, one is totally ignorant of a lady whom one is going to marry. Exterior opinions may not be apt and sharp, at least, in rare cases. As fare as our tools and instruments are concerned, we can return to the shop from which they are bought in case it lacks the offered quality. But marriage being a strong bondage between two minds and two bodies it is hard and harsh to cut in to two all on a sudden.
Still, the problems are problems! If there is no mental co-operation between the couples, there is no sweetness for the life. A wife may be fed up with the bad habit of an immoral husband. Likewise, if a wife is proved to have a bad habit such as telling lies, pilfering things, or extra-marital relations it will cause pain in the heart of husband. Sometimes it is enough to evaporate his love. Love cannot be produced through military exercises. But it is a spontaneous overflow. We don’t know where from it takes its origin, and where it flows to.
Islam does not say to divorce wife the moment of discovering these kinds of fault. But it has certain steps and procedures, which are helpful to mend the breaches again. The Holy Qur’an says: ‘As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill conduct, admonish them(first), (next) refuse to share their beds, (and last) beat them(lightly); But if they return to obedience, seek not against them means of (annoyance): for Allah is most high, great(above you all)’ (holy Qur’an 4: 34).
The Holy Qur’an puts forward four steps to the reconciliation of the couples of which the first three are referred in the verse above. In most cases simple admonitions would be enough. If not, seclusion in the bed would not be endurable to majority of ladies, for they are lighthearted. Finally, beating about which all scholars are unanimous that no sort of cruelty or un-gentleness should be done, is permissible.
Still, Islam does not give chance to divorce. Read: if ye fear a break between them twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family and the other from hers; if they seek to set things aright, Allah will cause their reconciliation: for Allah has full knowledge, and is acquainted with all things’ (holy Qur’an 4: 35).
Muhammad Usuf Ali comments: ‘An excellent plan for setting family disputes without too much publicity or mud throwing or resort to the chicaneries of the law. The Latin countries recognize this plan in their legal system’ (Muhammad Usuf Ali, The Holy Qur’an, English translation of the Meanings and commentary, p. 220).
If this stage also fails, Islam does not compel him to suffer the roughness of an unhappy life, as Christianity does. During emergency, the rules may be deferent. This is also a kind of emergency. Telling three divorces at a time is prohibited. But of somebody does that offensive act, the couples will be parted. Legally it should be done in three stages. After the first one, she should be in the house of husband. This makes chances for the re-union. “The angriest thing towards Allah from the permissible procedures is divorce.” Prophet said. In this case also Islam suggests a scientific solution while others are dumbfounded.
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