COLUMN: "Women in Saudi Arabia Can't Drive"

From Reshma Yaqub's "Text, Translation and Commentary," Spring '92. According to the Qur'an (the holy book of revelations from God that Muslims adhere to), and the Hadih (the sayings and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad -- peace be upon him) women are not objects, nor are they inferior to men. According to Islam, women are to be respected and treated with great dignity, and they are accorded abundant rights, in many ways more so than men. So why the recent news that women aren't permitted to drive in Saudi Arabia? · The family is the essential building block of Islamic civilization, and within the family, the woman is central. She is, for all practical purposes, the head of the household, and she controls domestic matters. This is not to say that a woman is bound to the home. Every Muslim is encouraged to pursue an education, and women are entitled to work outside the home if they so choose (the Prophet Muhammad's wife Khadija was an aspiring businesswoman). But here's the kicker -- men have to work and earn a living to provide for their families, whether they want to or not. Under Islam, women must always be well provided for by their closest male relative. Women are not obligated to share any wealth they acquire -- income, inheritance, property, etc. -- with anyone! Women are totally free to do with it as they please. In contrast to their many rights, women have few obligations, financial or otherwise. The only duties of women are to maintain peace in the home and to guide the spiritual growth of the children. In Islam, raising kids is considered the most valuable and important job a person can do, because the way each generation of Muslims develops determines the direction in which the Muslim community as a whole will grow. The ability to give birth is an honor that God has bestowed upon women alone. Having a child is the greatest jihad -- struggle to please God -- that a woman can perform. A woman who dies in childbirth goes directly to heaven. In Islam, both parents are accorded the utmost respect, but the mother has a special status. According to the Qur'an, "Heaven lies under the feet of your mother." · A person came to the Prophet with a weighty decision pending. He had received all sorts of advice from family and friends, and he asked the Prophet whose wise words he should follow. The Prophet replied, "Listen to your mother." The follower asked, "Who should I listen to after that?" The Prophet again answered, "Listen to your mother." A third time the man asked, and a third time the response was the same. The fourth time, the Prophet replied, "Your father." · The stereotype of polygamy is a concept shrouded with mystery for many outsiders. It is true that the Qur'an allows polygamy, but only under rare and extreme circumstances. The Qur'anic revelation which allowed polygamy came after a time of great stress in the Muslim community, when much of the male population had been wiped out by tragedy. Countless women were left widowed, and children orphaned. In his infinite mercy, God wanted these mourning and destitute families to be provided for. For the benefit of the women involved, God allowed men to marry up to four women and obligated the men to provide for the women economically and socially. Islam is a practical relgion. But this does not mean that any man can marry as many women as he pleases for his own personal pleasure. First of all, it is only in times of great crisis that this provision is activated; it can't just be that he's bored with his wife, or he's having a mid-life crisis. Only men who are able to treat each wife equally are allowed to do this. There are so few such men that this procedure selects itself out in most cases. Finally, the express consent of each woman is required. (No person may ever be forced into a marriage.) People still sometimes practice polygamy, but all these provisions mean that there are very few times when people can lawfully practice polygamy. · A good relationship between husband and wife is crucial to the health of a family. The Qur'an likens your spouse to a garment that you wear, meaning that there can be nothing closer to you, or more essential to your social existence. Women are not bound to obey their husband's every word, or to serve them day and night. Men are not allowed to beat their wives, nor to even speak harshly to them. Marriage is a partnership. Mutual respect, love, honesty and commitment to each other and to God are what make a good marriage. · So if women are such special, important people in Islam, why can't women drive in Saudi Arabia? Because a small group of self-appointed, narrow-minded men, sitting around in a small, closed circle, trying to legitimate the perpetution of their irrational, self-serving traditions, said so. So yes, because of a law, women in Saudi Arabia can't drive cars. But not because Islam forbids it. It's ludicrous to imagine that the Prophet ever said that women couldn't drive camels! It's not like 1,400 years ago he predicted that there would be cars, and that women shouldn't drive them! Preventing women from driving is a characteristic ploy to keep them in the home, dependent on men. This is clearly contrary to the spirit of Islam. It is a sad fact that, although the positive role of women is clearly outlined in scripture, certain people distort the teachings of Islam to oppress women. They force them to cover their faces, they coerce them into marriage, they practice unlawful polygamy. But, the essential point that we must remember is that this travesty is man made -- it is not Islam. Religion is not the problem. Religion is the solution. Reshma Yaqub is a senior Political Science major from Potomac, Maryland. Text, Translation and Commentary appears alternate Wednesdays.