LETTER: Source Material

We are deeply dismayed by recent misinterpretations of Reshma Yaqub's article (DP 2/26/92) which have manifested themselves in an attempt to belittle Islam based on quotes from The Encyclopedia Britannica. Being part of an academic community that is actively involved in eliminating stereotyping and the spread of misinformation, we are appalled by attempts to belittle Islam without having undertaken sufficient research. After all, the primary authorities on Islamic legislation are the Qur'an, the holy book which Muslims believe was revealed by Allah (God), and the Sunnah or Hadiths, the tradition of the prophet Mumhammed, peace be upon him. To speak of an issue of this nature based solely on secondary sources is unscholarly at best. The Britannica asserts, "A man is unequivocally deemed superior . . . " To the contrary, The Qur'an (16:97) states, "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily, to him will We give a new life, a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions." The Britannica states that "fathers have the right to contract their daughters, whether minor or adult, in compulsory marriage . . . " Nothing can be further from the truth. According to Islamic law, a woman cannot be forced to marry anyone without her consent (Hadith, Ibn Hanbal in Al-Muslim). Moreover, it is incorrect to claim that Islamic law requires women to wear veils. Although Islam does prescribe a strict dress code for women, neither the Qur'an nor the Sunnah mandates Muslim women cover their faces. The presumption that a Muslim woman unveiled today will no longer feel liberated and change her view about Islam if she starts wearing a veil tomorrow demeans the faith of many sincere Muslim women. It is not our intention to do justice to the topic of the status of women in Islam in this brief discussion. Nor do we claim that the roles and rights of women and men in Islam are identical. Rather, we categorically state that the value of men and women is identical in the eyes of Allah. We sincerely urge readers to engage in true scholarship and systematically examine the original sources of Islam. Finally, we wish to point out that Islam is not about liberation -- for women or men. It is about submission -- submission to the will of Allah. PERVEZ AZIZ PhD candidate Electrical Engineering ADNAN CHOUDHURY PhD candidate Electrical Engineering

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