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TSR Wiki > Study Help > Subjects and Revision > Revision Notes > History > The Position of Women in Islamic Society

Issues

• Marriage: man may have 4 wives but a woman only 1 husband.
• Divorce: easier for man to divorce then a woman.
• Dress Code: women must wear a dress which covers the whole of her body (except for face and hands) wearing of veil.
• Child Marriages: in many countries arranged marriages for v. young girls are common.
• Employment: in practice all employment is forbidden in some countries (under argument that work brings women into contact w/ men in an unacceptable way.)
• Education: there must be segregation à the reality is there are much fewer women in full time education.
• Restrictions on: (in some countries)
  • going out unsupervised
  • wearing cosmetics
  • driving cars
  • Visiting public baths etc.

Factors to be considered

• The extent to which the inferior status is built into the faith (i.e.: divorce laws)
• The extent to which women’s status varies from country to country according to interpretations of the Koran.
• Different sects of Islam
• The Koran was revolutionary in comparison to the way women were treated then (as goods)
• No separation of Church and State in Islam (elements of religious belief will be found in law)
• In western-Christian society changes in women’s right only took place recently.
• There still exists inequality in the west and forms of exploitation.
• Christian marriage ceremony includes promise of wife to ‘obey’ husband.

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