The issues about gender equality should be conformed to the religious philosophies in which God-sent characteristics are being observed and not to distort it by the standards of humanity and mankind.
In this present day, many women fight for gender equality and rights. They portray themselves as “men”, showing that they are capable of carrying the same load and responsibilities; in a nutshell, women these days are trying to be further “better” multi-taskers. But will they succeed? This issue shall be further elaborated in this paper.
Man and woman are not equal; they have never been equal and never will be. On the contrary, the difference of sex is so deep-going that two men of different civilized races are much more nearly similar in their nature than are men and women belonging to the same race. In reality, women differ profoundly from men. Every one of the cells in her body bears the mark of her gender. Yes, God created Eve from Adam’s rib. Adam was God’s very first human creation and Eve was only created much later to serve a different purpose; the purpose that differs very much from Adam’s. Therefore, females are called the fairer sex. If women understood her nature better she is most likely to appreciate her God send characteristics and see it as a blessing rather then a curse or disadvantage. “The words translated ‘man’ and ‘woman’ in Genesis 2:21-22 are based on a play on words in Hebrew. ‘Man’ in Hebrew is ish, while ‘woman’ is ishshah. The name indicates that woman has the same nature as man(ish), but also different in some way (shah). The woman is a perfect companion of the opposite gender for man.” (Rhodes 2003) “It is highly revealing that man was formed from the very soil that God entrusted him to cultivate (Genesis 2:15; 3:17). Woman, on the other hand, was created from a rib taken from man’s side, and she was called his helper. It would thus seem that their different modes of creation are closely related to their respective tasks in life.” (Rhodes 2003, p. 9-10)
In the past history, being the female gender was a tough job. Females were not allowed to be educated and female children were buried alive. In the Middle East, daughters were looked upon as disfavour and as a kind of economic and social burden; “The woman is “in all things inferior to the man,” said first-century Jewish historian flavius Josephus (Against Apion, 622). A common Jewish blessing was: “Blessed be the Lord, who did not make me a heathen; blessed be he who did not make me a woman; blessed be he who did not make me an uneducated person.” (Rhodes 2003, p.349) “In view of this low status of women, it is not surprising that they enjoyed few legal rights in the Jewish society. Women were not even allowed to give evidence in a court of law. Moreover, according to the rabbinic school that followed the Rabbi Hillel, a man could legally divorce his wife if she just burned his dinner.” (Rhodes 2003, p.349-350) This situation was not only occurring in Asia, but widespread across the world too. In another source, it is stated that “Womanhood” went through three stages; “the communism stage where woman has completes equality to men. The ideology of Fascism; where woman must find greatest happiness and contribute most to the state by limiting her ambitions to domestic and still more narrowly to child-bearing, in order that the population rate may be high enough to keep the nation secure against crowded societies on its borders, and strong enough within for aggressive action when desired against neighbours or more distant communities. The third is the ideology of democracy; woman must have the right to choose her way of life even to the point of self centered interests” (Siddiqi 1998, p. 1-2)
The Female gender made a long and tireless journey to prove themselves and bring up their standards of living to this present time. Religion played a very huge role in aiding the female population to better standards of respect and living. And therefore I shall support my say with the aid of religious text. The Prophet Muhammad said, “Girls are models of affection and sympathy and a blessing to the family. If a person has one daughter, God will screen him from the fire of hell owing to his daughter; if he has two daughters, God will admit him to paradise; if he has three, God will exempt him from the obligations of charity and jehad” The Holy Quran stated: “Men shall have the benefit of what they achieve and acquire and women shall have the benefit of what they similarly achieve and acquire (iv. 32)” “Certainly, from biblical standpoint, God equally values both men and women. God created men and women in His own image (Genesis 1:26). Both men and women were instructed by God to exercise authority over God’s creation (Genesis 1:28). Christian men and women positionally equal before God (Galatians 3:28) Jesus allowed women to sit at His feet, the place normally reserved by rabbis for male disciples alone (Luke 10:38-42)” (Rhodes 2003, p.350)
Despite the great stress it has laid on the essential and fundamental equality of men and women and their equal rights in all matters of vital concern, the Holy Quran does not believe in that conception of sex equality which ignores the natural differences, special aptitudes and specific powers and faculties of men and women with the resulting fitness of men for some kinds of work and the equal fitness of women for other types of activity. On the whole, the Holy Quran regards men and women as complementary to each other, one sex making up what the other lacks. This is evident from the following verse of the Holy Quran which underlines the purposive nature of sex difference: “And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves, so that you may find quiet of mind in them (tranquility) and He put between you love and compassion” (Quran 30:21) And the Bible states; “Proverbs 5:18 - Rejoice with the wife of thy youth, Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times, and be thou ravished with her love.”
Why is it that the present women are declining religion in their attempt for equality? Many women are turning to sinful acts in the attempt to “prove” themselves further. There are a large number of equality enthusiasts who are either unwilling to recognize such radical difference between the two sexes or, accepting them grudgingly, insist on their removal and obliteration by conscious efforts. Blind enthusiasm are advocating all sorts of ridiculous reforms and denying the beneficial effects of sex differences as well as the complementary position of man and woman in the respect of each other. “The Bible states that “neither fornicators…nor homosexuals… will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9 NASB). The Scriptures repeatedly and consistently condemn homosexual practices (see Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26-27). The Bible condemns all types of fornication- which would therefore include homosexuality (Matthew 15:19. Mark 7:21; Galatians 5:19-1; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). Again, God intends sex only for the (male-female) marriage relationships (Hebrews 13:4).” (Rhodes 2003, p.303) “Heb 13:4 - Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
The media portrays women’s power through movies and television programmes. There will always be some parts in a movie or television programme where you see a woman seducing a man in aid of getting what she wants; and the woman usually succeeds. Some movies that reflect the amount of power or destruction a woman may have would be; Eve of Destruction and Troy.
Women of today are better educated, but unfortunately, there is a downside to these educated women; neither all are wise nor logical. There is the temptation in educated women to not marry; Singapore is a good example. One of the reasons why Singapore has a worrying declining birth rate is because Singaporean women are getting better educated. With education; comes power, and these women are learning that they can survive on their own. Hence, they would not marry or choose to marry much later in life.
During the period of their prime, some of our educated women chose promiscuity in the event of satisfying their sexual desires. Unfortunately, they might not understand “men are inclined to look on such women as convenient means of satisfying sexual needs, simply as substitutes for prostitution and feel for them no high regard” (Siddiqi 1998, p. 37). Worst, religion frowns upon promiscuity; “Galations 5:19 - Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness... 1 Cor. 6:9 - Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, ...shall inherit the kingdom of God.” And the Holy Quran; “Do not go near zina`, for that is surely an abomination and evil conduct.” (17:32).
But not all educated women turn to the downside; some embrace education and become honorable women of today; Dr Fatimah Lateef; MP for Marine Parade GRC and a doctor from Singapore General Hospital is a good example.
Dr Fatimah came from a Malay Muslim background. Although there are still signs of discrimination against females in the Malay Muslim community, not many Malay Muslim fathers (parents) believe in investing for their daughter’s education; M-M parents usually believe that the basic education (primary, secondary and ITE or Polytechnic) is sufficient for their daughters. They have a mindset that their daughters will be married and therefore does not need higher education to sustain her; her husband will be sustaining her and the family (a pity on those unfortunate husbands). Therefore, as a result, many M-M daughters give up easily on education, they do not have that burning spirit to learn as they are also engraved with the “illogical” mindset that marriage will come to their rescue and everything in life would be a fairytale. Unfortunately, not all of these daughters end up having a fairytale life that they have dreamt.
Now back to Dr Fatimah, she said and I quote "Education is a great leveller for all of us. In fact, for me, I am from a humble background - the meritocratic system enabled me to come forward and given me the opportunity to be where I am today, so I am going to push for post-secondary education in the community," said Dr Fatimah Lateef, MP, Marine Parade GRC. Truly educated, well brought up and sound women would not forsake God or their religion in the event of creating a better place for females. Religion has never frowned upon women and further more views men and women as equals but with different purposes in life.
In conclusion, it is unjustifiable that any women can make if she chose to march against religion in the aim for “equality” for her women kind; women in the past found religion as a blessing to their survival. From what we have read, it is obvious that through religion came civilization; better status and treatment for women. Greed only leads to demolition of success. If a woman still believes in this illogical movement of equality, than tell her that in God’s eyes, we (men and women) are equal. If she is still persistent, than tell her to divert her attention to understanding her nature through believing in God. If she refuses, pray for her; pray that she does not sin in her acts and that she would eventually find her way to truth. Women were created with such beauty; if any woman followed the purity of religion she would notice that her life is almost leisure; she is not required to do domestic chores and education is mandatory for her (but of course it is rather impossible due to current society). Religion is present to protect and sustain(uphold) the status and rights of women, therefore it is practical that the issues about gender equality should be conformed to the religious philosophies in which God-sent characteristics are being observed and not distort it by the standards of humanity and mankind.