Islam and Women's Rights Advocacy in Malaysia

By returning to the sources of Islam which are embodied in the Quran and hadith Muslim women can persuasively argue for womens rights in the context of their religion. They are working to dispel the entrenched belief that the religion of Islam acts as a barrier to womens fulfillment outside of mens arbitrary control and to acknowledge that it is a male-manipulated interpretation of Islam.” It is clear in Islamic texts that the religion bestows complementarity on women as human beings as partners to men and as mothers and daughters...[and] Islam demands respect for women and offers them opportunities to be learned educated and trained while at the same time providing an honored space for them to become mothers wives and homemakers.” In contrast to western capitalism which does not account for womens needs Islam recognizes the importance of womens life cycles and that have been given different roles and responsibilities at different times of their lives and at each and every stage they are honored and respected for that which they do (ibid.). (authors)