ISLAM respects and honours women. In describing the status of women in Islam, Yusuf al-Qardhawi wrote, “Islam respects women, recognizes their humanity and capability to uphold religion, responsibility, equality in punishment and opportunity to enter heaven.”
‘How affectionate is Allah Almighty to women.’ Those were the simplest words used to portray the special ‘treatment’ toward women in Islam. Virtually, no other teachings, ideologies, or religions treat women as well as Islam. In fact, if the entire world’s most intelligent, wealthy and powerful women were put together to seek more justice and rights for women, they surely will not achieve the nobility or receive the good treatment that Allah will bestow upon a woman in Islam.
In a Tradition of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) there are many instances where women have been honoured in Islam. For example:
1. “Heaven is the foot-stool of one´s mother"
How can women not be honoured by this saying? The question here is why did Allah’s Messenger choose the words ‘beneath the mother’s foot’ and not in her palms or by her side’? Surely this can only mean that a woman is esteemed in the eyes of Islam. If one understands this, one will honour, respect, care for and be of service, and even enslave oneself to their mother (so long as it does not infringe any Islamic laws). Is it not fortunate to be a mother in Islam? She will never be uncared for and marginalized. In fact she will always be taken care of, respected and honoured by her children.
2. “The best person amongst you is the best toward his family, and I am the best person amongst you toward my family.”
3. “Only women will be honoured by the honourable, and only women will be disgraced by the disgraceful.” (Recorded by Ibnu ´Asakir).
4. “Develop good relations with your wives. And should you dislike them (be patient), because maybe you dislike something in them, whereas Allah has bestow much goodness in her.”
5. “A believing man should not despise another person (his wife) who is a true believer, because even though a certain characteristic of hers which is disliked by a man (her husband), there however are bound to be other characteristics that will be liked,” (Recorded by Ahmad and Muslim)
Women are the heartbeat of life. To discuss about women means to discuss about life itself as a whole. As the saying goes, ‘women are the backbone of a nation’. When women are good, the country’s condition is well too. The Prime Minister has once said that if we disregard women’s contribution to the country’s development, this means the work force will be lessen significantly because close to 36 percent of the nation’s work force are made up of women. In fact statistic by Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development reveal that about 4.7 million women are outside of the work force and are unemployed. Majority of these women are homemakers and that makes up almost 3 million people.
Those who are outside the work force are actually contributing to the nation’s economy and the prosperity of society. Homemakers contribute to about 45 percent in the total of unpaid workforce. This contribution if valued in ringgit is estimated to be about RM 55 billion based on the Internal Productivity Estimation in 2006.
In addition if we observe the trend today between 60 to 70 percent of students in institutions of higher learning are female as compared to 30 or 35 percent of male.
In 1959, statistics show that 2 years after independence there were only 77 female graduates. That makes up 10.7 percent of the total student intake in University Malaya (UM). UM is used as a reference here because it was the only university in existence back then.
Today after 50 years of independence, inline with the increase of student intake in universities, although without the latest statistics, it is obvious that female students exceed male students. And if women make the majority that means the majority of graduates will be women. The ratio of female and male university graduates is 61:39. In other words it is 61 women, 39 men.
This is because women are more hard working, determined, possess a more responsible attitude and are more willing to strive to seize available opportunities. Women’s achievements must be seen as an encouragement to the male race in order for an evaluation of pass mistakes to take place. This can also assist in improving the weaknesses of male students and to bridge the gap between academic achievements between the genders.
Ever since the country established nation building programs, women were invited to be involved in the process. Women’s contribution is needed as a part of the work force. This can be analysed in 2 angles. The first is the government’s disclosure that women’s contribution is vital in nation building and development. Second, according to the nation building theory women are invited to join in the nation’s development as well as enjoy the fruits of this process.
The government’s confidence in women’s potential as contributors and receivers of wealth can be clearly seen through the programs and policies established in the last 2 decades.
- In 1985, the Malaysian Government finalised a National Policy for Women as a guide for women’s involvement in the nation’s development. That policy can help elevate women’s status by facing challenges thorough education and elimination of poverty.
- Women’s status has been a main objective of the 6th Malaysia Plan (1991 – 1995), where a special fund was made available for the advancement of women. This became a major step in women empowerment in Malaysia. The following Malaysia Plans too gave attention to women needs, keeping in mind to enhance their status in society.
- With agreement to the views that have been established by the Beijing Platform for the Action in United Nations 4th World Conference for Women (1995), The Government agreed to 1) raise the nation for the advancement of women;
2) increase women participation in decision making; 3) defend and protect women rights in health, education and social well-being and 4) to face challenges in regulations and practices that are gender discriminatory.
- In 1995, the Government has also introduced the UN Convention on the Eliminate All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW )
- In 2001, the Government formed the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development with the mandate to handle issues pertaining to women and to elevate women’s prestige in the country.
- The Malaysian Constitution was amended in August 2001 to forbid any form of discrimination based on gender in any law.
The Government still plays an important role in supporting and achieving equality among genders in the nation by way of creating a healthy environment for the advancement of women in the local and international arena. The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development who is responsible in highlighting women’s issue in Malaysia has been given an increase in funding allocation from RM 1.8 million (US$ 0.5 million) in 2001 to RM 30 million (US$ 8.6 million) in 2005. This proves that the country is extremely serious in its commitment to women’s issues.
One way of supporting women in the economy is through the facilities that have been made available by the government to encourage women’s participation. According to the SMIDEC (Small and Medium Industries Corporation), an agency formed specially to assist those interested in small and medium size enterprises, about RM 46.6 million have been passed in 2005 as schemes that help businesswomen in particular. Among agencies that helped launched this effort was ITAF (Industrial Technical Assistance Fund), SLSME (Soft Loan and Medium Enterprises), PAKSI (Financial Package for SMIs) and DKKP (Federal Government Special Funds).
The Islam Hadari concept endorsed by the government also stresses the importance of women through its seventh principle, which is to defend the rights of minorities and women. Consistent with this, the government, through the National Women’s Platform has listed various strategies to help planners execute women’s development in the effort:
1. To create awareness, expertise and understanding of issues and women needs.
2. To channel women issues thorough a central agency to other central institutions and government bureaucracy.
3. To plan the distribution of sources to various sectors;
4. To obtain cooperation with government sectors and cooperation between government sectors and non-governmental sectors in the process of centralising efforts to involve women in development.
The government has also drafted a platform where women are given 30 percent in the level of Decision Making, which has garnered the agreement of country members of the United Nation (UN) in the Fourth World Women’s Conference in Beijing, China in 1995. This initiative pressures all members to strive to have at least 30 percent of women holding decision-making posts. In 2005, the number of women holding High Position in the Government Sector is about 19.7 percent. Compared to ten years ago, there were close to no women holding positions in this category.
Besides that, the role and cooperation with non-governmental organization (NGO) to improve the status of women cannot be denied. The shared intelligence between the two parties has been well-established bearing satisfactory results. Among the programs which government and women NGOs cooperated in establishing are:
i. Literate laws that aim to provide women with information regarding laws that are crucial to women;
ii. Training and developing a variety of skills such as in the field of information technology, handicraft, small businesses and so on;
iii. Gender receptivity to create awareness of all gender issues across the society.
iv. Awareness program such as sexual abuse and violence against women;
v. Programs that aim to develop family kinship through the efforts of strengthening the family institution and to produce responsible parents.
The Islamic Religious Foundation of Malaysia (YADIM) is one of the NGOs that are sensitive toward women and who is cooperating closely with the government through the Council of Negotiation For Islamic Women Unit (MPWIM).
MPWIM was formed with the intention of generating influence in order for Islamic women to be ‘among the better people.’
MPWIM consists of a combination of Islamic women experts in various fields who follow the Koran, as-Sunnah, Ijmak and Qias. The mission of forming MPWIM is to benefit the intellect and soul in order for women to be ready to form a community that works as if life is eternity and to pray as if death is upon us tomorrow.
Among its objectives are:
i. To unite women intellectuals together as one mind following the Koran, as-Sunnah, Ijmak and Qias as well as being equipped with the latest techniques and knowledge.
ii. To generate productive ideas for dynamic and effective programs.
iii. To unite all women bodies by harmonizing cooperation between women organizations under the patronage of the YADIM.
iv. To create a firm methodology and thought process that will be the core of women’s challenges and direction.
MPWIM has succeeded in launching a few women’s programs through its methods and among them are:
a. The Organization of Islamic Women’s Conference – to create cooperative relationships between Islamic women organizations with the aim to establish a Islamic women’s network within the MPWIM that will enable mobility in the country.
b. Cordial Ties – to create a support group for school goers so that it can contribute to eradicate sin and to wisely handle social problems among youths especially students.
c. The OIC Women’s Council – to establish cooperation among women in the member countries of the OIC through discussion forums in order to determine the direction of Muslim women in the world.
d. Islamic Lectures – to analyse and critique objectives regarding women’s issues in order to be updated with the latest development and to understand developments and issues precisely and impartially.
e. Industrial Women – to approach women serving in the industrial force and to heighten their awareness that their work is sacred and increasing productivity is an important religious duty aside from increasing the identity of women serving in the industrial force as Muslim women with pride and self value.
f. YADIM Kindergartens – to create a kindergarten that is a model for establishing Islamic kindergartens that can be made a national franchise.
g. Seminar on The Islamic Perspective of Basic Human Rights – to inform society of the importance of basic human rights in Islam and how it is important to uphold this prestige for every Muslim as a human being with self dignity.
h. The Identity of Youths – a program aiming to curb social ills by early prevention through dentity and character building in teens, as well as to instil a sense of responsibility toward religion, race and country.
In addition to that, MPWIM also initiated the ‘Role Model Mother Award’ as a way of respecting all mothers; people who have fulfilled their duties greatly especially in fostering outstanding generations to come. This award was first introduced by YADIM in 1980 with the criteria below:
i. A mother who is godly and has sacrificed for the development of Islam and has characteristics of a devout mother to good Muslims;
ii. A mother who is superior in a happy family with Islam as a way of life;
iii. A mother who brings up her children that eventually contributes to society;
iv. A mother who is recognised for her capacity and ability to serve those around her.
Since its introduction in 1980, seven mothers have been inducted as ‘Role Model Mother Award’. They are:
iv. Ibu yang terkenal dengan kebolehan dan jasanya dalam masyarakat sekitarnya.
1. Hajah Enjah Mohd Arif (1980)
2. Hajah Wan Mas Ibrahi, (1983)
3. Hajah Wan Meriam Wan Ahmad (1985)
4. Hajah Zabedah Shahid (1988)
5. Hajah Ayot Razak (1991)
6. Hajah Maimon Abdullah (1994)
7. Hajah Kamariah Alang Mat Nasid (1999)
It’s undeniable that women NGOs has showed their capability and determination in developing and building the women race so that it stands stall and on par with men. The role that NGOs play with close cooperation with the government shows that it has the obligation to return women’s status back to the golden ages during the time of Rasulullah s.a.w. All platforms and program established are no different than to foster the uprising of women. Gender equality and the empowerment of women is a must in order for social, economy and political development.
Indeed women in Malaysia are protected, be it from the perspective of the law or other important aspects of a woman’s life. Islam has brought and given a pure status to women and the Malaysian government is always ensuring that this status is not threatened. |
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