In the name of God, the Beneficent the Merciful:
“Women have rights similar to their corresponding obligations in fairness, while men are a degree above them. God is Mighty, Wise” (2:128)! God Almighty is truthful.
INTRODUCTION:
INTRODUCTION:
This is the twelfth publication of our series of publications on the occasion of International Women’s Year. We present it to our respected readers as the curtain is about to be drawn on this great year, because we do not want this year to pass before the case of the oppressed populations in the world is brought to light with a decisive victory for the cause of women—or, say, the cause of human beings, wherever they may be―which is not difficult for God.
As we continue this important advocacy of solidly supporting women’s full rights, we, at the same time, admonish the masses of women for their apathy and indifference that has held them back from pursuing the cause of freedom and the cause of equality, which turned this great year into a year of slogans, celebrations, and futile actions. Yet, we do not undervalue the exerted efforts, nor disparage them. We only critique from the perspective of potential perfection, which finds these efforts to be very far from the desired level.
This publication is a speech by Ustadh Mahmoud Muhammad Taha addressed to an audience of women in the city of Wad Medani Sudan), at the home of Brother Sayed ElTayeb Shaib in June 1974. As we render it literally from the audiotape, we only seek comprehension and simplification, especially since the vast majority of our women are still toiling under the heavy weight of illiteracy. According, we had success speaking in the Sudanese Arabic dialect. Of course, as indicated in one of our books, we do not encourage it over the standard variety. Yet it has been our means to be accessible at this stage in the development of our people.
This publication deals with the rights of women in Islam. There is no way to achieve these rights other than the total development of Islamic legislation, especially the Personal Statute laws. Such development can only take place through deliberate practice and understanding of religion, fostering a comprehensive knowledge of all traditionally held understandings. From this standpoint, we call upon women to revolt against the Personal Statute laws that are currently in force in our courts. These outdated laws are immeasurably below the original standards of religion (Islam). Moreover, they are despicably unconstitutional. It is good enough at this point to say that modern constitutions are based on equality between men and women, while the Personal Statute laws are based on inequality between men and women (see the introduction to our eleventh publication). We are not only revolting against these laws, but also against these primitive courts, which enforce this shameful ignorance. These courts must be completely abolished.
It is incumbent upon the vanguards of educated women to understand this publication and the preceding ones, and then act sagaciously, so as to spread awareness among all women. Everything else is mere wandering, and a waste of effort.
We pray to God to let women triumph in this Year of Women. He is the Most Excellent to invoke, and the Most Gracious Hearer of our prayer.
