The condition of Muslim women in any part of the world is a controversial issue. It is very ill-fated that Women in Islam suffer as a result of religious beliefs and practices. For many years Islam and Muslim was kept away from politics but in the recent time it is in the limelight and many a times those who are affected and humiliated by such actions are women.
However, in reality what is actually happening to Muslim women are the consequences of Islamic cultures and practices that subjugate and disgrace women, these cultures include; women should become slaves to men, because for a man or a nation attain salvation women have to perform their responsibilities. In addition they should wear veils to protect them from men and general society.
This paper discusses the oppression of Muslim women in the United States.
In the US Muslim women have a tale to tell. They are seen as foreigners, voiceless and primarily aim at destroying America. Most of these women are immigrants and being immigrants they are actually blamed for all the social and economic problems in United States. Muslim women in America face discrimination which results from ignorance of cultural attitude about Islam practices leading to oppression and humiliation of women.
As a minority race in US Muslim women primarily face humiliation due to inadequate understanding of Islam and Muslim which create stereotypes, fear and mistrust of Islamic women. For instance the bombing in Oklahoma City, they were the first people to be suspected even without investigation by the police. After which they were harassed, physically battered, some of them were even detained and their lives jeopardized. In additions all Muslims schools were closed.
Another issue that emerges about Americans ignorance about Islamic culture and practices is the terrorism law proposed by former president Clinton which generally targets them as the suspects of any terrorist attacks.
They also face gender based prejudice, racial problems and isolation.For example; they cannot attain their educational or career goals as the media in the US portrays women in Islam as sexual objects. They get low salaries for the same tasks as men. Those in influential positions are very few and in addition they have the duty to take care of their homes and family with minimal support from men. Furthermore, those who put on Hijab (a cultural head cover for Muslim women) are shouted at particularly in public places, they loose they careers as most of the employees emphasizes on face to face interaction and also face sexually harrassment.In short, in America, Muslim women lives are endangered.
Muslim women in America also face discrimination form their own Muslim community. For instance, in the mosques and other Islamic centers they are barred from leadership roles and only given junior positions since they are considered inferior to men and the Qur’an does not authorize such to happen. They are not allowed to participate in educational or spiritual functions if at all they are to be allowed they have to teach fellow women and children.
American Muslim women are not only barred from leadership roles but also from mosques completely in the sense that facilities in the mosques are insufficient and they are told by men that it is their mosque. However, this is not an Islamic practice rather a tradition proposed by men as a result women prefer to leave Islam and Muslim.
The media is another platform that contributes to the humiliation of Muslim women. The media in the US also aims at reporting negative things on Islamic culture which portrays them as brutal and radical beings. This depicts how the US is ignorant about Islam and Muslim. It is very painful that the ignorance starts at an early age of school going children who find negative information on Islamic practices from textbooks. In severe case they are threatened to choose between Islamic or being Americans.
As the minorities in US Muslim women have to fight for their liberties or else human beings will continue to commit injustice against them. Ignorance, media, discrimination and gender based violence has contributed to the humiliation and subjugation of Muslim women and they will continue to be oppressed as long has there are no reforms in Islamic practices and non-Muslim perception about Islam and Muslim.
Muslim women in the US are trying to portray a positive image of their culture and practices. However, Muslims in America fear to address the problems encountered by their female counterparts simply because their enemies will attack them. On the other hand America is not very hard on Muslim women in fact it (US) is making a step a head to understand Islamic practice globally. They are also suspected because US was formed as a result of division of the church and the state.Threfore, affirmative actions to ensure equality regardless of race or gender. The oppression of Muslim women the US differ in scale.Threfore,there is need for Muslim women and the respective government need to come up with ways on how to deal with these subjugations
References
Rereading American, 7th Edition by Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen & Bonnie Lisle.