Question :

Man-woman relationship is a fertile soil for opportunists who wish to attack Islam. What do you think about this topic? How can we develop an Islamic Fiqh(Jurisprudence) that copes with the modern standards of human rights without affecting the constants of Sharia?

The Answer :

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of The Worlds, and may His peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Mohammad and upon all his family and companions.

Since men and women are the two halves of society, Islamic legislation has regulated the relationship between them through rules that are fair to both. Islamic jurisprudence as well as the judiciary system has secured the minimum duty that men must deliver to women. As for the maximum duty, it has been clarified by the Prophetic tradition where the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Take my advice with regard to women: Act kindly towards women", and the following verse: "And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And God is Exalted in Power, Wise."{Al-Baqarah/228}. Kind treatment is the reality of the typical Muslim family that abides by the directives of Sharia. As for the opportunists who aim to fish in troubled water, they are neither academic nor objective in their approach, and if they hold a comparison between the reality of the Muslim families, as it is today, and the non-Muslim families, they will realize the difference between Islamic and non-Islamic legislation. Moreover, the fact that there are cases where some men abuse their women and vice versa reflects individual behavior; therefore, they shouldn`t be manipulated as an excuse against Islamic Sharia. And Allah Knows Best.