Adil Najam
This photograph was published in Daily Times, January 12, 2009. The caption read:
“Women are not allowed in the market,” reads a banner displayed at the entrance of a market in Mingora. Taliban have banned the entry of women in markets and ordered the killing of women who violate the ban. Most shop owners have sold or shut down their businesses because of falling sales following the restriction.
What would have made this tragic depiction comical had the context been different is that from the picture this is clearly a textile and cloth market - the type of market where, in Pakistan, you would expect most customers to be women!
@Gorki
I could reply to your second question quoting the exact significance of other religions in Islam, but that belongs to somebody else with the knowledge and the scholarship to do so.
Instead, may I refer you to my favourite story in the context, the story of Rabiya al-Adawiyya walking through the streets of Basra with a torch in one hand and a bucket of water in the other. Look it up; it may answer some of your questioning.
I was born Hindu but observe no religion; if I ever did, I would follow her, I would follow Bulleh Shah, who came from your part of the world, I would follow Lalan Fakir (they would have been in perfect harmony with each other, from all that is known). Till such a day, it is enough for me to strive to think good thoughts, try to do good deeds and have good intentions. It doesn’t seem important or relevant to be observant. Neither hellfire nor the allure of paradise seems particularly persuasive.
Just my tuppence; if it doesn’t work for you, at least it’ll good for a laugh.
I am shocked to see the totally irrelevant debate that has ensued at the behest of a new troll. What does this have to do with the topic of this post?
If the authorities do not act, then simple economics itself will take care of this situation pretty quickly and decisively. I think the shopkeepers will suffer much more than their women clients who perhaps have to forgo shopping for a short while.
Consider the following; the Pakistani army is engaged all along the tribal areas, the ‘Allies’ are patrolling on the other side, and yet on a daily basis, heroin finds its way to its destination.
@Atheist
You are comparing Saudi Arabia to Pakistan ? That shows your knowledge of Pakistan and Islam is close to nil yet you post on blogs passing judgements on Muslims. These restrictions on women’s rights are pushed by the Taliban, a group of criminals and looneys, with ideology imported from Afghanistan. They do not translate that “Islamic clerics demanding Sharia law from 1947″.
You real hang-up seems to be the creation of Pakistan itself, because you think something was taken from you by the “Muslim invaders”. Well nobody in Pakistan cares about your gripes about 1947.
@ Arjun
“I would also add that women typically have fewer rights in Islam than in secular societies today. Their testimony is worth half that of a man. In rape cases, they need 4 witness to prove rape. In general, they are far from equal to men compared to societies that have undergone the Enlightenment like countries in Europe. Please please don’t take this as an attack but as a simple statement of fact.”
I’m afraid that this is plainly not true and not fact. My perspective is historical and legal and not theological. Most nations with substantial Muslim populations have overhauled and reformed personal law extensively, decades ago. It is not useful to quote what is done in a narrow interpretation of unreformed personal law in one or two isolated countries as having general application.
That’s on par with quoting that old village priest the Shankaracharya of Puri on his views of women reciting the Vedas in public, or others who preach the virtues of ‘panchagavya’; I am sure you would laugh yourself into hiccups if these were quoted as characteristics of Hinduism.
@Sher Bano
awesome!!! may there be more like you to raise _your_ openions as well, not just the Clerics.
I would just like to add that we should also learn to keep religion a personal affair, not to keep mixing religion with everything else and have tolerance for people with openion different that us…
Isn’t it interesting the post is about women’s rights being curbed? Yet I’m only the second female commenting among the 48 men debating about women’s rights (that too mostly in Islam). What does it say about the “equal” involvement of women in the Pakistani society? Do we need a reminder that Pakistan is a male dominant society? We raise our daughters to have no opinions. Ironically, most Pakistani women have strong opinions privately, but they care less to express it in public.
With all due respect to the defenders of Islam, Quranic rules, like any other book, depend on who is interpreting. If you happen to be an open-minded, kind hearted, educated and enlightened male you are likely see the equality of sexes by taking it outside the cultural context of Middle Ages. On the contrary, a majority of our men view the literal Quranic statements as God’s word and Quran does give man clear superiority over woman. Pre-Islamic Arabia gave more power to its women but we cannot seem to admit any objective reality when it comes to our attachment with religion. Islam is no better or worse than any other doctrine ever invented by man.
When we have the courage to separate state and religion and consider education as the fundamental right of all individuals only then we may be able to give other rights to our men and women. Until then the vices of religion will keep eroding humanity.
“was ruled by a Pakistan”
should be read as
“was ruled by a Pakistani Woman”
more freedom there than in Pakistan
You are amazing,atheist! few comments back you were cursing Pakistan that Women do not enjoy freedom while unlike US, Pakistan was ruled by a Pakistan more than 5 years and when you were given a recent example than you brought up something else.
what kind of Women freedom in US are you talking about? If you mean working in different departments then same happen here as well. Women are every where. If you are talking about Western vulgarity and how West uses a woman as TOY in name of modeling and other things then it’s … also happening in Pakistan too. Now you will find a woman in shaving cream Ad though I wonder what the heck woman has to do with a shaving cream.
My friend,come out of wonderland and face the reality.