Allah Gave Her Rights, But Insecure Men Took Them Away

Opinion article by Shraddha Sharma

Imagine getting married. It’s one of the happiest days of your life. You get the papers for your marriage and sign them, but you don’t read them because your family and the ‘mohalla’ aunties always taught you that good girls don’t question and simply accept what they have been told. 

When you leave your home and enter your husband’s home according to South Asian customs, it’s heaven. But one week later, it becomes hell. You find out that your husband got a second wife without your permission, and hell wreaks upon you. You question his decision as a Pakistani Muslim woman. Islam and Pakistani Law both state that he needs your permission for a second wife, but you find a clause in your Islamic marriage contract stating that he needs your permission and was struck off without your consent. You ask for a divorce but find out that the right to divorce has also been struck off. 

You go to your family, but they tell you to ‘shut up’, be a ‘good’ wife, and accept his decision. In the Quran, 4:21, it explicitly states that altering marriage contracts without permission is ‘Haram’, a sin. 

Your husband’s family, who claim to be religious, allowed this atrocity. Your family, who claim to be morally appropriate, allowed this atrocity. Pakistani society, which claims to be religious and morally correct at all times, has been allowing this tragedy for millions of silenced women throughout history and is now forcing you to keep quiet and accept it. 

This is the situation of millions of Pakistani women every year. In Islam, there are marriage contracts called ‘Nikah Nammahas’, which on average contain 25 clauses but can hold many more. These 25 clauses are powerful; they they can irreparably change two people’s lives drastically, but as history has taught us, when people of manipulative nature get ahold of those in power, havoc wreaks. 

From Rasputin to Grebells, history is well aware. Similarly, in Pakistan, the hold of these contracts is in the hands of those who might appear Islamic but will reject religion for personal gain. 

According to the Quran, as mentioned in 4:21, “Marriage is a firm contract (Mithaqan Ghaliza), and altering it without consent is betrayal.” Alteration of contracts without express permission is betrayal. Even after this, thousands of Muslim sisters have to suffer. This contract alteration includes important clauses such as Clause 18, initiating a woman's right to divorce.Clause 19, ensuring financial security for women. Clause 21, restricting second marriage. Clause 22,husband’s responsibilities towards the wife. 

The root cause lies in social & religious manipulation. It is common in restrictive societies to enforce malpractices such as patriarchy, and religion is dragged in between as an excuse. Young people are told by 2society that if they do not surrender to a restrictive idea, they are hurting their religious values. But is that what religion means? Let us take the example of Islam. 

If we talk about Rights guaranteed to women in the Quran, we see the Right to Education, Surah Al-Mujadila (58:11). The Right to Consent in Marriage, Surah Al-Alaq (96:1-5), Surah An-Nisa (4:19), Surah Ar-Rum (30:21). The Right to Divorce; Surah Al-Baqarah (2:229), Surah At-Talaq (65:2). The Right to Inheritance, Surah An-Nisa (4:7, 4:11-12, 4:176). The Right to Financial Independence, Surah An-Nisa (4:32). The Right to Dignity & Protection, Surah Al-Ahzab (33:35), Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:2). The Right to Work & Leadership, Surah An-Naml (27:23-44). The Right to Protection from False Accusations, Surah An-Nur (24:4-5). Even after all this, society still denies women these rights. 

This practice is religious manipulation and Islam is its biggest victim. Religious manipulation is the deliberate misuse of religious teachings, texts, or authority to control, oppress, or exploit individuals or groups for personal, political, or societal gain. It involves selectively interpreting religious doctrines, suppressing opposing views, or twisting spiritual beliefs to justify unjust actions. Now questions arise:are women safe from religious manipulation? Where are the people who claim to be religious when the question is about women?If Islam gave them rights, are you above Allah to snatch them?