Women Whipping ?
Posted by Lakshmi
I simply don't know what to make out of our authorities who conducted the recent whipping on the 3 women.
Granted that I'm not a muslim and I've no authority to speak on the religious/syariah laws of the country, but then again, I can't contain myself when something as humiliating as this is meted out on any woman. I find the punishment so repulsive and barbaric . Just how could they have done such a shameful act as whipping the women who were already serving a prison sentence ? That's not punishment enough but they must be caned as well?
Where is the compassion and justice of Islam, the religion of peace, which I have read about or is this just the interpretation of the narrow human mind? I really am flabbergasted- why is the women always treated so shabbily in Islam? Can someone please explain to me in simple English? In Sudan, a female journalist was put in prison for wearing pants and she deliberately went to jail to tell the whole world about the unfairness of it all. I suppose, now with this whipping incident, Malaysia is now on an equal footing to Sudan, we're now even on the scoreboard - Sudan 1, Malaysia 1
And pray, may I ask, what happened to the male conspirator? Afterall, it takes 2 to tango, isn't it? Is this the kind of justice that our muslim sisters are being subjected to? I don't have to be a muslim to understand their pain, embarrassment and humiliation. By just being a woman, I feel for them. Heck, all women should feel the same. The mere thought of what had happened, and that too, so secretly, makes me cry in shame .
The book by SIS, ( Sisters in Islam) "Muslim Women & the Challenges of Islamic Extremism" which is basically a collection of essays by activists and international intellectuals which was edited by sociologist Prof Norani Othman of the Malaysian and International Studies Institute, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia , must be read by our Muslim sisters. Of course, with such a tittle, the book was banned in 2008 on grounds that " it was inclined towards confusing the Muslim community, particularly women, and an attempt to interpret statements about Islam causing “prejudicial to public order”. However on appeal, the High Court , in January 2010 , quashed the order and the book would probably be available soon for the reading public. Suffice to say that I don't have to be muslim to read the book. In fact, I have read the book. Also Dina Zaman's "I am Muslim" which I think all our Muslim sisters should read. The book is not against Islam nor is it ' inclined towards confusing the Muslim community, particularly women" as put forward by the religious authorities/ Home Minister, in question. Far from it, it explains clearly how the mistakes came about with appropriate quotes/hadiths from the Quran.
I read this article in the Malaysian Insider online newsportal dated 21 February 2010
"
Malah, bagi Mufti Perak, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria dengan tegas menyatakan mana-mana pihak yang mempunyai tanggapan pelaksanaan sebat sebagai diskriminasi adalah golongan yang tidak mempercayai hukum Allah dan boleh dianggap terkeluar daripada Islam.
“Orang seperti ini tidak faham hukum Islam, mereka menentang dan membenci hukum Islam kerana terpengaruh dengan orientalis Barat yang menentang Islam. Jika hendak diambil kira hukuman enam kali sebatan itu ia begitu ringan, sedangkan asalnya 100 kali sebatan terhadap mereka yang melakukan persetubuhan haram, manakala 80 kali sebatan terhadap yang minum arak,” katanya."
I have just 1 question, does this apply to both partners or only the female? So far thus, I have not heard any whipping on such cases on the males................
Have we come to this level already? What's next?
Ps: My article is based on my feelings as a woman, wife and mother in the full sense of the word and my arguments are thus based on these lines. At no time would I like to offend any religious sensitivities and hope my readers would understand and do the same.
February 22, 2010 at 12:17 PM
Hi Lakshmi...I know this is a difficult issue to understand.It's something about faith where some rules are listed in the way its to be applied. There are backgrounds to it..what we read is versions by the newspaper and SIS by logical thinking.In Islam many things if think by logic and this moment in time it doesn't concurr to the current time and thinking..There is more to it than that...No..No..the Muslim females are not even humiliated,degraded or whatsoever by the unjust treatment we "supposedly" get in Islam..If some only knows the beauty behind it..if anyone can read surah An-Nisa in the Quran for example will know.The males once caught will go thru similar sentencing.. only that we dont get to hear about it much.Even the act of caning...its not even like we think..even the way some cane their child if ever is considered barbaric...do you know that if ever done..the one who do the caning will have sort of a book under their armpits..it must not drop at anytime..the cane should not be raise to a certain level..the skin must not be broken.. etc.. etc.. But lets not go into methods..do you wonder why the act has not even been performed yet?Its not really by the complaints of many... Some due to the rules of the land..we have to obey..like the Sudan lady..its the rule of the country for ladies not to wear pants or in Saudi ladies not allowed to drive in public roads..its the rule of the land... but ladies n Saudi can drive in the compounds they stay..recreation in the dessert..but the lady in Sudan she try to flaunt it..same here..Muslims are not allowed to drink..if they drink and are caught in public.. then the authorities will have to act..It's true for any religion I guess that its devotees will flaunt some said rules of the religion... Like wearing the tudung its not by choice its a requirement by Allah stated in the Quran..but people will interpret its in so many ways..in how not to wear it and how to wear it...why it is an oppressions.. Well..this is my feelings too on certain issues..I might not be truly correct in what I say coz'I dont have indepth knowledge.. To all we just remember if anything is wrong we will find a blame for it first to others rather than look at ourself...waállualam..
February 22, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Sorry..on part of the sentences..I meant..why some caning has not been performed yet and some has...