Muslim Women Under the Taliban Control - Essay Example

Muslim Women Under the Taliban Control: Anthropology Introduction Much have been written and published with regard to Muslim women, their ways of life, their rights (or the absence of their rights) and even their physical appearance has been established. Nevertheless, an area of research that interests a number of people pertains to the status of women under the Tabliban Regime. The Taliban Group belongs to the Pashtun Tribes, the largest among the ethnic groups in Afghanistan (Gladstone 34). The Taliban is renowned for their strictest interpretations of the Sharia Law. Significant to this study is the tendency of the members of the Taliban to disrespect women, thus contrary to the main teachings of the Islamic Faith (“The Taliban’s War on Women” 1). Muslim men and women have different roles under the Islamic Religion (Skaine 125; Gladstone 35). While some believe that the Quran guarantees their equality, certain provisions were likewise contained in the former, thereby serving as the basis by which the people base their perceptions as to the difference between the two genders (Gonzalez 77-80). In this regard, the followers of Islam strictly believe that the righteous women shall be devoutly obedient and guard in the husbands absence what Allah orders them to guard, according to the Qu’ran (“The Taliban’s War on Women 2001; Skaine 126). In general, Muslim men have greater advantage than women as regards their knowledge, reason and authority. In countries where the Taliban regime dominates such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Muslim women are supposed to have the rights granted by the Quran (Gonzalez 79; Skaine 125). Unfortunately, the Talibans fail to express these in the correct manner, thinking that they would lose their rank and file, if the women are given the chance or freedom to go to school (Gonzalez 79). This essay then focuses on the determination of the status of women under the Taliban Regime. Specifically, this paper focuses on the determination of the rights, duties, obligations and suffering of women under the Taliban Regime. Lastly, the paper also aims to discover the reasons behind the notorious treatment of women under the Taliban regime. The Muslim Women Muslim women are required to wear Burca, a traditional dress covering the entire body except for a small screen to see out in public. The Taliban has a system of gender apartheid and segregation. This was enforced because according to some Taliban spokesman, the face of a woman is a source of corruption. Women are not allowed to wear high heeled shoes, cosmetics and nail varnish. In fact, men are not even allowed to hear their footsteps (Skaine 125-126; Gladstone 36; Dupree 2001). In addition, there are other prohibitions imposed such as that their voice must not be heard in public, photographs and movies are banned by public display, their appearances in balcony are forbidden and they should not be visible from the street (Hatch 345-350; Martin 2004). At the age of eight, Muslim girls are expected to work and not be educated (Dupree 2001). Muslim women were educated in isolation because if they caught outside, they will be executed. There was one instance in Kabul, when Muslim women were severely maltreated when caught in fault. When seen walking in street alone, she was beaten by Taliban army (Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World 145-146). They were also forced to blacken their homes so as to shun them away from the public’s eye (Dupree 2002; Skaine 125; Gladstone 35). Lastly, their employment is limited to being primary school teachers as the students are only females (Mehta 95). The end of the Taliban marked the era that pushes for the education of girls. Since 1998, girls over the age of eight have been prohibited from attending school. To the Taliban, dominating women means manhood. Because of lack of education, the Taliban associates war with workmanhood (Gladstone 35). Their rules were also imposed only by them and some was not based on Islam law. They have strict implementation of their imposed rules which somehow manifests their treatment to Muslim women (Mehta 95 Skaine 125-127). They have worst rules and imposed obedience to them. In most cases, Taliban rules are harsh and inhuman. Their restrictions on the freedom of Muslim women created difficulty to those who cannot follow even though they have valid excuse (Hatch 346; Mehta 96) For example, those who cannot afford burca because of financial restraints faces punishment. And they need to go outside and work because they do not have family member to work for them, faces persecution and virtual house arrest. In Muslim countries, mixed sex workers are not allowed as women are expected to keep distance from the men (Mehta 95). “The fate of women in Afghanistan is infamous and intolerable. The burca that imprisons them is a cloth prison, but it is above all a moral prison.”- King Mohammed VI of Morocco They were forbidden to do many things including their mobility. There were various limitations on their freedom and this has severely affected their means of survival (Mehta 98-99). This means that in families where men members were few, there was sacrifice for being unemployed (Rashid 167). Another rule that Muslim women should abide was not to be treated by male doctors unless with a chaperone. In fact, male physicians are not supposed to treat This caused some distress in women needing natal care. Since female doctors are limited, they suffer premature death in silence. Another instance was, in October 1996, women were barred from accessing the traditional hammam (public baths) as the opportunities for socializing (Mehta 97). This affordable hot-water right had been enjoyed by women was an important facility in a nation where few possessed running water. It gave UN authority the cause to predict a rise in scabies and vaginal infections among women who denied methods of hygiene and access to health care. Rules such as these, gave women the most rudimentary access to health care and medical care (Mehta 95; Gladstone 35). Taliban’s Cruelty Muslim women are expected to obey the rules imposed by the Taliban, written or not. Taliban imposed a strict and oppressive order based on its misinterpretation of Islamic law. The Taliban first became prominent in 1994 and took over the Afghan capital, Kabul, in 1996. The rule followed over 20 years of civil war and political instability. Then this took over assault in women’s rights and freedom. There were few recorded acts of punishment to women in sin and not. In October and December 1996 in Kabul, women had been seized and punished for violating the code of dress. The sentence was given by a tribunal and the women were punished. They were lashed on their legs and backs for their misdemeanor. Some caught wearing nail colors were forced to cut their thumb off. There was also a zarmina, public persecution, when in 1999, a mother of seven was executed in Kabul’s Ghazi Sport stadium for allegedly murdering her abusive husband. There was even a program watched by many that leads to the punishment. When a Taliban raid discovered a woman having an informal school in her apartment, they beat the children and threw the woman down a flight of stairs, there breaking her leg, and then imprisoned her. They threatened to stone her family publicly if she refused to sign oath of loyalty to the Taliban laws. There were also Taliban members who were arsonists and their acid attacks cause injuries to communities, especially children and young Muslim women (Gonzalez 81). When the rule on isolating women from the public eye was heightened, there was an increase of mental health disasters among them. Physicians for Human Rights reports high rates of depression and suicides (Rostami-Povey 189). Form of suicides was in the form of acid intake. In terms of mobility, when a woman who was caught with an unrelated man in the street, she will be publicly flogged with 100 lashes in front of many people in a stadium. Worst, if she had been married, and found with an unrelated male, the punishment would have been death by stoning. When it comes to establishing a family, majority face forced marriage. In all these facts, worst maltreatments are in the form of sexual abuse, physical assault and death. Rape is common. In fact, even Muslim girls in their young age suffer rape. Persons accused of homosexuality were put in a pit near a wall, which was then toppled, burying them alive. There was one story of a Muslim mother when her husband and child were beaten and shot to death when attack in their own house. There was no one to help her, even to bury the dead victims. And of without any reason, just an accusation of disobedience to their rule, Taliban kills wherever, especially women and children. There was not any case settled since women are never heard in courts. Taliban kills innocent lives. They maltreat women in worst ways. They disrupted the reputation of Muslim women. There was brutality of lives beneath the veil. There was destruction of lives behind guns, illiteracy and power (Rashmed 2000). Conclusion The Taliban insists that their rule is to provide dignity and secure the women against harm, but reality shows the exact opposite. They do not just forbid the rights of women, they cheat the dignity of a human person in a female persona. Taliban rule imply that abuse knows no border. In a world where illiteracy, conflict of culture, and even pride, becomes the culprit of such an issue like this. This may not be a global issue, but this is a mirror of some reality in our complicated world- where people are of different religion and culture. In conclusion, a woman has no importance in Talibans’ eyes. They were treated worse than animals. They are in the midst of inhumane existence. Much of their shameful mistreatment of women goes far beyond anything in the Qu’ran, which is not a lot more misogynistic (hatred of women) than many religions. It has a lot of implications to humanity. Facts such as these create various opinions from different religions. But many would agree that the case of women under Taliban degrades human existence and degrade moral standards. This reality is one among many issues that is being resolved until today. With the modernization among countries, It might be possible that this cruel reality will end. Our belief or religions might differ, but we have one goal of ensuring the dignity of the human person. It is inherent and should never be destroyed. Moreover, we should practice our religion in harmony with the highest moral standards. With this realization, sympathy ought to be shown to Muslim women who are victims of Talibans. Let us at least pray that peace would always reign in the world. References Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World. UK: Routledge, 2004. Print. Gladstone, Cary. Afghanistan Revisited. UK: Nova Publishers, 2001. Print. Gonzalez, Roberto Jesus. Anthropologists in the Public Sphere: Speaking out on War, Peace and American Power. US: University of Texas Press, 2004. Print. Hatch, Nancy Dupree. Afghan Women under the Taliban. In Maley, W. 2001. Fundamentalism Reborn? UK: Hurst and Company, 2001. Print. Mehta, Sunita. Women for Afghan Women: Shattering Myths and Claiming the Future. NY: Palgrave Mcmillan, 2007. Print. Rashid, A. Taliban. UK: Nota Bene Books. Print. Rostami-Povey, Elaheh. Afghan Women: Identity and Invasion. UK: Zed Books, 2007. Print. Skaine, Rosemarie. The Women of Afghanistan under the Taliban. UK: McFarland, 2002. Print. “The Taliban’s War on Women.” 2001. Web. 24 June 2011. Read More