Thankful to be a Muslim Woman

Women raise next generations and enable them to be better citizens. The responsibility that they take certainly should be honored and respected. The fact cannot be denied that women did not have any status or say not long ago and were missing from history. However, with the efforts of many courageous ones they got their rights and were able to speak up and be heard around the world. Muslim women are not behind in being brave and finding their spot in the society and showing others the power of women’s voices and their deeds. As we honor women this month, it would be an opportune time to shed some light on the status of Muslim women.

God says in the Holy Qur’an, "But whoso does good works, whether male or female, and is a believer, such shall enter heaven..."(4:125). This verse confirms that both men and women will get the rewards of their good deeds equally. Islam encourages both men and women to acquire knowledge. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized the importance of education by saying, "It is the duty of every Muslim man and every Muslim woman to acquire knowledge."

Muslim women work alongside men while maintaining their identities by observing modesty in their attire and demeanor. It needs to be understood that covering themselves never means that they are oppressed or are held back from being successful. What it means is that the real purpose of their covering themselves is to be protected from lustful eyes while having the freedom to go out to contribute to society and bring positive changes and be patriotic. The examples of successful Muslim women can be found in today’s world for instance, Malala Yousafzai, Tawakkul Karman, Shirin Ebadi, Sheikh Hasina and many more. These examples confirm that Muslim women are excelling in life, bringing positive changes, and contributing to societies.