R K Sinha
Noted script writer Rahi Masum Raza in his book “Adha Gaon” based in the backdrop of Muslim society has written something that describes the condition of women in the Muslim society. He writes, “Men would always peep here and there, flirt and will have concubines”.
There is urgent need to improve the condition of Muslim which is possible only when Muslim women’s condition improves. It needs radical reforms in the Muslim society. And their biggest challenge is to get rid of divorce from men who can leave his wife by simply saying “talaq” three times. No case, no reason, just by whims and fancy Muslim men can get divorce by saying ” talaq, talaq, talaq”.
Muslim women wake up
Now Muslims women have risen against the dark-age practice of triple talaq in the society and have waged protest against the archaic law. Women have launched movement to break the sackles of the practice of triple talaq which is gradually becoming an all India movement against the practice. No doubt, the condition of Muslim women is worse than non-Muslim women in the country’. Just for the shake of it in Islam, status of women is great. It says there is heaven at the feet of mother and any defiance of mother is a serious crime. Brother can sacrifice his life for the honour of his sister. As wife she is the precious gift to a man. It is said that most the shariat – Islamic laws- were framed keeping in mind to safeguard the interests of women. But in reality, women are totally dependant on men, be he father, brother or husband.
Look at these fake leaders
As the movement against triple talaq is gathering momentum, some Muslim leaders are saying that it is being whipped by the Sangh. It is being said so because the Muslim Mahila Sangh, an outfit of the RSS has taken the issue to the Supreme Court of India pleading to annul the law of divorce that a man gets simply by uttering ‘talaq, talaq, talaq’. The President of the Muslim Mahila Sangh, Uttar Pradesh unit in her petition before the Supreme Court has said that the practice of triple talaq does not come under the purview of law of divorce as mentioned in the “Quran”. Muslim women are suffering and are being subjected to miseries because of the practice of triple talaq. It must end.
Those who know the Muslim society admit that the system of marriage, divorce and alimony is heavily tilted against women. A divorce is forced to lead a life full of miseries and depravity, worse than the life of animal.
In her petition Faiz has cited the example of a case from western Uttar Pradesh which is unbelievable. In Muzaffarnagar, in the year 2005, a man raped his daughter-in-law. The local clerics instead of punishing the guilty father-in-law issued a fatwa against the women who was raped. The Fatwa dictated that the victim woman should treat her husband as son. What a justice? It is worse than the situation when human beings were uncivilized and lived in the stone-age. It is indeed unfortunate that the Muslim society in India is blind to such barbarous law.
The practice of triple talaq is prevalent among the Sunni Muslims in India and in South Asian countries. In this age of internet many Muslim men are using video calls and internet messages to get rid of their wives.
Noted Hindi novelist Shani in his novel “Kala Jal” has given vivid description of verbal abuse that a married woman has to face in her husband’s house.
Recently, a non-government organization Indian Muslim Women Movement sought the opinion of som 4710 Muslim women on the practice of triple talaq. Women gave vent to their plight. More than 55 percent of women were married at the age of 18 and roughly 44 percent of married women don’t have ‘Nikahanama” the marriage certificate with them, the survey says.
A novel by Abdul Bismillah titled ” Jhini Jhini Bini Chunaria” gives better insight to the plight of Muslim women in North India. The writer has described the condition of wage earning Muslim family where women are second and third rate members of the family. A woman character in the novel says, “what is the role of a woman, cook food, sleep on bed with husband, give birth to children and serve the man as bonded labourer. If you fail in your duty or in the estimation of your husband then face..talaq talaq talaq”. A Muslim friend of mine says even “Allah does not like talaq”.
Khalid in his book “Saat Nadiyan Ek Samundar” says it is difficult to understand a woman, she would bear atrocities but would not say her tormentor a tormentor”.
Coming out of the periphery of books and novels, I would like to know are Muslim women out of the purview of social justice?
(The writer is a Member of Rajya Sabha)
