Islam and Human Rights — Page 188
Isl am and Hum an R ights 188 in the post-war period, is a recent phenomenon. The policies and rivalries of the Colonial powers, which did not fail to influence Turkey; the Middle East mandates, followed by the partition of Palestine and the setting up of the State of Israel, are some of the factors that have served to invest Arab nationalism with an aura of permanence. Even so, it is a linguistic, cultural and regional rather than a strict national concept. Article 16 When a decline sets in in any society, the weaker ele ments, which stand in need of protection and safeguarding, suffer to a greater degree than the sturdier elements. Muslim society has been no exception. During its period of decline women suffered even more than men. Their position and interests were neglected and encroached upon, rather than supported and protected. They often became victims of man’s greed, rapacity and passion, though outward forms were still sought to be preserved. Compliance with legal requirements, when they could not be circumvented with impunity, was often purely literal and sometimes served only as a cloak for deception and fraud. The spirit of equity and good conscience suffered a severe setback and men,