Muhammad the Liberator of Women — Page 3
M U H A M M A D S A W — T H E L I B E R A T O R O F W O M E N 3 At the time of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and prior to his advent a woman was not the owner of her property, but her husband would be considered the owner. She would not receive a share from the wealth of her father, nor was she considered the heir of her husband’s wealth, though in some countries she was the custodian of her husband’s assets, but only during his lifetime. Once a woman was married to a man, she was declared his forever, and in no circumstance could she part from him, but her husband had the right to divorce her; she had no right to separate from her husband, no matter how afflicted she might be. If a husband deserted his wife and paid no attention to her, or ran away from her, there was no law in place to safeguard her rights. It was thought to be an obligation for her to resign to her fate and earn a living for both herself and her children. When displeased it was considered the right of a husband to physically discipline his wife at which she could not raise a voice of complaint. In some countries when the husband died, his wife would be considered the possession of his kith and kin. They could marry her to whomsoever they pleased, either as a favour or for a price. In fact, in some places she was considered the property of her husband. Some men were considered to be fully within their rights to merchandise their spouses or to stake them as a material asset in a gamble or a wager. Women had no rights over their children, either in their role as a wife or when separated from their husbands. They did not have any say in domestic affairs; even in religious matters they were thought to hold no status. They were, it was opined, to have no share in everlasting blessings. As a result, husbands would squander the property of their wives and abandon them