A Rejoinder to Pope's Allegations Against Islam — Page 33
absolute owner of her own property and her husband cannot obtain any control over it by virtue merely of their relationship. A woman is at full liberty to deal with her property as she chooses. Islam has half share for women as compared to men, because Islam puts the whole financial responsibility of the family on the men only. Man being husband and the head of the family has to take all the economic liabilities upon his shoulders. But let us see what rights are given by the Bible to women, so for as property inheritance is concerned. When we study the Biblical law in this regard, we see that women cannot become heirs in the presence of their brothers; "And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "The daughters of Zelophehad speak what is right; you shall surely give them a possession of inheritance among their father's brothers, and cause the inheritance of their father to pass to them. And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'If a man dies and has no son, then you shall cause his inheritance to pass to his daughter. If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father's brothers. And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the relative closest to him in his family, and he shall possess it. " (NUMBERS 27:6-11) 33