Islam and Human Rights — Page 45
Social Values 45 a journey when women were also of the party. At one stage the camel drivers, fearing they were late, began to drive the camels fast. The Prophet admonished them: “Mind the crystal”, meaning that they should have due regard to the comfort of the women. 7 His reference to the women as “crystal” implied that woman is delicate and sensitive, and is easily hurt. On another occasion, he explained that woman is by nature like a rib, 8 meaning that a woman performs her function in the scheme of things adequately by virtue of the very qualities in which she differs from man and that it would be foolish on the part of man to attempt to cast her into his own mould. Her charm lies in being what she is and not in being just a double or copy of man. Islam does not regard marriage as an indissoluble sacrament. It is a civil contract, imposing mutual duties and obligations. An essential feature of the contract is a settlement by the husband on the wife, called dower (4:5), so that the wife whall own some property of her own over which she may have complete control. Divorce is permitted in Islam, but the Prophet said that of all things permitted, the most obnoxious in the sight of 7 Bukhari IV, Sect. :Good Behaviour. 8 Bukhari III, Sect. :Marriage; Ch. :Benevolence towards wo men.