Religion and women

Women are portrayed as a ‘prize’, a ‘reward’ as if they have no feelings of their own. Like a trophy sitting in a cabinet that can be handed over to the winner; a trophy that has no feelings, desires, aspirations of its own. But again, to be ‘that trophy’ a woman’s hymen must be intact, or she is no longer a trophy, but a ‘discarded, broken, shield’ 

In Pakistan the value of women is often reduced to an object; one that is either desired or scorned. That desire and scorn too is based on the usability of a woman for a man. The desirable attributes are: an intact hymen; good health, that means she can be used as a cow; well mannered as she is to bring up the children; and patience as she has to take care of the in-laws. That tiny membrane is actually what defines a woman in religious text as well, hence the references to Houris and chaste women.

And with them will be chaste females, restraining their glances (desiring none except their husbands), with wide and beautiful eyes; (Delicate and pure) as if they were (hidden) eggs (well) preserved." [Sura As-Sâffât (37):48-49]

"And beside them will be chaste females (virgins) restraining their glances only for their husbands, (and) of equal ages." [Sura Sâd (38):52]

"So (it will be), and We shall marry them to Houris (female fair ones) with wide, lovely eyes." [Sura Ad-Dukhân (44):54]

"Wherein both (gardens) will be those (maidens) restraining their glances upon their husbands, whom no man or jinn yatmithhunna (has opened their hymens with sexual intercourse) before them. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? (In beauty) they are like rubies and coral." [Sura Ar-Rahmân (55):56-58]

"Verily, We have created them (maidens) of special creation. And made them virgins; Loving (their husbands only), equal in age." [Sura Al-Wâqi'ah (56):35-37]

One might at this point ask, what is wrong in remaining chaste and guarding oneself against ‘evil’. The wrong is specifying these limitations for women only. The wrong is in killing women in the name of honor if due to any reason their hymen is not intact any more. The wrong is in holding a woman responsible for a man’s crime, because a man has no hymen to testify his innocence or lack thereof.

The age of women jailed under Hudood Laws in Pakistan varies between 13 years to 70 years as per the Asian-American Network against abuse of Human Rights. At least 54 women in Sindh, 187 in Punjab, and 5 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are in jails under different Hudood cases, that is a total of 246 women. Around 68% of these prisoners are housewives and 32% are working women. Laws that have been used against women are:

• -The Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood Ordinance VII of 1979)

Sections: 7,10,11,13,14,16,19

• -The Offence Against Property (Enforcement of Hudood Ordinance VI of 1979)

Sections: 4,5,9,15,17,18

• -Pakistan Penal Code (XLV of 1860)

Sections: 34, 295-B, 302, 324, 337-F, 363, 379, 380, 420

Not to forget the 900 honor killings in 2011. In Pakistan the sentence for an honor crime is only five years if one is not rich enough to pay ‘blood money’, it is a big help for men who aim to get rid of women around them for any reason whatsoever. From not wanting to give sisters even one half of the share in property, to not wanting to spend money on her education or wedding, to killing a woman for not agreeing to marry or wanting to marry of her own choice, or even for saying no to the sexual advances.

Within the international context, there is a recent case from Maldives where a 15-year-old rape victim has been sentenced to 100 lashes for engaging in premarital sex. Not to forget the Saudi cleric, who got away with rape, torture and murder of his 5-year-old daughter. The only thing he had to do was pay blood money.

All in all, women are portrayed as a ‘prize’, a ‘reward’ as if they have no feelings of their own. Like a trophy sitting in a cabinet that can be handed over to the winner; a trophy that has no feelings, desires, aspirations of its own. But again, to be ‘that trophy’ a woman’s hymen must be intact, or she is no longer a trophy, but a ‘discarded, broken, shield’ - Used, raped, kicked around all at the will of a man. And if she dares to stand up against it or go against , she is burnt with acid, hacked to pieces, drowned or simply poisoned to death.