The Role of Islam in Establishing Women\u27s Rights in the Muslim World

This paper examines the literature surrounding women\u27s rights in the Muslim world to determine the factors that have contributed to the oppression of women in the Muslim world and to understand the role that different interpretations of Islam can have on either restricting or improving the status of women in the Muslim world. The practices of Muslim people as a population deviate from what is prescribed by Islam in some cases, contributing to the misconception that the restrictive practices toward women in many Muslim-majority countries are founded in Islamic teachings. Factors such as individual levels of religiosity and adherence to traditionalist views influence support for gender egalitarian values, suggesting that religiosity itself, not adherence to a particular religion, may underlie the oppression of women. This literature review also found that specific teachings of the prophet Muhammad and verses from the Quran clearly contradict the practices of Muslim populations when it comes to issues such as women\u27s veiling, education, and employment. When political, religious, and educational leaders align themselves with the fight for women\u27s rights, they can influence positive outcomes such as increased awareness of violence against women and shortcomings in women\u27s education