New statistics from the Turkish Justice Ministry reveal that that murders of women in Turkey rose by 1,400% over seven years, from 2002 to 2009, with over 950 being killed in the first seven months of 2009 alone. According to the government study, “Research of Domestic Violence against Women in Turkey” almost 42% of women are subjected to violence in the country.
Turkey has been hailed by many Western politicians and commentators as a model for the future political system of Egypt and a new Arab world, praised for supposedly marrying a Muslim majority population with a secular liberal democratic system. This scandalous treatment of women within the country should give serious re-consideration of whether such a system can truly herald a positive future for the women of Turkey or the Arab world.
Dr. Nazreen Nawaz, Central Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir commented, “Beyond the glossy exterior of Turkey’s economic growth lies the ugly social consequences of secular liberalism where women’s security and dignity are primary casualties. Some have blamed Islam’s prescription of defined roles for the genders in family life for this rise in violence towards women, such as the man as the head and guardian of the family, suggesting that this ‘inequality’ in gender roles breeds disrespect for the woman. However, if this is the case, what explains the epidemic level of violence against women in Western secular liberal democratic states where such Islamic rules do not exist and where numerous gender equality bills are enshrined in law? In the UK, 1 in 4 women face domestic violence, 2 die each week at the hands of their partner, and the police receive a call every minute from a victim of such abuse according to Home Office figures. In the US a woman is battered every 15 seconds by a partner according to FBI statistics.”
“The treatment of women depends upon the prevalent attitudes within any society and in secular liberal states a contradiction exists between the call for respect for women and liberal freedoms that either allow the exploitation of the bodies of women in advertising or entertainment that cheapens the view of women, or promote the belief that men are ‘free’ to treat women as their desires dictate. Under such systems, whether in the West or in Turkey, legal reforms to establish gender equality are hollow, meaningless words that have failed miserably to secure the safety and dignity of ordinary women. Women in Turkey have therefore borne the brunt of this detrimental system and its values. Islam in contrast may define specific gender roles in family life but also prohibits the exploitation that devalues women as well as vehemently rejecting the ‘freedom’ of men to view women as they wish that are 2 of the main contributors to domestic violence under secular liberal systems.”
“Women in the Muslim world cannot afford nor should they tolerate any more Western inspired foreign experiments in shaping the form of their political system. They should not settle for the least worst political option in levels of stability or repression in the region. The tried, tested, and failed secular liberal democratic system as seen from Bangladesh to Central Asia, Pakistan to Indonesia should be no model for those who have sacrificed so much for a brighter and more just future. A system that continues to ban Muslim women from access to educational and political institutions simply for adopting Islamic dress can surely never be an example to emulate for those whose heritage, beliefs, and strength lies in Islam.”
“Real change for women in the Muslim world will only materialise with the establishment of the Khilafah state shaped purely upon Islamic laws. This is a system that has also been tried and tested but with a track record of centuries of success in securing the rights and respect of women. This was a state that mobilised whole armies to protect the dignity of 1 woman; a state that recognised women’s important contribution to the politics of society and that encouraged female education and generated thousands of female scholars. It is a state that on re-establishment will use its political, educational, and media systems to nurture a mentality of elevated respect towards women within society – Muslim and non-Muslim – as obliged by Islam, with serious judicial repercussions if their dignity or physical wellbeing is harmed in any way.”
Dr. Nazreen Nawaz
Central Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir
I do not understand the reasoning of this article. In what way does liberal democracy lead to increased violence against women? Surely violence against women exists in all societies and its degree of intensity is driven by a combination of cultural, social, religious and economic factors. Yes it not only exists in the secular west but also in Muslim communities well. The khilafah will make no difference.
Assalamu alaikum brother,
“It is true that domestic violence is a crime that is not isolated to one particular community nor one part of the world. It affects women in Muslim countries and within Western states. However, there are 2 important issues that can exacerbate violence against women as well as sexual harrassment, abuse, rape, and exploitation of women:
Firstly, any value, culture, law or system that dehumanizes or causes the devaluing of the status of women within the eyes of men . This may be caused by non-Islamic Eastern cultures that view the woman as having a lower status than men. However, it can also be caused by permitting the woman to be presented as an object to fulfil the desires of men – in advertising, entertainment and the sex industry – as has been licensed under liberal freedoms within liberal democracies, hence leading to her dehumanization and degradation.
Secondly, any value, culture, law or system such that promotes the ideal of individuals acting upon their own desires can nurture a dangerous mindset amongst some men that they are also permitted to treat women as their own desires dictate, regardless of state laws that may prohibit mistreatment of women. Liberal values promote the ideal that individuals should be free to live as their desires dictate. This has the potential of creating an environment where individuals can view fulfilling their own whims and desires as paramount, up and above a sense of responsibility to others.
Islam in contrast to Eastern cultures does not define the woman’s status as inferior to the man. Rather the Qur’an states that men and women were created from one soul and hence are the same in their humaness, such as their physical needs and intellect. In addition, in many verses it describes the spiritual worth of men and women as the same while there are numerous sayings of the Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) that sought to elevate the status of women within society. For example, he said, “God enjoins you to treat women well, for they are your mothers, daughters, aunts”, and “The rights of women are sacred. See that women are maintained in the rights assigned to them.”
In contrast to liberal democracies, Islam does not permit the exploitation of women’s bodies to sell any product or any service. In addition it does not promote the ideal of individuals to act according to their desires but builds accountability to a Creator and hence a higher sense of acountability towards how others are treated.
These values and laws that Islam espouses can only be fully nurtured, promoted, implemented and protected under the Khilafah system.”
Wassalam,
Salaam
Masha’Allah!!! Great little article. This is the real reason why the government and the media negatively portray groups like HT; it’s because you shred apart the flawed ‘values’ and ideas of western liberalism through real discussion and debate.
The Khilafah will come, it’s Rasulullah (saw)’s promise, it’s just a matter of time. This period in time is just a test, sifting through those who are true to their faith.