Today there is a universal Muslim desire for a political standard that is sympathetic to

Islamic culture, but also embodies democratic rule, which is grounded on the ideologies

of popular sovereignty, community integrity, and self-respect. Women are playing a

significant part in the prevalent movements that are currently occupying many parts of

the Middle East commonly referred to as the Arab Spring. The uprising has challenged

contemporary methods of authoritarian rule and opposed Orthodox Islam traditions.

They are opening the way for new political options of Muslim democracy, which

recognize religion as a need, by incorporating what is held sacred within its secular

framework. They strive for an emerging Muslim democracy that echoes with attitudes of

worldwide humanism and justice.

Despite the Western World’s judgments on Islam’s treatment of women, many highly

regarded and honored women have origins in the practice. Khadeejah Bint Khuwaylid

was the first individual to ever embrace the Islamic faith. Sumayyah bint Khabbab

proved to be the very first martyr of the religion. She was the first Muslim killed by the

polytheists of Mecca. Ayesha was honored with the title of the greatest scholar of Islam.

Khadijah bint Khuwaylid loved the profit Muhammad. Khansaa made the greatest

sacrifice to Allah after her brother’s death by sacrificing her three sons. The Islamic

culture often uses these examples to show their appreciation for the women who follow

the religion.

Men of Islam have different opinions as to whether their women are oppressed, but

this is true of any culture whether it be in the Middle East or in the western world. In the

Holy Bible from the book of Corinthians, Paul says that women should not speak in the

church, nor can they remarry unless they remarry their husband or their husband’s brother

in the event of her husband’s death. Most Christian men do not live by this rule, and

would find the ideal to be quite oppressive or even cruel. Yet, there are still Christian

men that will not marry a woman if she has been divorced. Same holds true for the

Islamic faith, while some men draw their treatment from woman strait from certain parts

of the Quran, others are able to put scripture in perspective, and support liberation of

women. Those who argue the movement say that they do not want their women to lose

their dignity. They do not care about their measurements or lipstick. They say those are

superficial things, which have no sustenance, and that beauty comes from within.

In 2009, women in Yemen started to display different forms of fashion on their black

abeya and a headscarves. They decorated the dresses with different rhinestones and

jewels to add a form of style and beauty to the clothes that hide their physical beauty, but

on October 26, 2011, women burnt their traditional veils during a political demonstration

in Yemen. This occurrence is one that women of the area would not have dreamt of three

years ago. Yemen women led the movement of opposition against the corrupt

government that ruled along with the resistance of any form of foreign intervention that

would have infringed on the sovereignty of their land. The primary interest of this female

directed effort, had democracy at the forefront. Liberated women expressed a lack of

concern whether or not men demonstrated alongside them. They protested without the

restraints of oppression despite sniper shootings that killed young citizens. These women

showed great endurance for what they believed to be right, and are part of the drastic

change that is happening in the Middle East today.

If the women of Islam want freedom from their husbands today, then they must demand

their rights from those men who resist. Women must practice leadership, and refrain

from just following. They should lead by example. If a woman chooses to let her

husband restrict her, then she alone must live with that burden, and she has chosen

imprisonment for herself and for her children. There are not any laws restricting women.

If they choose imprisonment for themselves, then no one else can give them freedom.

Protesting in the streets will not give them freedom. The Western forces cannot give

them freedom. NATO cannot give them freedom. Democracy will not give them

freedom. They must free themselves from the oppression. The Quran says that surely

Allah “does not change the condition of his people until they change their own

conditions”. (Ar-Ra'd, 13:11)