A Renowned Contemporary Islamic Scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamdi on Women’s Rights in Islam

By Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef, New Age Islam 3 January 2025 Javed Ahmad Ghamdi (born in 1952) a very prominent contemporary scholar of Islam is famed for his progressive thoughts on different religious issues, especially women’s rights and their status in Islam. His opponents—both traditional Ulama and protagonists of political Islam—often portray him negatively as a liberal theologian and free thinker, and his opinions are frequently referred to as a secular interpretation of Islam. Javed Ahmad Ghamdi ----- Ghamdi writes and speaks on many aspects related to women's rights in Islam as well. Here we want to highlight a few of his thoughts in this regard. As for the social rights of spouses; Ghamdi believes in essential equality between man and woman including between husband and wife. Additionally, he supports equal rights for women in Muslim communities that are oppressive, asserting that women and men have equal rights in the Quran with relation to social participation, work, and education. To him, gender equality which is not demonstrated in most Muslim societies today is a cultural baggage and not a religious demand. He also talks about domestic violence against women and the violation of basic human rights often occurring in Muslim patriarchal homes. (1) On the Hijab or head covering Ghamdi observes that women should wear simple and modest clothes, though there is no dress code as such prescribed for women in Islam as is generally believed or preached by Muslim clergy, and practiced by Muslim masses. He argues that Quran urges both men and women to be modest and dignified in their clothing and common behaviour. The obligatory Hijab can be maintained by different styles of dresses, so insisting on a stereotyped Niqab is absolutely unnecessary. Also, it must be a matter of choice for a woman to observe Hijab or Niqab or not. She should not be compelled to do so at any cost, because face covering has always been a disputed matter among Muslim jurists too. (2) Ghamdi advocates women's empowerment, as he opines that women must be given all opportunities for social and political participation, and can have leading positions. In Islamic history women have been playing an important role in all walks of life, especially in running government affairs as is exemplified by Umme Warqa being appointed a market observer in Madina market by no less than Hazrat Umar (RA); the second caliph of Rashidun era. Moreover, in that era, many women were educating and imparting knowledge in Hadees and Fiqh streams. Even Hanafi jurisprudence justifies a capable woman being a judge (قاضي ) Clearly, the role of Muslim woman must be recognized and revived once again in today’s world. Since Islam never forbade women from participating in politics or public life, Ghamdi is in favour of their doing so. According to him, women have every right and ability to take part in the formulation of policies and decision making. Besides that, he outrightly rejects the popular notion that women's participation in politics in any way is an unIslamic act (3) although the majority of Ulama adhere to this old notion. On polygamy Ghamdi differs with the popular position of Muslim clergy and traditional Ulama. To him there is no need for a second marriage except when it is necessitated in some conditional situations. To him, polygamy must be bound by and regularized to some essential rules. For example, one must not be allowed to do more than one marriage when one may not be able to treat his wives equally. And any government, therefore, can pass some rules and regulations for that matter too. (3) Marriage according to Ghamdi’s line of thinking is a partnership contract between two equal partners, and both spouses have some responsibilities as well as rights. He says that Islamic marriage must be based on love, trust and mutual respect. The divorce should be the last option to be resorted to, when all the efforts of reconciliation in the conflict between husband and wife have failed. He advocates enacting an arbitration and consultation process to solve marital disputes and family problems. (4) On co-education Ghamdi has a positive view unlike most of the Ulama. So contrary to them, Ghamdi says it cannot be considered as being against Islamic values. Co-education is not forbidden in Islam. The separation of man and woman is not a religious requirement, rather it has been a cultural tradition among elite Muslims. Moreover, he opines that there is no need for segregation in a class room or workplace between the two sexes. Equal educational opportunities must be given to both sexes without any prejudice or bias. Likewise, Ghamdi says that Islam does not prevent women from playing a leading role in society, and from participation in public life. Because to him Quran and Hadis recognize women's rights and capabilities, participation, and promote gender equality. This is why he forcefully defends doing away with all hurdles in women's participation in public life freely. It is also to be noted that though many of Ghamdi’s views are not accepted yet among Muslim clergy and among scholars, his thoughts are being welcomed by the new generation of Muslims very rapidly. And though many Scholars and Ulama have a difference of opinion with him regarding women's rights and other issues, they are unable to counter his forceful arguments, so they most often resort to invoking a Fiqhi principle of sadde Zaria (سد ذريعة) or preventive measure to cement their arguments against women. Nonetheless, to me, his views represent insightful thinking and a convincing modern progressive approach toward women's rights and gender equality, although he avowedly avoids being called a Muslim feminist. On Hijab his ideas can be summarized like this. Islam does not impose any special dress code on women and hijab’s concept in Islam is not limited to having a scarf or head covering or Niqab; rather it has a wider significant meaning in terms of modesty, dignity, chastity and overall good conduct and civilised behaviour. According to him popular Hijab or برده is a part of past culture, wrongly dubbed as a religious duty. He asks women to be free to have their choice in having hijab or not to have it. What is obligatory on them is to choose modest clothing and civilized conduct. He, however believes that it may be a better option for a woman to have a scarf or Niqab for the purpose of her safety and protection of her honour in certain societal backgrounds. Ghamdi's views are distinctive in that he calls for the outlawing of various customary marital traditions that have been abused, such as child marriage, forced marriage, and polygamy, in order to defend women's rights and honour. References: 1-Ghamidi.Rights and obligations of spouses”ghamdi.com/audios/rithts-and-obligations-of spouses 1044 2- Ghamidi-Rights of women in Islam.Facebook,11 February 2020,/videos/545392513879 locale 2+eu 3JavedGhamidi@javedghmdi),Twitter,April21,2020,http://twitter.com/javedahmadghmidi/videws/545392519513879/locale2+eu 4-Al Mawrid hind,” Equality of men and women in Islam/Javed Ahmad Ghamdi” YouTube videos posted on 2 May 2020 http://www.youtube.com/wath?v=qk8jn-D2hxA. ---- Dr. Mohammad Ghitreef is a Research Associate with the Centre for Promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India, AMU, Aligarh. 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