MARRION A.

BALMORIS
BPA 1105

Gender Equality Perspective and Woman Position in Islam

According to the general provision in the addendum of Presidential Instruction of Republic of

Indonesia Number 9 of 2000, concerning the Guideline of Gender Mainstreaming in National
Development, gender equality is defined as the parity of condition for men and women to acquire the
opportunities and rights as humans to contribute and participate in political, economy, socio-cultural,
national security and defense activities as well as the parity to relish the development results. The gender
disparity is not an issue as long as it does not result in gender inequality. However, gender disparity has
produced various inequalities for men or particularly for women. Gender gap is a reality that has to be
faced by each woman worldwide and can be found in every public or private domain, domestic-
reproductive or productive, including in legal sector.1 For instance, in a public organization, it can be said
that women are in the marginalized position.
Patriarchal culture system embedding a perception in which the public domains (politics and
employment sector) as the domain of men is commonly accused as the main factor causing the progress
of women in public domains is commonly in the subordinate position of men2. The powerless perception
about women keeps maintained and spread by all philosophers, including reputable religious actors3 as
well as some Islamic scholars. Since its inception, Islam has eradicated discrimination against women. All
issues that are beneficial and fair to women are never up for debate, and history has proven that Muslims
have never criticized this rule.
Islamic Shariah was criticized and persecuted only after western civilization entered the Islamic
world. What Muslims believe in terms of rights, roles and responsibilities is being challenged by Western
thinking by raising the issue of gender equality. Equality of roles5. This study therefore aimed to explain
the concept of equality in terms of gender and the position of women in Islam.
In Islamic law, the commandment to do what is right is for everyone without exception. The right
words must be communicated even if they can harm relationships. The obligation to act must be imposed
on Muslim families and communities themselves. Even for pagans, Muslims must be fair. Social justice
must be achieved without discrimination because rich or poor, public servants or commoners, men or
women must be treated equally and have equal opportunities6. For nearly a century, many women,
including Muslim women who face gender discrimination, have been fighting for gender equality,
embodied in feminist action. In general, there is no difference between Islamic feminism and the
feminism that developed in the Western world, with the exception of Islamic feminism based on sacred
religious literatures.
The peculiarity of Islamic feminism is that it attempts to reveal the source of the problem in the
teaching of Islam and to question the causes of male dominance in the interpretation of gods and
goddesses. Koran 8. Through the feminist perspective, much of the normative knowledge of gender that
serves as a guide to religious life, especially with regard to gender relations, is revealed, reproduced, and
repaid. back to the spirit of Islam that continues to position the ideology of women's liberation within the
framework of human ideology. dignity. As a result, feminist scholars emerged, such as Riffat Hassan
(Pakistan), Fatima Mernissi (Mesir), Nawal Sadawi (Mesir), Amina Wadud Muhsin (USA), Zakiah
Adam, Zainah Anwar (Malaysia) and Asghar Ali Engineer. There are also some Indonesian words. With
the spirit of feminism, therefore, many different conceptions and studies on the interpretation of verses
and mantras of the Quran were carried out by Islamic scholars, known as feminists. Islam, appeared.
In the critical discourse on Islamic law, there are three groups of gender views, Islamic law
views, including conservative, liberal and cooperative schools11. The conservative group argues that
Islamic law leaves limited space for women, a view that is different from the perception that women are
weak and less physically strong and therefore must be protected in all aspects of their lives. living.
According to this view, men are taller than women. The liberal view contains more objections to Islamic
law or fiqh, which demands absolute equality for women and men, and holds that women in Islam have
an equal position with men. Their common existence as worshipers of Allah, has similar human
procreation even in the Qur'an, where men and women have the same obligations as the Caliph on earth
and with as a leader or ruler. Therefore, men and women have equal advantages. The difference is simply
in the natural aspects of men and women, such as female childbirth. However, the natural aspects do not
indicate the difference in other aspects. The difference concerns only physical-biological function rather
than existence, position and dignity
In Indonesia, discourse on feminism and relative Islam began around the 1980s, with an article by
Riffaat Hasan in the newspaper "Parallel before Allah". The treasure trove of Islamic feminist thought
became popular with the publication of translated books, such as "Women in Islam" by Fatima Mernissi,
"Women of the Koran" by Amina Wahdud Mushin, " Women in Islam" by Engineer Asghar Ali, "Muslim
women victims of social ills, etc." by Mazhar ul-Haq Khan, and "What it means to be a Muslim" by
Mailoa Marantika which includes statements by Raffat Hassan and Fatimah Mernisi about the
authenticity of women-hating gods
In promoting gender equality, Muslim feminists focus more on two important aspects. Firstly, the
inequality between men and women in the social structure of Muslims does not originate from the
existing Islamic teachings, but from the understanding of men and women, which crystallizes and takes
the standard teachings of Islam. Back as standard. Second, in an effort to establish equality, Islamic
doctrinal sources regarding gender relations must be revised in relation to the fundamental principles of
the teachings, namely justice and equality. is based on the Quran, i.e. verse 13 of Al Hujurat.
In promoting gender equality, Muslim feminists focus more on two important aspects. First, the
inequality between men and women in the social structure of Muslims is not rooted in existing doctrine
but in a biased understanding of amen, which was later crystallized and taken as the standard doctrine of '
Islam'. Second, in an effort to establish equality, Islamic doctrinal sources regarding gender relations
should be revised in relation to the fundamental principles of the teachings, namely justice and equality.
The position of women in Islam is equal to that of men in aspects unrelated to their nature (God's will)
because the best human beings in Allah's eyes are the most devoted, male or female .