Islamic View of Womens Rights: an International Lawyers Perspective

What is an Islamic view of womens rights? Is there an authentic Islamic interpretation of this issue? The central argument of this article is that there is no unique Islamic view of womens rights and even more, that according to the very nature and spirit of Islamic law itself, there should be no such version. The article starts with an overview of states international obligations with regard to protection of womens rights. It continues with some examples of implementation of these obligations in several states proclaiming Islam as official religion and source of legislation. This part of the article demonstrates diversity of views existing among such states and insists on the fact that it is not religion itself, but its misuse by patriarchal totalitarian regimes that impedes any development towards improvement of the situation of women in some Muslim states. Finally, the article suggests that international lawyers shall abandon sacralizing religiously framed defences of certain states and be in contrast more attentive and sensitive to difficulties faced by other Muslim states in their effort to reform and reinterpret Islamic law.