Al-Huda
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the Message Continues ... 2/113
Newsletter for January 2011
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Maulvi Mumtaz Ali - a 19th Centure
advocate of Women's rights
Asgher Ali
Engineer (Mumbai, India)
It is generally thought that movement for women’s rights began with
Western educated people and in the 19th Century. But
very few people know about Maulvi Mumtaz Ali Khan, a traditional
‘alim, product of Darul ‘Uloom Deoband who was very enthusiastic
supporter of gender equality. There are two things to be noted
here: one, he was a traditional ‘alim and was not under the
influence of Western thought and two, he was advocating gender
equality purely on the basis of Islamic traditional sources i.e.
Qur’an and hadith.
The Maulavi was an enthusiastic supporter of women’s rights and was
one of the colleagues of Sir Syed. However, Sir Syed had lots of
troubles on his hand due to his campaign for a modern
educational institution for North Indian Muslims. He was facing
stiff resistance from orthodox ‘ulama and did not want more
trouble and so he advised Mumtaz Ali Khan not to publish his
book Huququn Niswan the manuscript of which he showed to
the Syed. However, the Maulvi was very enthusiastic about
women’s rights and wanted to educate Muslim men and women and
went ahead with its publication.
Huququn Niswan,
I dare say without any exaggeration, is like charter of rights for
Muslim women. Mumtaz Ali Khan proves from the Holy Qur’an
through his interpretations of relevant Qur’anic verses that men
and women have equal rights and that women have no authority
over women, as believed by Muslim men. This book, because of its
advocacy of women’s rights, soon went into oblivion and was not
available.
I obtained its copy from a US library and published it. It must be
read by all Muslim women to get duly armed with Qur’anic
arguments to fight for their case. He was married to a woman who
was not educated yet he not only educated her but also made her
the editor of a Women’s magazine which had become quite popular
in those days. This magazine, besides educating women about
their rights also made them aware of contemporary events,
especially socio-cultural.
Maulvi sahib’s arguments were quite ingenious based on his
interpretation of Qur’anic verses. He took all traditional
arguments by which men asserted their superiority over women. He
called such superiority as mardon ki jhuti fazilat (false
superiority of men ). For example, men usually argued that if
women are equal to men why did Allah (SWT) not grace any woman
with Prophethood (nubuwwat)?
Mumtaz Ali Khan gives quite an ingenious reply to this argument. He
says according to tradition there have been 124,000 Prophets and
we know names of only about a dozen prophets. How can then we
say there were no women Prophets at all unless we know all the
names. Similarly his reply to the argument that why are women
half the witness, if they are equal to men, his argument is as
follows:
The Qur’an itself does not say that women are half witness but only
recommends that in financial transactions, there should be two
women and one man if two men are not available. This according
to Mumtaz Ali is a privilege for women rather than any stigma as
two women have been recommended because often women have certain
problems like menstruation or pregnancy and cannot go to the
court to bear witness. Such privilege is not available to men.
Thus, according to Maulvi sahib, it is a privilege, not a stigma
for women.
He also refutes the argument that Allah (SWT) first created Adam
and then Eve and hence Adam has superiority over Eve. Mumtaz Ali
Khan also refutes this argument and says these are stories taken
by commentators of Qur’an from Christian and Jewish sources and
Qur’an itself does not say Adam was created first and then Eve
for his comfort and company. From Qur’an one cannot prove who
was created first and who was created later.
Similarly, the argument about permissibility of four marriages
simultaneously is also effectively refuted as he says there is
no clarity in the verse (4:3) whether it allows four wives
simultaneously, or one after the other or divorcing one and
marrying second and so on. According to him four wives
simultaneously is not the intention of the Qur’an for which he
gives elaborate arguments.
In any case it is most interesting book with alternate
interpretations of Qur’anic verses as far as women’s rights are
concerned. One can say it is first feminist interpretation of
Qur’an in the Indian subcontinent as early as 19th
century.
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