To her with Love

What if she is provided with that handful of love and respect she deserves! 

     By M F Janawari

History repeats itself,” as they say. But in case of a woman it is static to change hence any repetition. Nonetheless, she is seen shouldering every burden in all spheres of life but she is not living with all that, even not dead. She is just passing her days out of a “compulsion” called femaleness. No one can deny the fact that in all times she was roughshod over and never heard. Between the lines on the pages of every human history she is seen wailing the loss she suffered. In all war ridden situations or any natural calamity that might have broken, her mouth is shut not because she is dumb but for her voice is choked. It is she who has suffered the worst. In familial circumstances, where she should enjoy the pivotal position of regard and respect otherwise, there it is she who has not a say of her own.

The popular cultures of all the landscapes on globe inhabited by human race seem their hands joined for a common purpose make woman a hapless destitute, for example. That every ceremony, joyous or sorrowful, whatever; is hue less without her participation is common an observation. Even those who brag and boast their feminist role loud, lose their ideology when in practice. The contemporary world when compared to a race course lets one point out the only difference existing between the two that is the difference of commodity in use. In former case, the women and in later the horses are made to race just to touch a mark, for instance. The mark that may be called a destiny point, a goal for that matter, is in all times set by the game changers who ever remain vigilant see the ball only in their court. No matter whether she is a wife, a daughter or a mother she is just she when a subject. In male dominated societies like that of the valley of Kashmir the game changers are of course the men who patronize the women in every possible way.

Women have been denied their rights right from the very beginning of the planetary life. The oldest known histories of human civilization stand testimony to the fact that a woman has been undermined and underestimated in all aspects of life. Those who believe in conspiracy theories may believe in such a historical construction of history that may lead a woman live a life hellish.  No doubt in the present era that is being lauded a technically hi-tec era woman is surviving the same conditions, although under the banners of differently oriented nomenclatures. If in old days she was a subject for subjugation today she is no more a collaborator but the same subject. There are a lot of examples that may amply demonstrate this assertion.

Religions, apart from different ideologies that may aim at lifting her high above the ground zero level deem also let her in a catch 22 situation. At every front she is objected. Islam however has the best role that would have proven pretty benign for her but is unfortunately misunderstood hence women misguided. The whole life of blessed wives of Prophet (PBUH) and those of the first four caliphs of Islam have great lessons that stand a nice contrast to the way Muslim women are treated today. Prophet (PBUH) has never let her blessed wives work for him. Like they were never ordered to wash his clothes instead he would wash them himself. In the present social set up the woman is just a slave who works for men in a family and earns for them outside the home. Is this the freedom that Islam has provided her with? Had not Islam ascertain men responsible meet out all the expenditures of woman? One wonders when most of Muslim clerics inside the mosques on Fridays deliver sermons emphasis upon somewhat weak nature of a woman and focus on the men only there by prove it a Male dominated religion – a HE Islam. In case of property distribution among children of the same parent the word “daughter” exists nowhere. When of marriage she is bound to fulfill the wishes of her parents. To wit she is suffering a lot and no one seems really concerned.

She is also a human; in fact source of all the humanity without whom any life was scientifically impossible. She also feels when in pain, her senses are not dead. Can’t she live a life of her own? Why should she be supposed to live a slavery life? Can’t her heart be relished with a sense of affection? Why no one whether a husband, a father or a son provides her with that handful, respect and honour she deserves? She is need of love and respect from the ones she shares her lifetime with. There is a real world of peace and happiness behind her happiness and peace. What if she is provided with that handful of love and respect she deserves!

The author can be reached at farooq.jnu[at]gmail[dot]com

Photograph courtesy: freepresskashmir.com