Islamic features, or that their legal status is entirely the consequence of Muslim law.
Dr Zoya Hasan, Professor of Indian politics at the School of Social Sciences, Jawahar Lal Nehru University, currently doing a research project on Muslim women agrees with the Hameed terming the report as the "first document which is the authentic voice of Muslim women".
``The reason generally attributed to their backwardness is the Shariyat which makes them more vulnerable and helpless which is certainly an important factor. But to ascribe it entirely to Islamic features is like giving a simple explanation for a complex phenomenon,'' Hasan says.
Commenting on Hameed's observation Hasan says that the abysmal status is not just restricted to Muslim women in India, but also women from other communities also live in more or less the same condition.
Around 10,000 women (including 2,000 Hindus) from 40districts in ten major cities were included in her survey for her study paper. There are regional and class difference on the comparitive status, though insignificant, so as to say.
Hasan said the comparitive position of Hindu and Muslim men on community specific features like education, mobility, employment and access to welfare programmes was more or less the same.
There are insignificant difference between both communities as far as literacy (upto fifth standard) is concerned, though after fifth standard there is some difference--if 22 per cent of Hindu women are educated beyond fifth standard, then the corresponding figure for Muslim women is 14 per cent, she informs.
Average age of marriage also remains more or less the same with Hindu women marrying at 16 and Muslims at 17-and-half.
Also, there are not enough Madrasas in close vicinity for girls to go and study though their male counterparts go ahead to study in the English medium schools even in far flung areas, she says.
The working status is rather dismal with 86 per cent Muslims unemployed (84 per cent in rural areas), 19 per cent ever worked for cash and only 15 per cent are engaged in economic activities (tailoring, needle work etc) and their Hindu counterparts are productively engaged at 20 per cent.
Ninety per cent of the Muslim women have their income below Rs. 500 and 80 per cent have Rs. 250 monthly whereas 70 pe cent of them are the sole bread earners of the family.
As far as access to welfare activities is concerned, inter-community differnce exists as 50 per cent of Muslim women were not even aware of them whereas Hindu women were more aware of such schemes and programmes and have easier access to them.
"Women below the age of 30 years are educated and are working in good positions in urban areas wheras there seniors are not in such positions in both the areas."
What is an interesting and note-worthy fact is that as shown above, there are insignificant difference between the status of Hindu and Muslim women wheras the same does not hold true for their male counterparts! There is major difference in literacy, employment, health and access to welfare activities.
Incidentally, Hameed has made some recommendations in her report to the Muslim Samaj as a whole which calls for codification of Muslim Personal Law. ``The state can play a constructive role. It can become an agent of change while leaving the substantive matter to the Muslims themselves,'' she says.
First wife's permission should be mandatory before the second marriage is contracted "as is the practice in practically all Islamic countries".
The instantaneous verbal triple talaq should be banned and a standard Nikahnaama be made, Hameed says.
``Lack of education has been identified as the single most cause for backwardness of minority women. Special care should be given to schools in Muslim concentrated areas,'' she adds in her recommendations addressed to the state.
Copyright © 2000 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
