Violence against women and children is a global phenomenon that all societies, without exception, suffer from. It is also particularly evident in developing societies and Third World countries because of the insufficient and weak laws in such countries.
In our age, there are many ways in which women are harmed. This includes verbal, psychological, physical and sexual abuse. There are other forms of abuse that are more serious and cruel, including depriving them of their rights and taking their money, savings and salaries.
Some husbands force their wives to take out bank loans and pay installments on their behalf. The wife is then finally divorced and the husband will move on to another woman. He will most likely do the same with his second wife. A person who blackmails will continue to do so if there are no laws or if the laws are insufficient or weak.
The rights of women should be respected, and this is what Islam teaches us. Islam has protected the rights of women. In the West, specifically in France, personal status laws are implemented—these laws are Islamic and according to the Maliki school of fiqh. These laws play a huge role in deterring men who might want to harm their wives or children. Sheikh Muhammad Abduh (may Allah have mercy on him) was correct when he said that he found Islam in Europe without Muslims and that he found Muslims in the Islamic world but without Islam.
Even today, some Islamic Shariah rules in the Kingdom have not been written down and people have not been made aware of them. This is the reason why women are mistreated by their husbands or guardians in the Kingdom.
Women are the mothers who gave birth to us and the ones who bore difficulties because of us. They remain our sisters, daughters, maternal aunts, paternal aunts and grandmothers. They should be respected. Without women, we men have no value. Behind every great man is a woman. Most of the problems that women suffer are due to the domination of some men, regardless of whether they are husbands or guardians.
In the US, sportsmen and famous individuals have been publicly shamed and have fallen from grace because of their mistreatment of women and children. Our laws should be robust and should serve to deter people from mistreating women and children.
Children are mistreated in many ways. They are physically, sexually, verbally and psychologically abused, and are also neglected and emotionally deprived. Some children are also kidnapped by their fathers when marriages break up and are used as bargaining chips to apply pressure on ex-wives. Children are innocent but more often than not they become the victims when marriages end in divorce. They are used to wreak revenge against mothers. It is no wonder that there are so many homes that have broken apart because of the behavior of some men.
Marriage is a holy bond, a partnership between two people. It is not a fake bond in which the man owns the woman and does whatever he wants with her. There are virtuous men who deal with women with respect. They not only protect women's rights, but they defend them. However, there are others who are wolves who marry women because of their greed for money.
The mistreatment of women and children must stop. This cannot be achieved without the existence of laws that can protect women and children and act as deterrents. What protects everyone's rights are those laws that do not differentiate between the strong and the weak, and the rich and the poor. All are equal under the law.
The codification of the rules of Shariah is not only an urgent requirement but a necessity to protect people, especially women and children. This is what we want and expect from the authorities. We need laws that protect us and our society from those who do not fear Allah in the treatment of women and children.
