Political
102-512: Militant [REDACTED] Islam portal Wilayatul Hisbah is the Islamic religious police force responsible for the enforcement of sharia law in the autonomous region of Aceh , Indonesia . The origins of this force can be traced to 2001 when a special autonomy law was promulgated to allow for the state of Aceh to implement more elements of sharia law, which the Indonesian government see as
204-748: A Banda Aceh bathroom. The latest constituting document of Wilayatul Hisbah, Governor of Aceh Decree No. 139/2016, structured the force as follow: As apparatus of Aceh province, the commander of Wilayatul Hisbah reported to Governor of Aceh, but the institution consolidated and consulted to the Directorate General of Territorial Administration of the Ministry of Home Affairs . Each city or regency in Aceh province possessed their own Wilayatul Hisbah office, but they are subordinates to their respective city or regency local government. Provincial Wilayatul Hisbah possessed
306-589: A "universal and reciprocal duty", incumbent upon both the government and the people. Its implementation has been carried out by official committees as well as volunteer forces ( basij ). Elsewhere, policing of various interpretations of sharia-based public morality has been carried out by the Kano State Hisbah Corps in the Kano State of Nigeria , by Wilayatul Hisbah in the Aceh province of Indonesia , by
408-585: A 2019 'legal reform program and rebuilding and developing the justice and rights') declared Sudan "a multi-racial, multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural society", where the state would "not establish an official religion" and where no citizen would "be discriminated against based on their religion", thus eliminating the raison d'être for the Community Service Police. In 2020, the Kano State Nigerian Islamic police shaved off
510-678: A backlash of "gender apartheid" by Islamic fundamentalists. He notes that other religions also have "witnessed similar historical struggles." There are location-variations for women within mosques and congregations. Within some Islamic schools and branches , there are specific prayer variations for women. Women are ordered not to pray during their menstruation and for a length of time after childbirth ( postpartum period ). Majority of mosques worldwide have dedicated ladies-only prayer spaces. These include mosques in Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia , Malaysia , Turkey , Saudi Arabia and
612-672: A contentious relationship with the NPF, with the latter frequently refusing to cooperate in enforcement of religious law, and on multiple occasions arresting Hisbah members for trespassing private property. An example of a Kano State Hisbah Board activity was the destruction of 1,975,000 bottles of beer worth over N200 million (almost US$ 500,000) in 2020 that had been confiscated within metropolitan Kano. Another 2020 news report alleged frustration by Nigerian youths with zealous enforcement of hisbah in northern Nigeria in general and Kaduna state in particular, quoting one resident as saying, “Hisbah
714-493: A handful of states—notably Shia Iran—with modernist fundamentalist regimes, dress codes stipulating that women wear exclusively "religious" garments (as opposed to "secular" ones) in public which became mandatory in the latter part of the twentieth-century are still in force. However, these countries are both theologically and culturally atypical within the Islamic world: Iran is the world's only Shī'a revolutionary state and in none of
816-875: A hijab. In 2010, to protect "public morality", the Palestinian Islamic militant group Hamas ordered the removal of scantily-clad mannequins and pictures of models in underwear from clothing shops in the Gaza Strip. In 2021, the Islamic police force or "Hisbah" in Kano, a Muslim-majority state in Nigeria, ordered shops to use only headless mannequins to advertise clothing, and for the mannequins to be covered at all times. Women in Islam The experiences of Muslim women ( Arabic : مسلمات Muslimāt , singular مسلمة Muslimah ) vary widely between and within different societies. At
918-460: A murderer, requiring a male testimony for validation. Although the Quran doesn't explicitly require Muslim women to cover their faces or heads, the observance of sexual modesty and plain dress for both Muslim men and women is prescribed by the ḥadīth literature and sunnah (deeds and sayings attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions ); the practice of mandatory veiling
1020-755: A new "Ministry of Invitation, Guidance and Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice", taking over the old regime 's Ministry of Women’s Affairs building for use as its headquarters. The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice ( Arabic : هيئة الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر hayʾa al-ʾamr bil-maʿrūf wan-nahī ʿan al-munkar ) is a group in the Palestinian territory of Gaza Strip , responsible for enforcing traditional Muslim codes of behavior ( Sharia ). According to journalist Khaled Abu Toameh and Middle East researcher Dr. Jonathan Spyer ,
1122-690: A source of international ridicule. On September 26, 2017, a royal decree personally signed by Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud —the King and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia—directed the Ministry of the Interior to reverse the ban. The decree noted that "the original Islamic ruling in regards to women driving is to allow it", and that those who opposed this view did so on the basis of "excuses that are baseless and have no predominance of thought (sic)." Full implementation of
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#17328483359301224-567: A useful way of decreasing local fervor for Acehnese independence. These officers have reportedly been patrolling the streets since 2002, but the force was formally established in 2004, It was established at both provincial level as well as the district and municipality levels. The units were formed in response to an increase in "unmarried couples, Muslim women without headscarves or those wearing tight clothes, and people drinking alcohol or gambling,” which authorities perceived to have become more common following contact with Western ideas after foreign aid
1326-442: A veil: It is only the wives of Muḥammad who are instructed to wear this article of clothing (33:59). On the basis of the injunction to be modest, various forms of dress were developed in different parts of the Islamic world, but some forms of dress were carryovers from earlier, pre-Islamic Near Eastern societies: Ancient Greek women veiled themselves, in fact the practice of veiling is believed to originate from Ancient Greece, and
1428-517: A wide range of OIC member states, including Turkey, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Indonesia, while fashion magazines specifically targeted at more overtly religious demographics are flourishing: the Turkish title Âlâ is reportedly outselling both Vogue and Elle within its home market, while Aquila Style has a purported total circulation of 30,000 in three ASEAN states. The 2014–15 Thomson Reuters State of
1530-445: A woman is pregnant, she has the reward of someone who spends the whole night praying and the whole day fasting; when the contractions strike her, no one knows how much reward God gives her for having to go through this, and when she delivers her child, then for every suck it draws from her, she receives the reward for keeping a soul alive.'" Mothers shall suckle their children for two whole years; (that is) for those who wish to complete
1632-519: Is Paradise. A famous hadith of Muḥammad states that "Heaven lies under the feet of mothers", and accordingly—and like all traditional systems—Islam has honored the work of homemaker and mother as being of the highest value. While there is nothing in Islamic teachings that precludes women from working and receiving wages, as per Seyyed Hossein Nasr's The Heart of Islam: Enduring Values for Humanity , "Islamic society has never thought that working in an office
1734-571: Is a central character trait in Islam. Traditional dress for Muslim men has typically covered at least the head and the area between the waist and the knees, while women's Islamic dress is to conceal the hair and the body from the ankles to the neck. Some Muslim women also cover their faces , although the majority of Muslims agree it is not mandatory. In the specific context of women, the Quran at 24:31 speaks of covering women's "ornaments" from strangers outside
1836-452: Is common for women to wear Western -style clothing. Global fashion retail chains including Zara and Victoria's Secret have branches in OIC member states like Saudi Arabia . From the 1920s to the 1970s, the use of what is often referred to as the "veil"—this term could mean anything from a face veil to a shawl loosely draped over the head—declined until only a minority of Muslim women outside
1938-414: Is considered "publicly acceptable" in countries with these bans in place. The United Nations Human Rights Committee has publicly condemned these bans, claiming their infringement on rights of women dressing a certain way for religious purposes. Muslim European women, specifically, have noted that their public wearing of Islamic headgear has posed obstacles when it comes to gaining employment. In private, it
2040-497: Is not restricted to the nuclear model solely consisting of parents and children, but is instead typically made up of a larger extended family network which includes grandparents, uncles, aunts, in-laws and cousins. Pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding are processes for which women are rewarded by God: "A woman questioned the Prophet [Muḥammad]: 'Men go to war and have a great reward for that, so what do women have.' He answered: 'When
2142-418: Is not, in practice, as rigid as it appears. There are many examples – both in the early history of Islam and in the contemporary world – of Muslim women who have played prominent roles in public life, including being sultanas , queens , elected heads of state , and wealthy businesswomen . Moreover, it is important to recognize that in Islam, home and family are firmly situated at
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#17328483359302244-417: Is of a higher order of importance than bringing up one's children." While Islam has sometimes been lauded for a historically more progressive portrayal of women, there are differing viewpoints on the fairness of its personal status laws and criminal code as they pertain to women. Islam's patriarchal values continue to be a subject of debate, with the understanding that these values exhibit variations within
2346-884: Is perceived in certain areas as a reflection of gender-related separation. The practice of mandatory veiling is not due to any universal Islamic code; rather, the practice has risen under different contextual circumstances. The dress codes imposed in the Islamic Republic of Iran and in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime , and Islamic schools that require girls to wear a headscarf, have all been cited as examples of mandatory veiling. These policies of forced veiling have been criticized as coercive instruments for gender segregation that deny female autonomy and agency. However, objections to this argument suggest that forced veiling does not constitute gender apartheid and that social constructions of
2448-630: Is punishing youths for keeping afro hair and sometimes it is accompanied with beating. They have also prevented women and girls from using smartphones, claiming that it is used to spread unIslamic behaviours. They are just terrorising us." The Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice , (abbreviated CPVPV and colloquially termed hai’a (committee), whose enforcers are referred to as muttawa , mutaween (pl.)), are tasked with enforcing conservative Islamic norms of public behavior, as defined by Saudi authorities. They monitor observance of
2550-550: Is supported by Salafists and other religious conservatives. Following the July 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir , Sudan began a "transition to democracy". In December 2019, it repealed a public order law that granted police the power to arrest women "who were found dancing, wearing trousers, vending on the streets or mixing with men who weren’t their relatives", who might then be punished by "flogging, fines and, in rare cases, stoning and execution". A 3 September 2020 agreement (as part of
2652-467: Is the main Islamic religious police, or vice squad in the Law Enforcement Force of Islamic Republic of Iran . It was established in 2005, succeeding institutions of similar nature. Its mission is to impose Islamic dress codes and norms of conduct in public, particularly regarding the hijab of women, but also some men who are deemed improperly dressed according to the dress code . In addition,
2754-564: Is to help men maintain a state of sobriety, reserve, concentration, and spiritual poverty (the "perfections of the centre"). Conversely, women who symbolize unfolding, infinitude, and manifestation are not bound by the same constraints. Clothing such as ḥijābs , chādors , and burqas are typically worn in public only. 32% of countries in the European Union have bans on traditional Muslim headgear for women. Bans differ in enforcement, penalty for violation, and details of what type of headgear
2856-610: The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in the Gaza Strip , by the Taliban during their first rule of Afghanistan (1996–2001), as well as by other groups. Islamic religious police forces include: Afghanistan 's Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice was first instituted by the 1992 Rabbani regime, and adopted by the Taliban when they took power in 1996. Taliban's department
2958-473: The Indonesian Ulema Council and Turkey 's Diyanet ; and spiritual teachers, which are particularly prominent in Islamic mysticism or Sufism . Many of the latter, including the medieval Muslim philosopher Ibn Arabi , have themselves produced texts that have elucidated the metaphysical symbolism of the feminine principle in Islam. There are four sources of law for Sunni jurists. The first two,
3060-451: The Islamic daily prayers . They are sometimes portrayed as parapolice forces that mostly give citations and warnings, but some have powers similar to police officers, including the power to detain people . The practice is generally justified with reference to the religious doctrine of ḥisba , which is based on the Quranic injunction of enjoining good and forbidding evil , and refers to
3162-585: The Mohawk hairstyles of young men on the pavements of Kano City . Another report state that afro hair was punished by hisbah in another Nigerian state, Kaduna . In Afghanistan, it was reported on 25 January 2001 that the Taliban had arrested 28 barbers in Kabul for giving customers a haircut styled after Leonardo DiCaprio in the film Titanic , according to officials at the Embassy of Afghanistan, Islamabad . After
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3264-462: The Quran and ḥadīth literature are considered primary sources, while the other two, ijmā' and qiyās , are secondary. Additional or supplementary sources differ between various Muslim sects and schools of Islamic jurisprudence . Scholars who give fatwās and perform ijtihad may make use of these sources. Within Sunni Islam , women are provided a number of guidelines prescribed by
3366-453: The Quran and ḥadīth literature , as understood by fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), as well as under the interpretations derived from the ḥadīth that were agreed upon by the majority of Sunni Muslim scholars as authentic beyond doubt based on ḥadīth studies . The Quran holds that men and women have equal moral agency and they both receive equal rewards in the afterlife . These interpretations and their application were shaped by
3468-526: The United Arab Emirates , as well as mosques in countries where Muslims are a minority group, like Singapore, South Korea , Japan and the United States. In accordance with Islamic tradition, there is a practice of creating separate prayer spaces for men and women within mosques, which is derived from Hadith literature, including Sahih Muslim . Additionally, it is recorded that Muhammad encouraged
3570-474: The mutaween prevented them from escaping a burning school, because the girls were not wearing headscarves and abayas (black robes), and not accompanied by a male guardian. The firemen who arrived to help, were also beaten by the mutaween . Widespread public criticism followed, both internationally and within Saudi Arabia. The institution had general support among conservative currents of public opinion, but
3672-485: The religious police force responsible for the enforcement of Sharia —the Kano State Hisbah Corps —was established by the state government in 2003. It institutionalized the formerly local and privately maintained hisbah security units. It operates under the jurisdiction of a Hisbah Board composed of government officials, secular police officers, and religious leaders, and is highly decentralized with local units supervised by committees composed of officials and citizens in
3774-809: The sacred scriptures of Islam : the Quran; the ḥadīth , which are traditions relating to the deeds and aphorisms attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions ; ijmā' , which is a scholarly consensus, expressed or tacit, on a question of law; qiyās , the principle by which the laws of the Quran and the sunnah or prophetic custom are applied to situations not explicitly covered by these two sources of legislation; and fatwā , non-binding published opinions or decisions regarding religious doctrine or points of law. Additional influences include pre-Islamic cultural traditions; secular laws, which are fully accepted in Islam so long as they do not directly contradict Islamic precepts; religious authorities, including government-controlled agencies such as
3876-451: The sect and the corresponding schools of Islamic law . Included in secondary sources are the fatwā , which are often widely distributed, orally or in writing by Muslim clerics, to the masses in the local language and describe behavior, roles, and rights of women that conform to religious requirements. Fatwa are theoretically non-binding, but seriously considered and have often been practiced by most Muslims. The secondary sources classify
3978-470: The ḥadīth literature that it is everyone's duty, whether male or female, to seek knowledge. Along with these ideals came with hesitation from some who believed an educated woman who could read and write was described as poisonous. Many women throughout the Muslim world took this opportunity to receive education. Muhammad's teachings were widely sought by both sexes, and accordingly at the time of his death it
4080-528: The 1979 Iranian Revolution , hijab was made compulsory in stages. In 1980 it was made mandatory in government and public offices, and in 1983 it became mandatory for all women, including non-Muslims and non-citizens. From 2017–2019 protests were held against compulsory hijab , with authorities announcing the arrests of 29 women. Iranian government started a new program in 2023 to enforce chastity living law. In 2009, Iranian police warned shopkeepers not to display female mannequins with bodily curves or without
4182-538: The Global Islamic Economy Report forecasted that expenditure on clothing in OIC member states would reach US$ 484 billion by 2019. With the coming of the Quranic revelation, the family replaced the tribe as the basic unit of Arab society, and today the family is still the primary means of social organization in the Islamic world. As in many other traditional societies, the family in Muslim-majority countries
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4284-520: The Guidance Patrol, but it did not fall under his constitutional jurisdiction. On September 16, 2022, the Guidance Patrol arrested Mahsa Amini , a 22-year-old Iranian woman who they claim suffered heart failure , dying comatose two days later. Bruises on her legs and face suggested to many that she was beaten, despite police denials. Multiple medical officials and detainees that witness her arrest claim that Guidance Patrol officials tortured her in
4386-402: The Islamic religious police has had a contentious relationship with the civil police forces; some incidents where the Islamic religious police has been involved were widely viewed as overstepping their mandate and have received broad public condemnation in the country. The classical doctrine of ḥisba , associated with the Quranic injunction of enjoining good and forbidding wrong , refers to
4488-533: The Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women... for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward" (Qur'an 33:35). This highlights that both genders are equal in their responsibilities and rewards for faith and good deeds. Modesty ( Haya ) is a religious prescription in Islam: the Quran commands both men and women to dress modestly and not display their bodies, and Muhammad asserted that modesty
4590-412: The Muslim women surveyed by ISPU, 46% say they wear a visible symbol to mark their faith in public all the time" (this includes the hijab), 19% some of the time, and 35% none of the time. The study did not find there to be any significant age or race difference. In today's modern context, the question of why Muslim women wear the hijab is met with a variety of responses by Muslim American women, including
4692-424: The Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice has been assisted by volunteers, who enforce strict rules of Islamic dress code , attendance of Islamic daily prayers , and gender segregation between men and women . With the rising international influence of Salafism and Wahhabism , the conception of ḥisba as an individual obligation to police religious observance has become more widespread. This has led to
4794-460: The Quranic verse most cited in defense of the ḥijāb (Sūrat al-Aḥzāb, 33:59) does not mention this article of clothing at all; instead, it references a "long, overflowing gown" which was the traditional dress at the time of this revelation. The fashion media sector within the Muslim world for both Western and Islamic fashion has grown tremendously from the 1990s onwards. Local editions of magazines from Marie Claire to Cosmopolitan are now published in
4896-539: The Saudi religious police were broadly condemned in the country, including cases of breaking into private homes on suspicion of illicit behavior, and being staffed by "ex-convicts whose only job qualification was that they had memorized the Qur'an in order to reduce their sentences". Perhaps the most serious incident for which they were blamed was the 2002 Mecca girls' school fire , where fifteen girls died and fifty were injured after
4998-410: The Taliban's principles, and to wear turbans outside their households. Among other things, the Taliban also forbade both male and female participation in sport, including football and chess , as well as recreational activities such as kite-flying . Mahnaz Afkhami writes that the Islamic fundamentalist worldview "singles out women's status and her relations to society as the supreme test of
5100-623: The appearance of activists around the world who urge fellow Muslims to observe Islamic rituals, dress code, and other aspects of sharīʿah , with vigilante incidents in London (2013-2014) and Wuppertal, Germany (2014) resulting in criminal charges. In Iran , the doctrine of ḥisba was enshrined in the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran after the Iranian Revolution (1979) as
5202-643: The authenticity of the Islamic order." This is symbolized by the institutions of purdah (physical separation of the sexes) and awrah (concealing the body with clothing). As in much of the world, institutions suppressing women were becoming less powerful until the resurgence of Islamic fundamentalism at the end of the 20th century. Walid Phares writes that Marxism in the Soviet Union and China, as well as "secular anticlericalism" in Turkey forced women to "integrate themselves into an antireligious society" resulting in
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#17328483359305304-571: The back of a van before arriving to the station. Her arrest and death instigated a wave of protests in Iran. The alleged dissolution of Morality Police in Iran was later denied by Iranian state media. The Malaysian religious authority, known as the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI), enforces religious standards. Its Chief of enforcement is Wan Jaafar Wan Ahmad. Punishable offenses include khalwat ,
5406-455: The basis of suspicion". In practice, "these and other guidelines" have often been disregarded and people’s "right to privacy" violated. Although abuses by the hisbah "appear to have decreased" since their introduction in 2000–2002. While Hisbah members have been responsible for "flogging and beating suspected criminals", unlike some vigilante groups" as of 2004, Human Rights Watch was not aware of killings by hisba members". In Kano state,
5508-442: The body except the hands and eyes), segregation between the sexes , and daily prayer attendance; but also banning Western products/activities such as the sale of dogs and cats, Barbie dolls, Pokémon , and Valentine's Day gifts. Officers were authorized to pursue, detain and interrogate suspected violators, flog offenders for certain misdeeds, and arrest priests for saying Mass in private ceremonies. In some cases,
5610-477: The centre of life in this world and of society: a man's work cannot take precedence over the private realm. The Quran dedicates numerous verses and surahs to Muslim women: their roles, duties, and rights; such as An-Nisa (“The Women”) and Maryam , named after Mary. Women hold an honored and significant role in Islam, both spiritually and socially. Islam emphasizes the equality of men and women in their relationship with God. The Qur'an clearly states, "Indeed,
5712-402: The child by mutual consent and (after) consultation, it is no sin for them; and if ye wish to give your children out to nurse, it is no sin for you, provide that ye pay what is due from you in kindness. Observe your duty to Allah, and know that Allah is Seer of what ye do. (Al-Quran 2:233) Muḥammad also stated that if a woman dies in childbirth, she is counted as a martyr; the reward for martyrdom
5814-661: The communities in which they operate. The Hisbah Corps does not have authority to execute arrests and are allowed to carry only non-lethal weapons for self-defense. Hisbah officers who observe violations of Sharia are expected to alert the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). The duties of the Hisbah Corps include arbitrating disputes on a voluntary basis, verbally chastising violators of Sharia, and maintaining public order at religious celebrations. Hisbah are also trained to assist with disaster response operations. The Hisbah Corps has had
5916-561: The conservative societies of the Arabian Peninsula still used it. The Sorbonne-educated Franco-Bosnian academic Jasna Šamić has posited that the term "ḥijāb" does not have any connection with the noun or concept of "headscarf": "The expression hijab in the Koran means 'the veil hiding God'. In other words, one can never see and get to know God, because our intellect is too weak [to fully comprehend Him]." Other analysts have pointed out that
6018-490: The construction of separate entrances for men and women in mosques. This recommendation aimed to provide convenience and maintain a sense of propriety by allowing men and women to enter and exit the mosque without mingling through the same entrance. A 1990 fatwa, commissioned by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of the Interior, formally enacted a ban on women driving. This prohibition was unique to Saudi Arabia and became
6120-461: The decree was scheduled for June 2018. In an interview with The Atlantic, Hala Al-Dosari, a Saudi scholar at Harvard University's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, posited that the driving ban was not religious or even cultural, but political; she also noted the absurdity of banning females driving when women in the era of Muḥammad (570–632), were riding their camels without it being an issue. The author and academic Haifaa Jawad underlined that
6222-402: The development of jurisprudence and religious schools with Islamic scholars that referred to resources such as identifying authentic documents, internal discussions, and establishing a consensus to find the correct religiously approved course of action for Muslims. These formed the secondary sources of influence for women. Among them are ijmā' , qiyās , ijtihad , and others, depending on
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#17328483359306324-584: The diverse contexts of different countries with Muslim majorities . Generally, however, male and female rights differ according to Islamic personal status laws. Some Islamic legal traditions allow men to engage in polygamy and marry non-Muslim women , while women are generally restricted from having multiple husbands and marrying non-Muslim men. Additionally, female inheritances are typically half of their male siblings'. Islamic criminal jurisprudence also relies heavily on witness testimony, and female testimonies alone are often not considered sufficient to convict
6426-566: The dress code, gender segregation in public spaces, and whether shops are closed during prayer times. Established in its best known form in the mid-1970s, by the early 2010s, the committee was estimated to have 3,500–4,000 officers on the streets, assisted by thousands of volunteers and administrative personnel. Its head held the rank of cabinet minister and reported directly to the king. Committee officers and volunteers patrolled public places, with volunteers focusing on enforcing strict rules of hijab (which in Saudi Arabia meant covering all of
6528-482: The duty of Muslims to promote moral rectitude and intervene when another Muslim is acting wrongly. Historically, its legal implementation was entrusted to a public official called muhtasib (market inspector), who was charged with preventing fraud, disturbance of public order and infractions against public morality. In 1976, the committees of Saudi Arabia were united under an official of ministerial rank, acting under direct royal command. The unified Committee for
6630-410: The duty of Muslims to promote moral rectitude and intervene when another Muslim is acting wrongly. In pre-modern Islam , its legal implementation was entrusted to a public official called muhtasib (market inspector), who was charged with preventing fraud, disturbance of public order, and infractions against public morality. This last part of public morality was missing in early and medieval Islam but
6732-504: The end of communism in Albania and the Yugoslav republics also meant an end to highly restrictive secular apparel legislation. As a result, it is now legal for women in these countries to wear clothes suggesting a (post-) modern Islamic identity—such as the headscarf colloquially known as the ḥijāb—in public, though not necessarily in all public institutions or offices of state. Conversely, in
6834-500: The enforcement of laws against crimes like robbery and murder by conventional police forces , Islamic religious police have focused more on such issues as preventing the consumption of alcohol among Muslims , mixing of men and women , playing of music and public display of affection , Western practices such as Valentine's Day or Christmas gifts, making sure that Muslim women (but also sometimes men) observe Islamic dress code , and that Muslims are not skipping attendance to
6936-518: The fact that "the majority" of hisbah members have "a low level of formal education, no background in law, and no training in law enforcement or procedures for arrest, investigation, or gathering of evidence. Human Rights Watch is not aware of any women joining the hisbah in Nigeria." While there are not set laws on hisbah procedure, according to a "common understanding" of what hisbah are allowed to do, "they are expected to arrest criminals", but not "to enter people’s private homes or spy on them merely on
7038-399: The family. This type of behaviour is commonly seen by Islamic scholars and the broader Muslim public alike as emblematic of a state of spiritual ignorance ( al-Jāhiliyyah ). All orthodox schools of Sharia law prescribe covering the body in public: specifically, to the neck, the ankles, and below the elbow. However, none of the traditional legal systems actually stipulate that women must wear
7140-500: The feminine/masculine polarity (and therefore complementarity) results in a separation of social functions. In general, a woman's sphere of operation is the home in which she is the dominant figure – and a man's corresponding sphere is the outside world. Women are highly respected in many aspects of domestic life such as being praised for their knowledge as ritual specialists, healers, caretakers, and those who arrange marriages in their community. However, this separation
7242-534: The group forms part of the police forces of the Hamas de facto government . In 2009, the Hamas government's "Islamic Endowment Ministry" deployed Virtue Committee members to warn citizens of the alleged "dangers" of immodest dress, card playing, and dating. The force was aimed to "fight those who are being corrupted by Satan , and do not observe sharia law." Guidance Patrol ( Persian : گشت ارشاد ,' Gašt-e Eršād )
7344-413: The historical context of the Muslim world at the time they were written. During his life, Muhammad married nine or eleven women , depending upon the differing accounts of who were his wives. In pre-Islamic Arabian culture , marriage was generally contracted in accordance with the larger needs of the tribe and was based on the need to form alliances within the tribe and with other tribes. Virginity at
7446-547: The idea that women are meant to exemplify femininity and men masculinity, but that neither is superior in the eyes of Allah except in moral righteousness and actions. Spiritual equality between women and men is detailed in Sūrat al-Aḥzāb (33:35) : Verily, the Muslims: men and women, the believers: men and women, the Qanit: men and the women, the men and women who are truthful, the men and
7548-432: The late-1970s amidst the Iranian Revolution (1979) and the Islamic revival that the event brought to the Muslim world ; prior, the administration of public morality in most Muslim-majority countries was considered a socio-religious matter, and was enforced through application of civil laws and/or through more informal means. The powers and responsibilities of Islamic religious police vary by country, but in contrast to
7650-499: The lawful and unlawful behaviors of Muslim men and women, which typically fall into the five categories ( al-ahkam al-khamsa ): wajib / fard (obligatory), mustahabb /mandub (recommended), mubah (neutral), makruh (disapproved), and haram (forbidden). There is considerable controversy, change over time, and conflict between the secondary sources. Gender roles in Islam are simultaneously colored by two Quranic precepts: (i) spiritual equality between women and men; (ii)
7752-536: The laws applicable within the province only. Islamic religious police Islamic religious police (also sometimes known as morality police or sharia police ) are official Islamic vice squad police agencies, often in Muslim-majority countries , which enforce religious observance and public morality on behalf of national or regional authorities based on its interpretation of sharīʿah . Modern Islamic religious police forces were first established in
7854-399: The most popular, "piety and to please God" (54%), "so others know they are Muslim" (21%), and "for modesty" (12%). Only 1% said they wore it, "because a family member or spouse required it". According to all schools of Islamic law, only women are permitted to wear pure silken garments next to the skin, although the schools of law differ about almost every other detail concerning silk (such as
7956-633: The north—where Islam is the dominant religion. In 1999 the states made a "declaration of full Sharia law", and consequently each state created institutions such as Sharia and Zakat commissions, and "to promote Islamic virtue" and discourage vice, "hisbah", groups. As of 2016, each of these hisbah is "unique", varying from state sanctioned, organized, commissioned, funded groups with thousand of people on salary in large states (Kano and Zamfara), to all-unpaid, volunteer groups (Gombe), and hisbah that "exist only on paper" (Borno). According to Human Rights Watch , as of 2004, Human Rights Watch sees as problematic
8058-730: The offense of being in close proximity to any forbidden member of the opposite sex. Adultery is also an offense and may lead to up to two years in prison. According to local newspapers, the moral police have stopped hundreds of couples. Other offenses include extra-marital sex, alcohol consumption, not fasting during Ramadan, and not visiting the mosque during Friday prayer. The department also punishes gay Muslims. Malaysian morality police are often accused of overstepping their mandate, with legal confusion resulting from overlapping and ambiguously defined jurisdictions of secular and sharia-based laws. In Nigeria , "religious police" are organized by state and called "Hisbah". Nigeria has twelve states—all in
8160-533: The office was revived in Saudi Arabia , and later instituted as a committee, aided by a volunteer force focused on enforcing religious observance. Similar institutions later appeared in several other countries and regions. Islamic religious police organizations have been controversial, both locally and internationally. Although these institutions tend to have support from conservative currents of public opinion, their activities are often disliked by other segments of
8262-527: The others do the same restrictions on women's clothing in public apply, as the overwhelming majority of Muslim-majority countries have no laws mandating the public wearing of either secular or religious apparel. In a 2018 study done by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, Muslim American women were, "the most likely" when compared to other domestic religious communities to, "wear "a visible symbol that makes their faith identity known to others."" Of
8364-426: The patrol also enforces Islamic codes of conduct in public, such as preventing the mingling of unrelated men and women without a male guardian ( mahram ) for the latter, and preventing other types of behavior that are un-Islamic. It has been viewed as a scourge by urban women, particularly those from more affluent circles, who try to push the boundaries of dress code. President Hassan Rouhani had expressed opposition to
8466-545: The permissibility of men wearing silk mixed with other fibers). In Islamic tradition, silk is strongly associated with Heaven. The Quran speaks in several places of the sumptuous fabrics to be enjoyed by the virtuous in Paradise: their garments will be made of silk (22:23 and 35:33), and they will recline on carpets lined with rich brocade (55:54). Gold Similarly, Sharia law posits that only women may wear gold ornaments, such as jewelry. The intention behind this distinction
8568-399: The population, especially liberals, urban women, and younger people. Legal reforms made by Saudi rulers in 2016 sharply curtailed the authority of the Saudi religious police. Former Iranian president Hassan Rouhani has criticized Iran's religious police, but the president does not have control over it under the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran . In the Kano State of Nigeria ,
8670-667: The power to held guidance and fostering to the Wilayatul Hisbah office in city or regency. The Wilayatul Hisbah was separated and differed from another department in Aceh Province, Aceh Province Department of Islamic Sharia, which was tasked to educate, foster, conserve Islamic ways and way of life in Aceh, and performing research and assessments for producing Islamic law documents applicable in Aceh Province. While Aceh Department of Islamic Sharia tasked with such tasks, it does not have power for law enforcing. The Wilayatul Hisbah enforced
8772-522: The practice of women covering their hair was the norm in the earlier communities of Jews and Christians. The iconography of the Virgin Mary in Christian art always shows her with her hair covered, and this convention was followed into the modern era by both Georgian and Armenian Christians, in addition to Oriental Jewish women; Catholic women would not go to church without covering their heads until well into
8874-404: The reversal of the ban on women driving. The Quran , ḥadīth literature , and sunnah (the spoken or acted example attributed to Muhammad) advocate the rights of women and men equally to seek knowledge. The Quran commands all Muslims to exert effort in the pursuit of knowledge, irrespective of their biological sex: it constantly encourages Muslims to read, think, contemplate and learn from
8976-560: The royal decree was "not some bold initiative to present a new religious interpretation of the issue. Theologically speaking, the ban has no basis in the Quran or Hadith, and should never have been issued in the first place." Additionally, some analysts have contended that the US$ 3.5 billion investment in the car-sharing app Uber by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund –together with other projected economic gains–was instrumental in
9078-405: The same time, their adherence to Islam is a shared factor that affects their lives to a varying degree and gives them a common identity that may serve to bridge the wide cultural, social, and economic differences between them. Among the influences which have played an important role in defining the social, legal, spiritual, and cosmological status of women in the course of Islamic history are
9180-540: The signs of God in nature. Moreover, Muhammad encouraged education for both males and females: he declared that seeking knowledge was a religious duty binding upon every Muslim man and woman. Like her male counterpart, each woman is under a moral and religious obligation to seek knowledge, develop her intellect, broaden her outlook, cultivate her talents and then use her potential to the benefit of her soul and her society. Copyists made it evident that women were entitled to seek an education just as much as any man by stating in
9282-419: The suckling. The duty of feeding and clothing nursing mothers in a seemly manner is upon the father of the child. No-one should be charged beyond his capacity. A mother should not be made to suffer because of her child, nor should he to whom the child is born (be made to suffer) because of his child. And on the (father's) heir is incumbent the like of that (which was incumbent on the father). If they desire to wean
9384-588: The time of marriage was emphasized as a tribal honor. William Montgomery Watt states that all of Muhammad's marriages had the political aspect of strengthening friendly relationships and were based on the pre-Islamic Arabian custom. Women (Arabic: Sūrat an-Nisāʼ ) is the fourth chapter of the Quran. The title of the surah derives from the numerous references to women throughout the chapter, including verses 4:34 and 4:127—4:130. The above primary sources of influence on women of Islam may not deal with every single conceivable situation over time. This led to
9486-570: The twentieth-century. The covering of the hair was taken by women to be a natural part of life as a sign of modesty and especially as a sign of respect before God. In the twenty-first century, there continues to be tremendous variance in how Muslim women dress, not least because the Islamic world is so geographically and culturally diverse. Laws passed in states (such as laïcist Turkey and Tunisia ) with twentieth-century Westernization campaigns—which mandated that women wear "modern", Western-style clothing—have been relaxed in recent years; similarly,
9588-432: The universe, humanity has been created in a pair (Sūrat al-Dhāriyāt, 51:49) – neither can be complete without the other. "In Islamic cosmological thinking, the universe is perceived as an equilibrium built on harmonious polar relationships between the pairs that make up all things. Moreover, all outward phenomena are reflections of inward noumena and ultimately of God." The emphasis that Islam places upon
9690-799: The veil have wrongfully made it a symbol of gender inequality. During the five-year history of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, the Taliban regime interpreted the Sharia law in accordance with the Hanafi school of Islamic jurisprudence and the religious edicts of Mullah Omar . Women were banned from working , girls were forbidden to attend schools or universities , were requested to observe purdah and to be accompanied outside their households by male relatives; those who violated these restrictions were punished. Men were forbidden to shave their beards and required to let them grow and keep them long according to
9792-470: The women were wearing long-sleeved shirts and either skirts or trousers. In December 2017, 24 women were arrested at a private gathering for wearing trousers. They were later released. Punishment can include flogging and the payment of fines. The Public Order Court, which handles such cases, is a parallel court system which exercises summary judgements. Many Sudanese resent the activity of the religious police as oppressive and arbitrarily intrusive, although it
9894-473: The women who are patient, the Khashi`: men and the women, the men and the women who give Sadaqat, the men and the women who fast, the men and the women who guard their chastity and the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues, Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward. Islam's basic view of women and men postulates a complementarity of functions: like everything else in
9996-565: Was established in 1993 by President Omar al-Bashir . The Public Order Law was initiated by the Sudanese government in the state of Khartoum in 1992, and later applied to all states . The name was changed in 2006. The Community Service Police is in charge of enforcing regulations on certain personal behaviors, including indecent clothing, alcohol consumption, offensive acts and seduction, among others. In June 2015, 10 female students were charged with "indecent dress" after exiting their church. All of
10098-654: Was modeled on a similar organization in Saudi Arabia. It was closed when the Taliban was ousted, but the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Afghanistan reinstated it in 2003. In 2006 the Karzai regime submitted draft legislation to create a new department, under the Ministry for Haj and Religious Affairs, devoted to the "Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice". When the Taliban took power again in August 2021, they established
10200-473: Was provided after the 2004 Indonesian tsunami . It was described in a 2014 report as being a "voluntary" force. The force's integrity has been questioned occasionally. Its public image deteriorated heavily in 2010 after three officials were found to have raped a girl that was being detained by them in West Aceh Regency . In another instance, an officer was found to be engaging in sex with his girlfriend in
10302-428: Was reported that there were many female scholars of Islam. Additionally, the wives of Muhammad —particularly Aisha —also taught both women and men; many of his companions and followers learned the Quran, ḥadīth , and Islamic jurisprudence ( fiqh ) from Aisha . Because Islam recognizes that women are in principle wives and mothers, the acquisition of knowledge in fields which are complementary to these social roles
10404-565: Was widely disliked by liberals and younger people. In 2016 the power of the CPVPV was drastically reduced by Mohammed bin Salman , and it was banned "from pursuing, questioning, asking for identification, arresting and detaining anyone suspected of a crime". The Community Service Police serves as the Sudanese religious police. Originally called the Public Order Police, the enforcement agency
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