Women & The Future of Iraq

How women are treated is one of the best indicators we have for judging the health of a nation. The future of Iraq may well be decided by how the winners of tomorrow's election view the implementation of sharia, or Islamic law. Isobel Coleman, writing in Foreign Affairs, says there's room for progressive reform:

"Contrary to the claims of secularists who deny the compatibility of Islam and modern notions of women's rights, Islamic attitudes on the question actually vary quite widely. According to "Islamic feminists," Islam is actually a very progressive religion for women, was radically egalitarian for its time, and remains so in some of its Scriptures. They contend that Islamic law has evolved in ways that are inimical to gender equality not because it clearly pointed in that direction, but because of selective interpretation by patriarchal leaders and a mingling of Islamic teachings with tribal customs and traditions. Islamic feminists now seek to revive the equality bestowed on women in the religion's early years by rereading the Koran, putting the Scriptures in context, and disentangling them from tribal practices."

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