Seminar on Women and Islam.

When all other cultures, religions and religious traditions were considering woman as a source of evil, it was the Islam that recognized her due right and place in the society, Dr. Muhammad Khalid Masud Chairman of Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) said this here on Tuesday.

Addressing a seminar on “Women and Islam”, organized by Center Of Excellence In Gender Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), he said in old times women were treated like slaves or property but Islam gave them dignity and respect.

He said both men and women are equal in Islam and it opposes any kind of gender discrimination on the basis of social norms and traditions.

CII Chairman said unlike many other religions Islam provides all rights to women including right to get knowledge and education, right to have independent property and right to work and mange their business.

He said there are many examples of women writers who have contributed in Arabic literature while in modern times we can also find Muslim women making waves in various fields of life.

“Biological difference does not mean that any person is superior to other because it does not make a person eligible or provide exception about a certain law,” he said.

He said Council of Islamic Ideology is a constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam.

Answering a question he said the CII is a constitutional body that advises the legislature whether or not a certain law is repugnant to Islam, namely to the Qur’an and Sunna. A lot of work has been done by CII in this connection including reforms to protect women rights but implementation of these recommendations need strong political, he added.

Vice Chancellor of Quaid-i-Azam University Dr. Masoom Yasinzai and Dr. Farzana Bari, director of the Centre of Excellence in Gender Studies, welcomed the chairman CII and thanked him for his comments over various important issues. A number of students and faculty members also attended the seminar.