WOMEN AND WEALTH IN ISLAM

Abstract

Property and wealth are entwined in the structure of society, with ties formed through blood and marital relations, and the orderly transfer of wealth is a fundamental part of Islamic law. The supreme purpose of the Islamic system is material provision for surviving dependants and relatives. This research tries to describe the important factors at work of religion to which women have an opportunity to contribute of their aspiration for the formulation of Islamic Law. The question to be considered is how does the pre-existing, culturally rooted perception of women influence the interpretation of the Qur'anic position on women? The interpretation of the Qur'an itself is influenced by social, moral, economic and political concerns, including interpretation regarding women. For example, Verse 34 of surah 4 of the Qur'an teaches that the superiority of men over women is justified by the fact that men provide women with "nafaqa," the resources necessary to maintain human life. This verse commonly has been cited to subjugate women in the name of Islam. But Muslim women are asking the question "How should this verse be interpreted?†Is the link between the relationship of domination and consumption limited to the sexual relationship, or is it institutionalized in other spheres?