Alhamdulillah we call our selves Muslims! But are we so in reality, asks Umar Nazir TibetBaqal
Women have been the subject of deprivation, discrimination, intimidation, and unjust treatment in society throughout history. The difference is only in the forms that differ from time to time and from society to society.
The modern and sophisticated but heinous assault on women is not to allow them to come into existence – Female foeticide. It is the elimination of the female foetus in the womb which is worse than any other crime because female foeticide involves killing of females, birth givers, and thus preventing generations from coming to existence.
Medical advances and technological development have enabled scientists and medical practitioners to initiate certain methods and techniques to determine the sex of the foetus. The most important among them are amniocentesis, chrion villus Biopsy, and now the widely used ultrasonography. People are interested to know the sex of the foetus. When it is determined, and found to be a female one, it is aborted.
Who has given them a right to kill? Holy Quran forbids all types of infanticide and foeticide irrespective of whether the infant is a male or female as mentioned in surah Al- Anam chapter 6, verse 151 (6:151).
“Say, ‘Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, and to parents, good treatment, and do not kill your children out of poverty; We will provide for you and them. And do not approach immoralities – what is apparent of them and what is concealed. And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right. This has He instructed you that you may use reason.”
The sex-determination tests were basically designed to detect gender related congenital abnormality in the unborn child. It is unfortunate that it is abused largely to detect the sex of the foetus in order to have it aborted if it happens to be that of a female. The intention behind such tests was good, but humans, under the influence of hedonistic tendencies, always manipulate good to satisfy their egos, desires and ambitions at the cost of others and society as well.
Female foeticide is a severe blow to humanity. It is the most disgraceful and deplorable act on the part of human beings who are considered to be the superior creatures of Allah responsible to create conducive conditions for the existence and survival of their fellows. It has widespread repercussions on humans and society as well. The first predicament is that it amounts to homicide, destruction of a life and liquidation of the human race. The foetus contains life and its elimination is an awful crime. All those who are involved in this heinous act must be severely dealt with.
The second serious impact of female foeticide is disparity in gender ratios. The South and East Asian countries like India and China are worsy affected as the female foetuses are selectively aborted after pre-natal sex determination. Thus, avoiding the birth of girls has damaged the structure of the population to an alarming extent and the number of females has decreased.
The causes of female foeticide are embedded deep in the edifice of society. It is necessary to change the mindset of people and enable them to throw off the yoke of unhealthy and inhuman traditions. Here, they are required to liberate themselves from ruthless and detrimental traditional bonds and develop humane qualities in the true sense. People are under constant social pressure that impels them to commit this type of acts.
There are several reasons for that:
First and Fore most is the understanding Quran and Hadees and there by implementing it in our day to day life. But unfortunately our society has ignored it to a large extent.
Society gives preferential treatment to a male child. It is the general opinion which prevails in our society that a boy is advantageous and beneficial to the family in general and to his parents in particular. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) has stated that when a boy is born, then he brings one Noor (light) and when a girl is born, then she brings two Noors.
There are situations in families when a female child is born and it is a matter of grief for them for some time. But some don’t let this grief even come out in tears – they vanish it in the womb. These people think a boy will head the family when the parents retire or become old, look after and serve them, take responsibility of running the family, and continue the family tree. This is all due to the patriarchal structure of the family.
Second, girls are considered a liability and burden that one has to carry throughout one’s life, creating difficulty and pain.
Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) incited: ‘Whoever had a daughter born to him, and he did not bury her alive or humiliate her, and he did not prefer his son over her, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) will admit him to Paradise because of her.” (Abu Dawud)
“Whoever has three daughters, and shelters them, bearing their joys and sorrows with patience, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) will admit him to Paradise by virtue of his compassion towards them.” A man asked, “What if he has only two, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Even if they are only two.” Another man asked, “What if he has only one, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “Even if he has only one.” (Mishkath)
Prophet (PBUH), also told: “Whoever is tested with daughters and treats them well, they will be for him a shield against the Fire of Hell.” (Bukhari Muslim).
Parents have to face various ordeals in rearing the girl child – educating her, protecting her out from the site of eve teasers, and settling her in life. Their foremost duty is to get her married and search for a suitable and worthy life partner for her at whatever cost is required.
Many expect parents to develop all possible qualities in their daughters, inculcate moral and spiritual values in them, make them experts in household work, enable the girls to be earning family members and, last but not the least, to ingrain in her those abilities that can make her a good wife and a good daughter-in-law. In case any mishap comes about or the daughter fails to come up to the expectations of the husband and in- laws, all blame comes to the parents. Thus, parents live under continuous stress and strain.
Fourth, the institution of payment of dowry, a depravity and social evil, has spread throughout. The prospective husband and his family demand a huge and handsome amount of money in cash or in the form of valuable materials in the marriage from the parents of a girl. The price of a groom, in fact, depends upon his social and economic position as well as his lucrative job and business. The groom and his family take advantage of the vulnerable position of the girl’s parents. It is a sort of exploitation which the groom does not hesitate to demand in spite of the fact that he also has sisters who have to face the same situation. It places the parents in an arduous situation who struggle tooth and nail to meet the demands of dowry. Sometimes they succeed but at the cost of great sacrifice and the heavy price which they and the entire family have to bear.
In many cases, the demand is beyond their potential and the marriage bond breaks. It creates great agony and anguish for parents as well as for the girl. Parents experience grief and feel guilty due to their inability to meet the demands. The girl has to face a great deal of mental torture because the breaking of the marriage bond is itself a social stigma. Though there is legislation against dowry, it is not strictly followed and the business of dowry goes on under the table. Parents of the girl compromise with the situation with a view to getting relieved by marrying their daughter and seeing her comfortable as well as her better future in her house of procreation.
Sometimes wives have to face death if the demands of dowry are not met. However, the whole family of the girl faces a tremendous torment and trauma that are unbearable for them. The situation is so acute and critical that the majority of people approve of female foeticide under one pretext or the other
Drawback in the Law and the Mal Practice by Doctors.
Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition of Sex Selection) Act 1994 was enacted to prevent female foeticide. The purpose was to limit the use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques to genuine medical purposes and to prevent its misuse. It also recommended the formation of different bodies to monitor the use of the technique. It was amended and replaced in 2002 by the Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Act. The problem is that the implementation of these Acts has been scarce and they could not be strictly implemented.
As a matter of fact, people in general and medical practitioners in particular avoided the provisions of the Act and the practice of female foeticide went on and Human greed exploited the Law. Sex-determination test has been used since 1978 and has gradually become popular. As a matter of fact, private clinics throughout the country were established to do lucrative business.
The factors stated above impel persons to yield to the social pressure and adopt female foeticide. The fact is that they have insufficient courage and potential to resist this social catastrophe. Women, in view of the ordeals which they visualise having to face in the future, surrender to social forces and consent to abort the female foetus and deprive themselves of being a mother.
Female foeticide is a danger and menace to humanity. It can destroy the very foundation of society and damage the smooth running of life for humans on earth. It will create a situation that forces men to commit immoral and unethical acts and ultimately lead to physiological and psychological distortion. It is necessary to stop it as early as possible if the human race is to continue and humans are to live in a dignified way in this world.
The point to ponder is why these types of heinous act occur, what forces people to commit such types of acts and why society remains a silent observer? It is high time that we need to change our Social Scenario our thoughts, basic to Understand Quran and Hadees and to protect our future from disaster of Human Catastrophe .
(Author is a Director of Labaika Haj & Umrah Servives and can be reached at [email protected].)
