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| Muslim women fighting to become judges in India. Image: Shutterstock |
Despite resistance, Muslim
women in India are striving to
become judges within their communities.
The position of qazi is an
important role in Muslim life. Gazi act as judges in weddings, divorces, and
other issues. Traditionally, the role has been filled by men, although there
are some women qazi in Malaysia and Indonesia, and there is nothing in the
Koran preventing women from occupying the role.
Indian Muslims are allowed to
handle certain legal matters, such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance. This
is where the qazis come in, but there are some women who say that qazis are
often unfair to women in these situations. Muslim women are seeking to balance
the equation some.
The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila
Andolan (BMMA) will be starting its first program to prepare 30 women to work
as qazi. The program includes courses on Koranic law, gender rights, and Indian
constitutional law. The program is a year long, and the goal is to create a
steady stream of women qazi who can work through the country, where roughly 13%
of the population is Muslim.
Following the graduation of the
first class, the new qazi will have to find a place in Muslim society. While
many women seem to be supportive of the idea, how men react remains to be seen.
It’s possible that the BMMA’s program could begin something of a sea change in
Muslim society, with Indian Muslims become more accepting of women in such
positions, allowing the idea to spread to other nations.
The qazi is an important role,
and in time, through good practice, it may be possible to change attitudes
toward women, after they prove that they are just as capable as men of being in
positions of power within their communities.
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