(International Declaration of the Human Rights of Women in Islam)

As a Muslim Woman, Allah has granted me the rights:

• To be acknowledged as an equal created being to a man, on the grounds of our original creation from a single soul (Surah 4:1).
• To have my different physical, emotional and hormonal characteristics and needs recognised as designed by Allah, not by mistake or because women are in any way inferior.
• To have social equality with men, and not be prevented from access to mosques, halal gatherings, schools, lectures, or any other halal social function, so long as my reputation is not compromised by being obliged to be alone with a non-mahrem male.
• To have access to education ‘from cradle to grave’, according to my intellectual capacity and aptitude, including access to primary, secondary and further or higher education.
• To have equality of access to the law and the justice system, as regards giving evidence, accepting the validity of my word, being regarded as innocent until proved guilty, and to have equality of sentencing when proved guilty.
• To acquire, own and dispose of my own property.
• To choose my own husband, or give free consent to an arranged marriage without coercion.
• To enter into lawful contracts – for marriage, business or any other halal purpose.
• To have my nikah marriage supported by full legal civil marriage.
• To expect my husband to support and protect me and my children financially, and not oblige me to work to earn money against my will.
• When working outside the home, to earn, keep or dispose of my own wages or salary, and have my financial contributions towards the household recognised as sadaqah, and not be taken for granted.
• To be granted fair wages, working hours and conditions when working inside or outside my home for any employer who is a relative, or any other Muslim person.
• While accepting my husband as the head of my household, to make my own decisions and have these respected when my reasons are given.
• To divorce my husband when the marriage contract has been permanently broken through violence, abuse, neglect, infidelity, mental cruelty, desertion, unreasonable conduct, desertion of Islam, or any other unIslamic conduct.
• To refuse acceptance of a polygamous marriage if it was contracted to my hurt or dismay.
• To be released from a polygamous marriage by divorce if being denied my full Islamic rights to equality with the other wife or wives, and a happy and contented relationship with my husband in my own household.
• To be treated with respect by my children, with my husband setting them a noble example.
• To be allowed to wear modest clothing, but not forced to wear any item of clothing, either Muslim or non- Muslim, that seems oppressive to me.
• To be defended by my husband from malicious gossip, and to expect my husband never to defame or malign me himself, or ridicule me, or subject me to verbal and mental abuse.
• To expect my husband never to reveal matters of private sexual intimacy between us to the public, other than medical consultations.
• To be maintained properly during divorce proceedings, and to be treated with generosity after divorce.
• To have our children maintained by their father in marriage and after divorce.