Education of Muslim Women: Tradition Versus Modernity

Abstract

A major index of modernization of any society is the position of its women vis-a-vis men. The more balance the opportunity structure for men and women, the larger the role women have in society and consequently the higher their status. In a developing society such as that of India, it is essential that both men and women play equal and important role in the development effort. A critical factor in the improvement of the status of women is education which is indispensable for playing many of the modern roles. Accordingly education has formed a key element in the Government of India's programmes for the improvement of the status of women. Government have initiated large scale educational programmes in the country, with special focus on the weaker sections of the people. In spite of these Muslim women continues to be one of the most backward sections of the people in India as far as education is concerned. This seems to be largely due to the presence of certain social structural and institutional factors in Islam which contribute to depress women's education and keep them in an inferior position. The objective of the paper is to identify some factors which are responsible for hindering educational progress of Muslim women viz. (1) insistence on religious education, (2) early marriage. (3) seclusion and (4) absence of socially defined occupational role for women in Muslim community. The study was conducted in the four northern districts of Kerala which account for more than half of the Muslim population of the State. From these four districts a sample of 450 Muslim women were di-awn on the basis of stratified random sampling and interviewed. It was found on the basis of this study that there are some social structural and institutional factors in Muslim community which hinder the educational progress of their women. One among them is insistence on religious education. Religious educatio~ which is indispensable for a Muslim lead to late entry to School after completion of a course of religious instruction. After entering school at a later age she wi II be forced to discontinue her studies when she attains puberty as she is not allowed to go out freely after that. Practice of early marriage which is widely prevalent among the Muslim community is found to be another major factor preventing the women from continuing her education after marriage. As a Muslim woman is not permitted to go out without escort it will be very difficult for them to continue their education, so she will have to terminate her studies after marriage. Seclusi- on of woman which is still observed in Muslim community prevent freedom of movement outside home and hinders her educational progress as she is not allowed to attend schools after attaining puberty. Muslim community where women are not expected to go out to work and earn does not consider the occupational role for a woman much important. Education is indispensable for taking up modern occupational roles and since occupational role is not considered important, education is devalued. Thus lack of socially defined occupational role detracts from the importance of education as a tool for achieving occupational skills.