Woman’s Share in Inheritance Islamic Teachings, State Law and Contemporary Pashtun Traditions in District Bannu and Lakki Marwat.

Abstract

The woman was once considered a commodity and property of her male partner that was to be used for satisfying physical needs and procreation. There was no concept of woman rights in its ideal sense for many centuries in east and the west. Though socialists and historians claim that woman was once head of the family in the agricultural age due to certain factors of that age, the plight of women throughout various phases of history is pityful. It was when Islam came that the just rights for women were granted to them keeping in view their innate capabilities and requirement. The Islamic law of inheritance is one of such rights that accommodate and preserve economic needs of a woman in view of her rights and responsibilities as a mother, sister, daughter, and wife. Muslim states in the current age have also legislated and enforced certain laws in accordance with these Qur’anic principles. Contemporary Pashtun society, mainly a male-dominant society, indicates quite an opposite approach towards woman’s share in inheritance, however. An attempt has been made in this paper to study and explore the context, factors, and impacts of the Pashtun social traditions regarding women’s share in inheritance and explain the teachings of Islam based on rationality and divine wisdom and highlight the State Law in this respect as well.