Hence
the utter degradation to which they are subjected in Islam. Although
he did not practice it, he sanctioned wife beating. Divorce was made
easy for the men, who could cast off their wives any time they so
desired. Thus it is quite common to-day for women to steal from their
husbands in order to provide for themselves in case of divorce. The
evil of such a system is apparent. It makes the women mere slaves at
the mercy of the caprice of their husbands. The polygamy and
concubinage which is sanctioned in the Koran, has degraded the women
to a degree that may be imagined, and certainly has not, as some
authorities contend, abolished other evils. It is true that he
improved slightly the condition of women in his day, giving them
privileges they had not up to that time enjoyed, and by those who
endeavour to picture him as a hero, his failure to arrive at a true
estimate of the position of women is covered by the statement that it
was impossible for him to grapple with a hopeless problem. It is
encouraging to know that, with the growing influence of Western
Christian civilisation, the condition of women in Moslem lands is
gradually improving, although the village folk still consider us to be
weak in character because we are courteous in our behaviour to them.
In Egypt, Government schools for girls are being organised, and
throughout the whole Moslem world education is spreading.
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