Women Under Polygamy/Chapter 10

by Walter Matthew Gallichan

CHAPTER X MOHAMMEDAN WOMEN IN INDIA

MOHAMMAD BARAKATULLAH, in her survey of Indian women under Moslem rule, writes :

" To say that a Muslim harem is a pandemonium of misery, where women are caged like wild beasts, to toil and be tortured, is an assertion no less imaginary than a freak of fiction."*

This writer offers a tenable theory of Mohammed's sanction for isolation of women and polygamy. The Prophet found that, in Arabia, the sexes were living in considerable promiscuity and sexual disorder. He foresaw that the promulgation of a doctrine of strict monogamy would be sure to fail amongst a people so long habituated to licence, and he hoped that moral reform would follow the secluded life of women.

There is no precise encouragement of polygamy in the teaching of Islam. The Koran states that plurality of wives is permissible, under certain clearly defined and stringent regulations. A man must be sure, be-

• Vol. " India."

119

fore marriage with more than one woman, that he will love one as well as the other ; and this injunction is, in itself, of the nature of a deterrent. It means simply that a man must achieve a very powerful mastery over his natural preferences. Human nature being, as it is, such an impartial order of conjugal love, is not within the attainment of every man.

So strong is the insistence upon this absolutely equal distribution of a husband's affection, that men are warned of severe punishment in a future state of being, if they love one wife more than another. Recog- nising the risks of favouritism, Mohammed directs :

• If you are afraid that you could not treat the wives

with justice and equality, then marry only one."

Nothing could be plainer than this. And no doubt every devout Mohammedan strives to obey this im- perative counsel. Probably, the monogamous Mos- lem is often swayed by this teaching. He fears that he may offend Allah by failing to love all his wives alike, and therefore he contents himself with one only.

Islamism is a comparatively new faith in India. Hinduism is not a propagandist religion. The creed of the Moslems is different; missionary zeal is one of the characteristics of the faithful. With the sword and suasion, and the use of the temporal powers, Moham- medanism spread over Persia, Turkistan, India, and into Malacca.

1 20

Some inquirers hold the view that Islam triumphed in India through a dissatisfaction with the caste sys- tem, and that converts were attracted by the more democratic temper of the alien religion. The question need not be discussed here. It is enough to say that the Indian Empire contains more followers of Islam than any other part of the globe.

The Moslem women of India hold a somewhat dif- ferent position from that of the women of Arabia, North Africa, and Turkey. Unquestionably Moham- medan women enjoy numerous rights and privileges, though their sphere is limited practically to the home.

But in family life, they are supreme. In some households, the wife exercises much higher authority than the husband, who hands over to her, not only the domestic sovereignty, but the conduct of important business affairs. If he wishes to sell property, he takes his wife's advice. Even in the matter of his dress, an Indian Moslem husband is under the direc- tion of his spouse, and the most fashionably-attired men are those who rely upon their wives' taste.*

Christian missionaries in India have drawn dark pictures of the " terrible degradation of Mohammedan women." The Rev. Joseph Cook, preaching in Boston, declared that there are 80,000,000 women in

• " The Empire Series: India and Ceylon."

121

Moslem harems. " There are uncounted millions of men and women and children growing up in the most degrading superstitions, and suffering in mind, body and estate from inherited Pagan customs."

Sir Lepel Griffin stated some years ago that women 'in the past held, and still hold to-day in India " a great and often dominating influence in the domestic and political life of the country." Yet we are con- stantly assured by missionaries that Hindu and Mohammedan women are treated little better than animals.

The Rev. Dr. Elliott, of the Church Missionary Society, said, in an address* to the Zenana Missionary Society :

" Mohammedanism is in its essence carnal, it is gross and sensual and it panders to the worst of pas- sions, and it does not inculcate holiness. ... It is a religion of grossness, sensuality, cruelty and dark- ness," etc.

Such extreme denunciation is far from uncommon in the literature of missionary organizations.

The following is a lady missionary's comparison of the Hindu and Mohammedan zenanas, written in 1892 :

Miss Harcourt, who has been one year at Bangalore, writes of it in the light of past experience in other parts of India.

• "India's Women," Vol. XII., p. 436.

122

" At first, in visiting the zenanas with Miss Smith, it was a great pleasure to me to note the good that was being done, and which was evident from the joy shown by the women in welcoming the ladies. Everything was full of interest, as I had never been among Mohammedans before. Their dress, manners, houses, are all very different from what I had seen in Tinnevelly amongst the Hindus and Brahmins. It struck me that these women are more affectionate, but they have not the least idea of cleanliness !

" The children are dear, affectionate, little things, with bright black eyes ; clothes of all colours cover their dirty little forms, they often wear red, blue, green, and purple together. But it does not look at all amiss on them, in fact, it is rather becoming to their dark skins. They are willing and anxious to learn, though not particularly bright, and they seem to look forward with very much interest to the da'ly half-hour Scripture lessons. The Word of God thus sown in the hearts of these children cannot be in vain."*

A proportion of missionary testimony must always be regarded_with. caution. Religious bias frequently tinges the statements to he found in the literature of all missions. This is inevitable. If we start with the postulate that an alien faith is " heathen," or " abominable," or " degrading," we are bound to exaggerate the evils, while we miss the benefits of the creed.

After reading missionary reports, one might reach the conclusion that Mohammedans are sheer bar- barians, believing and practising a religion only adapted to low and ignorant savages. Such a view would be grotesque and grossly unfair. I have given

• " India's Women," Vol. XII.

123

the appreciations of orthodox Christian writers, free from that spirit of bigotry and rancour that so often distinguishes the ardent apostle of piety. These testimonies must be set by the side of the statements of crusaders, pledged to undermine the beliefs of a nation by all the methods within their power.

It is only common justice that we should consider both sides of this question dispassionately. The evidence of Syed Ameer AH and Mohammad Barak- tullah, two highly cultured Moslem writers, shows that the women of the Mohammedan religion in India are neither down-trodden, nor discontented. Indeed, they often enjoy a power and influence of great importance in society and in politics. Although the women of Bhopal are devout followers of Mohammed, their ascendency is so complete that they rule the state.