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One of the strongest apologetics for genuine biblical Christianity is the liberating effect Jesus has had on the social position of women. The same cannot be said of women in a typical Islamic society. Broadly speaking, women are not considered equal and do not enjoy the same liberties and freedoms as men. Consider this example: The practice of purdah in many fundamentalist Islamic cultures.
Purdah is the practice of the seclusion of women from public observation by covering their bodies from head to toe. It is also a state of social isolation, which confines women to their homes. In Muslim cultures, these facts are known:
- Purdah is seen as a protection of the dignity of women.
- In some cases, segregation is taken so seriously that houses are surrounded with 8 to 10 foot high purdah walls.
- Purdah is frequently carried to such extremes that women suffer from softening of bones, eczema and ulcers due to lack of sunlight.
- In Bangladesh, women have been attacked with acid because they were brave enough to be seen in public, transgressing the traditional boundaries of purdah.
- Purdah includes the restriction of women’s access to medical care.
The Bible teaches that all women are created in the image of God and are spiritual equals with men (see Genesis 1:26ff and Galatians 3:28). It is a monstrous tragedy that women are denied basic God-given rights in many Muslim societies. Make it one of your goals to pray that God will liberate Muslim women from the unbiblical and ungodly restrictions imposed on them.
See “30 Days of Prayer for the Voiceless,” day 8.
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