“In the times of ignorance, they buried girls alive.”

When I was young I would read this sentence in our Islamic History books and naturally, being a female, I was appalled. I’d think, “Well, I’m grateful that I was born long after those days!”

Isn’t it great that people don’t do that anymore? Well, yes, it would be great if people didn’t do that anymore.

But? They do.

Wait. What am I talking about?

Montenegro – a country in the Balkans. People who consider women to be inferior to men so that is exactly how women are treated there. I know that that is a problem in many other places too, that is why we have groups of amazing women fighting for women’s rights everywhere. But the people of Montenegro have taken it to a whole new level.

 

There’s an open secret. It was kept quiet until the Women’s Right Centre decided to speak up about it. This open secret I’m talking about? Selective abortion.

You don’t want a daughter because she won’t be able to carry your surname when she gets married? Well, that’s fine! Just take a prenatal test. If it’s a girl, you could always get an abortion. It’s that easy… and ugly beyond belief.

I thought we had surpassed the time when women were considered nothing, when we were considered the possession of another and only good enough to bear offspring. I thought we were passed the time when the only pride of the family would be a baby boy to carry the name to the next generation. A time when there would be pressure on women regarding the gender of the child they bore, as if the gender could be controlled! This is absolutely absurd. You’re going to kill thousands of baby girls for the chance to give birth to a boy?

I mentioned in my last post, that we need to have a check on these peoples’ humanity and once again I have more proof that humanity no longer exists.

In a time that we call ‘the times of ignorance,’ they would bury their daughters alive. Giving birth to a baby girl was a shame because they needed a boy to carry on the family name. If the mother gave birth to a girl, she would be concealed and then disposed of in secret.

 

You must be thinking, “But this isn’t the same thing!” Yes, my dear reader, it is. The only difference is that now we have the technology and tools to determine the gender before birth so it can be dealt with before things go too far. But they killed souls then and souls are being killed now. You might argue that it is not the same thing but us humans have different views, I guess.

I’ve heard and read of many who argue that Islam is oppressive to women. We have no rights and we’re restricted, according to them. I’d like to inform these people that when our Prophet, Muhammad (may peace be upon him) started spreading Islam, one of the first things that were cut out was the killing of innocent girls unnecessarily. Islam protected those girls and taught those families that to give birth to a girl was an honor. I speak as a female in Islam: In our homes, we are honored and looked after like one would look after his treasure and if we conceal ourselves, it’s not because we’re oppressed, it’s just because we’re too valuable to just be left exposed for anyone to even look at.

So the next time you try to accuse Islam of being oppressive to Muslim women, think about that. Also, think of the fact that it is not Muslim parents aborting their would-be beautiful daughters in Montenegro.

 

Always fighting for the lives of females

Hafsa Umar, reporting for Change for the 22^nd – News Our perspective (What’s happening Worldwide)