“Women have the same (rights in relation to their husbands) as are expected in all decency from them; while men stand a step above them"
As Western feminists want women to be treated as though they are on the same step as men, Muslim women would not be able to accept this.
Men are seen to be more capable in Islam. They do not necessarily have more rights, but their capability is higher due to their physical nature.
In Islam, women are treated with the highest esteem. They are not seen as inferiors or as sexual objects. They are seen to be very important in life as they give birth. The Qur’an mentions how men and women cannot be separate. They both compliment each other and must work together. They are like the yin-yang. Each half needs each other in order to complete the circle. If they separate and are treated as exact equals, then they cannot compliment each other.
Women convert to Islam for a number of reasons. Firstly, they may just convert due to personal, political, cultural or spiritual reasons.
Perhaps, they have married Muslim men and felt it necessary to convert to their partner’s religion.
Some may convert due to oppression from men. In Western society, women can be seen as sexual objects and can be forced to wear sexually revealing clothes, etc. In Islam, women are encouraged to wear the hijab.
Islam could benefit from the West in terms of equality. Some people could see giving women the same rights as men as a positive note. Women would be free to do what they want and leave the house whenever they want. Islam could benefit from abolishing polygamy, so that there would be only one wife and the husband would care for only her. Women would be free to wear what they want. Arranged marriages could be abolished and love would be the main reason for marriage.
However, others may find these reasons poor. If women could do what they want, then the sense of complementing each other would disappear. Sex before marriage would be abolished, lowering the number of abortions and single mothers.
Arranged marriages could benefit the West as the partners would be from well-known families.
In conclusion, the term ‘enormously’ is a bit exaggerated. Both cultures could benefit from each other. I feel that the West could benefit from Islam due to its moral views and the idea of men and women complementing each other.