I won’t be saying anything new if I enumerate the privileges and status granted to women in Islam. Apart from the directives in the Holy Qur’an, the Prophet, peace be upon him, constantly advised his followers to be fair and kind to women. Men choose to ignore these rights either out of ignorance or social custom. I will never stop demanding the rights granted to woman by our religion. In this struggle I am willing to face any attack from those who are ignorant of the broadness of Islam. At the same time, I will defend my religion until my last breath. Only men who do not understand Islam ignore women’s rights while emphasizing their own. The indifference of certain Muslims to religious instructions is their fault and not that of the religion.

The sufferings of Muslim and non-Muslim wives of Muslim men in the Kingdom must be attributed to the absence of kindness and no fear of God in the men’s hearts. These men and we women have been taught the same religious lessons about Islamic rules and regulations; we have all learned precisely the rights and duties of both men and women. The fear of God springs from a proper upbringing with correct models at home, school and in society.

Some men are unfortunately very cruel and unjust to their wives. The wives may not always be Saudis. Many wives here are from other Arab, Muslim or non-Muslim countries. Some of them are newcomers to Islam or still hold to their former religion. A man creates a particularly bad image of a Muslim male in the hearts of new female Muslims when he abuses his rights regarding his wife. He believes wrongly that he has the right to strike her, separate her and her children or injure her feelings by bringing a second wife to live in the same house. I have been deeply pained a number of times by listening to such stories of cruel treatment from husbands. I have seen injuries or scars on women’s bodies which they go to great lengths to explain by saying they fell down — the wounds of course were caused by their husband’s brutal blows.

I will never forget the face of a four-year old girl who asked me in kindergarten several years ago: 'Is it right for my papa to beat my mama?' She was the daughter of a woman who was deeply devoted to her children and tried to bring them up in the best manner. The girl’s father, a high-ranking official, was also very much concerned about his children. The child’s reply when I told her that a father should not beat a mother was shocking. 'But my papa beats my mama!' Her innocent mind could not comprehend why her father would beat her mother. The memory of the girl’s tormented face still sends a shiver down my spine.

People with no trace of mercy in their hearts toward women interpret the words of the Holy Qur’an — 'beat them gently' — as a green light to attack wives with violent blows using all kinds of weapons — rubber hoses, shoes, belts. This arbitrary interpretation is clearly contradictory to the Prophet’s interpretation; he indicated that the beating should be as light as that by a miswak — a kind of bark used to clean the mouth and teeth! Islamic law does not give husbands the right to beat wives on their faces or wound them. Moreover, men who cause cuts and bruises on their wives’ faces are devoid of any concern for the sentiments of their children while the wife is ashamed for the children to learn why her face is cut or swollen. How horrible will be the impressions the children carry in their hearts all their life! Can children with such experiences love and respect their fathers? What conclusions will they draw about leading a good family life?

Our religion teaches us that marital relations should be built on mutual love and kindness and each partner should be a source of peace and tranquillity to the other. Islam prohibits husbands from causing any harm to wives. He cannot deny her the right to suckle her child and should not take back the dowry given to her. 'But if you decide to take o