The extent which violence against women has reached in Turkey has driven even NGO's to make proposals which express their despair. Ultimately nobody in Turkey believes anymore that the policies regarding women, who are in need of protection, practised by the state so far, are sufficient. Moreover, everybody complains that none of the state's units fulfils its duties regarding the protection of women adequately As a result of this, at the end of February 2014, the "Survival Guide 2014" prepared by Şefkat-Der, who provides shelter for women under violence, suggested to women who face violence and who are under risk: "[...] in order to defend yourself, wound your partner. [... ] neutralize the potential killer before he kills you." Furthermore, the woman who faces violence and can not escape was suggested - after consulting an attorney - to commit a little crime that does not harm others, but leads to a short-time imprisonment, which is to be safer than being outside. No matter, even if such suggestions were made out of mercy and helplessness, they are just another outcome of the capitalist liberal values implemented on this Ummah, by separating religion and state affairs, by adopting secularism which caused people to forget that they will be accounted by Allah سبحانه وتعالى one day.
Because, after the removal of the system which was made obligatory upon the Muslims by Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the policies aiming at women implemented by the capitalist way of life, has pushed women in Turkey into the black hole in which they are today. In order to understand this, it is enough to examine the so-called improvements for women made in the recent past.
- In 1985, Turkey became part of the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) having been accepted by the United Nations.
- In 1990, Purple Roof Women's Shelter Foundation was founded. Also Article 159 of the Civil Code, which required the husband's permission for a wife to gain the right to work outside the home was removed.
- In 1991, the Women's Solidarity Foundation was opened in Ankara.
- In 1996, adultery for men was decriminalized for men. A year later, in 1997, adultery for women was decriminalized.
- In 1998, "The Law to Protect Women" was made. This law contained punishments like restraining the perpetrator from the house or even imprisonment.
- In 2002, the statements: "the husband is the head of the family unit, the husband represents the family unit' were removed from the Civil Code.
- In 2006, the Directorate General on the Status of Women under the Prime Ministry published the Handbook "Campaign Against Domestic Violence". This book contains approaches which contradict the Islamic social system diametrically.
- In 2012, Law Nr. 6284 "For the Protection of the Family and Prevention Of Violence Against Women" entered into force.
- Combating Domestic Violence Against Women National Action Plan (2007-2010) (2012-2015) entered into force.
Despite all this, and even more, the situation of women in Turkey worsened day by day. Alone after the AKP came to rule, violence against women increased by 1400%.
According to data from Police Department's Public Security Directorate, 61 women were murdered in the year 2013. 4 of the murder victims had a panic button, 6 of the women's husbands had a court restriction and 3 of them were given on-call bodyguards. 34 women's personal information and identities have been changed. 14 of these women's children were also given new identities. The appearances of 4 of the women have been changed through plastic surgery due to being under high risk. In 2013, 583 woman applied to judicial authorities due to facing violence and being under danger vital. According to data from 2013, almost 6 thousand women were given protection via panic button, bodyguards or electronic handcuffs for the husbands. In January 2014 alone, 23 women were killed, 6 women were raped, 45 women were injured.
Beside these, in the first weak of March, a father in Kayseri killed his wife and 3 children with a hatchet, threw his fourth child down from the 11th floor of the building and jumped into his death too. Only a few days after this incident, killed his young wife with a shotgun in Fethiye, and afterwards crushed to death his own 7-month-old baby under his feet. Again only a few days later, a young woman who applied for divorce of her husband, was shot to death by her own teenage son together with her bodyguard. In fact, there is no end to this kind of events, and also numbers are not very important. Because our Prophet (sav) said that the killing of 1 single innocent person is like killing all humanity.
Till today, the economic conditions, education, patriarchal traditions, problems in adaptation to city life, and conservatism, meaning Islam, were shown as the causes of violence against women. There is being pushed forward a strong bond between violence, and education and employment.
However, let us say that we believe that all these are the cause of the problem in Turkey or in other Islamic countries. Yet what about the problems in Western countries? What about the exposure of one of the three women, 63 million women in Europe to violence and rape? Moreover, all researches show that mostly women with high education and of upper echelon had been exposed to violence.
In the U.S. every 9 seconds one woman becomes victim of domestic violence. In 2013, there have been recorded 5400 sexual harassments in the U.S. Army. According to statements of the White House, one in 5 American women is sexually assaulted or raped during their time at college and university.
And in India, every 22 minutes a woman is raped, every year thousands of women and children become victims of brutal murder. It is a well-known fact across the world, that the brutal rape and murder of a 23-year-old student last year, is not an exception.
All these examples show, that in reality violence against women is highest in the universities and the army where the best of capitalisms education is provided! As long this capitalist secular democratic lifestyle continues to be implemented over us, the fate of Western women who do not share a different fate than the women of the dark middle ages, will continue to rattle down upon the women of Turkey and in all Muslim lands unabadetely.
Dear Muslim brothers and sisters! Appealing to this state, its presidency, its Grand National Assambly who wholeheartedly continue to defend this capitalist secular system, and demanding from them in the manner they expect from you, indenting from them to apply the laws which they imitate or expecting them to produce new laws out of this capitalist system, or demanding more women's shelters, etc., although you feel sorrow for this desperate situation, will surely not bring the change you expect or that our women do deserve.
«سَتَكُونُ أُمَرَاءُ فَتَعْرِفُونَ وَتُنْكِرُونَ ، فَمَنْ عَرَفَ بَرِئَ وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ سَلِمَ وَلَكِنْ مَنْ رَضِيَ»
"There will be Amirs, you will recognise some of what they do, and you will deny some. Whoever disliked them he will cure himself of the sin, and whoever denied he will be safe, but the one who agreed and followed (will not)." (Muslim, Iman, 3445)
Certainly we are not more merciful than Allah سبحانه وتعالى the Ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim Allah سبحانه وتعالى! Have a look at the incapable solutions you do find and the system that forces you to such a way of thinking... And have a look at the glory and the supremacy of the solution that Allah سبحانه وتعالى who is Al-Jalil, Al-Wakil and Al-Weliy has provided! Until 1924, before it was removed from us; this solution removed the atrocities of the Arab Jahiliyya as well as the atrocities of the mediaval Europe from the women, wherever it arrived, and provided them a life at which all the women of the world looked with envy for exactly 1345 years. So much that it made Lady Elisabeth Craven to say: "... and I repeat it, Sir, I think no women have so much liberty, safe from apprehension, as the Turkish – and I think them, in their manner of living, capable of being the happiest creatures breathing." It is not difficult for you to find numerous examples like this one.
You as Muslims who have imaan in Allah سبحانه وتعالى and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, whom He سبحانه وتعالى sent as a guide for mankind; and as you who do not doubt on the promise of Muhammed صلى الله عليه وسلم; has the time not come for you to hasten to the Glad Tiding that is surely to become reality very soon? Our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم has promised that:«ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ» "...Then there will be Khilafah Rashida according to the method of the Prophethood." (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad Kufiyyîn, 17680)
Indeed, Rasulallah صلى الله عليه وسلم said:
مَا مِنْ قَوْمٍ يُعْمَلُ فِيهِمْ بِالْمَعَاصِي ثُمَّ يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْ يُغَيِّرُوا ثُمَّ لَا يُغَيِّرُوا إِلَّا يُوشِكُ أَنْ يَعُمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِعِقَابٍ
"If acts of disobedience are done among any people and they do not change them, Allah will soon punish them all." (Abu Dawud, Melahim, 17 (3775), Tirmidhi, Tafsir, Fiten, 8; Ibn Majah, Fit, 20)
Therefore, instead of setting your powers and hope into a system that pulls you into one misery after another for 90 years now, supporting your sisters and brothers who invite you to the right path, is surely the only way that will save you and the whole Ummah from all sadness, grief and oppression and will bring you both in this world and in the Hereafter the endless blessings of Allah (st).
إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ
"Verily Allah does not change the cirmumstances of any people, until they have changed what is within themselves."
(Ra'd: 11)
وَلَيَنصُرَنَّ اللَّهُ مَن يَنصُرُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَقَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ
"Verily, Allah will help those who help His (Cause). Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty."
(al-Hajj: 40)
Written for Central Media Office Hizb ut Tahrir by
Umm Khalid
Member of Central Media Office Hizb ut Tahrir
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