Priya Sharma
Reaffirmation of the Voice of Muslim Women in the plays of Rasheed Jehan
Ever since the dawn of the history of civilization, women have been subjected to gender discrimation all over the world. In the history of all the civilizations and races, women have been treated as “inferior beings” destined to survive under male domination. In this context Sarah Grimke has rightly pointed out that all history is male centric. She has confessed-
“ -----man has subjugated women to his will, used her as a means to promote his selfish gratification, to minister to his sensual pleasure, to be instrumental in promoting his comfort, but never has he desired to elevate her to that rank she was created to fill. He has done all he could do to debase and enslave her mind; and now he looks triumphantly on the ruin he has wrought, and says, the being he has thus deeply injured is his inferior...” (10ff).
John Stuart Mill, writer, political economist and social reformer, also asserted the freedom of individual as a necessary condition for the development of the society on the whole. In his The Subjection of Women his aim was to depict
“…that the principle which regulates the existing social relations between two sexes the legal subordination of one sex to the other- is wrong in itself, and now one of the chief hindrances to human improvement; and that it ought to be replaced by a principle of perfect equality, admitting no power or privilege on the side, nor disability on the other”. (3).
Thus women’s position in the society can improve only when political oppression by men is completely eradicated. Women have been treated as an object, a passive and insensitive being deprived of all the rights of self growth and self affirmation. The discrimination has mounted in the form of violence, mental torture, sexual colonisation, deprivation from the resources of education and professional competence.
Though India is a traditional country but it does permit woman to raise her voice against the oppression of men. In Indian society servile existence of women is explicit and she occupies a secondary position in relation to man. Feminism emerged as a strong reaction against the atrocities of men. Feminism is a complex concept and has many perspectives corresponding to social, cultural and racial dynamics. The main objective of feminism is emancipation of women. It explores the possibilities of intellectual accomplishment of women so that they can create their own identities. It is a movement against the oppression of women which is the real cause of social and psychological disorders persisting in the society. Sushila Singh has made the following observation:
“According to the feminist doctrine the subjugation of women is a central fact of history, a key to most of our social and psychological disorders.” (21).
The ideals of feminism emerged as a major influence on many women writers across the globe. Many Indian women writers were encouraged to use their creative sensibility to raise voices against the hegemony of male practices.
Dr. Rasheed Jehan, a gynaecologist by profession, was one such woman writer who tried to articulate the voice of Muslim women through her short stories and plays. To quote Dr. Attia Abid, the translator of Dr. Rasheed Jehan’s short stories and plays, “Her family was in the forefront of the intellectual and educational reformist movements in the muslim community at the turn of the twentieth century.” (i) Dr. Rasheed Jehan was deeply affected by the monthly journal Khatoon which was started by her father. The journal dealt with the “themes of spiritual and social uplift in the light of western educational ideals, modernity achieved with hard work, and the call for the far reaching improvements in all quarters of society, especially for women”. (i). Being a social activist she used her pace to expose the social ailments faced by her community. Dr Rasheed Jehan had a rebellious spirit and did not appreciate male domination prevalent in Indian society. She believed “that women deserved much more from life than being mere child bearing machines for the pleasure of men”. (iv)
Dr. Rasheed Jehan has written several plays and the plight of women has been the central motif in those plays. For specific mention the plays ‘Woman’ and ‘Man and Woman’ occupy an important place in the corpus of the feminist stance of her writings. The play “Woman” deals with the pitiable condition of the protagonist Fatima. Fatima is the wife of Maulvi Atiqullah who distributes amulets, talismans, charms etc. to his devotees. Fatima is a childless woman and this is the reason why her husband wants to marry again. Atiqullah feels that his wife should not be affected by his second marriage, as he has every right to marry a second time since Fatima’s children do not survive. In this whole endeavour there is no space for the choice and sentiments of Fatima. He says, “What I can’t understand is that how will you be affected by my second marriage! The management of the household and the daily expenses will still be your responsibility. I have repeatedly assured you that I will take care of both of you equally . . . . . when your children don’t survive what other alternative do I have except to bring in another wife?”. (Woman, 237).
In the apathy of Atiqullah, Rasheed Jehan has established that woman in the Muslim world is no longer accepted as a sensitive human being. She probes into the male psyche that leads to sexual exploitation and sexual colonization in social order. Fatima is deeply affected by this and tries to justify this to her husband that if her children do not survive it is not her fault. She interrogates her husband as to what he would do if even the children of the second wife do not survive. But Atiqullah says that it is given even in the Shariat that “ if a woman is barren or her children don’t survive, a man may take a second wife.” (Woman, 237). This is a prejudiced view against women that if the children do not survive the woman solely is responsible for that. A woman is considered as an object for male gratification and a child bearing machine which can be replaced if the owner does not get the desired result. Fatima challenges that pseudo-divine authority of her husband and asks if he can cure, the whole world by giving talismans why can’t he cure his own wife. Atiq replies that he was told by a saint in a dream that his children would survive only when he marries again. Fatima is filled with indignation and silent fury starts taking the form of rebellion. Atiq fails to tolerate the autonomy of Fatima and he tries to subjugate her voice with his authority, “What a strange woman you are to call your husband a liar? That’s why your children die.” (Woman, 238).
Fatima’s childlessness was not the result of her barrenness Three of her children succumbed to small pox because Atiq being rigid and orthodox did not allow his children to be innoculated. In fact it is Atiq who has been responsible for the death of his children but he blames his wife for this misery. Lack of medical care, undesirable sexual relationship, humiliation and tortures are manifested in the suffering of Fatima. Atiq’s efforts were confined more to his own pleasures than the safety and happiness of the family.
Fatima’s maternal aunt sends her a word that she would visit her with her sons. On the news of her arrival, Atiq warns his wife to observe purdah when her cousins come. Fatima openly and boldly refuses to do so. On the insolence of Fatima, again Atiq imposes his authority, “ A wife has an obligation to obey the husband’s orders without any argument. But you dispute everything . . . . .” (Woman. 242) this sentence obviously indicates that Atiq considers his wife as his private property and compels her to do all undesirable deeds in the name of religion. In the play “Woman” Rasheed Jehan prepares a complex pattern of dramatic conflict. In Atiq and Fatima relationship there are evidences of crisis of personal relationship encouraged out of gender inequality and supported by inhuman religious practices.
When girl’s parents send a messenger to Atiq in order to ask for his consent he immediately agrees saying that he had no confusions regarding second marriage and he is ready. He says:
“Actually, I was in a dilemma whether to marry a second time or not. But now, there’s no doubt about it. I had a revelation in my dream that I should remarry, so how can I retreat from it,” (Woman 247).
In order to suppress his guilt, he subscribes his view with the implied comments of his wife. He makes a false observation that his wife herself wants him to marry a second time. He confesses, “My wife is herself pushing me into this relationship. She says that I should marry so that I can have progeny” (Woman, 248). Atiq had already asked the tenants to evict the house as he was planning to keep his second wife upstairs. But Fatima musters up courage to assert her property right. She asserts, “My father gave this house to me. Even your Jinns cannot evict those people, who are you?” (Woman, 248).
Fatima very firmly warns Atiq that his second wife can never step in her house she says, “. . . . .but let me tell you categorically, no other wife of yours will ever step into this house.” (Woman, 249).
Atiq becomes furious as he cannot bear that his wife is openly refusing to obey him. In order to subjugate her voice he expresses his determination to marry again and bring another wife in that very house. He challenges-
“If you are not afraid of God or His prophet, or your husband who is your worldly God then you are the most disgraceful, despicable and filthy creature alive. I shall never cancel the wedding on account of you. I will definitely marry again. And she shall live in this very house. Your status will be reduced to that of a bitch which you rightly deserve.” (Woman, 249).
He even slaps his wife when he finds that his words are meaningless for her. But Fatima faces everything boldly and does not merely cries like a weak woman. She wipes her tears, which is quite significant in the sense that she is ready to take a firm stand against her husband. Her act of wiping the tears is a symbolic manifestation of the resistance of her feminine weakness. She firmly asserts, “Anyway he’ll be taught a lesson. He shouldn’t think that I don’t have a father or brother, he can do whatever he wants.” (Woman, 250). Fatima feels helpless for a moment and condemns divine mission, “Why did you make us women so helpless?” (Woman, 251). But at the very next moment she gets back to her earlier firm stand to avenge her slap. It was not a slap only on the cheek of Fatima, but it was a slap on the entire women race. “No matter what happens, I’ll definitely avenge that slap and my ruined marriage! Is it my fault that the children don’t survive?” (Woman, 251).
In the play “Woman” a significant turn comes when Fatima’s aunt and her sons come to visit her. Fatima had given a sample of her blood to a doctor friend of her cousin, Qadeer. Qadeer has brought the blood report according to which Fatima was suffering from a disease called gonorrhea which she had contracted from her husband. This not only discloses Atiq’s real character but also becomes a weapon for Fatima. Fatima’s aunt is worried about her, but at the same time she is worried about the society as well. She says that women are condemned by fate itself. She generalises the predicament of women, “The truth is that we are condemned by fate itself. When God Himself has given men such a privilege, then .....” (Woman, 255). However Fatima does not accept the notion of “male superiority” and rationally argues that men have written the books of laws for their convenience and have ignored women completely. She says-
“Men have written all these books to suit their convenience. The founders of religion, the makers of law and tradition were all men, weren’t they? What would they know about the feelings of women?” (Woman, 255).
Fatima in “Woman” emerges as an empowered woman during the course of the play. She is ready to challenge all orthodoxy and conventions to secure her respect and right. But under any circumstance she is not ready to allow Atiq’s second wife enter her house. She forcefully says, “Have the courts all disappeared? Is there no law by which I can stop her from entering my house?” (Woman, 259) She hands over her jewellery and the papers of the house and other property to her cousin Qadeer for safekeeping. Through the resistance of Fatima, Rasheed Jehan endeavours to construct the voice of Muslim women against the filth of present male chauvinism. Fatima is no longer a submissive wife, her stature rises to one who has the ability to dictate terms and take her own decisions. She is not afraid of being divorced and wants to teach a lesson to her husband by dragging him to the court. At the end of the play when Atiq shouts at Fatima for disobeying his order by not observing purdah before her cousins and raises his hand for the second time, Fatima warns him in a very furious tone-
“Careful! You better sit down if you want to keep your honour intact. If you dare to raise your hand this time, I won’t be responsible for what may happen.” (Woman, 265)
Fatima’s strong will power helps her to take a firm stand against her husband, but the most important fact is that it is due to her economic empowerment and independence that she is so bold and confident. Had she been economically weak she would not have been in a position to take such a decision. Economic empowerment and independence is a prerequisite for equality and liberation of women.
The play “Man and Woman” is a dialogue between a man and a woman who are in love and want to marry each other. The man proposes to the woman and the woman too is waiting since a year to marry him. The problem with the man is that although he is willing to marry the woman but he wants her to give up her job. He can’t accept the fact, which is quite established in male dominating society, that his wife is working and due to it she neglects her household responsibilities. He says,
“But I can’t accept the fact that my wife goes around working, neglects the house and children, and early in the morning rushes off to work.” (Man and Woman,268).
The woman argues that what she will do when he will go to his office, how she will spend her time. In “Man and Woman” Rasheed Jehan exposes how spaces are significant to impose gender inequality existing in society. The man wants her to look after the house but the woman does not want to give up her job at any cost. The man fails to understand why she does not want to leave her job. It is not that she is earning a good salary. He says, “After all, what is that in this job. It is not as if you were earning a thousand rupees! Your salary is just Rs100/- per month?” (Man and Woman, 269). The woman is hardly concerned with what she is getting in monetary terms but what is more important to her is that it is a key to her freedom. She replies, “Whatever it may be, it is the key to my freedom.” (Man and Woman, 269). The man evaluates women’s economic independence in terms of earnings while as for the woman it becomes the question of her individuality and emancipated identity. The woman is more concerned about her economic independence which is a key to her empowerment. She realizes that economic independence is very important for her to maintain her own status and identity. If she is not dependent on any one she would have the freedom of making her own decisions. At this stage also we see that she has the ability to refuse the marriage proposal because she is earning and does not worry what will happen if the man leaves her. She does not yield to the decision of man and remains resolute to continue her job even after marriage. The woman goes on arguing with the man when he says that her friends will not enter the house as he dislikes them. She says-
“Indeed! Hats off to your logic! You dislike my friends so they dare not enter the house, and though I dislike your friends they may come and go as they please.” (Man and Woman, 270).
The point is not that she is forcing him to allow her friends to come to the house. Actually what she seeks is equality between the sexes. Both of them have equal rights to state their likes and dislikes.
The woman keeps asserting her point and says that she is not going to accept futile slavery in the name of house keeping and therefore won’t give up her job. She does not agree with the views of the man and confirms her vision-
“. . . . . If she is a wife, in the morning when you are going to the office, she should quickly get you ready like a male doll and send you off. The whole day she should roam around the house with a danda, guarding it. For recreation she should go on reciting your name. You call this futile slavery house keeping.”(Man and Woman, 271).
She forcefully asserts, “ I can’t give up my job and lose my freedom.” (Man and Woman, 271). The man wants to know whether she would leave her job after the birth of children. But she refuses this and says that the children are the responsibility of both the husband and wife together. Therefore both of them should take care of them. The man says, “May I ask you who will look after them?” (Man and Woman, 272). She replies, “Both of us together.” (Man and Woman, 272).
This rational vision of woman affirms that Rasheed Jehan looks forward to a more comprehensive fabric of man-woman relationship. The man argues that a woman’s primary responsibility is bringing up her children, though they remain the claim of the father. The woman asks, “ I mean that you order a woman to bring up the children, but whose possession are they?”. (Man and Woman, 272). The man says, “The father’s of course”. (Man and Woman, 272)
The man tries to establish his male domination. He says that even if she would have been earning more than him, then also he would have asked her to leave the job and the reason he states is his natural superiority. The arrogance is evident in his pseudo pride, “ ..... Nature has created me superior”. (Man and Woman, 273). The woman refuses to accept his superiority and asks him to marry a woman who would worship him day and night. She argues, “I don’t consider you superior to myself. Then why don’t you marry a woman who will worship you night and day.” (Man and Woman, 273).
The analysis of these two plays affirms that Rasheed Jehan in the realm of Indian drama is the only socially committed woman writer who tried to establish the possibilities of the acknowledgement of the hidden potential and suppressed self consciousness of Muslim women. Her convictions about the female freedom in these two plays have justified that woman is not weak and inferior by nature. Both “weakness” and “strength” are constructed within the fabric of social construct. Fatima in “Woman” and unidentified woman in the play “Man and Woman” construct their identity as self aware individuals resisting the oppressive mechanism of patriarchal conventions within the Islamic world.
Works Cited
Abid, Attia. Dr. Rasheed Jehan : Selected Short Stories and Plays. Aligarh: AMU Press, 2006.
Mill, John Stuart. The Subjection of Woman. (First published 1869) 12th Printing. Cambridge : The M.I.T. Press, 1989.
Sarah. H. Grimke. Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Women. 1838 rpt. New York: Source Book Press, 1970.
Singh, Sushila. Feminism: Theory Criticism, Analysis. Delhi:Pencraft International,1993.