The Little Lamb's Big Discovery on the Green Mountain

0

My Body, My Choice: A Critical Analysis from Religious, Social, and Human Perspectives

My Body, My Choice: A Critical Analysis from Religious, Social, and Human Perspectives

Introduction

The Apparent Meaning of “My Body, My Choice”
Is the Slogan Really About Women’s Rights?
Women in Other Religions: A Comparative Study
Status of Women in Judaism
Status of Women in Christianity
Status of Women in Hinduism
Islam: The True Liberator of Women
“My Body, My Choice” vs Islamic and Constitutional Values
Conclusion
The slogan “My Body, My Choice”, due to its vague and misleading nature, undermines morality, faith, and social harmony.

In recent years, the slogan “My Body, My Choice” has gained widespread attention, especially in feminist movements across various countries. While the slogan is often presented as a call for women’s rights, dignity, and freedom, its literal and commonly perceived meaning raises serious religious, moral, and social concerns—particularly in Islamic societies like Pakistan.

This article critically examines the slogan from human, religious, and comparative religious perspectives, aiming to clarify misconceptions and highlight how Islam uniquely elevated the status of women long before modern rights movements emerged.

At face value, the slogan implies that a woman has absolute authority over her body, including the freedom to engage in physical relationships with whomever she chooses, without moral, religious, or societal boundaries.

If this interpretation is what the supporters truly intend, then such an idea is:

  • Unacceptable in Islam

  • Rejected by all major world religions

  • Contrary to basic human intellect and morality

No civilized society—religious or non-religious—can function if physical relationships are detached from responsibility, ethics, and social structure.

Supporters often claim that “My Body, My Choice” is about women’s rights such as:

  • Protection from harassment

  • Freedom from forced marriage

  • Access to education and healthcare

  • Bodily safety and consent





My Body, My Choice: A Critical Analysis from Religious, Social, and Human Perspectives



However, a critical question arises:

What does “absolute control over the body” linguistically or logically have to do with lawful rights?

اردو میں پڑھنے کے لیے
نیچے جائیں ↓

The slogan itself is ambiguous and misleading. Anyone familiar with the Urdu or English language would naturally interpret it as a demand for unrestricted bodily freedom, especially sexual autonomy. If the intention was to demand legal and moral rights, a clearer and more appropriate slogan should have been chosen.

According to traditional Jewish beliefs:

  • Women were considered impure and a source of misfortune

  • They were treated as property, bought and sold like animals

  • Women were denied inheritance if male heirs existed

  • Widows without children were forced to marry their deceased husband’s brother

Menstruating women were considered unclean, and even touching them or objects they touched rendered others impure. Husbands could divorce their wives without any valid reason, highlighting the severe imbalance of rights.

In early Christian doctrine, women were often described as:

  • The origin of sin

  • The root of evil

  • Subordinate to men

Church and civil laws allowed men to physically discipline their wives and control their wealth. Women were denied legal independence and property ownership until 1882, remaining oppressed for centuries under religious authority.

In ancient Hindu society:

  • A daughter was considered her father’s property

  • A wife lived as a servant to her husband

  • Widows were treated with extreme cruelty

The horrifying practice of Sati, where widows were burned alive with their deceased husbands, was considered a sacred ritual. Between 1815 and 1825 alone, nearly 6,000 women were burned alive.

Even today, widows in some parts of India face social isolation, denial of remarriage, humiliation, and poverty.

When Islam emerged, it revolutionized the status of women in a way unmatched by any other civilization.

Islam granted women:

  • The right to life and dignity

  • Inheritance rights

  • Legal identity and consent in marriage

  • Respect as mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives

The Qur’an and Sunnah repeatedly emphasize kindness, justice, and respect toward women, often more strongly than toward men.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

“Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers.”

This single statement reflects the unmatched honor Islam gives to women.

In an Islamic republic like Pakistan:

  • Laws are influenced by Islamic principles

  • Moral boundaries are constitutionally recognized

  • Society is built upon family structure and responsibility

Therefore, promoting a slogan that contradicts Islamic teachings is not only religiously problematic but also constitutionally inappropriate.

Such slogans may align with secular societies, but importing them blindly into an Islamic context creates confusion, moral conflict, and social instability.

Islam does not deny women rights—it grants them in their most balanced, dignified, and sustainable form.

True empowerment lies not in rejecting moral limits, but in ensuring justice, safety, 

 

میرا جسم میری مرضی


Enjoy Calm Kids Animation Stories?

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for gentle, safe, and relaxing animated stories for kids. Perfect for bedtime, toddlers, and preschool learning.

✔ Family-Friendly   ✔ YouTube Kids Safe   ✔ Copyright-Free Music

میرا جسم، میری مرضی

“میرا جسم، میری مرضی” کے نعرے کا ظاہری مفہوم یہ نظر آتا ہے کہ عورت جس کے ساتھ جسمانی تعلق قائم کرنا چاہے اس کی مرضی ہونی چاہیے اور اس پر شرعی یا معاشرتی اعتبار سے کوئی روک ٹوک نہ ہو۔

اگر نعرہ لگانے والیوں کی مراد بھی یہی ہے تو یہ صرف اسلامی نقطۂ نظر سے ہی ممنوع نہیں بلکہ تمام الہامی و غیر الہامی مذاہب میں اس کی کوئی گنجائش نہیں۔ کوئی یہودی، عیسائی، ہندو یا سکھ اپنی عورت کو اس طرزِ زندگی کی اجازت نہیں دے گا۔

اگر مذہب سے ہٹ کر صرف انسان ہونے کی حیثیت سے دیکھا جائے تو بھی انسانی عقل اس کی اجازت نہیں دیتی، ہاں اگر کوئی انسان درندہ صفت ہو تو شاید وہ اسے گوارا کرے۔

اگر اس نعرے کا مقصد عورت کے جائز حقوق کا مطالبہ ہے تو سوال یہ ہے کہ حقوق کے مطالبے کا “جسم میں مرضی” سے کیا تعلق ہے؟ اس نعرے اور مطالبے میں کوئی منطقی ربط موجود نہیں۔

اردو زبان سے معمولی واقفیت رکھنے والا شخص بھی یہی سمجھے گا کہ یہاں جسمانی تعلق میں آزادی مقصود ہے، جو کہ ایک انتہائی شنیع اور غیر انسانی تصور ہے۔

یہودی روایات میں عورت کو ناپاک اور مصیبت کی جڑ سمجھا گیا، اسے مال و متاع کی طرح خریدا اور بیچا جاتا تھا، اور وراثت سے محروم رکھا جاتا تھا۔

مسیحیت میں عورت کو گناہ کی ماں اور بدی کی بنیاد قرار دیا گیا، صدیوں تک اسے جائیداد اور عدالتی حقوق سے محروم رکھا گیا۔

ہندومت میں عورت کو عار سمجھا گیا، ستی جیسی ہولناک رسم کے ذریعے ہزاروں عورتوں کو زندہ جلا دیا گیا۔

لیکن جب اسلام آیا تو اس نے عورت کو وہ مقام دیا جو تاریخ میں مثال نہیں رکھتا۔ اسلام نے عورت کو ماں، بیٹی، بہن اور بیوی ہر حیثیت میں حقوق عطا کیے۔

“الجنة تحت أقدام الأمهات”
جنت ماں کے قدموں کے نیچے ہے

اسلام کے دیے گئے حقوق کے بعد “میرا جسم، میری مرضی” کا نعرہ نہ صرف اسلامی تعلیمات بلکہ آئینِ پاکستان کی روح کے بھی خلاف ہے۔

یہ نعرہ غیر مسلم معاشروں میں شاید قابلِ بحث ہو، لیکن پاکستان جیسے اسلامی ملک میں اس کی کوئی گنجائش نہیں۔

Disclaimer: This post has been created with the help of AI. There may be mistakes for which we are not responsible.

Comments

Post a Comment