The “Islamic Sharia law”, according to which married muslim women can be beaten by the husbands has been accepted by the Muslim community and the Afghans. This rule is approved by the” Hamid Karzai, president of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan”. The law has also pressurized men and women to be segregated. This news was announced by the ‘Associated Press through the Washington Post’.

This approval is a part of the country’s settlement extension with the ‘Taliban”. The press adds that the Priesthood of Afghanistan is not narrowing the freedom and activity of women. But, this new ‘Sharia law’ of the entire Muslim and Afghan public will keep women in bounds.

The ‘Ulema Councils’ are found in various Muslim countries and the Muslim religious leaders and heads feel it as their responsibility to make the Muslim lifestyle bide by the Sharia law.

In fact, before the ‘2001’ American attack, the ruling party of ‘Taliban’ ignored the family and publically tormented the ladies for disobeying the Sharia law.

Prior to the US-led invasion of 2001, the Taliban government condoned family members and/or civilly imprisoned, tortured or executed women for the following violations of regulations.

The violated rules include:

• Denial of proposed marriages
• Disloyalty towards the husband
• Woman and Girl education
• Stepping out unescorted
• Not using a Burkha
• Not to use sandals or footwear with high heels; lest a man is tempted the sound of her footsteps
• To speak softly. Her sound should not be heard.
• Houses on the first storey and the building entrance level should be well curtained. To ward off others looking at the ladies inside.
• Women should not be photographed. Their photos should not appear on newsprints, periodicals or any printed matter. In fact their snap shots should not display in their own residences.
• A woman cannot travel alone in a cab.
• Cities should provide separate buses for ladies.
• Women should not use a bike or any two wheeled vehicles.

The law states that a woman cannot be beaten or harassed unless her behavior is found faulty by the Sharia – law.

Many people oppose this rule because Islam does not support such actions. They feel that the Arabic word that means ‘beat’ is taken literally as striking a woman; whereas it means to leave her alone till she realizes her mistake.