Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-08-10
MOSLEM WOMEN.
Their Property Rights and Freedom
TO Carry on Business.

| Their Property Rights and Freedom
to Garry on Business.
The prevalent notion that Moham-
| lledan women are very materially re-
| stricted in their property relations
| that, in fact, they are little better
! than slaves, possessed of few rights
| which man is bound to respects
1 quite erroneous. In general terms,
''woman's rights in respect to prop
erty and material possessions of pc
cuniary value exist in the largest sense
among MohammedaI people and have
| so prevailed for many centuries. In
| fact, Mohammedan women, whether
single or married, are absolutely free
in respect to property relations. They
| may inherit buy and sell and acquire
by all the methods of legitimate bust
ness the same as men, and they may
carry on any trade or profession and
manage their business affairs without
the participation of husbands, parents,
brothers or other persons than those
designated by themselves should they
prefer not to act personally, as their
agents or representatives.
The "wakil," or business attorney of
q woman, is very frequent parsonage
IN all business affairs, and he is often
called into count to answer for his adj
miniStratiOn, cited by the woman pro-
prietor, who is not required, If she be
of full age to have the consent of her
husband or guardian, as in Europe, to
sue and be sued and perform all the
acts incident to her estate. Property
rights. ii will be noted, are entirely
independent OF sex or marital relation.
The only disability attending these
women's property relations is in ac-
uuirement by Inheritance. Their sex
and social condition throw about them
certain restraints. but solely as to sue
cession and inheritance There are no
restrictions as to purchase and sale
and general administration. In the
sale of land the husband remains an
entire stranger; he does not join in the
deed of conveyance or participate in
the price. But in respect of Inheritance
the rights of women are relatively in
ferior to those of men.
Sons inherit one-half, daughters one
quarter, wives only one-eighth, but if
the wife has no children she takes one
quarter. Where there is more than
one wife land the Mohammedan law
allows four the eighth or quarter, as
the case may be, must be distributed
pro rata among them all. The wife is
allowed but one-eighth when there are |
children, because the mother will share |
TO a degree in the minor child'S inherit |
ance, and, again. children are bound, |
as soon as capable, to contribute to |
the support of the mother. Further |
more, there is invariably a dOwry pro- |
vided by the husband at the time of |
marriage. which remains inVioate to |
the wife, and if it has not all been paid |
over to her in advance or If it has |
been used by the husband even for |
family necessities it remains Il debt |
against the estate and must be paid |
before distribution to the other heirs. |
The wife is not obliged to contribute |
from her separate estate for the MAIN
tenance Of the family, and if the hus
band has used any part of the wife's
for such purpose she may |
maintain n suit against him for its
restitution. AS for the daughters, it is
presumed that they require less Tran
the sons, and they may remain under
the protection of the male members
Of the family even after the breaking
up of the home. Furthermore, should
they marry (and marriage is universal |
there are no "old maids'0 they re-
ceive Il dowrv from their husband