Ever since the Europeans created new industries—in the early nineteenth century, when Western capitalists invented large factories and hence, needed a cheap and undemanding workforce—they began advocating for "women's freedom" to make women leave their families behind in order to work hard for the factories; and they could be exploited as a cheap workforce, to fill their pockets and take dignity and merit away from women. Today, what is referred to as "women's freedom" in the West is the sequel of that historical fact. Therefore, the oppression of women in Western culture and the misconception of women in the works of Western culture and literature are unprecedented throughout history. In the past, women had been oppressed everywhere; but this pervasive, universal and all-inclusive oppression is particular of the recent time and was caused by Western civilization. They introduced the woman as a means for satisfying men’s sexual desires, and called it "women's freedom"! Although, it was in fact, the freedom of the dissipated men to take advantage of women; it was not the freedom of women.
Not only in occupations, industry and similar activities, but also in arts and literature they were cruel to women. Look at written stories, novels, paintings, and other different artistic works and see the view on women. Are the positive aspects and high values in women observed? Is it the fine emotions, kindness, and tender nature that God Almighty has created in women— temperament for motherhood, compassion for caring for children and bringing them up—which are considered or the sexual aspects which they call love? (And this is a wrong phrasing. This is sexual desire, not love). They wanted to form and make women this way: as a consumer. A spendthrift and a cheap worker who doesn't ask for much. Islam does not consider such things values for women. Islam allows women to work. Not only it allows them to, but Islam even deems it probably essential for women to work as long as their occupation does not interfere with their main responsibilities and most important occupation; that is, educating children and protecting the family. A country cannot forego the workforce of women in different fields. But this work must not contradict a woman's dignity and moral and human values. Women must not be looked down on and made to submit to pressure and bow down. Arrogance is unpleasant from anyone, unless from women against unfamiliar men. Women must stay proud against unfamiliar men. They must not be humble when talking to men. This is to protect the dignity of women. This is what Islam wants and this sets the role model for a Muslim woman[...]
Where the rights of more than a billion Muslim are violated by insulting what they hold sacred, human rights advocates are silent or even encouraging. You can see today every imperialist institution, and their scribbling henchmen and hirelings have made a united front in defending a worthless person who presented "The Satanic Verses" to the world: that blasphemous heretic Salman Rushdie. Is this in defence of human rights!? Why don't they speak out about human rights when 200 million Indian Muslims are divested of their rights, and their place of worship is destroyed by an ignorant prejudiced mob provoked by the enemies of Islam and Muslims? Why don't they defend human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina where millions have been subjected to the harshest and most cruel treatments and slaughtered, with children killed, women killed, and the sick murdered, or at most they just verbally comment on the matter. If they are really supporters of human rights, why are they dead silent in these cases? Why are the supporters of human rights silent regarding Palestine, where a nation has been forcefully displaced, their lands occupied, and even today, Palestinians and their supporters in Lebanon and Palestinian refugee camps are not left in peace and bombarded at every occasion? Are these supporters of human rights or liars and deceivers? Human rights according to Western culture is anti-human rights and equals the rights of the cruel individuals over human beings. This [bogus] definition of human rights has nothing to do with human rights. We support human rights and Islam supports the rights of humans. No other doctrine respects the value of human dignity as much as Islam. One of the Islamic principles that has always been presented when introducing Islam is the principle of "human respect". We will not wait for the West to teach us about human rights or advise us on protecting the rights of humans. We are the first supporters of human rights ourselves. But human rights are defensible under the protection of Islam, where the rights of human beings count.
We support human rights and will pursue human rights, regardless of what this UN commission or that International committee say. We support the rights of humans because Islam orders us to; because it is an Islamic principle. But we consider what they claim, to be false, and deceptive. Their support for human rights is similar to their support for women's rights. The imperialists, oppressors, and pillagers of the world, those who ignore the rights of nations, and destroy the interests of weaker nations, and the occupiers of weaker countries, are the so-called bearers of the flag of advocating human rights and women's rights. It is obvious that Muslim nations cannot pay any attention to them.
December 16, 1992