2. The Arabic term irtidad (apostasy) comes from redd which means rejection in this context. Rejection of faith in Islam means rejecting the Word (Kalima) which contains two elements: Oneness of God (La ilaha illallah) and believing in the messenger-hood of Muhammad (Muhammadun Rasullullah). A muslim’s rejection of one or both of these principles renders murtadd (apostate). According to classical Islamic literature, a Muslim is not granted de jure Islamic right to convert to another faith in public as opposed to in heart and in private. This is predicated upon the fact that Islamic jurisprudence credo is considered to be a part of the theoretical public order in an Islamic state.

One may think that blasphemy and apostasy in public against the public order theoretically may fall outside the application of “La ikraha fi-Deen.”

3. In Islam men and women are both created by the same God. Both are equal addressees of God. They are both charged with duties and obligations. They are also granted rights. From the point of creation, men and women are created equal. However they are assigned different functions based on their physical characteristics. Women, in this context, have independently as the addressee of God, have all rights granted by Allah and obligation charged by Allah. Right to Property ownership, right to have business, right to privacy both in public and private spheres with the privileges defined for women such as to bear child, to be mother are among such rights as opposed to men’s reciprocal rights and duties.

One should not make a comparison between women’s rights in Islam and rights in the western world. For, they are not comparable to one another. Women’s rights in Islam, for example, cannot be evaluated within the context of liberal societies which promote limitless exercise of freedom on women’s bodies such as extra marital relations. Islam is a family and community oriented religion. Limitless exercise of freedom is perceived as detrimental to family structure and community welfare. Objectification of male or female body is not acceptable in Islam as well. What is considered as a “right” in the Western context can very well be seen as a liability in the Islamic societies: For instance, a Muslim woman does not have to work if she chooses to. That is to say that it is the male’s responsibility to be the bread winner for the family. If the woman chooses to work, then the husband has no right to claim the earnings of the wife. In other words, the absence of the “right” in the Western context is a “privilege” in the Islamic context.