Reflections on a Recent College Incident and the Importance of Protecting Womens Honor

Reflections on a Recent College Incident and the Importance of Protecting Womens Honor

In recent days, an incident occurred at a college where a girl was subjected to a horrific and painful rape. Such occurrences are very common in colleges and universities, although they are rarely highlighted in the media or news. My first grievance in this regard is that I will not advocate for the closure of all colleges and universities in Pakistan because they have become regular hubs of immoral activities where boys and girls engage in illicit relationships by mutual consent. Instead, in my opinion, this was an incident from which some people should learn a lesson, some should take heed, and some should bring about change within themselves.

My first point related to this incident is that those who (whenever an unfortunate event occurs in religious schools/Madaris or mosques) call for the closure of madrasas should change their approach. Or now, they should also raise their voices to close colleges and universities.

On this occasion, I also want to share my observation and experience that such incidents attributed to madrasas are ninety-nine percent false. Three such incidents are before my eyes from the past three months, where madrasa teachers were falsely accused, disgraced, and humiliated. The most recent incident I saw involved a teacher who was falsely accused and thrown behind bars, even though the madrasa had complete videos of his classroom for three days, and according to the initial investigation of the FIR, the boy was found to be completely unaffected.

Despite this, propaganda ensued, and the area officer asked the madrasa’s principal if he was certain. The principal replied, “I am so confident that if the lab report proves the teacher guilty, I will present him myself or surrender myself to you.”

He made this announcement in front of the entire gathering. After spending two months in jail, that teacher was honorably acquitted.

In this case, regarding the current college incident, some people are saying that any legal action required in this case should not be delayed. However, I wrote in a previous article that the solution to such immoral acts is not to punish all men severely; rather, girls and their parents also need to exercise great caution.

My dear friends! every society certainly has good and bad people. We all have to protect our own possessions ourselves. If a boy is somewhat negligent in his own protection, that’s a different matter, but sending girls out of the house without proper covering is a very sensitive issue. For a girl, the most precious things are her modesty, honor, and chastity. If even a small issue concerning her becomes public, her entire family faces a severe trial.

My request is that before providing girls with education in schools, colleges, and universities, think a thousand times: if they can go daily with a close male relative (mahram), without having a mobile phone, and the place where they study is a secure building where no boys pass through, then, keeping such conditions and the limits of Shariah in mind, you may make your daughter a doctor, engineer, or grant her the highest degree.

Otherwise, it may be dangerous.

May Allah have mercy on all of us. May He keep the chastity and honor of our mothers, sisters, and daughters under His special protection, and enable us all to live our lives according to the teachings of Islam. Amen.

Please note that the views expressed in this article are my own, intended to encourage dialogue and consideration of potential reforms. I welcome your opinions and perspectives on these important matters. Please feel free to share your point of view in a respectful and constructive manner.