Page 170 - UAE Truncal States

The Islamic Basis of Society

mask (burqa'), the veil (shailah) and the black coat Caba’ah) when
they leave their houses. They thus keep themselves apart wherever
they are from the men of their society. But by means of the same
institutions they also withhold from male participation a large part
of the world about them. Many things that women talk about, think
about, worry about, and enjoy are not discussed with the men.
Among the male members of society it is considered to be improper
when enquiring about the well-being of the family to ask more than
the stereotype questions. More specific information about members
of the family is not exchanged unless someone is known to be very ill,
or if a dispute develops into a case where outside adjudication is
required.
The fact that women do not participate in the public life of the
community as seen by men does not necessarily mean that they have
an inferior position to men. In this aspect of family and social life, the
necessity to preserve the cohesion and protect the family through the
co-operation of the male members falls completely in line with the
spirit of early Islam which endeavoured to restore to women their
honour as members of the family rather than as objects of exchange.

Marriage and divorce
In the traditional society of the Trucial Slates the customs relating to
marriage and divorce are in accordance with Islam, and they are at
the same time the very backbone of the tribal system. By and large,
girls are given in marriage only to members of the family, the more
closely related the better, starling with first cousins. Compared with
some other societies on the Arabian Peninsula, marriage with the
bint 'amm, daughter of the paternal uncle, does not, however, have
the same predominant position, and the eldest son does not have an
institutionalised claim on a bint ’amm, nor can he claim compen­
sation if that girl is married to someone else. Marriages of first
cousins from either side, paternal or maternal, are equally welcome,
but if there is no suitable partner to be found even within the wider
family circle, the ladies who negotiate in such matters may be able to
persuade a neighbour or a family which is socially of the same
standing to agree to give their daughter in marriage. The parents of
the girl require a considerable incentive (social status or economic
advantage) if they are to agree that their daughter should live in a
family whose members she does not know well, and where she might
fear that she would always remain a stranger. But if such a marriage

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