When Angelina Jolie launched her Instagram account to amplify the voices of Afghan women, the world applauded. But a glaring double standard was left unaddressed: where is the same outrage for Muslim women in France who are stripped of their right to wear the hijab, banned from schools and public spaces simply for choosing modest dress? If we truly care about women’s rights, the conversation cannot be selective. It must extend to every woman, in every country, facing oppression for her faith and her freedom of choice.
The Double Standard: Afghanistan vs. France
“Women cannot go to school or study if they go against what they are ordered to wear and will end up getting arrested. Which country do you think that is? That’s France.” The irony is striking: the very freedoms Western voices claim to defend for Afghan women are actively denied to Muslim women in Europe.
France has systematically targeted Muslim women through hijab bans in schools, public institutions, and even beaches. These women are not being liberated; they are being punished for obeying a commandment found not only in the Quran but also in the Bible, where Christian women are instructed to cover their hair (1 Corinthians 11:5-6). Muslim women who wear the hijab are following in the tradition of Mary, the mother of Jesus, a woman revered in both Christianity and Islam. Yet celebrities like Angelina Jolie and commentators like Ben Shapiro remain silent on this particular injustice while using Afghanistan as a platform for selective advocacy.
What Islam Actually Teaches About Women’s Rights
- No forced marriage: Islamic Sharia explicitly forbids forcing women into marriage against their will.
- Right to divorce: Muslim women have the right to initiate divorce, a right granted over 1,400 years ago.
- Property ownership: Islam gave women full rights to own, buy, and sell property centuries before Western nations did.
- Education and scholarship: The oldest continuously operating university in the world, according to UNESCO, was founded by a Muslim woman empowered by Islamic principles.
- Honor and dignity: Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared that Paradise lies at the feet of one’s mother, elevating the status of women to the highest regard.
- Equality before God: Men and women carry different responsibilities but receive equal reward from their Creator.
“Islam is perfect. Sharia is perfect. The Quran is perfect. The noble example of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is perfect. Do not judge that which is perfect by the actions of individuals who are not.” When human beings fall short, the blame belongs to them, not to the faith that calls them to justice, mercy, and equality.
Clean Your Own House First
Before pointing fingers at other nations, we must confront uncomfortable realities at home. Domestic abuse, the exploitation of women in entertainment and advertising, rampant human trafficking, and the objectification of women across media are crises that demand attention. Islam offers a clear alternative: a society built on modesty, respect, and the protection of every human being’s dignity. The Quran commands believers to investigate before passing judgment (49:6) and to stand for justice even against themselves (4:135). Rather than engaging in selective outrage shaped by media agendas, we should seek truth directly from its source. Read the Quran. Study the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Discover for yourself that Islam has always championed the rights, honor, and empowerment of women, and that the path to genuine justice begins with faith, sincerity, and the courage to hold everyone to the same standard.
