Islamists in Indonesia: Gender equality harms Islamic values

Out of 6 groups expressing such views, one is Indonesian Ulema Council. How come this group understands Islam so badly and so different from what Islamic spokesmen and women and their apologists (liberal and leftist) say in media like THE HINDU about Islam being the first one to bring women out of oppression ? That too considering that members of Ulema have spent their whole life in studying Koran and other Islamic scriptures, one can only wonder which version of Islam could be right. May be recalling some verses from Koran will help clearing dilemma to some extent.

Koranic verse 4:34:  Men are in charge of women because Allah made one of them superior to other, and because men spend their property for supporting women.....so good women are obedient to men. If not, husbands can beat wives.

Koranic verse 2:282:  ..........witness of two women is equal to witness of one man .....

Koranic verse 2:228: ......The men are a degree above women ....

Koranic verse 2:223:  Your wives are like tilth to you...so approach your wives as you approach tilth....

Koranic verse 4:11 : Share of a son is equal to share of two daughters in inheritance ........

One can add (read WHAT PROPHET SAID ON WOMEN) few more to this illustrious Koranic guidelines like a man can take as many as wives with the constrain of not more than 4 at any time and his explicit right to divorce wives at his will.

In twisting facts, often Islamic apologists, including women, say these are literal interpretations of Koran and Koran actually liberates women from oppression.

Above argument is naive considering that Koran is considered to be set of guidelines and rules for Muslims to live by with Allah saying Koran is simple to understand and these guidelines are never to be changed. More over, commands of master to slave are never in code or in some obscure language.

Indonesia: Islamist groups object to gender equality bill