In the Islamic world, the religion defines and enriches culture and as a result the culture gives meaning to the individual. Islam is not only a religion, it is in its own way a culture. It may be this very fact that the Europeans have not yet understood, as to how religion plays a significant role in the life of a Muslim.

One of the more commonly misunderstood aspects of the Shariah is the role of the family, in particular the role of the women in the family and in the society in which she lives in. The actual role of a woman in a particular Muslim community may vary according to the part of the world she lives in, nonetheless all Muslim women abide by the same fundamental rules and regulations

The story in 1001 Nights suggests that the female was in more of a commanding position in the Medieval Islamic Empire than she is today. Women controlled much of their destinies and did what was in their best interest. They were best at seducing men with her enchanting beauty. They were both beautiful and cunning (Dawood Arabian Nights, pg 19). Unlike the women of the tribal villages where they are not challenge the authority, that fantasy lady could demand for more freedom. In some instances, she was able to revert a decision taken by the Sheik (Dawood Arabian Nights, pg 107).

Another very important aspect of life in the Islamic world is the honor of the family. This honor highly depends on the condition woman of the family. If the women in the family are steadfast in their duties and abide by the rules and regulations then the family is considered to be very respected. If a woman should commit an act that would bring the respect and honor of the family down, such as elopement, she is bound to be punished by one of the elders of the family.

Arranged marriages protect the honor of the family from coming under threat. After careful decision making and negotiations the parents will see to it that daughter stays within the boundaries of the house until she is finally wed to the man of their choice. Among Shitte families this is usually the case and women usually have an idea whom they are going to marry since inter-family marriages are a custom (Farnea Guest,pg 158).

Married life in Islamic societies are based on mutual love, sincerity, cooperation and sacrifice. Also, Islam realizes the requirements of the society and the individual in special circumstances where polygamy can be the solution to problems. For example, in most tribal regions, the Sheik of one tribe may marry a woman of a rival tribe in order to cement a political alliance . This is the reason why polygamy is allowed in Islam. The Shariah . Limits the number of wives of four, but does not require or even recommend polygamy. Polygamy fills the social and economic needs of all the members of the extended family .

All aspects of the life of the family and the individual members are in some way or other dependent on each other. The family adapts to the condition of the society and the relationship between the men and women should be suitable enough to raise the family and support it financially. The family structure differ throughout the Middle East, and with it the culture of each region.

The act of covering one's body with an abayah is a sunnah, that is, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) decreed it as a wise act for all mature females, including his own wife. The Quran mentions that a woman should lower her eyes when in front of a man and the man, as a sign of respect, should also lower his eyes. For the sake of privacy, the abayah is worn by women in order that they not attract any male attention in public. The presence of the abayah on a female also makes a political statement.

The immediate relationship between the husband and wife may seem fragile,

Some common words found in the essay are:
Tergeman Daughter, Islamic History, Arabian Nights, Shariah Limits, Africa Various, Secondly Arab, Middle East, Muhammad PBUH, Tergeman Daughterpg, Farnea Guestpg, tribal villages, life woman, islamic world, muslim women, nights pg, dawood arabian, arabian nights, family individual, dawood arabian nights, honor family, arabian nights pg, women family, tribal villages iraq, identical created equals, universal islamic culture,
Approximate Word count = 2064
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)