I once had a friend who was a Muslim lady. We had this conversation about a "woman's role".
I was a bit taken aback by her rationalizing. Her husband dominated her. She could go nowhere without a million questions being asked about who she was seeing, where she was going, when she would return.
The Muslim lady's e-mail messeges were read by the husband and he would write me out of the blue with accusatory questions too!
What did the lady say about all this?
She JUSTIFIED IT!
Being a Muslim was a "protection" for women. It kept them safe and modest and superior (Yes, superior!) to Western women (Christians) who show their bodies, paint their faces and use terribly language while pampering themselves like lap poodles.
In the same breath she would complain about her husband's overbearing treatment of her!
This is cognative dissonance to the nth degree, if you ask me!
My feeling on this is that some women will trade a certain kind of security (a home and a duty) for almost any freedom or happiness----and I can't for the life of me think why this would be.
I'm puzzled. I know we can become accustomed to almost anything because humans are very adaptable.
But, is there any genuine excuse other than giving up entirely and surrendering? (Isalm=Surrender of self)
(Oh, I almost forgot to add this post script! This woman I was speaking about dropped off the radar for a year or so. Then, I heard from another friend she had run off with some fellow who was also married who lived in an entirely different country. He left his wife and kids to be with her. Then, she dumped him and went back with her husband. So, I guess he at least had cause for suspicion!)