very harmful for Pakistani women to remain unconditionally obedient because it stunts their development and every choice that is significant in their life is made by men. This robs Pakistani women who are unconditionally obedient at any chance of meaningful happiness in life since they are unable to have a say in the decisions that most affect their life.
Even worse than robbing Pakistani women of their chance for an education, career or even happiness is the fact that an atmosphere of unconditional obedience and complete submission to men has led to an environment that perpetuates abuse against women. As Najam (2009) reports, this kind of culture has led to numerous and horrific acts against Pakistani women including: "Multiple forms of violence include rape; domestic abuse as spousal murder, mutilation, burning and disfiguring faces by acid, beatings; ritual honour-killings and custodial abuse and torture" (p. 1). Durrah told me her mother's cousin had been killed in a ritual honor-killing because her husband accused her of being a "whore." It is readily clear that unconditional obedience can be harmful for Pakistani women because failure to respond effectively to these kinds of oppressive acts will only maintain them. It is impossible to believe that women are routinely subjected to these and other kinds of abuses in Pakistani Muslim society, but Durrah confirms that such atrocities do occur.
While Pakistani women face harsh sanctions for failing to obey, many Muslim women have been able to forge societies of learning through book readings or other cultural activities. As Durrah told me, "We used to say we had washing or shopping to do and gather together and read whatever book one of us had found a way to smuggle into our circle." However, strict and unconditional obedience for Pakistani women is something that remains very harmful from the perspective of personal and professional development. Furthe...