Page:The Moslem World Vol XI.djvu/144

120 While the husband possesses unlimited power of divorce — absolute, immediate, unquestioned—no corresponding privilege belongs to the wife. When divorced she may claim her dowry, literally her "hire" but very often she hangs on, neglected and superseded, sometimes confined and beaten, if such be her lord's will. Even if a man does not exercise his rights, yet the knowledge of their existence tends to debase womanhood and to weaken its influence.

The condition of the servile concubine, also sanctioned by the Koran, is even worse. She is at the entire mercy of her master, who sells her when he tires of her, and she passes from master to master a very wreck of womanhood. If children are borne by these women they are legitimate and share in the inheritance, so forming additional ground for domestic feuds, and lessening the tone and vigour of the ruling classes. Temporary marriages for a few weeks or "for ninety-nine years" are resorted to, and widows may remarry.

It is only necessary to know a few Persian women intimately to see how these principles work out, or to realize how hard their lot is. Many appear light-hearted and indifferent to their disabilities; others say "it is Kismet" that is, "the portion that is granted." Some consult fortune tellers and use various talismans to win back favour, or to cause evil to enemies.

The veil is looked upon by many as a privilege. They say that until the men have cleaner minds it is a necessity for every self-respecting woman. Recently the upper class women have replaced the long white cambric veil with a short black horsehair one, which is more comfortable but scarcely more becoming.

Child marriage exists, not as sanctioned by the Koran, but as practiced by the Prophet. This example, the dearth of education and occupations for girls, and the brutal selfishness of the men, bring untold suffering and sap the country's strength at its source. How much of girlhood's inheritance of joy and laughter, of books and