ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that the extent to which the attitude of community leaders to proposed legislation pertaining to women was indicative of their concern for women's rights, with safeguarding the community's socioreligious identity; or the consequence of social, economic and political changes under way in society. Government could only be persuaded to act when convinced both that legislation would indeed right a grievous wrong perpetrated on women and that the measure had some political support. The strength of women's political and social activism was tested in the long struggle over the passage of legislation to, once more, rise the age at marriage. On balance, most ordinary Muslim opinion favoured the legislation and though certain political leaders objected, they could not do so on religious grounds. The passage of the Shariat Act restoring inheritance, divorce and other rights to women in the Muslim community temporarily lay to rest further debates on the subject.
