The assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has sent Pakistan catapulting into civil unrest and political instability. The world now warily watches as the country struggles to balance itself on the brink of catastrophe.

In this time of uncertainty, when everything seems lost in Pakistan and everyone is wondering what comes next, we must pause and acknowledge what has been gained. Many have benefited from Bhutto – some through her life, others through her death. As a Muslim woman, I am particularly upset by the religiously unjustifiable sexism existent in many Islamic countries. However, I am most interested in what women in the Muslim world can gain from Bhutto, the first female to lead an Islamic country.

Bhutto didn’t significantly improve women’s rights, but she nonetheless helped their cause. The inspiration that Muslim women can gain from her life and even her assassination is undeniable and has the power to alter the cultural landscape for women in Muslim countries.

Coming from a culture where women typically stay home while men dominate public society, Bhutto not only ventured down a path filled with hardships such as solitary confinement and the loss of loved ones, but she emerged as the leader of her country. Though her family name provided this opportunity, she had the drive and intellect to seize it instead of her brothers. Her breakthrough into a male-dominated arena stood as a symbol of progress and promise for Muslim women.

“She was an embodiment of independence and modern outlook for women,” said my cousin, a female who grew up in Pakistan during Bhutto’s leadership. “She gave hope to women just by being herself.”

If perceived this way, Bhutto’s assassination can easily be mistaken as a setback for Muslim women. Even her death, however, is inspirational.

Death threats and prior assassination attempts explicitly warned Bhutto that remaining a public figure was a life-risking endeavor. She chose to face that risk. On the day of the assassination, she traveled to Rawalpindi despite Musharraf’s alleged warning and was killed. She could have lived if she had appeased those who wanted her out of the picture, but she refused to remain hidden and silent.

The pressure to remain hidden and silent is sadly a familiar concept to many Muslim women who involuntarily cover themselves and only echo their husband’s opinions. Bhutto is an inspiration for her fearlessness in refusing to bow to that standard. She lost her life, but if she had yielded to the pressure put upon her, wouldn’t her life already be lost?

Hope for women in the Muslim world did not die with Bhutto because the women she inspired still live. She permanently knocked down the impossibility for female leadership in the Muslim world. Now those that she has inspired must step up and continue striving for progress.

Communication junior Nausheen Shaikh can be reached at [email protected].