Vol-7, Special Issue-Number4, 2016, pp1066-1074 http://www.bipublication.com
Research Article
Reflection on the Social Life of Women in Islam
Maryam Forghani
Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran
Email: maryam.forghani64@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
On the recommendation of the Quran and infallible leaders, women covering and protecting herself wife is innate in front of strangers form woman calls to a healthy lifestyle; but this commandment and the innate order does not needs to drop out of society and remaining at home as a Muslim woman, she is a social and political human. In this paper that is the type of qualitative research, we are attempting to look and explain the social life of woman in Islamic look with a descriptive-analytic method and to answer the question: How does Islam look at women in public life?
In the end, after considering various views on social life of women in the Qur'an and leaders and Islamic scholars thought came to the conclusion that Muslim woman in the narrow sense means both social and political whose success is proven highly in different fields.
Keywords: social life, women, Islam, Iranian women, politics.
INTRODUCTION AND QUESTION
Women as half of the mass of humanity at any point in history and in every society, the human population and as a mother or wife and partner in sweetness and bitterness of life, always is faced with two views by men; a fascinated look, respect and reverence and desire and vision of the hostility, inferiority, pessimism and contempt; works, ideas and literature remained of nations and peoples - stories, poems, customs, rituals and proverbs – illustrate these two attitudes that existed among different communities with different intensities and weaknesses and woman tailored to each of these two approaches, and referees with respect, and strong and effective position or in difficult situations, or was living in an excruciating and painful condition ever known (Ensafpoor, 1969, p. 58). The subject of woman, as the bodies of human, the basic, verifiable and perceptive of the society can be explained that man is worthy of recognition and any review and analysis of all aspects of women life is regarded as the analysis of the features minus the sex and, in fact, human life. So knowledge of the status and
tamed her ", "women are limbo between animals and man "(Motahari, 1999, p. 160).
Another degrading theory towards women is that the woman is the element of a sin and she leads man to sin and deviations and even said that in Eden, Satan deceived Eve and then he led Adam astray (ibid., P. 320). In Judaism, boys in their prayers such composed: "Lord, thank you that did not create us the infidels and women." In examining this issue, Conference held in the year 568 AD. in France to review the question of whether woman is a human or not? And finally, after much discussion, it was concluded that the woman is human but the philosophy of her creation is independent and the only unique philosophy of her creation is to serve the men (André, 1993, p. 64). Ignorance of the former communities of natural resources and the indigenous capabilities of women and ignoring they are strong and will play and efficient role in creating a healthy society, strengthening family foundations in the history, put women in the dark spiteful comments and unhealthy and oppressive judgments. There is no doubt that women throughout the history did not have sufficient dignity and often suffered a double injustice (Rachel, 1998, p. 36). Today almost all European countries and legal systems, and number of Asian countries in acting on the principles of equality, legal simplistic directly or indirectly from feminist theory or the prevailing atmosphere is influenced by these ideas. Even in many Islamic countries toward change and takes shape according to this view (Beladi Mousavi, 1997, Introduction). In the meantime, a group of Muslim intellectuals have always tried to make reconciliation between the feminist theory and theoretical or practical Islam in various aspects (Karami, 2002, p. 42). In this regard, we can say with certainty that divine religions, especially the final religion, all to revive the forefront of high character and escorting women and God has full knowledge opens the best way to happiness and salvation to men and women. Islamic view about woman is different from non-theological schools, especially with Western feminist views, although Islam believe in the presence of women in society but is opposed
to have an instrumental look and disregard warm and active social presence in the field of family, and offers a Fatimid example of woman, the pattern on the side of endeavour and effort to be a housewife and parenting is the reminiscent of social presence, are of the lectures and assistance of Hazrat Zahra (Daughter of the Prophet) in the battles of the Prophet (patient). The aim of West to enter the women in the social arena is to take the society toward by women and the use of ornaments and colourful costumes and create a sense of competition in them more propel their consumption to manufactured goods more to the communities. In fact, Islamic commands about women, in fact, help to improve and prosper the individual, family and society, with the teachings of all social components both men and women. Hence, scholars and experts from the religious perspective of and human, were obliged to defend the privacy of women and families (Mostafavi and Jafari Varamin, 2003, p. 11). Taking a look to centuries-old movement in Iran, especially the rise of Islamic Revolution Muslim shows that the women gathered at the scene suggests the social, political and cultural growth and awareness to realize their goals. So in this article we describe the social characteristics of women, women's social life according to Islamic norms.
Dignity of women in Islam
popular. Even when the divorce is talked about: "deal with women generously and well." Popular, refers to respect the Status of Women. Therefore, it is relevant to this article are examples of popular word we mentioned in the Quran.
decent wage (And they (women) have rights
similar to those (of men) over them in kindness) (verse, 228, Baqara)
minimal worthy (must be retained in honour )
(verse, 229, Baqara)
Beautiful and conciliatory behavior (then retain
them in kindness or release them in kindness)(verse, 231, Baqara)
Dealing generous and satisfying (if it is agreed
between them in kindness) (verse, 232, Baqara)
Speech decent and good (but feed and clothe
them from it, and speak kindly unto them) (verse, 5, Nisa)
generous and good behavior (But consort with them in kindness) (verse, 19, Nisa).
In different verses of the Qur'an, with the creation equality between men and women (verse, 1, Nisa), equality in spiritual growth of men and women (verse, 97, Nahl) and the acquisition of property and economic equality of women and men (verse, 32, Nisa) and equality of social and political participation of women and men (verse, 12: Momtahina), puts the women the respect and gratitude as effective members of the human community remembers.
Woman according to Allama Tabatabai and Motahari
Allameh Tabatabai in a historical approach to women's position draw such an evolution:
1- Women in primitive human society are not considered as a member of human society and have no social value and she was dealing as a "dumb animal".
2- However, at a later stage (stage where existed laws and civil laws such as the law of Hamurabi in Babylon, the ancient Roman, Greek, Egyptian regulations, China and Persia) legal rights were made for women as a "weak human-being" but in these societies at all times, women have always lived under the guardianship of man, and should be subject to man; not having the independence
and not autonomy, not independence will be something the owner.
3- A stage in which the Islamic revived the woman as a human being and looked at herself as a part of society and in terms of respect considered for her the dignity and weight, and based on the teachings of Islam is superior type of humanity that men and women both human and at the same time they are different for men and women being together and there is no difference between them for humanity, according to the same principle, Islamic law and Islamic society consider the women as well as men a member of the society both equally are participated and but also provides freedom of will and action for woman said as the man has counterfeited the right. And equals the community involvement and action, and then draws Property rights for women (Tabatabai, 2005, vol. 1, p. 280).
Such Islamic look at woman is explained by Allameh Tabatabai: "In Islam, women in all religious laws and social rights is male partner. She, just like men, can be independent and they are not different, except in cases where the nature of woman is appropriate to be difference with the men, as well as issues such as judgment, Jihad in charge of the government, the issue of inheritance and the veil "(ibid .: 411). It is true that all people should be equal before the law and in this equality, is the equality in terms of law enforcement (that is, justice) nor social equality and kneading rights" (ibid, p. 282).
"The experience evidenced that men and women are two of a kind substance that is the same man, because all the works that can be seen in the men, have no difference in the women's class too and the emergence of a kind works is because of the research topic in both. The the poor and the severity of difference can be seen in some joint works, but not together form such a union dispute "(Tabatabai, 2005: vol. 4, p. 89).
have a single nature "in many verses of the Quran explicitly states that the nature of women have been created like men nature "(Motahari, 1999, vol. 19, p 131).
Tabatabai and basis of gender justice:
Comments of Allame Tabatabaei and Motahhari are very close, with the difference that the Motahhari's comments are focused on the needs and questions and doubts and comparative critique of modern human thought and schools in the field of "rights".
There is a kind of "difference" in humanity that cannot escape from it, and it is the difference in the nature of people that can be a source of strength. Body composition is different in individuals, and differences in body composition are the source of the talent, physical and mental difference, and the differences as well caused by the environmental factors, and result in differences in tastes and desires and human actions (Tabatabai, 2005: vol. 11, p. 81). For Allameh Tabatabaei, justice means "And each should be given with a right of powers and the right to put in place".
Then the equal balance between matters is raised to share anything about their entitlements and have equality in all aspects of their entitlements (ibid., Vol. 12, p. 353).
So the equality that is the main growth "justice" is explained in terms of entitlements, efforts and endeavor to merit. In his interpretation of the verse "Should they divided the grace and mercy of yours (and to determine the position of prophet hood)? If we pay salaries and divide them one day in the life of the world and some of the others to some degree (of wealth and worldly ambitions) have given priority to some people (the wealth) subservient to serve others, and (heaven, of) Allah's mercy than what (the wealth of the world) is better, as well as the Partition of Provisions is discussed as the dignity and honour to God and the prophet hood categories are authorized by Almighty God according to the merits, governments and interest are to be interpreted to call idolaters of Mecca, cleverly, the highest ambition, courage, decisiveness, determination, wealth, ethnicity and tribe, and so on are
explained along with will-power and human action and other risk factors to split provision of spiritual gifts by God, and the man will not be forgotten and finds natural rights, natural, human and divine, along with the ability to interpret (Tabatabai, 2005: vol 18, p 146).
Motahari and gender justice
Book of Genesis basis of real rights, "it is obvious that the valuable book of Genesis is the only competent authority for identification of real human rights. With reference to pages and the evolution of this great book, the zoonotic and real rights of men and women are determined"(Motahari, 1999, vol. 19, p 157). “From our point of view, the natural and zoonotic rights are found where the system of creation is guided to enlightenment and for the purpose of entity to perfection that their existence lies in their capacity. Any natural talent base is a natural right and natural for it remains a word document (ibid., P. 158).
High attention to the woman in Islam
From the viewpoint of enlightening school of Islam, a woman is a half of the corpus of human society and the masterpiece of creation. Unlike the current views about the weaknesses and defects in this unique creature, a woman in some examples (the emotional matters is the human spiritual capital), has the supremacy on man. Islam, looking with dignity and respect, rejects all the disparaging views towards women in schools and even some distorted religions. Now enjoying the statements of Motahhari, Islamic viewpoint toward the woman offered to take criticism of false views (Motahari, 2005, p. 134).
1. Woman never has the lower nature of man's creation. God created both of them with the same material (Rome, verse: 21).
2. Woman is not the evil, tempting element and is not guilty. Quran rejects this wrong view, the rejection of the Garden of Eden and the fall to the ground, is attributed to men and women as equal (Taha, 117; Baqara, 36).
celebrate the Khadija Kobra and Fatima Zahra in the Quran, are the examples of this spiritual position of women.
4. Unlike some distorted religions and schools, Islam does not know the sexual relationship of men with women as negative and evil, but condemned celibacy and monasticism, marriage is a very sacred (the Assembly, C 100, p. 221) and knows the love of woman as praised and valued.
5. The existence of the woman is not the introduction and rounder of the men, but the creation of the universe has been together for men and women. Of course, men and women, each created for the other and are the complement of each other.
6. Woman not only is not inevitable disaster that is evil around her, but her creation is a source of living and calm for the man (Baqara, 187; Rom, 21).
7. Woman is not represented only as the container of man sperm, but also has an equal share in the production and reproduction of the human species to men (Hojorat, 13).
It is also the great scholar says about the effects of the privacy and the separation between men and women in power and popularity of women, using the analogy of the Masnavi Molavi:
If there is no buffer between water and fire, the fire has overcome water, and it will turn off. But if there is a barrier in between, for example, water is in the pot on the fire, fire affects water slowly and warm it up, and bring to a boil and seethe in after all the water is vaporized (Motahari, 1990, p. 234).
Women in the Qur'an
With regard to the equality of men and women in virtues and values, Nobel Quran when speaking of the virtues of the human or denounce and deter the moral vices, also speaks of virtuous and commendable men and mentions exemplary women, for the pious human, either man or woman can be a model for other human beings, means the good men and women are the example of good men and bad men and women are bad guys sample (Javadi, 2009, p. 1).
Quran and the necessity of the presence of women in society
In Quran, there are verses that indicate women’s social activity, including:
1- Women allegiance to the Prophet (pbuh) political presence: " O Messenger, if the believing women come to you pledge allegiance to the God never polytheism does not help themselves and stealing and adultery do nothing and Their children murdered and nobody Libel and Calumnies not patch between his hands and feet (that is between the children and their feet are developed and the knowledge that her conception lies to someone other than his father did not patch). I do not disagree with any enjoin, in this condition, then accept their allegiance and ask for them forgiveness of Allah. Praise, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (12)" (Momtahina, 12). Believing women allegiance to the Messenger of Allah determined some provisions for them that are common among men and women, such as idolatry and disobedience not the Messenger of Allah is related to do good deeds and some more to women, such as avoidance of theft, adultery, attributing kill children and other children to the husband (Tabatabai, 2005, p. 89).
2- Immigrant Women: Another issue that indicates the presence of women of early Islam in the community, is the greater participation of women in social movements - political migration. Migration was very important to spread Islam and Islamist camps and to keep religion, and there is no difference for this between man and woman and the prophets wanted both women and men to migrate.
best example of social partnership and rejects the false impression that the ownership of business and economic endeavor unique to men.
Women in the Social and Political field according to Islam
Holy Quran accepted the allegiance to the government as the most significant political act for women and different spheres of early Islam and represents the political action on behalf of women. Immigration is another form of women's political participation that in early Islam had a significant role in migration; but typical of the higher education of women in political office can be found in the Qur'anic story of the Queen of Sheba that the Quran learned as the ratings and comments woman (Mostafavi and Jafari Varamini, 2003, p. 103). Examples of the political participation of women in society are mentioned in verses of Naml Surah: " Surely (the property) woman found out that the people of the kingdom and the woman any government money (and ornament worldly affairs) was granted and (in addition) the bed was great. (23) and "Said: (Belgheis to the men of his court and) said: The men of the country, a letter reached me from a great man. (29) and “then said: O men of the country, vote my work, and I did not decide on anything without your presence so far (32) and “Then he said that in the realm of the palace Come in, he saw the palace (of Safa and sparkle too) thought that the deep blue robes swept the legs, Solomon said this is a palace of flat glass, Belgheis said: our Lord, I have wronged their own souls and are now hard on (your prophets) Solomon surrendered Lord of the worlds, I was alone. (44)".
In this case, the Supreme Leader said: "In the reconstruction of the country if there is a wrong view about woman, large-scale reconstruction of the true meaning is not possible" (A statement of the Supreme Leader, 20/12/75). Elsewhere he says: if the observance of modesty and mixing of men and women in the Islamic society is possible to men and women and in all Islamic duties between men and women equally have social responsibility (ibid.). But the example of the social presence of women in Islamic Iran,
emerged in statements of the leader of the revolution, Imam Khomeini who said: If women are not really joined the revolution, undoubtedly this revolution would not have happened (a statement of the Supreme Leader, 14.07.2001). So Imam Khomeini gave this situation to women that they can be active in the community and both in politics and affectionate wife and mother caring for their children.
Social life of women in Iranian community before the Islamic Revolution
Until the recent decades with regard to the responsibilities of women in the family and cultural structure of the states, primarily the responsibility of women in the outdoors was not discussed as a serious issue. The gains of the constitutional revolution was less clear-cut issue that women were not accepted not only as a candidate in the parliamentary consultative, but as a selector. A system of constitutional election in Article 3 (ratified 19 Rajab 1328 AH) named the "women" and "people outside the development" as the people who are deprived of the choice. The absence of women in political participation is a sort of political alienation and creates quite obvious walls (ibid., P. 164).
But after this period, despite the emphasis of Pahlavi regime on wide participation of women in society, Reza Khan and his son had never a favorable view about women. Reza Khan did not give value to women and agreed to some extent with the advancement of women that do not disturb the men of politics. It is noteworthy that Reza Khan and his son Mohammad Reza Shah believed that women earn their significance only when they can truly fascinated men (Kashif al-Ghita, 2012, p. 12). The Constitutional Revolution in Iran did not exist until the 1961, only men had the right to participate in election and women on the basis of Article 15 of the electoral law, women are considered alongside those of bankruptcy fault, obsolescence, professional beggars, Justice convicts, thieves and other offenders who were deprived the right to vote.
to public opposition, the government announced on March 12, 1962: "According to Shah, the women formally have the right to participate in the upcoming elections and this command was implemented until the Islamic Revolution in Iran and caused the number of women to be appointed to the Senate and the National Assembly, but the evidence shows that never Pahlavi aimed to run this movement as the true participation of women in politics and community, but was just tactical and political advantage to be able to demagogic propaganda about equal rights for men and women on its range and in this way, isolate its opponents. But Imam Khomeini as the most prominent opponents of the Pahlavi regime from 1962 onwards, had opposed the measure; because the real goal of the regime was corrupting women. Prior to April 1963 that Mrs. Parsa was selected as the Deputy of Ministry of Education and then in September 1968 for the Ministry of Education (Cabinet exposed), no woman cannot be found with political office, the women then more or less, were in possession of some political and administrative positions; including in 1965, Shah, appointed Farah Pahlavi as viceroy. Mahnaz Afkhami in 1975 was selected as Advisor to the Prime Minister (Jamshid Amoozegar) for Women's Affairs, and finally Mehrangiz Dolatshahi in 1976, as the Iranian ambassador was sent to Denmark (Mehrpour, 2000, p. 13). Of course, this point cannot be ignored that the women to be elected should be dependent to the government and political figures and showed their competence in corruption and vulgarity (Noori, 2006, pp. 83-87).
So despite the formation of the process of awareness in women, due to the lack of necessary context, women did not have the ability to plan their demands in 1940s. Only when following the end of the free space of freedom and democracy was provided for the Iranian society, women were also able to design their demands and could organize themselves in terms of women's groups. One of the most important of these organizations was called "women's organizations" (Attarzadeh & Mosaffa, 2005, p. 12). Following the coup d’état of 28 August and individual liberty
nationalization of the oil industry, to the Islamic Revolution in 1978, due to Iran's ruling space of the authority ambition allow the free expression of opinion and everyone’s free expressing was denied, there was not certain mobility in the field of women's activism (ibid, p. 83).
Social life of women in Iran after the Islamic Revolution
Most prosperity and growth of female characters in history, after the glorious Islamic Revolution. With the 1978 revolution, the Iranian women's movement entered a new phase. Although they knew the starting point of this process and the aftermath of it unbalanced and uneven transition from the past and reach a new equilibrium, but the movement must be in the public context of modernist Iranian society to become an objective process. In fact, such a process is common and conventional and throughout the history of social movements in Iran in the event of Constitutional Movement and the Revolution of 1978, Sexual identity has always been in the shadow of civic identity and women's rights and their demands have to wait in light of the success of these movements (ibid., 2005, p. 13).
With the approval of the constitution after the revolution, the laws regarding the labor, marriage, property and other rights were clear and the importance of the role of women in society and their political participation was realized in the process of the Islamic Revolution. Women participated in marches and casted their vote and have tried reaching the men in building the country during Imposed War.
women was not seen. Perhaps, the constitutionalist movement is known as the first sign of a mass movement in this area which sought to raise awareness of the changing status of women in overseas, provided the complete fields. Pahlavi regime being aware of the subtle ability of women to participate with relative freedom in the public sphere, respecting women compulsively, continued on its patriarchal province. But the Islamic Revolution was an opportunity for the masses of educated Iranian women that were isolated and abandoned to the mercy of men to achieve the character and appreciated their noble work, and to try to express their valuable ideas that merit-based Islam away from measures such as gender, attitude towards the human essence and taking advantage of the ability of individuals and promised tensile so that women take with power and be hopeful for the future. The continuity and institutionalization of traditional beliefs still faces in treating a husband liked women better Children saw obstacles to movement started Women to recover their identity and their institutions and prompted reactions as a result, a way out of this situation was independent social action. (Attarzadeh and Mosaffa, 2005, p. 12).
After the Islamic Revolution, the woman has been given the Islamic and divine identity. In this pattern, woman also maintains the characteristics of her being a woman, attends in the field of spiritual values and socio-political issues with understanding and political intelligence. This is the pattern of a Muslim woman. So if someone says he can engage in political activity and a woman cannot, he is spoken contrary to the logic of Islam. According to Islam, in all these activities, women and men have in common and are matched permit (ibid., P. 20). Considering the above approach, after the Islamic Revolution, women attended and participated in all political arenas and were selected in the parliamentary elections and councils. In the course of the parliament, the number of women parliamentary candidates has always been on the increase. The Islamic Republic political and social distribution target based on merit element provided numerous
administrative posts held by women (ibid, 2005, p. 22).
In short, women in the period before the Islamic Revolution, were considered worthless that must do the housekeeping tasks and married, and refrain from interfering in political and social affairs. Typical of this view, speaking in an interview with the Shah Oriana Fallaci argues: according to the king, women are subtle residents who cannot think like a man and a woman also does not count in the life of a man; but when she is beautiful and enchanting and feminine qualities are kept.
CONCLUSION
Different and conflicting views about the woman and her identity throughout history indicates a lack of understanding of facts and the status of women in social life. But a Muslim woman must excel not only in the field of family duties but she should also be active in social and political arenas. Islam emphasizes the equality of men and women in social and political rights and suggests that the women with modesty and chastity can also maintain social and political responsibility and play a role in the development process of the country. Today the world recognizes that Iranian Muslim women are the turning point in human rights and social freedom of expression and political activity. Iranian women had experience in the Islamic Revolution, women continue to guide the world.
all-round development and way out adverse economic and social conditions, we need all the talents and the capacity of both women and men without bias and unilateralism. Because, based on the logic of Islam being male or female is not the resean for being superior but virtue and merit.
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