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Role of Women In Islam

BY

MUHAMMAD ALI KHAN

2Historical Role

Historical evidence indicates that women contributed significantly to the early development of the Muslim community

Substantiation of Prophet-hood after first revelation

Women were the first to learn of Muhammad's initial revelation

They later played an important role in the process of collecting all the revelations from both written and oral sources into a single, authoritative text

3Cont….

Women were entrusted with vital secrets, including the location of Muhammad's hiding place

The Prophet often consulted women and considered their opinions seriously

Hazrat Khadija RA , chief adviser as well as his first and foremost supporter

Hazrat A'ishah RA, was a well-known authority in medicine, history, and rhetoric

Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab RA (ruled 634 – 644 ) appointed women to serve as officials in the market of Medina.

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Men and women had distinct, complementary roles in Muslim societies. The husband's primary responsibility was to support and protect the family

The wife cared for and disciplined the children and maintained the home

Although Islamic law taught that the husband and wife were equal before God, women were subordinate to men. Nonetheless, women exercised considerable influence in family and social life

5Cont….

In the early 1900s, the governments of Turkey took steps to modernize the role of women

The Turkish government adopted a new family law that that gave women the right to obtain divorces

Turkish women gained the right to vote in municipal and national elections in the 1930s

During the 1950s, Egyptian women entered politics and were elected to public office

Women also began to earn advanced academic degrees and to work in professions previously closed to them

In most countries, however, new freedoms and opportunities in education and employment benefited only upper and middle classes in urban areas

6Cont…

Concerns about a lack of employment opportunities among men fueled arguments that women should stay at home in their traditional roles of wives and mothers

Islamic states tried to balance the conflicting demands of women and traditional Muslims by making cautious reforms

7Cont…

Debate continues over the appropriate role of women in the community

They see the status of women as directly connected to maintaining or reforming tradition

The role of women may also be a means of defining national identity

Although Muslim governments have promoted education for both boys and girls as a way of achieving economic growth, the percentage of girls enrolled in schools in developing countries remains relatively low

8Catalyst of Change of Role

Poor economic and political conditions in some Muslim countries have forced women to become more involved in the outside world

Factors such as war and labor migration have increased the number of households headed by females

Economic necessity has led women to seek work outside the home, usually in low-paid, unskilled jobs

9As head of State

Many Muslim women have become active in grassroots organizations, development projects, charitable associations, and social services

During the 1990s, women achieved positions of leadership in some parts of the Muslim world. Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan, Tansu Ciller of Turkey, and Shaykh Hasina and Khaleda Zia of Bangladesh served as prime ministers in their respec-tive countries

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Role in Education

Muslim women have always played a role in the spread of religious knowledge, Hazrat A'ishah RA was an important source of the hadith

In fact, he reportedly told his followers they would receive half their religion from her.

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Role is sufiism

The most famous Sufi woman, Rabiah Basri wrote poems of love for God that have continued to inspire mystics to the present day.

Some Sufi shaykhs in the Mamluk dynasty ( 1250 – 1517 ) and Ottoman Empire admitted women into their orders

Despite the general acceptance of women within Sufism, however, their participation in the orders and in dhikr was restricted

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Cont…

The Qur'an requires the same religious role and duties of men and women and promises them the same spiritual rewards

Nevertheless, certain factors have tended to restrict women's involvement in Islamic religious life

These include social customs, lack of education, and ideas about ritual purity

The specific limitations on the participation of Muslim women in religious matters and the ways that they have responded to these restrictions have varied across the Islamic world

Furthermore, during the 1900s, the changing role of women in society created new opportunities for women in the religious sphere as well

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Important roles of a women

Categories

Role in Family As mother

As Sister

As Daughter

As Wife

Role is Society Role of a Working Women

Role of a Housewife

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Role in family

Teach their children Religion

Language

Worldly Education

Train them properly Values

Psychological Training

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Cont…

As Sister/Daughter Protect the Respect of the Family

Be an ambassador of the Family

As Wife Motherhood

Protect the respect of husband (Libas)

To be obedient

Domestic Chores/House keeping

Care of Finance

Kept the Secrets

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Role in society

Positive contribution towards Society

Show kindness to society

Defining National Identity

Women as key to social continuity and the preservation of the family, language and culture

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Kindness

The Husband's Respect

Complaints and Grievances

Pleasant Dispositions

Wrong Expectations

Be a Comfort for Your Husband

Be Appreciative

Do not Look for Shortcomings

Don't Look at Anyone Other Than Your Husband

Take Islamic Hijab

Forgive Your Husband's Mistakes

Coping with Your Husband's Relatives

Coping With Your Husband's Job

If You Have to Live Away From Your Hometown

If Your Husband Works at Home

Help Your Husband to Make Progress

Be Careful That He is Not Misled

Suspicious Women

Do Not Pay Attention to Slanderous Talks

Obey Husband and Not Mother

Be Clean and Beautiful at Home Also

Be like a Mother to Him

Keep the Secrets

Accept His Management

Be Resourceful when Times are Hard

Do not Refuse to Talk and do not Sulk

Remain Silent when he is Angry

Tolerate Men's Hobbies

Housekeeping

Cleanliness

A Tidy House

Preparing Food

Receiving Guests

The Trustee of the House

Accept only Careers of women

Do not Waste your Spare Time

Motherhood (Caring for Children)

Nutrition and Hygiene

Impossible