NOT FOR YOU, WOMEN!!! (PART 2)
by fatemolla
E-mail: fatemolla@hotmail.com
The references in support of this (opposing women-leadership) aremany, so not mentioned. Only the points are discussed here, readers may add if any point is missed.
The supporters of this hadis refer to:
1. Man has a degree over women. Sura 2:228.
2. Witness of 2 women equals that of 1 man. Sura 2:282.
3. Inheritance of 2 women equals that of 1 man.
4. Men are stronger, righteous women are obedient. Sura 4:34.
5. Women are asked to stay quietly in houses. 33:33, etc.
6. `Compromised' faculties of women in some days a month.
7. Hadises regarding women's deficiency in wisdom and religion.In this group, a giant-writer of 32 Islamic books, Maolana Wahiduddin refers to a Hollywood-movie, "Kisses for my President", where the female President gets pregnant right after she was elected. She went
to home-town leaving the White-House and ultimately resigns from the position. He also refers to a poll of 1987 that 31% of Americans prefer a male President. This group also argues that a muslim-state
-head is also a religious head and has to lead the Jumma prayer which is not possible for women during some days in each month.
Other arguments include a total limitation of women in many faculties of thought-process during those days.I think if a President is sick (or whatever) for some days, the
administrative/religious responsibility can be deputed to somebody
else. The Vice-President is very much there for this purpose. Another
important point is also missed here. Leading the Jumma prayer is
limited only to muslim-nations, while the hadis speaks for mankind
as a whole. Whether other nations made progress or not under the leaderships of Mrs. Bandarnayk, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, Mrs. Goldamayer, Mrs Margaret Thacher, Mrs Chandramatunga, Mrs Bhutto, Mrs. Khaleda, Mrs Hasina et. al., are debatable. But definitely some of them proved much better than their male counterparts.The most widely used logic of this group of Maolanas is the `compromised thought process' of women for some days in each month. While this is a necessary natural and physiological process of motherhood, (the Behest lies under her feet), this group of Maolanas think that women's power of judgment is compromised in those days.
At the same time when they talk about Islamic-right of employment of women, they say Islam allows women to do any job like a man including being a judge. To me being a judge is no less critical than being a President because the thought process of a judge can free a criminal and hang an innocent. And again, some (many?) men live their whole lives with really compromised faculties and still become leaders in state-affairs.NOW, OPPOSING THE HADIS, IN SUPPORT OF LEADERSHIP OF WOMEN***
The points this group puts forward are,
1. Imam (leader) from the offspring (means not only from men). Sura 2:124.
2. In praise of wombs (so, women). Sura 4:1.
3. Men and women (believers) are protectors of one of another (no mention of gender). Sura 9:71
4. Conducting affairs by mutual consultation. 42:38.
5. Today's President decides everything after discussing with the members.The President is only a member of the committee. So a woman is OK.
This group also refers strongly to the queen of Sheba (Bilquis, name not mentioned in the Koran) who is not condemned but praised in the Koran, Sura-27.
I understand and respect the pain some believers will feel after reading this, because I myself went through it. But all these are posted from our books, from devoted writers. And there is a bad news in it which we can not escape. We inherited these palinodes and it is us who have to undeviate them for the benefit of our own daughters of centuries to come.
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References:
Fathul Bari, Rehala of Ibne Botuta, Encyclopedia of Islam,
Usdul-Gahaba, Hambli, Al-Afghani, etc.Source:
1. "The forgotten queens of Islam" By Fatima Mernici.
2. "Insaniyat Maot Ke Darwaje Par" By Maolana Abul
Kalam Azad.
3. Compilation/Translations of Sahi-Bokhari.========================================