“The male is not like the female” (#Quran 30:36). The difference in genders is not simply biological. It is a sacred sign, a manifestation on earth of the complementarity between God’s names and qualities. 1/
Cooperation between men and women, the male and female, is not only a social necessity. It is a means of spiritual realization. 2/
Thus God says, "Among His signs is that He created spouses for you from your selves, that you may trust in them, and He set love and mercy between you. Surely in that are signs for people who reflect" (30:21). 3/
Reflection upon the signs of the male-female dichotomy is of such fundamental importance that the Prophet said, “When the servant marries he has completed half of the way (din).” 4/
Every thing receives a distinct measure unlike that of any other thing. Thus one cannot speak of rights in an absolute manner. Some things have rights which others do not. 5/
Parents have the right to receive obedience and respect from their children, while children have the right to receive nourishment, guidance and discipline from their parents. 6/
To insist that parents and children have the same rights in relation to one another would undermine the family and social structure. That all rights are not absolutely applicable to each member of society is of fundamental importance for understanding gender relations in Islam7/
Muslims recognize that all men and women are equal before God, but that for each gender God has measured out different qualities. The female receives a greater measure from the names of beauty, while the male receives a greater measure from the names of majesty. 8/
The female is thus superior to the male in some ways and the male is superior to the female in others, such that they co-exist in a relationship of reciprocal superiority. The manner in which each gender realizes the fitra therefore differs. 9/
Given the incomparable spiritual efficacy of healthy gender relations, Muslims seek to establish a society which allows for the different dimensions of each gender to be fully realized. Inherent gender-differences lead to complementarity rather than opposition. 10/
Therefore, the rights women have over men differ from the rights men have over women. For example, the man must provide for the material needs of the household. 11/
In general, the man is more responsible for those activities which pertain to the public sphere, while the woman is more responsible for those activities which pertain to the private sphere. Though this is not an absolute division. 12/
As the Prophet’s wife Aisha said when asked how he conducted himself in the home, “He served his family; he would sweep the floor and sew clothes.” (Bukhari, Kitab al-Adhan, 44) 13/
Women are able to work in the public sphere, holding professional positions of importance and influence. Medieval Islamic history provides many examples of influential female scholars and jurists. 14/
In traditional Islamic civilization, the public sphere is NOT privileged over the private sphere as in modern civilization. Duties pertaining to the private sphere are often those of the highest honor. 15/
When someone asked the Prophet who had the most rights over him, he replied, “Your mother”. He repeated the question twice and each time the response was the same, until the fourth time when the Prophet responded, “Your father” (Bukhari, Kitab al-Adab, 2) 16/
Forgetting the rights of women and of the mother is among the most prevalent signs of the end of time; it marks a complete inversion of the rights of mother and child. 17/
This is why in the Hadith of Gabriel the Prophet listed it first among the signs of “the Hour”—“…the slave girl will give birth to her mistress.” 18/
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
