| Answer: Men and women are the two building blocks of the
smallest unit of the society: the family. The Almighty has made them such that
they complement one another. In other words, they are not duplicates of one
another; they are different from each other. By complement is meant that they
complete certain voids present in each other. This also is precisely why they
need one another to form a family. The Qur’ān says that for a healthy society,
both sexes should acknowledge each other's inborn qualities and
characteristics and not become jealous:
And in no way covet those things in which Allah has
bestowed you His gifts more freely on some of you than on others: Men shall be
given a share from what they earn and women shall be given a share from what
they earn, and ask Allah of His bounty. For Allah has full knowledge of all
things. (4:32)
In other words, what the Qur’ān is implying here is that
the real sphere of competition is not natural abilities for they have been
bestowed by the Almighty; it is the sphere in which one uses these abilities
to earn for one’s self some reward in the Hereafter in which men and women
should strive and compete with each other.
After spelling out the correct attitude in this regard,
the Qur’ān, goes on to say:
Men are the guardians of women because Allah has given
one superiority over the other and because they [--- men ---] support them
from their means. (4:34)
According to this verse, men are more suited to head a
family because of the fact that they are physically and temperamentally more
suited. This suitability has been ingrained in their nature by the Almighty.
Their physical strength and mental disposition make them more appropriate of
the two to carry out this responsibility. The word qawwām (guardian) combines
in it the concepts of physical protection and moral responsibility.
The second reason pointed out by this verse for this
choice is that on a man lies the responsibility of earning for his wife and
children. It is but natural for one who financially maintains and looks after
the individuals entrusted to him to be at the helm of their affairs. In this
regard, however, it must remain clear that Islam does not forbid women to earn
a living. It has only freed them from the responsibility of earning, which
lies upon men. It also needs to be understood that the verse does not say that
the one among the husband or wife who supports the family should become the
head;. husbands, whether their wives earn or not, are liable for this
responsibility. A women may earn if she likes or if some need arises, but
since she has not been entrusted with this duty she has not been given the
governing position in the family.
The verse, it should remain in consideration, very
clearly states that men's superiority to women is not absolute; it is only
relative and confined to certain spheres. Consequently, there are certain
spheres in which women by nature -- physical, physiological as well as
psychological -- are far superior to men and much more suitable to do certain
tasks. |