An interesting problem is the equality of man and woman. In non-Muslim societies this problem arose due to unrestrained independence of women. But in the Muslim world the problem arose due to ignorance of the masses and rebellion against the Qur’an. Before the advent of Islam woman was considered very low, mean and wretched and she had no status in the society. But the rights Islam gave to women and honor and prestige early Muslims gave to their women, slowly and gradually, induced other nations to behave well with their womenfolk and the result is that their women are claiming to have equality with men in all respects.
As opposed to this, with the gradual degradation and decline of Muslims, their women have once again become dum-driven cattle. Now again its reaction has started and educated women often claim that in the eyes of Islam man and woman are equal in all respect. And for this reason there is a demand that women should be employed in all the departments of the Government n proportion to their population.
In my opinion so far wretchedness of women and their plight at the hands of man are concerned it is the duty of the society as well as the Government to raise the status of women legally and morally which has been given to them by Allah but so far “in all respect” equality and representation in Government service are concerned I do not support it. Whatever equality Allah has given to man and woman, they are rights of behavior and equality in the management of the state or in household duties.
It has been very clearly and explicitly told in the Holy Qur’an that Muslim men should treat Muslim women with grace, honor and justice. They should take particular care for their food, clothing, house and other necessities of life and they should keep their women happy and content. The house in which the woman is not happy looks barren and deserted. Children brought up in such homes are ill-tempered, un-mannered, pungent and haughty. There is a tradition of the Holy Prophet that if a man tolerates the indecent behavior of his wife, God Almighty will compensate him with reward equal to the reward Hazrat Ayyub received for bearing his affliction. Tell me, can there be any better example of good behavior? But if Muslims do not act upon this injunction, is the religion to be blamed? Allah says: “Women have rights on men as men have on women”. Can there be any better declaration of equality about the rights of men and women?
Yet at other place Allah says in the Holy Qur’an “Women are your garments and you are their garments”. Can any writer of the world produce a better effect than is conveyed by these words about social equality, evenness, mutual secrecy and to live with love and affection? But so far state’s management or household affairs are concerned and their division of work, the position of women is of a valuable beloved and of man as a protector and supporter. Hence it is in the Holy Qur’an: “Women are your lands”. Apparently there is no equality I any form between the tiller and land. But nothing is dearer to the tenant than his land. Land is the real basis of al wealth, costly dwellings and clothing. Gold and silver tinkering treasures and diamonds and jewels all are procured through lands.
If there is no food, man cannot survive by eating gold, silver, diamonds and jewels. The tenet works and perspires for months, days and nights and looks after his lands and then and then alone he is rewarded and derives benefit from it. At another place the position of man and woman is has been very clearly laid down in the Holy Qur’an in these words “Men are guardians unto women”. The translators often have done it as a ruler. By this many people have begun to think that woman is servile and servant while man’s position is of a ruler. Hence he has the right to oppress and tease the woman.
This can come to the head of only those who have the image of rulers of present-day of the ruler to oppress and pressurize the people. The duty of the ruler is to manage and arrange the daily necessities of life of the people, to maintain system of life, to protect from enemies, to come to the rescue of oppressed and to serve them in every way. In Great Britain officers are called public servants. So even I the word Quwwam is translated as ruler it does not lead to any ill-affect. There are examples of orthodox caliphs. Were they the same type of rulers as are the present-day rulers, Not to speak of orthodox caliphs, even the rulers of civilized Christian states are not so dishonest, cruel and arrogant as are generally the rulers of Muslim States.
The synopsis of this narration is that the social equality between man and woman cannot remain and continue in state’s management and household affairs. Emotions apart, no body can deny and change the reality that not from intellectual point of view but physically woman is weak and delicate specially after child-birth and after it for a considerable time she is not in a position to manage the affairs of the state as well as man can do it. This is the reason why sine creation women have not played any outstanding role in the affairs of the state. If any where anytime women have performed any noteworthy work in police, judiciary or army it must be an exception and cannot be accepted as a principle and even if it is accepted as such it will bring in harm rather then benefit.
For example, in that position women will not be able to perform household duties and home arrangement will come to an end. And then the condition will: Life will be spent in hotels and death will occur in hospitals. Secondly if equal status is given to women in police and army the fate of such a force will be simply deplorable. Thirdly the free mixing of men and women will bring in its trail evils which will be difficult to control. The social evils that have been brought about due to free-mixing in Europe and America have become a source of headache to their inhabitants. Fourthly even today are those poor women working in offices because of their poverty or even willingly side by side with men leading a happy life? Those chaste ladies who are living a life of honor and prestige in their homes among them none is envisions of those ladies who are working in offices. In spite of these facts we accept that a few departments should be assigned to women alone, for example, women Madrasas and College, women prisons and women hospitals should be managed entirely by women.
This will help raise their social and mental status. In spite of this Islam never allows so much freedom to women so that they become disobedient and hesitate to look after man or as is done these days among the gentry in imitation of the west that Begun is in front and behind her follows the husband and without her express permission he cannot do any thing. Prophet (saw) has said that if after Allah if anybody else should have been allowed prostration, then I would have ordered women to prostrate before their husbands.
In fine, this is the position for husband and wife in Islam. Husbands should respect and love their wives and should meet their needs with pleasure. Similarly wives should give full respect to their husband, love them manage the household affairs diligently and without murmur and rear the children and obey their husbands and should sacrifice their pleasure for the comforts of their husbands.
