The Journal of Women’s Studies and Research in Iran and Muslim Countries.
Vol.3,No.8,Winter 1997
Book Review:
"The Woman's Political Rights and Her Status Today"
Author: Ayatollah Seyed Hussein Fazlullah
Publisher: Darul Thagalayn, Beirut
Year of publication: 1995
Reviewer: Zuhair Mohammad Hassan*
Ayatollah Seyed Hussein Fazlullah is one of the prominent
scholars of the Muslim world.
He is currently considered to be an authority on Islamic issues
and has significant following. He has completed his education in Najar,
Iraq and after graduating he has resided in Lebanon.and established the
Howzeh (Theological School) in Southern Lebanon. Ayatollah
Fazlullah has focused his treatise and theoretical work on two major
issues. First, on understanding and properly interpreting common
logical thought in the Hadith (the sayings of the Prophet) and second on
an attempt to develop a new theory on the lifestyle and behavior of
Muslims out of the context of traditional customs and mores. In one of
his latest works entitled the Woman's Political Rights and Her Status
Today" he has concentrated on the rights of women in Islam with a
particular emphasis on the differing contemporary global values and
concepts on women's rights. He has to some extent provided a
comparative analysis of contemporary views and Islamic principles
Comprised of three chapters and an appendix, the first chapter is
devoted to the sociological and psychological theories on women and
gender differences according to the viewpoints of Western and Muslim
scholars. The second chapter is a speech delivered by Ayatollah Fazlullah on the occasion
of the Birthday of Fatima Zahra. The third
chapter consists of the report of a panel and question and answer
session on controversial issues concerning women's rights in Islam.
The appendix is also the text of a televised interview on women's rights
in Islam.
Fazlullah asserts that the common problem between
generations, in understanding and applying the logical principles of the
religion is the prevalence of traditional viewpoints and mores. There is a
continuous debate between inherited customs and new ideas and
thoughts, there is a constant interaction between Islamic ethos and the
ideologies of the modem era. The image of this debate in the Islamic
society is portrayed by Fazlullah and he defines the situation as an
attempt on behalf of some religious people to interpret their religious
ethos with any form of logical or illogical reasoning. That is presumably
why new responses and opinions, although basically correlating with
Islamic principles are challenged and refuted.
Justice is the criteria for the correctness of any Islamic ruling
according to Fazlullah. The Arabic term for justice "adl" denotes
placing anything in its proper place. In this broader context justice is a
fundamental principle of Islamic thought. The establishment of justice
is a social as well as individual objective of Islam. A major dimension
of justice concerns the roles and status of men and women in society.
As Muslims, men and women alike are responsible to safeguard and
maintain justice at all levels of individual, family and social life.
Therefore Fazlullah deduces that political and social participation are
religious obligations for women as well as men.
In his reference to the verses of the Holy Quran on the Queen
of Sheeba , Fazlullah points to the political implications of this
exemplary role which the Quran mentions. Sheeba is depicted in the
Quran as a woman who has strong leadership qualities. She confers
with her military advisors when Solomon invites her to the religion of
God. Her advisors choose to confront Solomon, but the Queen decides
on a more rational and reasonable strategy. Stressing on the logic of
the Holy Quran ,Ayatollah Fazlullah challenges traditional religious
rulings that prohibit the woman from undertaking political positions
such Presidency or Prime Ministership. Hadith and sayings which
indicate that women are not allowed to lead or rule the Islamic societare not strong
enough to be accepted. He also refers to historical and
contemporary examples of women who ruled and managed societies or
countries successfully and practiced justice in their roles. The example
of the leadership role that Zeinab undertook in 63 A.H.after the
grandson of the Prophet, her brother Hussein (S) was martyred with
his household and companions in Karbala, is an evident case of
competent leadership and guidance.
On issues of mental capacities and reasoning abilities of
women, as compared with men and discourses of superiority and
inferiority, Fazlullah maintains that since similar levels of roles and
responsibilities are expected from men and women, Divine justice
requires that both men and women enjoy an equal standing in terms of
intellect and mind. Fazlullah deals with some of the most controversial
issues of Islam in reply to the questions posed on the status of women
in Islam. Some of the issues tackled in this section include:
Why do some religious people still convey a humiliating position on
women's rights~ confining her position to the home and behind the
curtains?
How can social justice be conceived when patriarchal structures
prevail in many Muslim societies? What is the logic behind temporary
marriage and its rules and regulations?
How can Muslim women progress while adhering to Islamic principles,
despite the strong traditional and customary pressures against them?
Fazlullah clearly refers to the challenge of tradition and modernity and
provides ample evidence to the fact that Islam can successfully respond
to the challenges of modem times on issues such as women's rights.
The other dimension of this discourse which remains to be considered,
is the consistent gap between the ideological principles and beliefs of
people and the actual circumstances of societies. Traditional customs
and mores, fashion and modes play an important role in this scene.
People are trapped with their thoughts and concerns in a pre- defined
channel of i!lherited customs or pre- determined modes and fashions.
Principles are nowhere to be seen ,other than books and scriptures.
The persistence of tradition and mores alongside a modem
interpretation of religion is a natural occurrence. In Iran, we currently
witness that the serious participation of women in social and political
affairs is associated with a particular form of Islamic covering, they "Chador" which is a
form of a national dress worn during the Safavid
dynasty in Iran. The Chador has taken a religious and political
symbolism while its traditional essence is evident for all. The
renaissance of Islam during the past decades has displayed the
Religion's temporal transcendence and examples of Islamic leaders
such as Imam Khomeini have demonstrated the revolutionary quality of
Islam in terms of nullifying negative and backward traditions. The scope
of women's rights is one where in many sections of the Islamic world
the challenge still persists .Muslim scholars and philosophers should
seriously consider an academic effort to clarify and establish the rational
and logical basis for Islamic positions on women's rights and hence
respond to secular challenges.
*Tarbiat Modarres University