The processes of
the Universe are the result of the interaction and balance between two forces,
a positive, active or enabling one and negative, passive or receptive one. We
have matter and anti-matter, electrons and positrons, and so on. The division
of organic life into two sexes continues this rule. Humanity is no exception.
Like the Universe itself all phenomena in human affairs depend on the
relationship between the sexes.
"And all things have We created by pairs,
that haply ye may reflect. Therefore flee unto Allah" 51:49-50
There is also a
distinction in organisms between the external and the internal, the shell and
the core, that which interacts with the environment and that which is the
source of life and vitality, and in life, between the public and the private.
These distinctions are reflected in the distinction that Islam makes between
the nature and function of the two sexes. Allah is, of course, the Unity that
lies behind all things. The function of the pair of opposites is to cooperate
in order to reform the unity from which they derive. Indeed, the offspring is
itself a blending of the two into a unity. The arising of the offspring is a
creative act that derives from the creativity of Allah and ensures the preservation
and continuity of the race. The attraction between the two, sexuality, has the
characteristics of (a) creativity, (b) intensity and (c) unifying (e.g. binding
the spouses and parents and children), the very attributes which derive from
Allah. It is, therefore, sacred and when channeled and sublimated it is a means
for inner spiritual construction and growth and also leads to the formation of
love for Allah and for social unity. Its misuse can cause as much destruction
as its good use is constructive. Its degradation is, therefore, a major sin.
The feature of
Islam which is probably the most misunderstood by non-muslims, especially
Western people, is the status of women in Islam. But this is only because
recent advance of technology, organization and education in the West have
allowed, and, indeed, the economic and political changes brought about by
these, has forced the emancipation of women there. But this has given it a
particular direction, that of eroding differences. Islam on the other hand gave
women a higher status than anywhere else in the world many centuries ago on
ideological and moral grounds by recognizing the value of the distinct feminine
characteristics. It is not surprising, therefore, that most of the new converts
to Islam are women despite the adverse propaganda.
The first thing
to be understood is that Islamic ideology is objective in that it is based
firmly on the nature of people as made by God. Women differ from men by the
fact that it is they who are biologically and psychologically equipped to bear
and rear children. Women have a more intimate connection with them, while men
have a more remote one. This makes women softer, gentler, nurturing, more
emotional, humanitarian and compassionate with greater and social skills than
men. They are more feeling-based. Men are more remotely connected with the
child and this makes them more abstract, independent, and action and thought
based. They are freer to tackle the challenges of a hostile external
environment in order to create the secure nest or home in which women can bring
up children. This role makes men more competitive and aggressive. The reversals
of roles would make the characteristics inappropriate and bring about
malfunctions and social disease. Each set of characteristics has its own
values, the loss of which is undesirable. There is a balance between them that
cannot be upset without causing an inappropriateness of aggression and
sentimentality. The Islamic social system is designed in accord with these
facts.
The cooperation
of both sexes is even more essential in human beings than in animals. This is
because, unlike animals, human children have a long period of dependence, a
period in which they learn and develop much further than animals. Not just
physical, but also emotional and intellectual development must take place. The
mind and soul are also important. The sexual impulse in human beings has made
much more powerful than is required for reproduction alone. It must keep the
family together. It is these facts, which determines their natural roles with
respect to each other.
The second thing
which must be understood is that marriage is regarded in Islam as "half of
religion". This means that its purpose is primarily spiritual (or
psychological) and social welfare and development, and not an economic one.
Material and economic conditions ought to be arranged to suit the social
purpose and the social conditions are to be arranged to serve the spiritual
purpose, not the other way around as is the case in the West. Human beings
should be in control and not the accident of circumstances or blind history.
The sexual
faculty can be regarded as sacred in that it is creative, unifying and provides
intensity of drives and purpose. Since it is the source of life, it is linked
with respect for life and with a self-image. It unites individuals into
families and links them with past and future generations even to the origin and
the destiny of existence. It causes the individual to transcend the narrow
self-centredness, which the self-preservative instinct imposes, creating a
wider species-consciousness and beyond. It produces an economic and industrial
system to supply the family, and its creativity is channelled into the creation
of a cultural to educate the next generation, and sublimated spiritually into
self-construction.
A society is a
network of families where the knots are the marriages. When families
disintegrate then the society disintegrates and its unity must be artificially
kept together by means of external coercion, authorities, formal, laws, rules,
bureaucracies, and mental conditioning. These are damaging to true
psychological development. Families provide the secure and stable environments
in which psychological development can best proceed. It is in the families that
children learn love, generosity, charity, co-operation and all the other
virtues. It sublimates or channels raw sexual energy into culturally and
spiritually constructive directions. In the parent authority is connected with
benevolence and guidance, and learning can take place with enthusiasm and a
positive attitude. The male and the female have different but co-operative
roles with respect to the family. The female has dominion over and is
responsible mainly for the running of the household, the inner softer world of the
soul, while the male is responsible mainly to deal with the outer more harsh
physical world from which he obtains the required resources and from the
harshness of which he protects the inner world - like the shell around the
living kernel of the seed. The function of each depends also on the supporting
role of the other. An Islamic society is like two separate networks that are
joined at every marital point.
The Quran is
constantly reminding us that "you proceed from one another". Humanity
is divided into two sexes, each having its own function, and all human affairs
arise from the interaction between them.
"O mankind! be careful of your duty to
your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and
from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of
your duty towards Allah in Whom ye claim your rights of one another, and
towards the wombs that bare you. Lo! Allah hath been a Watcher over you."
4:1
Thus the
inter-dependence of the sexes is clearly stated. Men and women are equal, but
not similar.
"And covet not the thing in which Allah
hath made some of you to excel others. Unto men a fortune from that which they
have earned, and unto women a fortune from that which they have earned. Envy
not one another but ask Allah for His Bounty. Lo! Allah is ever Knower of all
things." 4:32
"Lo! men and women who surrender unto
Allah, men and women who believe, men and women who obey, men and women who are
true, men and women who persevere, men and women who are humble, men and women
who give in charity, men and women who abstain, men and women who guard their
chastity, and men and women who remember Allah much, Allah hath prepared for
them forgiveness and a vast reward. And it becomes not a believing man or
woman, when Allah and His messenger have decided an affair for them, that they
should after that claim a say in their affair; and whoso disobeys Allah and His
messenger, he is indeed in manifest error." 33:35-36
"They are raiments for you and ye are
raiments for them." 2:187
"I suffer not the work of any worker, male
or female, to be lost. Ye proceed from one another." 3:195
"And they (women) have rights similar to
those of men over them in equity, though men have a degree of responsibilities
(or advantages) over them." 2:228
Men and women
have similar, but not the same rights to education, self-development and self-fulfilment
etc. It has been the case in the past and it still is all over the world that
the economic and political affairs of nations, the administration of law and
the police and military are all mostly in the hands of men. This state of
affairs is likely to remain so as long as women have children and bring them
up. But though the increase in technology has aided the work of men and
expanded industry, this has also intruded into the home, made traditional
woman's work easier and made women relatively redundant, especially when the
population pressure and increased greed made birth control and abortion a
common practice. This, together with Capitalism that transferred the control of
resources and money from the many to the few so that men were unable to earn
sufficient to keep their families, forced women onto the labour market. But
this produced a great number of social and psychological problems. In future,
however, the increase in sociological and psychological knowledge and
techniques make it likely that the importance of the special function of women
in bringing up the next generation and in the welfare of the present generation
will be more universally recognised.
There appears to
be a misunderstanding as to what is meant by equality in the minds of critics.
It refers not to similarity but to equality in Justice. This means that people
are treated in proportion to their similarities and dissimilarities. People do
differ in physical strength, talents, characteristics, moral qualities, rank,
position, wealth, power, prestige and so on, but when equality is claimed it is
not these things which are meant. Indeed, it would be inequality and injustice
to treat dissimilar people similarly.
Women are to be
honoured.
"Paradise lies at the feet of the mother." A Hadith
"Seek them with your wealth in honest
wedlock, not debauchery. And those with whom ye seek content in marriage, give
unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in what ye do
by mutual agreement after the duty hath been done." 4:24
"And among His signs is this, that He
created for you helpmates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in
tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts.
Surely, in these are signs for those who reflect." 30:21
"And Allah has given you wives of your own
kind, and has given you from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has made
provision of good things for you.." 16:72
"But consort with them in kindness, for if
you hate them it may happen that you hate a thing wherein Allah has placed much
good." 4:19
"Ye proceed from one another; so wed them
by permission of their folk, and give unto them their portions." 4:25
This verse
indicates that some economic independence must be given to wives. It also tells
us that marriages are not a private matter but have a social function. This is
not only by making the society into a network, but also because the race
reproduces itself through it - the past, present and future are linked by it. A
continuity results, which allows the transmission of experience. There is,
however, nothing in the Quran which requires marriages to be arranged without
the consent of the partners. On the contrary:-
"...place not difficulties in the way of
their marrying their husbands if it is agreed between them in kindness. It is
an abomination for him among you who believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is
more virtuous for you, and cleaner." 2:232
The relationship
between men and women is given by :-
"Men are the Qawwamun (protectors and
maintainers) of women, because Allah hath given the one more power than the
other, and because they spend of their means for the support of women. So good
women are the obedient, guarding (the interests, reputation and virtue) that
which Allah hath guarded. " 4:34
The word
"Qawwamun" means someone who has the responsibility of safe-guarding
the interest of someone else. Men have this duty because women are weaker and
more vulnerable particularly during menstruation, pregnancy and when they are
hampered with the care of young helpless children. The care of women is part of
the vicegerency of men. The verse means both that they are in charge of them as
well as guardians over them. It does not mean that they should be domineering
and dictatorial, though they should exercise leadership and responsibility.
This is a duty to Allah. This function is not fulfilled by suppression or by
disabling them. In return women are required to be obedient to husbands. This,
too, is a duty to Allah, a religious duty, and the care of the husband is part
of their vicegerency. Two reasons are given for this:-
(1) That men
have greater powers - this may refer to their physical strength, but also to
greater energy and aggression (aggression is required to tackle and solve all
problems) and as already indicated, their control over affairs.
(2) That men
support women. Presumably, if they become financially independent this would no
longer apply. However, "means" could refer to their talents and
strengths also. The difference between the sexes is one of social function and
order and not because of moral inequality. It does not apply to men and women
not married to each other.
The State in the
West, also created by men, has now taken over the job of protecting women. It
has special laws to do this. This would not have been necessary if inherent
inequality did not exist and was not recognised. But in taking over this job it
has taken away male responsibility and created an imbalance between the sexes.
Western law requires of women no compensatory duties; as such it propagates an
injustice. In nature the balance is retained by the physical strength of the
male as against the charm of the female. But the use of the male advantage has
been disallowed while that of the female advantage has been enhanced with
artificial means.
Since marriage
is of prime importance, it has to be protected. This requires the removal of
temptations or anything that might endanger it.
"Tell the believing men to lower their
gaze and be modest. That is purer for them...And tell the believing women to
lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornments only that
which is apparent, and to draw their veil over their bosoms, and not to reveal
their adornments save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands fathers, or
sons or their husbands sons, or their brothers or their brothers sons or
sisters or sisters sons or their women, or their servants, or male attendants
who lack vigour or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them
not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornments."
24:30-31
"As for those who traduce virtuous,
believing women who are careless, cursed are they in the world and the
hereafter....Vile women are for vile men, and vile men are for vile women. Good
women are for good men, and good men are for good women; such are innocent of
that which people say." 24:23, 26
"And come not near adultery (or
fornication). Lo! It is an abomination, opening the way to other evils."
17:32
"The adulterer and the adulteress, scourge
ye each of them with a hundred stripes. And let not pity for the twain withhold
you from obedience to Allah, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. And let
a party of believers witness their punishment. The adulterer shall not marry
save an adulteress or an idolatress. All that is forbidden unto believers. And
those who accuse honourable women but bring not four witnesses, scourge them
with eight stripes and never afterwards accept their testimony - they indeed
are evil doers - save those who afterwards repent and make amends. For such
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. As for those who accuse their wives and have no
witnesses except themselves, let the testimony of one of them be four
testimonies, swearing by Allah that he speaks the truth. And yet a fifth,
invoking the curse of Allah on him if he lies. And it shall avert the
punishment from her if she bear witness before Allah four times that the thing
he says is indeed false. And a fifth time that the wrath of Allah be upon her
if he speak the truth." 24:2-9
Divorce is
discouraged, and steps are taken to prevent it. But it may be necessary to
protect the quality of marriage by removing bad ones.
"And if ye fear a breach between the twain
(the man and wife), appoint an arbiter from his folk and an arbiter from her
folk. If they desire amendment Allah will make them of one mind." 4:34,35
"Divorce is only permissible twice: after
that the parties should hold together in equity or separate in kindness. And it
is not lawful for you to take from wives anything which you have given them;
except when both fear that they may not be able to keep within the limits
imposed by Allah....And if he has divorced her the third time then she is not
lawful to him thereafter until she has wedded another husband." 2:229-230
There are five
stages in dealing with disloyalty.
"As for those from whom ye fear rebellion
(disloyalty and miss-conduct) (1) first admonish them, (2) then if they persist,
banish them to beds apart, (3) and if they still persist, chastise them gently.
But if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo Allah is ever High,
Exalted, Great. (4) And if you fear a breach between them, then appoint an
arbiter from his folk, and an arbiter from her folk. If they wish for
reconciliation Allah will make them of one mind. Lo! Allah is ever Knower,
Aware." 4:34-35 (5) Divorce
The most
controversial aspect of the Islamic attitude is the right of husbands to
chastise their wives. It is retaliation and correction, not so much for
disloyalty to husbands as for flouting the commands of Allah. It is generally
agreed by scholars that this is not a recommendation, but allowed on extreme
provocation. It should not be so severe as to cause physical damage. It does
not condone arbitrary, unprovoked and unjustified violence or unkindness. The
beating of wives used to be a common and accepted practice throughout the
world. Rather than encouraging violence against women as critics suppose, here
it is meant to control and reduce the practice. It is allowable for the
prevention of a greater evil that might spread in the community and destroy the
social fabric. If, for instance, a wife neglects her duties towards husband and
children in order to pursue her pleasures and flirtations and this destroys the
family and its links in the social network and to the welfare of children, then
far greater harm is done down the generations. Tolerance and kindness then
produces much greater cruelty. Rebellion is interpreted as behaviour that
seriously threatens the stability of the marriage, and through it the whole
social system. Islamic Law, generally, recognizes only two circumstances in
which it is allowed - One is when a wife admits a strange man into the house.
This is to prevent the suspicions, temptations and activities that destroy
marriages. It does not apply to friends and relatives. The second is if she
refuses sexual intercourse with her husband for no good reason - Islamic Law
recognizes a number of situations in which sexual intercourse with the wife is
forbidden e.g. during menstruation. The punishment is merely a token one, since
it consists of light strokes with a twig. A wife's refusal may increase the
temptation to adultery. An important implication is that a man is not allowed
to rape his wife. On the other hand women tend to win arguments by withdrawing
sexual favours, that is, by unfair means, blackmail. A man could counteract
this by equally unfair means, namely by using his superior strength.
However, it can
be regarded as a punishment, as for other crimes, for flirtatious, outrageous
and depraved behaviour. These punishments merely exist to underline the
strength of the Islamic disapproval, and when this is understood, it becomes
mostly redundant, since few wives will flout this convention. Marriage and
family life, as mentioned earlier, is regarded as an integral part of religion
and spiritual development. The laws reflect values, what and how seriously
things are regarded as good or evil. If miscreants are treated lightly then
this implies and sends the message that the crime is not serious and can be
tolerated. If it is regarded as serious and punished accordingly, then the
punishment abolishes itself in so far as people are deterred from committing
it. It is not necessarily the fear of punishment that prevents the crime but
the punishment reflects the social disapproval.
This right does
not over-ride the exhortation to kindness, compassion and forgiveness.
Forgiveness is still regarded as a higher good (5:45, 7:199, 42:37). It should
be seen in the context of the whole religious law. When people are not
constrained by their religion then injustices are likely to occur, and this law
cannot apply to them. The Islamic family is not a nuclear one as in the West.
It does not only consist of husband, wife and children. It is embedded in a
network of families. Both the husband and wife have concerned brothers,
sisters, parents, uncles and aunts, all of whom are regarded with honour,
respect and a measure of obedience. It is unlikely in such a situation that
much injustice can occur. In the past there were no industries and little
employment for women, and marriage was a career for them. But they could not be
dismissed for disobedience, disloyalty, inefficiency or insubordination as an
employee can be. Nor could they be allowed to take advantage of a secure
position to neglect their duties or exploit men.
The critics tend
to have a rather naive idea of violence. Apart from the fact that there could
be worse kinds of mental violence, there is also spiritual violence. This
includes verbal abuse, belittling, sulking and not speaking except harshly,
constantly doing things to annoy. Conditions can be set up which prevent self-fulfilment
according to a person’s nature and are harmful to development. Women are given
a low self-image by shelves full of pornography, wide spread prostitution, the
cult of sexual predation by men on women, the use of women as means to sell
goods and other forms of exploitation. All these lead to violence. There are
also women who are violent towards their husbands. Some women provoke their
husbands to breaking point. But because the law in the West is against them
most dare not retaliate. This leads to the boiling of resentment within them
that causes all kinds of physical and psychological.
It could also be
argued that the desire to retaliate is normal. Nature gives this right to men
by making them physically stronger, while giving women the advantage of greater
attractiveness to men. The balance is destroyed when men are disabled while
women can still freely exercise their charms. It is probably true to say that
there is more wife-beating and violence towards women in the Western, non-Muslim,
world than in the Islamic countries. The reason for this seems to be that roles
are not well defined and there is greater male and female frustration there,
owing to the establishment of an inter-sexual relationship that is not
compatible with their inherent nature. Though this violence is usually
attributed to stresses and drunkenness, these are themselves symptoms of this
situation. Apart from physical violence there is also a great amount of
emotional, moral and psychological violence. It is a mistake to suppose that
emotional or mental punishment that usually replaces physical ones is some how
better. Since the Law tends to interfere in marriages on the side of women, men
usually have little option but to desert uncooperative wives, and this is
widespread.
To put things in
context:- Islam teaches Compassion, kindness and forgiveness, and the avoidance
of injury and pain, but also Justice and Truth. Islam condemns misbehaviour
such as murder, theft, and adultery and prescribes punishment for these.
Punishment certainly consists of inflicting some kind of pain. There is no
doubt that it is bad and considered so by those who suffer from it. That is why
it is a deterrent. The only justification for inflicting pain is that the
overall good is greater than the pain. Pain and pleasure are the forces that
drive living things and have produced evolution, one repels from one pole and
the other attracts to the opposite pole. Islam, like Hebrewism teaches
retaliation, an eye for an eye, but it also teaches forgiveness:-
"Those who spend in charity of that which
Allah has given them in ease and in adversity, those who control their anger
and are forgiving towards mankind; Allah loves the good." 3:134
"A kind word with forgiveness is better
than almsgiving followed by injury. Allah is Absolute, Clement." 2:263
The Islamic
attitude is as follows:-
"The guerdon of an ill-deed is an ill the
like thereof. But whosoever pardons and amends, his wage is the affair of
Allah. Lo! He loves not wrongdoers. And whoso defends himself after he has
suffered wrong - for such there is no blame against them. The blame is only
against those who oppress mankind and wrongfully rebel in the earth. For such
there is a painful doom. And verily whoso is patient and forgives - lo! that
verily is the steadfast heart of things." 42:40-43
The implication
is that retaliation has a social function, but forgiveness has a spiritual
reward. The result is that the law is not as rigid as is supposed.
It cannot be
denied that there is mistreatment of women in Muslim countries, but this is not
because of Islam – there is a difference between a teaching and people who
follow it to different degrees or not at all. The causes may lie in the
economic, political and educational backwardness and the fact that Islam has
been abandoned to a large extent. In the West it is not until very recently
that women were chattel for their husbands and had no rights whatever unlike
Muslim women who have had greater rights for centuries. There is, today, no
economic, legal or cultural excuse for violence against women in the West and
yet it takes place.
Islam allows
polygamy, but it is not an ideal.
"And if ye fear that ye will not deal
fairly by the orphans, marry of the women, who seem good to you, two or three
or four; and if ye fear that ye cannot do justice to so many then one
only." 4:3
"Ye will not be able to deal equally
between your wives, however much ye wish it. But turn not altogether away from
one, leaving her as
in suspense. If ye do good and keep from
evil, lo! Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful." 4:129
Polygamy may be
a good thing when :- (1) There is a surplus of women as after a war. This
solves the problem of either mass frustration or increase in the temptation and
pressure to adultery and the consequent collapse of families. The present
sexual promiscuity and perversions which are rampant in the West are probably
the result of surplus women after the World War. (2) It is also possible that
conditions may exist where there are not enough men rich enough to support a
family adequately. Much depends on what is regarded as adequate. At some point
quality becomes better than quantity. It is better to have smaller number of
children who can be given a better environment and education and who develop
into people who contribute to the society than to have a larger number of
deprived ones who cannot develop but become a burden on the society. (3) There
can be a genetic advantage. Men with greater abilities can provide both
material resources and better psychological, social and educational
environments to a greater number of children from several wives than those who
are less well endowed. But this works only when the social system is one in
which people of highest quality are also those who earn most and have the most
control over resources. The reverse is often the case.
Though, it is
claimed that there is greater sexual equality in the West, the Islamic idea of
sexual equality is not like that in the West. Women in the West are seldom
valued as women, but usually only in so far as they are pseudo-men, means of
entertainment and pleasure for the self-indulgence of men or means for
advertisement and other forms of commercial exploitation and profit making.
They can also be regarded as having become spoilt, egotistic, aggressive,
frivolous, coarse, destructive and irresponsible, unable to fulfil their
natural function. But this is because men have failed to fulfil their correct
roles too.
The virtues of
the Islamic attitude to the relationship between the sexes becomes clearer when
we examine the consequences of social conditions such as those in the West
which have arisen accidentally, that is, without human control over affairs,
but driven by economic forces. Much progress has been made in mechanization,
simplification through job analysis, standardization, division of labour and routinisation
of work, efficiency in methods of training and hierarchical organization, which
offers incentives and requires greater docility and conformity. Strenuous
physical labour has, therefore, been largely replaced by (a) repetitive physical
work, (b) sedentary work in offices (c) service rather than manufacture (d)
work involving human relationships (e) work which engages the trained and
knowledgeable mind. These jobs can be done equally by men and women, but even
suit the temperament of women better than men.
On the other
hand the traditional function of women has become redundant owing to:- (a) The
population pressure, which has made it necessary to reduce the birth rate -
contraceptives have released women from constant pregnancy. This has also led
to the separation between the reproductive function of sex and its pleasure
giving and human relational function. (b) The invention of domestic labour
saving devices and the take over by industries of the manufacture and supply of
clothing and foods etc. (c) Children have been taken over by the educational
system. Thus an increasingly greater number of women seek and find paid
employment, particularly as they could be paid smaller wages. This often
happened at the expense of depressing wages and male unemployment that makes
female employment a necessity for the family. This gave women financial
independence from men, which also gave them increasing political and legal
power. This affected family life and the society as a whole, its morality,
value system, culture and ideology. It has also produced great social,
psychological and environmental problems by contradicting inherent features
developed over a long evolutionary history. Islam, on the other hand, requires
that human beings should fulfil their inherent functions (30:30).
The conditions
of life and the strong propaganda bought to bear on women has made women
ashamed of their femininity and determined to cultivate masculine
characteristics and virtues. But it has also caused guilt in men about their
masculinity leading to much bizarre and perverted behaviour. Sexual differences
and the function and status of men, has been eroded and this results in
masculine counter-reactions, especially among young single men. Or else
adjustment is obtained in another way. For instance, all the above mentioned
factors also produce conditions suitable for homosexuality which is certainly
increasing. Homosexuality could be regarded as nature's method of dealing with
over-population, congestion or artificial life styles, a method of reducing or
stabilizing the population. This can also be achieved by increasing violence in
the form of crime, wars and civil disturbances. The decline in respect for the
father as a benign authority is probably a cause for the decline of religion
and its values as well as respect for authority in general. This cannot be
regarded as a bad thing where these authorities (whether political, commercial,
scientific, cultural or religious) tend to be corrupt, prejudiced, dishonest,
self-seeking, lacking in virtue, ability or real knowledge. But it also
destroys the ideal of a responsible guide to which men may strive and sons may
emulate and daughters may come to trust.
The emphasis in
the West has come to be placed on the pursuit of material wealth, comfort and
physical pleasure, and any purpose or ideal higher than the enjoyment of this
life in the world is seldom recognized. All social and psychological welfare is
sacrificed to this aim, though it stimulates economic and technological developments,
which are also important. There are, therefore, no standards governing the
relationship between the sexes or between the spouses. There is widespread
fornication, adultery, incest, prostitution, infanticides and abortions,
illegitimate births, neglect and cruelty to children, sexual perversions of all
kinds, and the venereal, social and psychological diseases associated with
these. People appear to have lost their self-respect and reverence for the
function of sexuality as a sacred life giving, creative, unifying and
developmental force. This manifests as a loss of respect for life and person
and, therefore, increasing violence. Their self-image is no higher than as a
form of animal rather than as a vicegerent and they treat each other accordingly
or even worse, as objects to be used for personal gratification. Crudity and
lust has replaced love and respect for person. It is this attitude which is
also the cause of rape, increasing violence and other crime.
Though some
women have benefited from the greater freedom which careers give them in that
their talents have been allowed expression and they have been able to fulfil
themselves or their ambitions, this is certainly not the case for the majority
of women. It has usually been obtained at the expense of family life and
personal relationships. Most have been diverted into drab jobs away from a more
self-fulfilling function. Many have been deceived into self-contradicting
behaviour that leads them to suffer unfulfilling or ruined lives by propaganda.
Though the term "feminism" is applied to some of them, the fact is
that their attitudes are usually masculine and anti-feminine. As employees they
usually have to obey men in any case, but this time they are not their husbands
and have no emotional interest in them. A great number become prostitutes or
work in entertaining men. Many obtain promotion in their careers or even
educational qualifications by providing sexual services. It is their bodies and
physical appearance, which has become of greatest importance rather than
character, talent or minds. That is why there is so much emphasis on very
costly cosmetics, cosmetic surgery, jewellery, slimming, fashions in clothing,
artificial behaviour and methods of cultivating superficiality, frivolities and
vanities. These things do tend to attract men and render them controllable, but
being illusory, only for a short time. So we have the pathetic spectacle of
people spending enormous effort and time frantically chasing the opposite sex,
going from one temporary relationship to another, because they are unable to
form any deep or meaningful relationships or find self-fulfilment, but are able
only to obtain superficial gratification.
The differences
between the sexes are being eroded by the educational, social, economic and
cultural system, women becoming more masculine and aggressive while men have
become more feminine and docile. This also leads to homosexuality, prevents
proper bonding in marriages and reduces the ability to function correctly as
father and mother. There is a high divorce rate, and even within marriages
there is considerable tension between the sexes, which is detrimental to the
welfare of the spouses but also to the security and development of the
children. As both go out to work, there is an erosion of differences in roles,
no education for marriage, parenthood and family life, neither sex has
developed any domestic skills, and men and women have little or nothing to
offer each other. There is often no respect between husband and wife or between
parents and children. But the indiscriminate mixing of the sexes then leads to
the reduction of sexuality to basic animal instinct, mere sensuality and
self-indulgence. Cooperation between the sexes has been replaced with rivalry
and competition, leading to domestic tensions where comfort and relaxation
should exist. Despite the fact that the so-called emancipation of women is most
advanced in the USA,
there are more than hundred acts of violence against women every hour, showing
the unsatisfactory nature of the relationship between the sexes. The political
power obtained by women has led to changes in law usually based on whim and
emotional factors rather than research and rational thought. In their desire to
protect and enhance the rights of women the rights of men have often been
over-ridden, while making some women arrogant, provocative and desirous to take
advantage of the situation.
Since both
parents go out to work to earn money in order to increase their material
wealth, they do this at the expense of their own and their children's physical,
social and psychological welfare. The children are left to schools, which
cannot give them any emotional or moral education, but only physical and
intellectual training. Or they are left to their own devices and the immature
pressures of their peers. They grow up without guidance, morals, value systems
or purpose, as inadequate personalities often with neurotic and delinquent
tendencies. The erosion of sexual morality has made life cruder and caused a
loss of respect for life, which shows in the increase in violence and murder.
Thus the crime
rate and the social and psychological problems soar and this requires the
employment of a huge force of police, lawyers and social workers paid for by
taxing the people. This reduces the effective income of the citizens and makes
it necessary for the wives and mothers to go out to supplement the income. The
increase in the work force so created also depresses wages. In fact, a large
section of the female work force is employed in the social services made
necessary by the departure of the same women from their natural domestic
functions. But as employed persons working under rules and requiring
supervision these are no substitute for those who would be working from their
own initiative, love and personal interest in their own children. The idea that
marriages will be abolished in the future and children will be brought up more
efficiently and economically in institutions under scientific supervision can
hardly be justified - apart from regimentation to produce robots, all
institutional methods of bringing up of children have failed miserably.
The family has
collapsed leading to a collapse of the social order, which was a net-work of
families. There is an increase in individualism, egotism, barriers between
people, shallowness of relationships, which also produces lack of emotional
development and satisfaction. With self-centred individualism comes a
disintegration of the society and increase in competition and aggression. The nation
can then only be held together by formal rules, regulations and laws enforced
by imposed external force rather than organic inner impulses of fellow feeling
and mutual responsibility. This formalism increases the general frustration of
emotional needs which, in turn, causes the increase in superficiality,
callousness, violence, and a general unravelling and deterioration of civilized
values and behaviour. The tensions, stresses and strains of life increase daily
bringing with them increasing physical, moral, and psychological diseases. As a
substitute for real love, there is an increasing desire for material wealth,
power, prestige and pleasure, and it is these motives which further erode all
higher values and pursuits and provide the handles by which people can be
manipulated by those in power. In fact, those in power are also manipulated in
the same way. The community looses all control over its own affairs, but is
controlled by the momentum of its institutions and accidental events. The
substitution of deeper needs by materialism increases the pressure on the
environment through wastage of resources, pollution, adulteration of foods, and
destruction of the ecological balance which leads to further social and
political consequences. Thus we have a vicious circle, or rather a downward
spiral from which there seems to be no escape.
One of the great
tragedies of the modern world is that the advances that have empowered women
have disabled men - they have lost their role and self-image. Women still bear
children and have their role as mothers, but also have carriers and, being
financially independent of men, can purchase the services they require. Men
have become redundant as husbands and fathers. The Law also reinforces this
attitude. They used to identify themselves with their professions or trade, but
traditional industries that required physical strength and skills have
disappeared. Increasingly, therefore, men turn to sport and other relatively
trivial and socially futile and even harmful pursuits and develop destructive
and neurotic behaviour traits. Some men have adapted themselves and taken up
the formerly female role and become house-husbands while their wives have
become the bread winners. But this reversal is seldom satisfactory to either
partner – it conflicts with their inherent biological nature. Nor is it
psychologically beneficial to the children of either sex. It may, however,
benefit the children intellectually in that the father is free to provide a
better education. The tendency towards increasing intellectualism is, of
course, a modern trend, but produces increasing superficiality, remoteness and
dehumanization. Computers also make better intellectuals.
Material wealth
and Prosperity has increased in the West, but happiness and psychological
welfare have diminished. Indeed, it is a case of illusion and
self-contradiction to call things wealth if their purpose, which is to give
self-fulfilment and happiness, are negated. It is waste. It is the
disintegration of the society and the isolation of individual that creates the
emotional starvation that is desperately compensated for by consumerism. The
increased diversity and opportunities provided by technology and culture also
create greater bewilderment and insecurity of employment and loss of identity.
Studies show that depression, suicides, neurosis, violence, frustration,
tensions, stresses, anxieties, confusion, cynicism etc. and the need for escape
from these through drugs, alcohol, bizarre forms of excitement and fantasies,
and the need for psychiatrists, psychotherapists, counsellors, agony aunts,
resort to alternative therapies, superstitions and so on all have increased dramatically.
Muslims
have observed these developments and regard their spread into Muslim
communities with alarm. Since they wish to reverse these tendencies wherever
they obtain power, this unfortunately leads to the opposite extreme - to what
may be regarded as unjustifiable repression or even persecution of women. They
do not appear to have understood the forces behind these developments, nor the
fact that, for their own survival, they must allow technological,
organizational and educational progress to take place. This means
Westernisation in all its aspects, unless they can create their own
institutions and adapt these instruments for their own purposes. But this is a
much more difficult task. They have to start from the point in their past where
progress stopped and stimulate it again. A completely new economic and
political system based on Islamic principles would also be required. It would
also be necessary to ensure that separate women's organizations with social
responsibilities and expertise should develop. It is, for instance, possible
that women through such organizations help young wives and mothers throughout the
community in the bringing up, welfare and education of children on a
co-operative basis. Their function can expand to provide all kinds of other
domestic and social advice, aid and co-operation.