Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

WomanDuring the Lifetimes of the Prophets (a.s .)

Woman had a prominent and important role during the course of divine summons and the movements of the prophets and messengers (a.s .). Woman took part in the intellectual and political struggle, and suffered from torture, murder, emigration, persecution, oppression, and mental and political terrorism.

She made public her view freely and joined the divine missioninspite of her loss of authority and property. For instance, Mary, the mother of Jesus (a.s .) who was praised by the Holy Qur'an and the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (s.a.w .) too. In many verses, the Qur'an has lauded this lady and offered her as an example to men and women to follow her behavior and the righteousness of her thinking and character.

Whoever studies the history of woman finds that the divine message addresses both the man and the woman. In other words, the divine message does not make any distinction between them because of their gender.

When we study some historical examples of the life of women in the course of the divine message, we will understand the important and active position which woman occupied during the lives of the prophets and their messages. Thus, the value of woman, her intellectual and political participation, and her lawful andhumane rights appear in Islamic society. We can understand this important and active participation of woman when we read the story of the struggle of the father of the prophets, Abraham (a.s .), against his people inBablon , in the land of Iraq, and his struggle against Nimrud.

That struggle ended for Abraham (a.s .) when he was saved from the fire through a divine miracle that exceeded all the imaginations of material intellect. So, heemigrated to Syria. Sarah, his wife, was the first to believe him and to accompany him during his flight to Syria. Then theyemigrated to Egypt.

Then they returned to Syria to live there. Abraham (a.s .) started the most important period in the history of man. Meanwhile, his wife, Sarah, supported him and stood beside him throughout his struggle, sufferings, and emigration.

The Qur'an talks about the story of this emigration and the family life. It also talks about the role ofHajar (Hagar), the second wife of Abraham (a.s .), and her participation in creating the brightest period in history at Holy Mecca in Saudi Arabia. That was when Abraham (a.s .) brought her from Egypt.

The story ofHajar is one of the most famous of all the stories in history. Thus, she became very famous in history when she took care of her son, ProphetIsmael (a.s .), in a valley unproductive of fruit near the Sacred House. ThenIsmael (a.s .) became the grandfather of the greatest Prophet in the history of mankind, Muhammad (s.a.w .). The Qur'an has recorded these events when it says:

"O Our Lord! Verily I have housed a part of my offspring in a valley uncultivable, nigh unto Your Holy House..." Holy Qur'an (Abraham, 14:37)

Moreover, the Qur'an talks about the mother of Moses (a.s .) when Allah inspired her to save Moses (a.s .) from Pharaoh. The Qur'an notes that Allah honored her when he returned Moses to her toraise for the wife ofPharoah . Later, Moses saved his people from oppression and destroyed the greatest tyrant in the history of mankind.

The Qur'an has mentioned this woman as a basic axle in creating these events. Then the Qur'an talks about Pharaoh's wife,Asiya , and the mother of Jesus (a.s .). The Qur'an has shown them as an example to generations to follow them. In this connection the Qur'an says:

"And Allah sets forth an example to those who believe the wife of Pharaoh, when said she: `O My Lord! Build for me a house withYou in the Garden and deliver me from Pharaoh and his doing, and deliver me from the unjust people.' And Mary the daughter ofImran , who guarded her chastity; and breathedWe into it (her body) of Our Spirit, and she testified the truth of the words of her Lord, and His Scriptures, and she was of the obedient ones." Holy Qur'an (Tahrim 66:11-12)

Let us read these two verses and consider carefully their wonderful intellectual meaningthat talks about the character of woman with honor and respect which no material civilization grants her. The Qur'an has offered the righteous woman as a practical example to men and women to follow her. This has been mentioned in the verse: "And Allah sets forth an example to those who believe." The phrase ""And Allah sets forth an example." and the phrase "to those who believe" explain clearly for us a unique concept in the world of thought and civilization concerning the righteous woman.

The Qur'an has offered them as an ideal example to both men and women to follow them in thought and socio-political attitude. It has shown two examples to the high character of the believing woman and her position in Islamic thought. It has shownPharoah's wife, the Queen of Egypt, the Lady of crown, palace, power, policy, and the great state at that time.

However, she challenged the authorities. The Qur'an has also shown Mary, daughter ofImran , who challenged the haughtiness and plot of the children of Israel. As the woman played an important role during the lives of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them), she played the same role during the life of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w .) and his mission. This unique ideological role was played byKhadija bint Khwaylid (a.s .). It is worth mentioning,Khadija (a.s .) belonged to tribe ofQuraish .

She was the Lady of the society and had a remarkable position at Holy Mecca. She had wealth, trade, and position. She was the first woman to believe in Prophet Muhammad's (s.a.w .) message. Accordingly she believed in hisprophethood and spent her money to support him. For him, she suffered all persecutions throughout the ten years of her holy life, be his side. She endured all the sufferings of the siege that lasted for three years. Thus, she has become among the greatest women in the history of Islam. For this reason, Allah's Apostle (s.a.w .) called the year when she died the Year of Sadness.

Muslims magnify this Lady very much. They follow her behavior and noble attitudes.

In a conversation with his wife `A'isha concerningKhadija's character, the Prophet said: "Allah has not recompensed me with better than her. She was the mother of the family and a house-wife. She believed me when the people accused me of lying. She supported me with her money when the people deprived me (of that). She bore me a son when I was deprived (of that) from other than her."17

Again he talkedbout her, saying: "Indeed, I love those who love her."18

Then the Prophet (s.a.w .) talked about his daughter Fatima, the chaste: "Fatima is part of me. Whoever hurts her hurts me."19 One day he was asked: "Which of your family is the most lovable to you?" "Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad," he said.20From these texts we understand the position and character of the woman during the lifetime of the Prophet (s.a.w .). This attitude of the Prophet represents the best evaluation and respect to the position of the woman in Islam.

Through this briefQur'anic and historical explanation, we understand that the woman looked after the great prophets and supported them. This was embodied during the lifetimes of Abraham, Moses,Ismael , Jesus (a.s .), and Muhammad (s.a.w .), who were the greatest of all the prophets and messengers and the leaders of thought, righteousness, and divine civilization in the earth.

The Qur'an has recorded the role of the woman during the lifetime of the Prophet (s.a.w .) and his mission. It has also mentioned that the women took part in emigrating with the Prophet and struggling before him. In this connection, the Qur'an has mentioned both men and women when it talks aboutemigration, pledge of allegiance, mission, good reward, the relationship between men and women, etc. There are hundreds of verses in the Qur'an about these matters. The following are some of them:

"And the believer men and the believer women, they are guardians to one another; they enjoin good and forbid evil." Holy Qur'an (Towba 9:71)

"And my Lord! ForgiveYou me and my parents and him who enters my abode believing (in You) and the believer men and the believer women, and increase not unto the unjust ones in aught save perdition!" Holy Qur'an (Noah 71:28)

"The day you shall see the faithful men and faithful women, with their light running before them,... " Holy Qur'an (Hadid 57:12)

In these verses, the Qur'an raises the woman to the highest position and treats her as it treats the man. In the concept of the Islamic message, the man and the woman support each other to communicate the thought. They both reform society and remove corruption and crime. They both convey the message of good and peace and righteousness throughout the earth.

In the second verse, Prophet Noah (a.s .) asked his Lord to forgive both believing men and women. Through the meaning of this prayer, the principles of honoring, love, and respect for the woman spread. That is because the supplication for a certain person has all these meanings.

The Qur'an pictures that believing men and women will be in a halo of light on the day when they meet their Lord to receive their reward according to their deeds.

Thus, we understand that the Qur'an has granted the righteous woman love and support. Besides it has summoned (people) to ask their Lord to forgive the believing woman and bless her. Moreover, it has surrounded the believing woman with a halo of light. Such a woman is she who followsAsiya Pharoah's wife), Mary (the mother of Jesus),Khadija (the wife of Prophet Muhammad [s.a.w .]), and Fatima (the daughter of Muhammad [s.a.w .]).

Apart from this, we understand the high character of woman and respect towards her when we know that the first martyr in Islam wasSumayya , the mother of the great companion `Ammar b.Yasir . She was killed by AbuSufyan , the leader of the polytheists. Thus,Sumayya sacrificed her life for the principles of the Islamic message. That was when the confrontation took place between the terrorists and tyrants, and Muhammad (s.a.w .) and the deprived and slaves who followed the message of Islam to give them their rights and to save them from ignorance and exploitation.

A number of the deprived women hurried to believe in the Prophet (s.a.w .) at the beginning of his mission. They endured pain, torture, and persecution. So, they emigrated toHabasha and Medina. They supported Allah and His Apostle (s.a.w .) strongly. Thecharacter of the righteous women clearly appear when we look at the view that surrounds the martyrs whom the Qur'an has mentioned:

"And the earth shall get radiant with the light of its Lord, and the Book (of deeds) shall be set, and the prophets shall be brought up and the witnesses, and (it shall) be judged between them, and they shall not be dealt with unjustly." Holy Qur'an (Zumar 39:69)

The Muslim woman has not discovered her true position in Islam yet and the Muslim man has not known the true position of the woman in Islam yet. So the relationship between them has become disordered and it will not become ordered until they both follow the principles of the Qur'an andrecognise the rights of each other.

If the woman who follows the material civilization knows her position and respect in Islam, she will embrace it.

Preparing the Women to fulfill their Tasks

The process of preparing and educating has an important effect on building and forming man's character. It directs his abilities and merits in a constructive manner. Thus, he is able to carry out his tasks in society. When man is neglected and deprived of education, direction, and organized preparation, he will grow up spontaneously.

In other words, circumstances, environment, and events will direct him. All these things kill his character, waste his abilities, and hinder his social growth. Then he will have a weak and unstable character, so he will be unable to deal successfully with society, events, problems, and chances. The conditions of woman should be studied through the picture represented in Islam. This picture is in the Qur'an and the purifiedSunnah . It depends on numerous bases. They are as follow:

1. The unity of mankind depending on His words, the Exalted: "O people, keep your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single being and created its mate of the same (kind), and spread from these two many men and women. And keep your duty to Allah, byWhom you demand one of another (your rights), and (to) the ties of relationship. Surely Allah is ever a Watcher overyour ." Holy Qur'an (Nisa 4:1)

We can understand this verse not only through its great meaning, but also through the Revelation that opened theSura of al-Nisa ' that talks about the affairs of woman with this verse and depends on it. Thesura of al-Nisa ' is among the greatestSuras . It has 176 verses excluding thebismillah , namely, in the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious,the Most Merciful. Thissurah is regarded as the foundation, legislation, and values that organize the relationship between man and woman, and limit their position and their role in society.

2. The relationship between man and woman depending on love, affection, mercy, calmness, and tranquility. All these qualities are presented in these words of His, the Exalted: "And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves, mates that you may dwell (inclined) unto them, and caused between you love and compassion: Verily in this are signs for a people who reflect." Holy Qur'an (Rum 30:21)

3. Man and woman are equal in rights and duties: "and for the women shall be similar rights (over men) in fairness,. " Holy Qur'an (Baqara 2:228)

In this verse,Allahs means that man and woman have rights and duties over each other. Each of them has rights and duties. They both should carry out their duties through paying the rights of each other with kindness and good association. With this uniquereligious, and moral principle, Islam has balanced the relationship between man and woman. Accordingly, it has established an outstanding principle for the rights of woman.

4. The social relationship between man and woman is based on friendship as declared by the Holy Qur'an. Allah, the Exalted: "And the believer men and the believer women, they are guardians to one another." The Qur'an gives this wonderful picture of the relationship between man and woman. This relationship is based on friendship. The highest degrees of love and respect are presented in this relationship. It has been established in the language that the word `wali ' means supporter, lover, and friend.

Among the clear social phenomena in our world, which suffer from tyrants, are persecution, depression, force, and domination. Thus,this phenomena have negative effects on social dealings, education in school and home, the relations of work, and all kinds of social organization.

The absence of freedom, scorning the character of others, persecuting them, and depressing their will are familiar phenomena in our present society. Nobody protests against them but in some limits which are inappropriate for these phenomena.

Woman suffers from the pressure ofthis phenomena more than man. Our society has inherited backward habits, customs, and concepts. Through them it treats woman. Thus, it scorns the character, abilities, and merits of woman. Moreover, in many environments, man regards woman as a creature below the love of humanity of man.

The concepts of isolating woman from advanced social life have come into existence because of backwardness and the absence of Islamic awareness and understanding from the circles of Muslims, and general social, political, and intellectual situation. We find strange that some material writers have ascribed these concepts to Islam.

Because of the conditions of ignorance and backwardness, Muslims have submitted to material intellectual invasion through its two eastern and western schools. Thus, has begun a war waged against Islamic thought and to focus on the conditions of woman in the Islamic world. So, non-Islamic information and cultural foundations, secular parties, and the propagators of materialism and dissoluteness have spared no effort to drag woman from those circumstances and conditions in which she lives in backward society to the circle of dissoluteness, to corrupt woman, and to trade with her affairs politically and culturally.

That is because they have become sure of corrupting woman through sexual dissoluteness, and the motto of (woman's rights) and (woman's freedom), being the best way to corrupt the generation of males and females. That is because woman is the source of temptation and sexual excitement.Besides spreading sexual dissoluteness, which they have called (sexual rights), is among the most dangerous ways to destroy the family, to make children homeless, and to destroy human relationship between man and woman.

Thus, the plan of preparing and educating woman faces three directions. They are as follow:

1. The direction that resulted from the conditions ofcivilizational backwardness and awareness. It is the direction that depends on the base of scorning woman's character, depressing her will, and making absent her human and social role beside man. This direction has been inherited through habits and customs that have resulted from those who have no knowledge of Islam, the conditions of domination, the haughtiness of man, and intellectual backwardness.

2. Material direction: Western material civilization summons (people) to adopt this direction. It is the direction that summons people to believe in sexual dissoluteness that aims at destroying family relationships and empowering persecution and oppression of woman in another way and under the motto of "woman's rights" and "sexual freedom", etc., that makes woman the victim of sexual enjoyment and violation and diseases.

3. Islamic direction: It is the direction that believes in the unity of mankind and organizes the relationship between man and woman according to respect and cooperation that aim at building society and organizing sexual relationship between man and woman not according to dissolute woman's body and to enjoy it and to destroy the foundations of family ties, as it occurs nowadays in Europe, America, Russia, China, Japan,an other countries in the world, that have followed the trend of material civilization. Rather on the foundation of respecting woman's humanity and granting herher rights, for she is a human being with qualities and rights and character.

Building through Family Relationships

It has become clear that society stands on three basic pillars. They are as follows:

1. The reaction between the two cases of womanhood and manhood, for they have biological and psychological qualities, and that the happiness of society, its psychological tranquility, its social and material growth, the development of its production, and the righteousness of its behavior depends, to a large extent, on the righteous reaction between the two psychological states- the state of womanhood and manhood.

2. The link of common culture and thought.

3. Exchanging interests among the various members of society- males and females.

According to the first and third pillars, the social function of all the members of society, males and females, have come into existence according to their physical and mental abilities and their psychological inclinations. According to these pillars, woman moves to take part in building family and society. The widestfields of this participation is family.

Psychological studies have confirmed the Qur'an when it denoted that family was the base of society and was among its most important foundations and the foundation on which social life is built. Thus, the Qur'an has explained that and put the rules of relationship between man and woman and between the rights and duties of both man and woman to make them able to work and to build a happy social life.

Allah, the Exalted, said: "And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves, mates that you may dwell (inclined) unto them, and caused between you love and compassion: Verily in this are signs for a people who reflect." Holy Qur'an (Rum 30:21) "He it isWho created you from a single self and from it did He make his mate that he may dwell resting unto her." Holy Qur'an (Araf 9:189)

"Men haveauthoriy over women on account of the qualities with which Allah has caused the one of them to excel the other and for what they spend of their property; therefore, the righteous women are obedient, guarding the unseen that which Allah has guarded." Holy Qur'an (Nisa 4:34)

"and for the women shall be similar rights (over men) in fairness,."Holy Qur'an (Baqara 2:228) "but deal kindly with them (women)." Holy Qur'an (Nisa 4:19)

"Let him with abundance spend of his abundance." Holy Qur'an (Talaq 65:7)

"and help you (one another) in righteousness and piety, and help you not (one another) in sin and aggression." Holy Qur'an (Ma'ida 5:2)

The Qur'an has talked about the human and lawful foundations and ties. The Prophetic traditions (sunna ) has also talked about that. We will mention some traditions which have been reported on the authority of the Prophet (s.a.w .): "All of you areresponsibles . And all of you are responsible for your subjects. The emir who (rules) over people is responsible for his subjects. The man is responsible for the people of his house. The woman is responsible for the house of her husband and his children. The slave is responsible for the money of his master. Indeed you are all responsible for your subjects."(21)

It has been reported on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq (a.s .), who said: "It is the manner of the Prophets to love women."(22) It has been also reported on his authority (a.s .): "I do not think that a man gets better in faith without loving women better."(23)

It is useful here to refer to that the building which woman practices in society is sometimes a direct act and is sometimes through her psychological and moral relationship with her husband and her children. The wife should secure the atmosphere of rest and good association for her husband. She should also secure for him love, affection, and psychologicaltranqullity .

For such psychological atmospherehas great effects on the character of husband and his relations with others and his ability to produce and give. That is because the psychological conditions of man affect all his activities and his relations with others. When family life is full of problems, worries, and tension, it affects the husband's character, work, production, and relations with others.

Psychological atmospheres in the family not only affect the husband but also the children. It is difficult for the child who grows up in the atmosphere of hatred and tension and problems and bad treatment to be a righteous character in his behavior and his relation with others and in directing his physical and mental abilities. Sometimes, because of the conditions of bad education, the child becomes an irregularly aggressive human being or he becomes lazy and non-productive or becomes a loiterer and is ready to create problems and commit crimes.

However, sound education forms a sound character. So, such education affects the economical, social, and scientific future of the child. Thus the role of woman is very effective in building society through educating and preparing good members for society, and through securing a sound atmosphere for her husband.

In the foregoing texts, the Holy Qur'an and the purified Prophetic traditions have limits for family administrative, organizational, educational, psychological, and lawful rules and foundations. Through these woman takes part in building society. Accordingly, building the family stands on

1. Love, affection, mercy, and respect between husband and wife.

2. Woman has rights and duties.

3. Man is the leader and supervisor and manager of his house.

4. Man and woman cooperate with each other to run the affairs of life.

5. Man and woman should be moderate in spending, and that they should maintain the economy of their family.

6. They should feel responsibility, namely the husband should feel his responsibility towards his wife and the members of his family. Meanwhile, the wife should feel her responsibility towards her husband, her children, and her family.For she is responsible for looking after her house and her children. Moreover, she is responsible for bringing up her children in a good manner and treating them with love and kindness.

Woman and Family Economy

Among the basic problems of human society are: the problem of money, individual and collective income, and the balance between income and spending. This includes the economy of family and its financial balance between expenses and consumption. So, wasting food, drink, ornament, clothes, house, luxuries, and services are among the most dangerous problems that face man.

Extravagance destroys the economy of family, nation, and state. Most times this extravagance does not match the income of family. To organize the economic balance of society, Islam summons people to be moderate in spending. It forbids extravagance and miserliness. She takes great responsibility in organizing family spending and identifying its nature.

Islamic Law has legislated general rules for organizing spending. It has also limited the basic system for family spending and balance. We will mention some verses from the Qur'an thatdecribes the servants of the Most Merciful (Allah) and regards them as ideal examples to others in spending. In this connection, Allah, the Most High, says: "And those who when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly but are stationed between the two (extremes)." Holy Qur'an (Furqan 25:67)

"and eat and drink you and commit you not excesses." Holy Qur'an (A'raf 7:31)

"And give to the near of kin his due and to the needy and the wayfarer, and squander not (your earnings) wastefully. Verily the squanderers are brethren of thesatan ; and Satan to his Lord is ever an ingrate." Holy Qur'an (Isra ' 17: 26-27)

"And cause you not to shackle your hand unto your neck, nor stretchit forth to the maximum (limits of) stretching forth, lest you should (therefore) sit down blamed , destitute." Holy Qur'an (Isra ' 17:29)

"Lodge them, wherever you lodge according to your means, and you harm them not tostraiten (life for) them, and if they be pregnant, spend you on them until they lay down their burden; and if they suckle (to your issues) for you, you give them their recompense; and deal you unto one another in fairness; and if you find between you difficulties, then shall suckle some other woman for him. Let him with abundance spend of his abundance and he on whom is straitened his subsistence, let him spend of what Allah has given him; (for) Allah lays not on any soul a burden save to the extent to which He has given it; Allah will soon bring about ease after difficulty." Holy Qur'an (Talaq 65:6-7)

In this manner the general bases of family budget spending and expenses are limited within the frames of moral moderation, education, and guidance- they are the social and the family frame.

The role of woman is prominent in managing the affairs of the house and family economy. That is when she is careful with the budget of her family and moderate in spending on luxuries.

The wife is able to save part of the income of the family and to free her husband from debts. That is when she is moderate in spending on herself and her family.

Extravagance does not only affect the family but also affects the general economic situation of society and state. For the ability to buy in the market becomes high because of high spending and consumption. So, the value of money becomes low and the prices of commodities and services increase. Accordingly, the deprivation of the poor (of buying) increases, the family faces debts and social problems, currency faces inflation. As a result of the disorderly economic situation ofsociety , moral, security, and political problems come into existence.

To educate woman to be moderate in spending special lectures on family economy in schools take part in building economic awareness and save it especially from the problem of over expending and the deprivation of poor classes. With this woman participates in building society through directing and organizing family economy, and through being moderate in spending according to the method of the Qur'an and its wise summons. Therefore, woman should carry out her responsibility towards her husband and her house according to the previous Prophetic tradition.

Work and Islamic Law

Islamic law summons people to work. It urges them to work using many practical attitudes, concepts, and texts. Among them are the following words of Allah, the Exalted:

"He it is Who made for you the earth subservient, traverse you then its board sides, and eat you of His provision; and unto Him (alone) is the return." Holy Qur'an (Mulk 67:15)

"And when the prayer is ended then disperse you in the earth and seek you of the grace of Allah." Holy Qur'an (Jumu'a 62:10)

"And seek, by means of what Allah has given you, the abode in the hereafter, and forget not your share in this world." Holy Qur'an (Qasas 28:77)

Islamic Law not only summons people to work and production but also it denotes that they are different in abilities and merits. It also denotes that people should be perfect through exchanging interests with each other. In this respect Allah, the Most High, said: "...andWe did raise some of them above the others in rank, so that some of them may take the others in subjection." Holy Qur'an (Zukhruf 43:32)

The Qur'an urges people to work, production, and exchanging interests. The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w .)regdarded work and production as jihad and worship. In this connection he (s.a.w .) said: "He who works for his own family is like themujahid in the way of Allah."24

"Worship is seven parts; the best of them is seeking the lawful."25

Jurists devoted great efforts to their studies and analyses of work and production. They concludedthat precepts of Islamic law and its attitude towards service and productive work is valid. They divided work legally into five parts. They are as follows: 1. Obligatory work: Islamic law has regarded as obligatory the work aiming at meeting need, satisfying the soul, and maintaining the family. Moreover, it has made it obligatory on the debtor to work to pay his debt.

2. Islamic law has regarded the work aiming at generously spending one's family as most desirable. 3. Islamic law has regarded as unlawful the work in forbidden things, such as making wine, narcotics, prostitution, and dancing etc... It has also forbidden work that leads to unlawful deeds, even if it is lawful in itself. 4. Islamic law has regarded some work as abominable for itself or for other than it. 5. Excluding the above-mentioned points, Islamic law has confirmed that work is lawful. With this work, collecting money and increasing wealth is lawful as long as it follows the precepts of Islamic law.

To study and analyze the concepts of the verses and the traditions, we will not find in them anything what prevents woman from working. Rather, they permit woman to work as they permit man, though some texts address and urge man to work.

The Work of a Wife

Islamic law has limited precepts concerning the work of a wife as follows:

1. The wife has the right to stipulate in her marriage contract that her husband should not prevent her from working.

2. The husband must agree to let his wife work through mutual understanding. That is when she wants to work without a previous stipulation. Sometimes the husband disagrees to let his wife work. This does not mean that Islamic law prevents her from working. However, that depends on the relationship between the husband and his wife.

3. If a woman had worked before the marriage contract, a work contract is valid, even though work opposes her husband's right.

4. When the wife works without permission from her husband, the correctness of permission depends on the approval of the husband in what contradicts the rights of husband. The contract is valid in what does not contradict his right. 5. The precept which woman makes to hire herself to service includes all work contracts she makes.

When we study the precepts of Islamic law, we will not find any text that prevents woman from working in the first title. Rather, those who prevent woman from working outdoors produce evidence of that. Some people say that when woman works in mixed foundations, she will be corrupted, and will commit unlawful acts. This means that woman's work is unlawful because of the mixed work that leads her to commit unlawful acts.

It is necessary to mention here that all work that leads to unlawful things is forbidden for both man and woman. Therefore, it is obligatory to prevent mixed work and to employ the person needed for the regardless of whether the person is a man or woman.

From interpreting this holy verse: "and We did raise some of them above the others in rank, so that some of them may take the others in subjection", it is clear that abilities, merits, and readiness for work differ from one person to another, regardless of the person being a man or woman, and that exchanging interests and satisfying service and material needs can be achieved by all the members of society. Every individual, regardless of his gender, offers his effort and ability to satisfy the needs of society. Meanwhile the individual satisfies his needs through the process of the service and material exchange in society.

Therefore, the farmer offers agricultural products, the engineer and the technician make the instruments, the doctor offers medical treatments, the teacher teaches, the merchant secures commodities in themarket, the soldier defends his country, the night watchman struggles againsttheives , etc.

When we study and analyze all Islamic concepts and precepts, we will find that Islam does not prevent woman from working or from getting knowledge. The woman has the right to practice any work she wants, such as agriculture, industry, medicine, engineering, administration, politicaljobs( ), driving cars and planes, teaching and education, etc.

Man and woman have the right to practice all lawful work. Both man and woman are equal before the precepts of Islamic law. The difference between man and womanlies in some duties that concern both of them or in some powers which have been built on scientific bases that take into consideration the psychological and biological structure of both man and woman to organize and manage social life.

Accordingly, work is permitted in Islamic law. Rather it is sometimes obligatory. No work is forbidden in Islam except those which Islamic law has forbidden, or that leads to unlawful deeds. Some people regard it forbidden for woman to work. Such people must produce evidence in support of their claim.For there is no religious proof for that.

The religious scholars have analyzed religiousobligatories and divided them into collective and individual. Through studying the collective duty, we can conclude that Islam has made it incumbent on both man and woman to secure social services such as medicine, engineering, teaching, agriculture, trade, transport, security, etc. Sometimes collective duty becomes individual duty, regardless of whether the individual is a man or woman.

From this we understand that the division and carrying out of functional work in society stand on two bases: individual and collective. In both cases, Islam does not make any difference between man and woman. Rather, Islam makes it incumbent on woman to learn jobs that concern women such as medicine and teaching.