Khutbah Series:
Gender Issues

Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq

[This series of Khutbah was delivered during 1993 
at the Islamic Center of Iowa City, Iowa. 
For brevity, the customary invocations toward the beginning and the end of the Khutbahs have been omitted.]

Intro    Part II    Part III    Part IV    Part V    Part VI    Part VII

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I. Introduction

Alif Lam Mim.
These are the verses of the Wise Book.
A Guide and a Mercy to the Doers of Good. [31/Luqman/1-3]

A. General observations

• Whatever we say and do must be in accordance to the sublime teachings of Islam,  based on al- Qur'an and Sunnah.
  
• I will provide Islamic evidence and arguments for my analysis and statements. I can be wrong in what I am saying, but keep your minds open and always refer to Qur'an and Sunnah in a comprehensive way. Since the topic is a broad but time for deliberation is short, the purpose of this series of Khutbah is to focus on some issues and highlight some ideas that, hopefully, those who are interested would follow up with a serious and thorough study.
  
• I have concerns about myself and my family, especially about the future of my children - two daughters growing up in this world full of conflicting ideas and tendencies.
  
• In Islam too, gender is not a small or peripheral issue. This issue found a special place in the Last Hajj Sermon of the Prophet. He drew this ummah's attention to, among several other things, the rights and status of women. The Qur'an has devoted so much of its message to this issue.
  
• We are not and can't be immune to ongoing changes around us. If Islam is to be functionally meaningful to our time, it must effectively and adequately address several issues. Among these 5-10 prominent contemporary issues is the issue of gender in general and women in particular. One might like to refer to my concept paper "Fundamental Challenges Facing the Muslim World" for a more detailed list and analysis of these issues.

B. The Contemporary Challenge

The contemporary issues that we are confronting, as in most cases, have both internal and external connection.

We are told:

• In Islam, women are inferior to men.
  
• Islam discriminates against women.
  (e.g. in education, nourishment, distribution of wealth, security, social role)
  
• Islam limits women to the confinements of home and family (hijab, social alienation)
  
• Feminism is gaining ground. Where it is not, the dominance of the traditional forces may be temporarily prevailing, but the problems will, in all probability, persist and worsen.
  
• Today we do not have an Islamic model (or foundation) of society; therefore, the true teachings are not reflected. The Qur'anic and the Prophetic vision, in most respects, including the gender issues, remain unrealized. The main responsibility for this deviation, over the long run, falls on the male segment of the society, because formulating as well as implementing the relevant norms and laws were done almost exclusively by the male segment. The solution in our contemporary time, however, will require input and contribution of both segments, men and women.

C. Our Apologetic Approach

The issues related to women generally cover four areas: (a) Status of women, (b) role of women, (c) participation and other rights of women, and (d) dress and conduct of women.

Our approach is most commonly apologetic (defending or explaining the virtues of Islam, without recognizing and solving the problems, whenever appropriate or warranted).

An example of such a well-articulated, apologetic approach:

"What then is all this uproar by the Muslim women of today about? Is there any right or facility that Islam has not already given her so that she should still feel constrained to launch a campaign to win them through means such as suffrage and representation in parliament? Let us see:

She demands an equal human status. But Islam has already given this to her in theory as well as in practive before law.

She wants economic independence and the right to participate in social life directly. Well, Islam was the first religion that gave her this right.

She wants the right to education? Islam not only recognizes it but makes the acquisition of it obligatory on her as well.

Does she want the right not to be given in marriage without her permission? Islam has given her this right as well as the right to arrange her own marriage.

Does she demand that she should be treated kindly and fairly while performing her functions within the house, and that she should have the right to ask for a separation from her husband if he should fail to treat her in a just and fair manner? Islam does give her all these rights and makes it incumbent upon men to safeguard them.

Also does she want the right to go and work outside? Islam recognizes this right of her too.

[Islam the Misunderstood Religion by Muhammad Qutb, p. 124, IIFSO edition]

D. The Ideals and the realities

One may notice from the above apologetic statement, there is a valid point made about what Islam says and suggests, but hardly anything about the contemporary problems in the society and the kind of concerns various segments of the society have in regard to gender issues. As we defend the message of Islam, we tend to gloss over the harsh realities of the gap that exists between the Qur'anic and Prophetic vision on one hand, and the existing conditions of the Ummah, on the other.

We enthusiastically proclaim that Islam is the only Deen (way of life; religion) that has made seeking knowledge incumbent upon all Muslims, men and women. Yet, illiteracy is a wide-spread problem of the Ummah, with the rate of illiteracy being disproportionately higher among the Muslim women. Why?

An examination of these issues is critical if we want to build a better Islamic future for ourselves in this world.

Currently, rather probably as always, we have polarities in our thoughts, attitudes and conducts.

We have men and women who think that Islam is so restrictive and discriminatory that their liberation and progress can be possible only by abandoning or modifying Islam. Then there are others who think and uphold that issues related to liberation and progress are completely irrelevant, if not evil, and the sanctity of their way of life depends on continuing traditions as it is.

In my humble submission, both of these sides are extreme and we need to better understand the guidance contained in Al-Qur'an and embodied in the Prophetic heritage.

The few Khutbahs in this series will merely HIGHLIGHT the pertinent aspects. In this Khutbah, we delineate the general nature of the problem. In the next few Khutbahs we will deal with the contribution of Muslim women in history; some misconceptions about gender issues in Islam; and some ideas and suggestions to build a better foundation for our future as families, communities, ummah and as part of the humanity.

It is important to recognize the first and foremost source of guidance in Islam is the Qur'an. Thus, we should try to better understand its guidance because as the Prophet had said: "Allah will elevate some nations through this book (al-Qur'an) and degrade others with it." [Sahih Muslim: as reported in Riyadus Saleheen, #996]

And, of course, for a balanced, comprehensive and effective model, we need to turn to the life of the Prophet.

"You indeed have in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern of conduct for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah." [33/Ahzab/21]

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