ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Matrimonial Rights Distinction Between the Sexes Islam has freed women from the offensive traditions and customs of the pre-Islamic era, honored them, raised their ranks, and decided their being equal to man in humanity, principles, sanctity of blood, honor, and property, and the deserving of the rewar ds and penalties of the life to come. On bases of fairness and wisdom, it has identified women’s values and standings to men.

In some situations, Islam, depending upon advisability and rightness, has deemed women as same as men, but it, because of the di fferent qualifications and responsibilities in the various fields of life, has also made a distinction between them through nominating certain rights, duties, and rulings for each. In all these affairs, Islam has aimed at achieving wisdom, uprightness, and fair evaluation of humankind’s natures and traits.

By preferring man in certain rulings, Islam has not aimed at humiliating or wronging woman. Its one and only purpose has been t he achievement of justice through granting each sex the rights that befit the qualifications and responsibilities. We, hereinafter, will refer to the most significant points of distinction between the two sexes so as to realize the reasons of the Islamic rulings in this regard: 1.

Maintenance Each society, no matter how small it is, is in need for a well-qualified guardian whose mission is to supervise its affairs and achieve prosperity and development. From this cause, each family is in an inevitable need for a guardian and supervisor who, though engaged in serious task requiring sagacity, practice, willpower, and enough experience in this life, must govern his family member with well management and secure means of acceptable livelihood.

Now, which one is the worthiest of supervising and maintaining the family? Is it man or woman? Owing to his qualifications, man is more experienced in the life affairs, more competent of supervising the family morally and materially, and more capable of achieving means of good living than woman is. This matter has been decided by the eternal const itution of Islam: “Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property.

(4:34)” Maintenance, however, does not mean absolute dominance and policies of severity and violence against the family members, since such practices are in violence of the ethics of Islam.