ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Position of Women from the Viewpoint of Imam Khomeini (r.a.) The status and rights of women in the Islamic system The status of and esteem for women in Islam The status of and esteem for women in Islam Islam wants men and women to develop. Islam freed women from those circumstances, which existed for them during the age of ignorance of pre-Islamic times. Islam did not serve men to the extent that it did women.

You cannot imagine what circumstances were like for women during pre-Islamic times and to what degree their situation improved with the advent of Islam. (41) 9 November 1978 (18 Aban 1357 AHS) Islam did a service for women, which has no precedent in history. Islam raised women up out of that slough and gave her back her identity. (42) 9 November 1978 (18 Aban 1357 AHS) Question: In the eyes of Western countries, Shi`ism is seen as being a conservative element hindering progress.

We have heard Shi`ite calls for the exclusion of women from active roles in society and a return to Shi`ite laws, which envisage religious tradition as the basis of state laws, something stipulated in the Constitution but later and unlawfully dropped. We have also heard that Shi`ism rejects the Western lifestyle because it does not conform to religious customs. Would you please give us your view on this on the basis of the Shi`ite faith?

Reply: Shi`ism is a revolutionary school of thought and is a continuation of the true Islam of the Prophet. Just like the Shi`ites themselves, their faith has always been the target of craven attacks from dictators and imperialists. Not only does Shi`ism not exclude women from society, it gives them their elevated status in society. We accept the developments of the Western world, but not the West’s corruption of which Westerners themselves complain.

(43) 15 November 1978 (24 Aban 1357 AHS) Islam took women by the hand and made them equal with men, whereas before the Prophet came, women had no standing. Islam gave women strength. (44) 11 December 1978 (20 Azar 1357 AHS) We want women to attain the high rank of true humanity. Women must have a share in determining their destiny. (45) 6 March 1979 (15 Isfand 1357 AHS) If nations were deprived of courageous women to rear true human beings, they would decline and collapse.

(46) 6 March 1979 (15 Isfand 1357 AHS) Islam holds you in higher esteem than it does men.