ABUL A‘LA MAUDUDI PURDAH AND THE STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM TRANSLATED & EDITED BY AL-ASH ARI MLA. (English) M.A. (Philosophy) Islamic Publications (Pvt.) Ltd. 3-Court Steect. Lower Mali, Lahore — 54000 (Pakistan) Ph: 92-49-7248676-7320961 Fax: 7214974 Wehsite www islanticpak.com pk E-Mail: infowislamicpak.com.pk , lanicpakthounailcomCONTENTS : Pugr INTRODUCTION iii AUTHOR'S PRETACE ali Chaper 1. NATURE OF THE PROBLEM |} Chaper 2. STATUS OF WOMAN IN DIFFERENT : AGES 4-17 Chapter Chapicr Chapter Chapter ua §, Greece—Rome—Christian Europe Modera Europe —Three Doctrines uf Western Socievy---Miserable Failure of Homan Intellect an PURDAH AND THE MUSLIMS OF TODAY se 18-35 Historica! Background—Mental Sla- sery—How the Problem Arose--~ The Real Motives--A Great Hoax— The Object Before Us. WESTERN CONCEPTS OF MORALITY 26-36 18th. Century Comcept of Liberty—- 91h Century Changes—20th Century Developmeots—-Neo-Maithusion Liter- atyrr. TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES—I |. 37—S7 lodustrisf Revolution and its Impact on Society—Capétalist Selfishness— Daneserstic = Polites—Facta aad Figeres—Moeral = Bankruptey—Prev- Blemce of Obrcenity--Sexuality and Tadecency—-Signs of = Nations) Collapss—Decay of Physical Energy Disruption of Family System-- Genocide. TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES-II .. 58-71 Sexo] Detioquency Among American Chikireg- Educational Stage—ThreeChapter 7. Chapter 8. Chapler 9, Chapter 10. Chapter 11. Purdah and she Status of Woman in Islam i Powerful Motlves—Prevalence of Sexual Promiscuity—Venereal Dis- eases—Divorce and Separation— National Suicide-—The Case -of England. THE DECISIVE QUESTION + 12-8) The Oriental “Occidentals"—Modern Unde = Literature—-Modern Civiliza~ tion—What Do the “Qccidentals” Say?—The “Lip-Service" Mustins— The Decisive Question. LAWS OF NATURE .. 84-122 Role of Sex Appeal in Civilization— Basic Problem of Civilization——Requ- irements of a Clean Community Life : (1) Control of Sexudl Urge. (2) Founding the Family. (3) Prevention of Sexual Lawlessness. (4) Eradication of lndecencies. (5} Correct Relationship Between Mas and Wife. HUMAN LIMITATIONS -. 123-131 Real Cause of Inability—Some Signi- fieant Tnstapces—Moderation of lalaimic Law. SOCIAL SYSTEM OF ISLAM--I .. 132—-i40 Basic Concepta—Real Significance of Sex—Man’s Animal Nature and ite Demands—Hamao Nature and its Demands. . SOCIAL SYSTEM OF ISLAM —II .. 141--158 Fundamental «Principtes—“Probibited Relations” (Muharramat}—Prohibition of Adultery-—Marriage—Organization af Family~Man as Provider—Woman's Sphere of Activity—Restrictions for Wamen—-Woman’s Rights—EconomicContents xi Rights—Social Rights—Female Educa- tiou—Real Emancipation of Woman. Chapter 12. SOCIAL SYSTEM OF ISLAM—IIE 159—178 Safeguards Self-Purlitestion = Haya (+lx}—Hidden Motives—The Evi] Lock—Urge for Display—The ¥oice—The Sound—The Perfume— Nudity. Punitive Laws : Punishment for Fornicatiou—Pun- ishiment for Calumny - Preveniive Measures ; Injunctions for Clothing and Cover- ing of Nakedsess—Boundaries of Sater foc Males—Boundaries of Satar for Females—Repularions for Entrance—Frohibition of Touching or Haying Privacy with Women— Distinction Helween Mahram and non-Mahrum Males. Chapter 13. COMMANDMENTS OF PURDAH 179-199 Restraining the Eyes—Proehibition of Display of Fineriee--Covering the Face—The ¥eil. . Chapter 14, DIVINE LAWS FOR THE MOVE. MENTS OF WOMEN “ ., 200-210 Permission fo Leave the. Hoyse— Permission to Visit the Mosque— Conditions for Visiting the Mosque— Rales for Women during Maj}—Pacti- cipatien in Friday and “i Prayers— Attending Funerals and = Visiting Graves—Participation in Battle. CONCLUSION +. 211-218 INDEX my +2 29-224CHAPTER ft Nature of the Problem T= first and foremost problem of maa’s community life on whose fairand cational solution depends bis real advancement and well-being is the proper adjustment of the mutual relationships hetwoen the husband and the wife. Far it is these relationships which provide the real basis for man’s social life and on their streng- th and stability depends bis future well-being. Important as the salutior of this probicm is, its intricate nature has baflicd philosophers aad sages from the earliest times, in fact, ne cannot be expected to offer ils just and fair solution unless one has acquired a complete and compreheasive view of the whole human nature, tut this is nol an easy thing for man is a world in himself. His physical and mental maky-up, his energies and capabilities, his desires aid demands, his emotions and feclings, and his active and passive relationships with countless things outside him, these consti. tute a world in themselvc,. Man cannot be completely understood wolesa cach nock and corner of this vast world is fully Brough: within a clear view. Conversely, dhe basic human problems cannet be solved unless man himself is first completely understood. The cnigma of human nature has defied solution by men since the earliset times and ld still emains unsolved. The truth is that man bas not yet been able to discover and explain ali the facts and Phenomene of this world. Mone of the sejences has so far attained that stage of perfection where it cank! claim te have encompassed. all knowitdee pcrtainingto its own particular sphere. . Eve these facts and phenomena that have been discovered and explained are 50 vasl and compiex in themsely¥es that 10 man (or men) can have g complete view of alt their facets simultaccously. If one tries to concentrate on one facet, the othera roctde into the background. Sometimes one is not able to give all one’s attention te it and come- ,2 Purdek and Status of Woman in Istavt times personal inclinations and whims distort ils view. On account of these inherent weaknesses, man wilh 4]1 bas ingenuities has failed to solve the problems ofhis own life. His own growing cxpericace brings out Maws in his best thought out solutions, Real solution is indced impossible withaut attaining 2 balaneed view of the whole human nature, anda balauced view of it is impossible unless all the aspects of the kaown facts at least, arc Kept in view at ane and the same timc, Bot when the field to be viewed is too vast, and one's personal whims, likes and dislikes, toe powerful to allow an unbiased picture, one cannot possibly attain 3 balanced vicw of things, Any solution under auch conditions as these will naturally be based on one extreme or the other. : In order to ijustrate this, let us go back to history. We come across various exaggerated notions based on the conflict of the two extremes. (On the one band, we find that the woman, who gives birth to maa as mother and accompanies him in all the ups ‘and downs of lifeas wife, has beea reduced to the position of mai, © rather bondwoman, She is treated a5 other chattels, she is deprived of ail rights of inheritance and ownership, she is regarded as at embodiment of sin and misfortune, and is refused ait oppartunities for developing and wafolding her personality, On the other hand, we find that the same woman is raised to prominenes in a manner and with the result that a stecm of immorality and licentiousness follows in ber woke. ‘She is made a plaything for carnal indulgence, she is actually reduced to the pasitian uf the Devil's agent, and with her rise ta “procaineoce” starts the degeneration of mankind in general. These two extremes are not merely theoretical but they exist in practice as well, and it is becouse of their evil consequences in the practical life that we pronounce them as immoralexiremes. History testifies that when a Community shakes off barbarism and advances towards clvilization, its woman follow its aven.as maids and bood- women. Initially the community gains momentum fram the store of energies that accrue from the wiki life of the desert, but al a later stage of development it beging te realize thet it canaot go any further by keeping half of ila population in 4 state of bondage. Thus, whee the community finds the pace of advancement being retarded, ihe fecling of necessity compels it to enable the neglected balf also toNature of the Problear : 3 keep pace with the advanced half. But then it does not rest content with making amends only, it bestows undue Freedota upon the (air sex with the result that the latter's excessive freedom deals a fatut blow at the family iif which is the very basis of civilization, More than that, the free interraingling of the sexes brings inits wake a flood of obscenily, ‘licentiousness and sexual perversion, which Tuin the morals of the whole community. Along with this marai de- pravity staris the gradual weakening of the intellectual, physical and inalerial energies of the Community, whith ¢ventually leads it to sotal collapse and destruction,CHAPTER Z Status of Woman in Different Ages T is not possible to recount here in detail all the instances of chip from history, but a few illustrations are necessary. . Greece Let us take Ihe case of the Greek civilization which has been regarded ag the most glorious of all the ancient civilizations. In its carly stages, woman was locked Uowa upon morally as well as socially, and she had no legal rights. According to the Greek mythology, an imaginary woman called Pandora was the source of all human ills and misfortunes, like the Eve of Jewish mythology, Just a the concocted story about Eve hud deeply influenced the Jewish and Christian cunceplion of the woman and adversely affected their law, social customs, morals us well as cheir general atiitude towards life, 0 was the impact of Pandora fiction upon tbe Greek mind, Whe Greeks regarded woman as a sub-human cresture whos: rank in sovicty was in every way inferior tp that of man, for whem alone was reserved honour and a place of pride. This notion and atutude with minor madificatians remaincd it vogue during the carly stages of the Greek cultural development. The eoughtenment brought by civilization und knowledge did not affect woman's legal position, but it wor for her a compuralively higher status in society. She became the queen of the Greek home, berdulies being cesiticted to the four walis where she held a position of authority. Her chaslily was a precious thing which was hell in high esteem. Women of the Greek nobility observed Purdab, the female apariments in their houses were segregated fromm the male apariments, ynd their wamenfolk neither sat in mixed gathecings bor were ibey prominently brought out in public, To de united with a maa in wedlock was a privilege and mark of honour for aStertus of Woman in Different Ager 4 woman, and her tiving the life of a prostitute was held in disgrace. Ad thid time the Greek ration on the whole was vigorous and energer tie and was rapidty climbing the hndder of advancement. Though tha ooral weaknesses were there, these were within certain limits. Mea, ankke women, were exempt fren: the demands and requirements of chastiry, purity of cheructer and moral uprightness. Nor wan expected of them that they should Sead a morally clean life, Pro~ Stitetion was embedded in the Greek society and relations with corrupt worn by men were not considered imporper. Gradually the Greeks became overwhelmed by egotism and sevual petversion. With this change in the outlook, the corrupt female element guined such promivence. that fas oo parallel ia. hiviory. The house of ibe prostitute became the focus of alteotiod of sat classes of the (Greck sacicty, and attracted their philosophers, poets, himorum, hiccacy men'and savanta of art. She aot only patronised biterary functions. but political affairs of great consequence aise were decided under ber influence. It may sétnd strange, the courmel ‘of one who'déd not remain faithfully attached to one mam cven for two consecutive nights waa cageriy songht amt respected. in matiers on which depended life and death of the nation. Theit sesthetle laste ‘and worship of beauty azoused in the Greek people a thirst for sensual pleasures, acd their indulgence, in ‘sex begee to find expression in the creation of nudes which spotred on their sekusl fcelings to the extent that they soon Jost all sense whether sexual indulgence invelved a moral turpitude. They becano 30 degraded and depraved -that cvén their philosaphers and moral preorplors didnot regan aduttery and licentiouimess as base and worthy of censure. The common mas looked upon matrimony ag an unnecessary Testriction and considered fornication as perfectly lawful and right. So much so that eventually these became a part of their religion, and the werthip of Aphrodite, the goddess of love aad beauay, spread throughout Greece. And, according to their saythology, this. goddess whe was Ieqal wife of one god, had developed illicit relutions with three orier gods as well as with a mortal.” The résult‘uf chit last ilicit relationship was the birth of - another gol, Cupid, the god of love. The very fact that Aphrodite was un idea) goddess’ ‘worthy ‘Gf worship, wasan index of their depta-6 Purdat: andthe States of Woman in Isiam * vity. After such 4 moral deciime, no nalion in the. warkd hos ever been seen to rise again. The cuits of Bum-marg in India and Mazdak! in bran emerged during similar periods of decline, and. similar Were the conditions in Babylon that helped prostitution gain religious holiness and sanctity. After its downfall, Babylon has sever been heard of except in legends of the Past... With the worship. Of the goddess ef love in Greece, houses of prostitution became Places of worship, prostitutes were Sonsidered ike pious girl dedi- fated lo the fempfer, aad aduitery was raised to the status of: piety and invested with full religious sunctity, an Avother aspect of the sexual lawlessness was the prevalence of the Wnndlura! att among the Greeks, which wis welcomed: and. patronized by -religion tnd Morality: “Chough no tece of this Practice ix found in the times of Homer and Hesiod, it spread with the advancement ‘of civ ization, Wher nudity‘wnd indulgence mn the pleasures of the body came to- be emled by the “civilized: namew of art and acythetics, these aroused tbe-erotic pussioms of the people tq-an exlent ihat iransgressing the cutuml bounds they began to seek sutisfaction in the unnatural ways. Artists manifested this Svaving im Stoturs. Mural Preceptors described: it a3 aa inex of ibe “bond of Wiecndship™ between lwo Persons. Harmodius aad Ariogiton2 were Lhe flrst-iwe Greeks who won their. counirymen’s approbation and high regond on. account of their urnaeueal connec ten with each cther-and, wore symbolized ia satues, to be remem bed-forevern: 3° a sive eee ae - 2 History bears evidence twat after. the-passing away of ils period of gandeur apd -pride, the Greek sulian sould.nevey get a second. OPportunity of retzacing its. steps into Bury... : mo Rome lt tee te . To the case of the Rématis who wire the riekt ta. ‘achieve glory and gteainess aftec the Grecks,"we wilds a similar phinemenow: of the vise “und Tall’ of citipine. Wheit lhe Roihans emerged fron. oo bia appeared in the sign of, tbe, Persian ruler J. Leacer 8 Mgnichl, Qubad (488-51 ALB) ; : 2. Arisingiton (Sth, ce (EC) who twacther with Hazmodits plotied the death Of the iyrasi Hippies und Ais brother."Stutus af Woman in Different Ages 7 darkness on the bright horizoa of history, thar social traditions reqognizad man as the chief of the farrily unit, postessiog full authority and power over the members of his family ;so0 mych. su that he could take the life of his wife. : As the Romans shook off savagery und advanced towards civilization, the family system remained unaffected, but its undue ‘guurs practically softened down to moderation. When the Roman slemocracy was at ite zenith, their wamen did oot observe Purdab like the women of the Greek nobility, but the womenfolk and the youth were kept under an unrelenting family discipline. Chaslity, capeciully of the female, was highly valued and considered as a critcrion ef the nobility of churagter. They had such a high moral standard that when a Roman Senator ance kissed his wife in the Presence of his daughter, it was considered derogatory to the natlenal moral character and a vote of-cenéure was passed against him on, Ite “floor of the house. Tithe was na other legitimate and proper fi of relationship between man and “wemén tia through murriage. A woman was held warthy of respect only when she was Vie matron of a family. Though prostitution éxisied and men: were ‘ree in a restricted Way to have ‘illicit relations with the prostitutes, the iverage Rottan abhorred it and tooked dows upon mien having auch retations with contempt. Ss . With the advancenrtn on the road to Civilization, the Roman conceit about-the position’ of ahe woinaa underwent a serious change. ‘Rejlea wad regulations governing marrage and-divorce and Uhe serattiu re of the tamily systomy gradually suffered such a complete Inctaniorphelis that Goodies ‘changed for the wore: Marriage was reduced to a civil contract which was held at the sweet wll of the partaers, which rendered the responsibilities of macried life very light. -Moteover, the woman was given. full-proprictary zights over inherited and other propetty and the Jaw ‘made ber iret of the authority of the father and the:busband.. ‘Thus the Roman women nat Gnly became: cconomicallyindependent, but gradually a. good Portion of the national wealth also‘slipped inte ieic control. They. lent money to their hitshiands at high rates of interest with the resiile. Nhat fushands off wealthy: wives virtually ‘became their staves. Divorce became easy and wedlock was ended on flimsy grounds. -3 Purdon and the Siatus of Woman in Iytant . Seneca (4B.C.—65 A.D.}, the famoiis Roman philosapher and statesman, has severely criticised his countrymen for the hugh incidence of divorce among them. He says: “Now divarce is not regarded as something shameful in Rome. . ‘Women caloulate theit age by the number of husbands they “ have taken.” Women in those days used to‘take several husbands one after the other. Martial (43 A-D.—104 A.D.) has mentioned & woman who had changed ten husbands. Jnvenal (60 A.D.—120 A.D.) has written about a woman who changed eight husbands in ive years. St. Jerome (240 A.D—420 A.D.) makes mention of a woa- derful woman whose lact husband was the 23rd in sucession, and she wis herself the 2let wife of her husband. . Druring this age, extra marital relations between man and woman began ta be gradually disregarded with, the result that even their moral precepiocs Jooked upon adultery os a minor offence entailing ne punishment. Cato (234—149 B.C.) who was appointed censor in Rome in 184 B.C. for taking cognizance of offences against public morality openly field juvenile delinquency ax justifiable. Even Cicero (106—43 B.C.) pleaded for granting moral laxity to the youth, Epictetus (Ist cent. A.D.) whe was known to be o rorally strict and thérough-going Stoic advised his pupila: “avoid the.company of women before marriage, but refrain . from castignting thase who cannot seaist the temptation”. When the checks on public. morality beoame weak, the flood of sexua} centiousness, nudity and promiscuily burat upon Rome. Theatres became the aceaes of moral perveraian and nude perform- ances; dwelling places were decorated with aud¢-and. immoral paintings; and prostitution became sc. widespread and popular that. Caesar Tiberius (14 A.0.437-A.Dy) had to enfores a jaw prohibiting wenness of the Roman aobiliry from adopting prostitution: Flora becume 4 popular Roman spect ia which naked women competed in race coments. Males and-females took bath together in public baths, Rama litemture becume replete with immoral and immodest themes with the result that-ng literary work deyoid of suck. themes cold become popular-with the common people pr the intelligentsia. Whea the Romans hecame so overwhelmed by animal passions,Stars of Wonaa in Digerent Ager 5 Abeir glory complelely faded away leaving not even ao trace behind it. Christian Europe To cure the West of its moral ailments came Christiunity. In de beginning it served the Purpose well: it put an cnd tu immoral customs, cleansed the various aspects of life of immodesty, made efforts to eradicate prostitution, retrieved corrupt women and dancing girls, and ineylcated mural teachings on the praple. Hut the con- copts held by the Christian patriarchs of woman and conjugal apgla- tionship wete not only opposed to hunian nature but unnatural io the extreme. ' Their basic doctrine was that woman was the mother vf sin and foot cause of all cvil. She was the primary cance of stimulating man towards sin and corruption ahd thus Jed bim io Hell: all human; ils and troubles emanated from her. The mere fact of her being = woman was enough to render her detestable. She should feel ashamed of her beauty aud charms, for these served as mexns ta Satanic temptations, She should, therefore, Keep on atoning con. Stantly for her inherent sins, because she was responsible for causing afl human ills and misfortunes in (he world. Tertullian (A.L%. 150) who was an early Father of the Christian Church has expaunc sl the Christian doctrine about woman thus: “She opels the duor te Satanic temptations: leads man to the forbidden tree, breaks the Law of God, and corrupts man— the image of God, St. Jotn Chrysostom (C. 345—407), one of the Greek Fathers ofthe Church, says: ° “She is an incvilable evil, an eternal mischief, an atiractive calamily, 4 domestic risk, a charming and decorated misfortune”, Thew second doctrine was that the sexual relotion between man and women was in itself yn objectionable, dirly affair, even if it was established withiq icpat marriage, This monastic conception af morality was already taking root in Europe under the Infiuence of nec-Platonism. The Christian Church led it te its Tagiea extreme, Consequemly, celibacy and spiasterhuod became the criteria of the nobility of character, and married life cume to bexegarded as a10 Pardah and the Status of Woman in Islan necessary evil. Avoidance of marriage became a symbol of piety and holiness and a sign of souod moral character. Te live 4 clean and pure religious life, therefore, one waa either not to marry ata, or waa to.live apart from one’s wife in complete. abstinence of conjugal relations. Rules were passed in Teligious conferences bar- ting the Church olficials from maeeling their wives in seclusion. They could, however, see cach other in public in the presence cf at Jeast two other persons. The concept of the conjugal relationship as a dirty affair was iaculeated on the Christian mind by various devices. For instance, it was enjoined that the man and wife who had shared bed during the night before a Church festival could not participate init. They were cao polluted to be allowed to associate themselves. with « religieus function. This monastic conception affected -Adversely the relations of love and blood, even those between mother and son, because all relations resulting from the bond of mariage were held as vicious and sinful. These two doctrines not only caused the dowmla!l of the woman from moral a5 well as ¢ocial points of view, but they also undermined ‘The thaditions underlying the community life to the extent that, on the onc hand, married jife became a headache beth for men and womea ; and, on the other, the social status of the woman was iu every way degraded. Following are the main features of the legal injunctions that were enfarced in Lhe West under the influence of the Christian Church ; , 1.) The woman. was crushed scone mically and made todepend wholly on man permanently: she was given limited rights of inberit- aace, ond even more limited of acquiring and holding property; she had no contro! over her own earnings, aa these were all seized by the husband with full propeletary rights. 2. Divorce and Khut'at were totally pronibited. The man and wife were compelled to remain together, both by religion and law, though they might be fed up with each other, The maximum that could $e done in extreme circumstances was to-cause separation between the spouses, and that was all, a such a case, neither the 1, That is, the right of divotec effected by (he wale in Leu of a compensation paid by hee lo the husband ut of her own property,—Tr.Status of Womant ic Different Agee It ‘in nor the woman was entitied to Temairy. Obviously, tits mieafure war even worse, for after acparation they were left with no other choice than to become monks and mans or resortto a life of sin. 3. It was comtidered viciow, rather sinful, for the spouses to remarry after the death of their life jarinens. According ta the Christian schotara, remacrying was nothing but a means of satisfying aaimal passions and lusts of the fgsh: They called it “civilized adoltery". Remarcying by. the Priests was particularly looked upon asa crime under the Cherch law, Law of the land had also Prohibited it in certain places, and where it was allowed by jaw, Public opinion which was deeply oolmired by the religious prejudices, did not recognize it a3 lawful. . . Modern Enrope . ‘When in the 18th century the ‘European philosophers and writers raised their voice in favour of the individual's tights against the society ‘and: began to blow the trumpet of liberty they in fact were attacking the amtisocial rystem of neorality aad life that had been brought ia by! the unholy alliance of the Christian moral doctrings and ibe papvalent feudal system, This had suppressed and crushed the bumantiges and blocked th: way of progress for a long time. The destrattion of this anti-social eystean af the bands of the European architects of renaissance paved the way for the French Revalution, atier which the Western civilization steadily grew on the lines leading to end culminating in the modern age of progress aod entightenmeat. To the begining of the modern age, efforts. made te raise..the wontnfolk from virtual skavery brought about wholssome effects in the community life. Rigorouy Tegulations relating to marriage and divorce were moderated, Economic rights of worten of which they had been compiotely deprived were simost zedtored. Mozal doctrines vehich held women low and contemptible were reformed. Social concepts which had reduced them to virtual clavery were modided. _ Portals of higher education ant Waining were opened to ibem also along with men. These’ reforms’ gradually helped to bring out their hidden capabilities suppreaacd by wrong social laws and moral concepts. They beantified the houses, isnt charm ond Wreciness to social life and mndertook welfare works. Under: their ante