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12 Purdad’ anu the Statas of Woman in Islam good influence and care, public health was improved, new gracni- tions brought up better, patients nursed and home science was rapidly developed. These were the initial fruits of the awakening brought about in the lives of women by the new civilization. ut there ia another side of the picture. The doctrines that gave birth to this awakening were inclined towards an oxtrome from the very bexinning- This inclination rapidly increased during the 19th ceatury, until with the advent of the 20th century the pendulom of social fife in the West had already swung to the opposite extrem. . ‘Three Doctrines of Western Society ; The doctrines underlying the Western society may be divided uoder three heads : 1. Equality between the male and the female ; 2, Esonomie independence of woman; and 3. Free intermingling of the artes. The result of building and developing social life om these pases was inevitable. Jt led Europe to the following comsequences + 1. Equality between the sexes was taken to meen that the mau, and the -womin were net only equal in moral stats and bumas tights, but that the wortai was also free to umiartake the same sort ofjobs as were done by the man, end that moral restrictions om her pesdeil to be dlackened as they wert for fier. Tike wrong coucept of écmality Jed women ssiray and made them gomindfal of their natural functions on the performance of which depends tho very existence of homeén race and civilization, She became wholly absorbed in ber economic, politica and social pursuits. He elec tioncering compaigns, service in offices and factories, competition with men for commercial and industriat. vocations, sports and physical exercises, social entertainments, and her abtorption in the elub, stage and musical conceits, besides coveral other cagagements, so overwhelmed her that she became utterly indifferent to the responsibilities of riactied life. The bringing up of children and. the organization and care of the home cemted-to be-her apectal care. Besides, she developed an abhorrence for her natural duties, affecting iltimately the family ayatem which fs the basis of civilization. The result ia thal hotne life on which depends man's efficiency is fastStatus of Woman in Differem Ages 13 disappeating inthe West. The bond of marriage which js the practical form of maa and woman's So-opzration in the service and ‘development of civilization is rapidly weakening. Th: increase in population is beiag checked by birth ¢ontrol, abortion and des- truction of the offspring. The wrong concept of moral equality bas come to establish mmmoril equality belween Lhe sexes. ‘Those vicious and sinful acts which were ooce held shameful even for mea, gow do not bring any shame or disgrace on women... . ° 2. The economic independence of woman - has mado her indepesdent of man aod the great time-honoured principle, “Man for the field and woman for the hearth", hay been flung to the winds. The new principle is that both mao and woman should earn and jeave the ruoning and maintenance of the home tg the hotel. After such a radical change, man and woman have been ki. with no commen interest that could bind them together except the satisfaction of their texual désites. -Obdvioully, the mere satisfaction of the sexual desires is not a thing that caa tie the male and the female together for a Jifelong companionship ang compel them to live a family life with common interests. Why should a woman who wins her own bread, supports hersclf economically and does not-depond on anyone for security aud maintenance, remain faithfully attached to one man only for the sake of satisfying her ecaual desires 1 Why shoud she be prepdred to subject herself ta se many moral and legal curbs to shoulder the respoosibilities of family life 7 Especially, whet the concept of moral equality has cleared her way of all obstacles for satisfying sexual desires freely, why should shg forsake the easy, pleasure-giving and alluring way of satisfying thea and choose the antiquated way that i¢ not only laden with responsibilities but demands sacriices also ? With the banishment of religion from life, the fcar of committing sin was aulomatically destroyed. The fear of society is no more there, because the seciety sow does not regard a prostitute with disfavour but welcomes her, Lastly, there wau the danger of illegitimate children; this has been guarded against by the conracdprive devices. [fthese devices fail, abortion may be resorted to. If abortion cannot he procured, the baby may be quictly disposed ul fur ever. lt, however, the motherly instinct (which is not yet deady saves the child, no compunetion is felt for14 | Purdat and the Status of Wronum in Islant being an unmarried mother. “Spinster mother™ and “jTegitireate child" have so freely and favourably. been talked about that no society con now dare regard them with disfavaur, unless of oounee, it is prepared to brave the charges of chscurantism and -backward-' ptsy. oO . This state of affairs has shaken the very ‘foundations of social life in the West. Hundreds of thousands of young women in every Weatern country like to tive unmarried lives, which they are bound to pasa in intmoral, promiscuous and sinful ways, A ull greater nomber of them marry under the temporary impulse of physical Jove, but sittee there does oot exist any relation of inter-dependence between the man and the womdn that may permanently bind them together except the sexual relation, the bond of marriage has alu lost most of itt strength and stability. The man and the wottan who heye arown, alniest wholly independent of each other, do not generally find themse¢lves iachioed io any kind of mutual concession or com- Promise. Transient and short-lived ag enictional-sexual Jove. is, 3 martiage based om it carat stand the strain of even the most ordinary difference of opinion, not ta speak of real indifference that mora often thant not becomes the cause of separation. It is for this reason that most marriages end in divorce or estrangement. .. Contraceptive devices, resort to aborden, destruction of the- offspring; falling of the birthrate and tne high incidence. of illegitimate births, all pomt to the same mootcause. Lmmoral and promiscuous living and the spread of venereal diseases can also be traced back to the same sad state of affairs. 3. The free intermingliag of the sexes ‘has brought in its wake an Sver-growing tendency towards showing off, mudéoess and sex Perversion. Sexual attraction which naturally exists between the sixes as a strong instinctive urge becomes all too powerful, even robellious, to teansgreaz all limits with every impctus it reorives from the free intermingliag of the men and.women. This-freedom of mixing together naturally gives rise to an urge te appear as attractive to the opposité sex as possibke. Inthe abstace of any moral ce straint this urge ia aatixfied with increasing keenness and both the sexea begin to show off and display their physical charms withoutStats of Womeant it Different dyes » 45 any consideration for decency. This tendency sometimes touched nudeness. Such is thé condition of the Western civilization today. To develop & tuagnetic attraction for man hes become a maria with the woman there. When, however, she cannot satisfy this mania in spite of bright and dazzling dresa, powders and lip-sticks. and a thousand other ways of beautifying herself, the poor lisgusted soul Jumps out of her clothes. Men, on the other band, are growing more and more voracious in their sexaal appetite, because the fire of base emotions burning within them flares up instead of being quenched with ever-increasing intensity with every aew gesture of display from women, These poor people in fact suffer from an insatiable thirst which tends to become even more insatiable with every drop of water passing down their throats. To satisfy this extraordinary sexual urge they are ever busy inventiag and designing mew ways. The oude pictures, sexual literaturc, love romancta, nude ballroom dancing, sex-inciting filma, all are means of itensif'ying the same fire which the wrong social system has kindled in every heart. To save-their faces, they callit “art”. This disease is eating fast into the very vitals of the Western nations, No nation in the past has urvived [t. Itdestroys ali the Mental and physical capabilities of inan that God has endowed him with for his well-heing and prosperity. Obviously, the people who are surrounded by sex stimulants on all sides, wha have to face a new temptation and a new spur every moment, who are submerged in an emotionally wrought-up environment, and who perpetually Tenain in a feverish condition on account of nade pictures, cheap literature, exciting songs, emotionally erotic danccs, romantic films, highly disturbing scenes of obscenity and ever-present changes of encountering members of the opposite sex, cannot possibly find that peace of mind and tranquillity of heart thut is so essential for con structive aod creative work. More than that, such an environment that prevails in the Western world today is not at all conducive to that calm and peaveful atmosphere which is essential for the full development of the mental and moral qualilics of the coming generations. As soon as the young people attain maturity, animal passions lay complete hold of them with the result hat the moral growth of theit personalities ja almost wholly impeded.16 Purdak and the Status of Woran in Isfant Miserable Faifare of Haman Intellect This is the historical background of the tise und fall of civili- gations aver a poriad of three thousand years or go, It is related to a vast.acea that has been the cradle of two great civilizations of the.past, and which again boasts of the most prorineat civilization in the world of today. Similar is the story of Egypt, Habylog, Tyan aod other countries. The sub-continent has ulko been suffering from one excess or the other for centuries. Here, on the one hand the woman is made to worship the man who becomes her master and lord : she has to subserve her father as a maid in childhood, become a chattel of the husband in youth and submit humbly to her children in widowhood. She is required to sacrifice herself over the burning bier of lier husband; she is deprived af her right to inherit and acquire property; ahe is subjected to extreme laws in mattiage under which she is made over toa man without her con- seut; and she is compelled to live willy-nilly under the thumb of that husband till her death. She is regarded as an embodiment of sin and moral and spiritual depravity as in Judalsm and Christianity, and she ix not supposed to have an independent personality. On the other hand, when she is regatded with love, she is made a play- thing for animal passion, she overrides the man, ruins herself and leads the whole community to decay and disiptegration. Worship of the male ond female organs, naked and genitally united statues in temples, zeligious prostitutes, frivolous scenes at the. festival of Holi, all are manifestations of the w2me malady. Thesc are indeed the impious remnants of the movement started hy Bam-marg, which spread like plague in India al the zeaith of her civilization. Just asit brought ruin to Ira, Babylon, Greece and Rome, so itled the ” entire Hindu nation to the-lowest ebb of its decking. If we study these instances carefully, we shall see how difficult it is for man tn atiain a balanced and just view with regard to woman, grasp it fully aod practise it in Vifc. A balanced view can only be the one which, ov the one hand, allows the Woman an opportually for developing her personality and capabilities fully, and enables her to play her due role in the cultivation of human civilization with fuil- grown capacitits’ dod skills, and, on the other, prevents her from . becoming a means of mora! decay and disintegration, Her partner-Status of Woman ia Different dges . 17 ship with man should be so adjusted that co-operation of one with the other prodoces whelesome results in the building up of com- munity life. Mun bas beta trying hard for centuries to attain this haluncedl and just view but has not yet succeeded. Sometimes he swings 10 one extreme aud renders one half of humanity useless; sometimes he swings to the other cxinme and-the whole of humanity becomes paralysed, This balanced and just view is not imagivary, it exists. But man’s faculty of judgement has become s¢ blunted Sy contimuqusly shilling his position between the two extremes ‘for centuries that now he dees not even recognize it. Indeed he spurns it, speaks disparagingly of it, and tries to put to shame those whe happen to possess it: He ntay be likened to a child who it born in a coal Inine and bred-and brought up there. Obviously, he wifl tuke the dark aimesphere of his place of birch for the real and natural world. But dhe he is brought out of it and confronta the blight, pure‘aad clean wortd of nature, he will aturally feél i at ease in the beginning. But man after allis man. He cannot possibly keep his eyes closed to reality and refuse icdivcern between a coal-ceiling and the star- studded sky, His ‘hungs cannot fefuse to distinguish petween the pure ait and the 7 impure dust for long.CHAPTER, 3 Purdah and the Mustims of Today Te Muslin: way (he on¢ wha could save the world from the cvil of extremes, because he alone Possesseg the correct solution of al the prablemsa of man’s ‘community life, But the tragedy of man's Tmistortune has been that the one possessing the beacon of Light has himself gone night-blind, Not to speak of guiding others to the Right Path, be.himsclf has got lost and is running afler the other blind people in sgarch af. fight and truth, : , ‘The word “Purdah" iy ysed.as a tide foc the set of injunctions which consiituts the most important pert of the Islamic system of community Jife. If these injunctions. are, wewed in their Tight Perspective against the structure. of This System, every person wha has not whotly lost hie powers of discernment will readily admit this to d¢ the eoly balaced and just view in regard to man’s social Ife. Then if this system is shown to work Practically in its true spirit, the whole woe-siricken world will rush towards this fountain- bead of peace and security and seek its help in curing its"social maladies. But the question is > Who will undertake such a de- monstation? The ona who could do this has himself been taken ill for a long time, Therefore, before Proceeding further let us have a look at him and try to diagnose his ailment. Historical Background Tt was the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century when the Western nations’ hunger for territotial expansion assumed the proportions of a deluge on the herizong of the Musiim countries and before the people conid fully wake up tothe impending disaster, it took the whole world of Islam, from the east to the west, by storm. Consequently, by the middle of the 19th century most of the Muslim nations had been subdued by Europe. Even those nations which apparently held theit own had io fact been subdued toentally andPirdah and the Muslims of Today 19 spiritually. When this subjugation was complete, the Muslims began to cast off slomber. The national pride thaé they had developed through centuries of rule and canyuesl was shattered dnd Like a drunken one who is brought to senses by continuous strokes of a powerful enemy, they began to examine the causes of their humilia- tion and defeat and those of European domination. Though the ‘state of intoxication was over, they bad not yet fully regained their senses and balance. On the one hand, their feeling of extreme Dumibation was impelling them for the change. On the other, their Jove of ease and comfart which they had developed during the past exniuries forced them io choos, the path of the least resistance to bring bout this change. Then their iotellectupl powers which they had got. cared to exercise for degudes had alse prown rusty. Besides, they soon developed a slavish mentality and fear which naturally afflict a nation that has been politically routed. All these various factors combined 'to mislead. the Muslims into grave pitfatls. Most of them were indeed at a loss to understand ithe real causes of their downfall vis-a-vis Europe's rist to power. But even those wha understood these causes Jacked the aeosssary courage, and muscle as wall a the spirit tn, fight for theiz freedom. On top of that mental subjugation afflicted both the, classes. “Being dopenerate the way they -chese to climb the ladder of progress w was the one offering the least resisiapog. They decided to imitate the ways ‘and maapers of the Western civilization in their dives and develop the quality of a mirror: that faithfully selects a garden in full bloom but in seal is is without wee ee Loeb, . Mental Slavery Tt was ‘during this state af crisis that the Western dress, Western ways of living; Western etiquette, dvan Western manners of moving about, were itnitated and all- Sint efforts made to mould the Muslim sogiety after the Wesicrn patterns. Heresy, atheisto and materialism wore agtepied asa, fashion. - Any jdea, good or bad, that came front the West wis: uecepted without question and favoured publicly ip show broad-mindedness. Driaking, gambling, lottery. system, horse-racing, theatre, niusic, dancing and other eviis-of the Weatern civilization were adopted most eagerly. All the Westeta theories20 Purdon and the States af Wontar in tslant and practices pertaming to cultute, morality, social life, economics, politics, law, even religious belichs and worships, were accepted blindly without ascertaining their validity, like a Divine Revelation, which has to be believed and obeyed. Piven the cveats of Islamic History, injunctions of the Tdamis Sheri'ch, aod the Cormandments of the Quran and Hadira, that were objected to in the spirit of Fault-' finding by the enemies of Istam, began’ to shame the Muslims into| apilogizing. The Europeans objected to Jihud and Mustima readily expressed their indignation against it; they found fault with slavery? and ihe Muslims averted that if was absolutely onlawiul in Islatt; they objected to polygamy and the Muslims al atce closed their eyes fo a clear verse of the Qur'an, they sald ehat man and woman should enjoy perfect equafity between them, the Musiims said that that was their "aitli ; they objected to the Islamic laws governing marriage dod divorce, the Mushims were bent on mending and modifying them; they said that Islam disfavoured art, the Muslims. stated that Islam had always been patronizing music and dancing, painting and sculpture; sv on and 30 forth. : How .the Problem Arce At this mest shameful peried of the Muslim history, Purdalr systera alsa cameé undef fire, Jf the question had beca: How ntuch freedom had woman been allowed in Islam?—it was not difficult ta tackle. Tha most one could diffct in che matter was whether ths hands and the, jape. é te be covered of left uncovered; and this was in uo way a basié diffrence, The question, however, was a different one. This question arcse among the Musiima because “"Barope regarded “harem”, Pordah and veil with disfaveur. The Buropead waiters portrayed these in loathsome and ugly colours 1. As regards. alavery, it ‘chowld: bo -noted-weil that Istacn ans strictly poe Hibited the sale andpurchasd of free human beings. It has, howevey, permilied fiJa inthe case of priscoers of war asa uceessacy evil. The Muslims may cilber fet them free a5 a favour, of for ramsam or for exchange of Muslim prisaners at war, oi keep’ them as slives fn theirhouses. But oven ia that dase, alavery hos been made ag Homaene as possible: The Mudlics kav been endoined to treat fSen with the weast- kindnas and educate them to bocour usélol members af society. Tho slaves arc abo aflewed to win their freedom by folélling the conde sons that cay-be laid downy by thelr inastere,—Tr, :Purdah ard the Muslims of Today *1 and, ‘while enumerating the demerits of Iulam, they mentioned the “confinement” of women prominently. Ag usual the Mustima felt ashamed, and, they reacled and behaved in the matter of Purdah exactly ax they had donc in matters of Jihad, slavery, polygamy, eto. They Lurnod over the pages of the Qur'an, Collections of Hadith and religious opinions and verdicts of Lhe early doctors merely with a view to collecting some material with which they could wash off tbe “ugly blot’ of shame. They found that certain scholars had allowed uncovering ofthe hands and the face, and also that a woman couki go out as and when required under nccessity. Again they found that a woman was permitted to go to the battlefield to look after the wounded anel thirsty soldiers. She could alse visit mosques for offering prayers aud for learning ot impacting knowledge. With this material in hand, they came out with the claim thar Islam bad granted full liberty to woman, Purdah was 4 custom of ignorance which had bee adopted by the narrow-minded Muslims long after ‘the plorious period of Islan. They ajso averced that the Qur'an and Hadith were devoil of the Purdah injunctions; they only inculcated moral iwachings of modesty and chastity; and Islam did not recognize any ciocipline restricting the movements of women. The Real Motives One common weakness with man is that when he adopts an attitude in life, his approach in the beginning is generally emotional ' and isrational.” Later, be trics to prove il io be rational by resort do argument and reason. 'The samic Was the approach adepted by qhe Muslims with regard to the law of Purdab. It did not arise wander the [celing of a rational or religious need, it arose as a result of being overwhelmed by the attractive culture of a dominant power and its vehement propaganda agaitst Isiamic culture. When our so-called reformers saw with dazed eyes the European ladies in their full make-up moving freely and participating actively in social life, theycauld not help longing tt see their own womenfolk also tread the same path of freedom and progress. They were also influenced by the modern concepts of the cmuncipation and educa- tion of wornen aud the propaganda of the equality of the sexes that swas incessantly being carried out by powertul logic and the printing >22 Purdah and the Sidtus of Women in fsfant machine. The literature thus produced was so attrartive and power- fol that it adversely affected their powers of thinking and discrimina- tion. Jt forced them to believe in these concepts without qlestion, and propagate them by ail passible means. They were convinced Hsat enforcing these comcep:a ia the practical life was absolutely essential for one who liked to de called “ealightened mod broad- minded” us against ‘rigid and old-fashioned”. Therefore, when modestly dressed veiled women were dubbed “‘moviag tents and shrouded - funerals”, these so-called reformers felt shamed into disgrace, Obviously, they could nat put up with this disgrace and humiliation for o Iong time. They were, therefore, impelled to wash off this shameful blot from the face of their secial life as soon as possible. , Such were the leclings and trends that gave birth ta the movement for the emancipation of women among the Muslima towards the cad of the 19th century. Some people wha did not know why they felt inclined towards this movement had these very sentiments lurking. in their subconscious. They were in fact labouring under aelf- deception. Others who were fully conscious of their inclinations could net dare express therm openly. They did not deegive theme — Selves, they tried to deceive others. Both the classes, however, made it a paint to conceal the real motives behind their movement and tried to project it as a rational, instead of an emotional, move~ ment, The various pretcxts that were brought in support of it were al imported directly from Europe. Among these were worvn's health considerations, growth of their intellectual capabilities and practical skills, proteetion of their natural birth rights, safeguarding their economic iadependence, their deliverance from man's boodage and apathy and, above all, the necessity of their progress as oo it alone depended the coitural advancement of the whole community. These pretexts were put forth with a view to hoodwinking the common Muslims and keeping them in the dark about the real motives of guiding and directing the womenfolk to follow in the footsteps of the Western women and moulding them inte the social patterns prevalent in the West. A Great Hoax The greatest hoax thal hay been played in this caanection ixPurdah and the Muslims of Today that efferts were made to prove from the Qur'an and Madi that this movement was in perfect conformity with Islam. The fact, however, is that Islam aud the Western civilization are poles apart - in their objectives as well as Io their principles of social argantzation. . islam, as we shall ses (ater, aims at canalizing man’s sex energy by Morat discipline so 43 to render it conducive to the building up of “clean and pious culture instead of wasting it in dissipation and erstic passions. In contrast to this, the Western civilization alms al speeding wp material progress by encouraging equal participation of min anl woman inthe affairs and responsibilities of Hfe, and at the same time sublimating scx cnergy in arts and other channels with a view to getting celief from the bitter hardships of the life struggle, This difterence of objectives necessarily leads la a Funda- Tidutal difference in approach and methods of social organization as adopted by Islam and thc Western civilization, Thus the object uf Tslam is to establish a social order chat segregates the spheres of uctivily of the male and the female, discoursges and coatrols the frev intermingling of the sexes, and curbs all such factors as are likely to upset and jeopardise the soria! discipline. Onthe contrary, the abject before the Western civilization requircs, and naturalig so, that both the sexes should 6¢ drawn ioto the same field of life and activity, that a! such hindrances and impediments should be removed as are likely to obstruct theit free and promiscuous inter- mingling, and that they should be atforded unlimited opportunities to enjoy each olher’s bsaaty and charm of physical petfections. Now, any intelligeat person can see how sadly mistaken are those people who, on the one hand, feel inclined to follow the Western civilization and, on the other, cite Islamic principles of social life in support of theic trends, According te the Social System of Islam, a woman at the most cau uicever her hands and face, if necessaty, and can so ont of her house for genuine needs. Rut these people take this last limit as their starting poiol. They set out from the point were Islam comes to halt, andtransgress all limits of decency and modesty without hesitation. Not to speak of the hands and fase, beautifuliy parted hair on the head, hare ams ta the shoulders, and semi-covered breusts are also displayed, Rest of the bodily charms are so coveredin gauey atiircs as tu satisfyat Purdoh and the Status of Wontart it Islant the hungry sexual gaze of men. More than that, tastefully dressed wives, sisters and daughters in full make-up, are brought face to face with friends, not to speak of near relations, and arc encouraged to mix freely and have good time with them in a manner and to an exiont unimaginable for a Muslim lady even in company of her real brother. Permission to leave the house that was conditional on genuine need and observance of perfect modesty and fall covering of the body is being abused for license ie roam aimlessly on the road-sitle, siroll in the parks, visit hotcls and go to pictures, im glamorous saris and attractive blouses that hardly cover their nakedness, The limited and conditional freedom that women had been allowed by Islam in matters other than home science is being sed ax argumcat to encourage the Muslim women te abandon home life and its responsibilitics like the European women and make their lives miserable by runoing after political, economic, social and other activities shoulder te shouider with men. , Things in the sub-continent have so far reached this state, but the condition of the people of Egypt, Turkey and Iran, who are Politically free but mentally servile is even worse. To vie with European women, the “Muslim” women of these couutries have started wearing exactly the same sort of dress as in worn in lhe West. ‘Turkish ladies have taken to beach bathing in one-piece bathiag- guits, the dress which hardly covers one-fourth of the body and tiat also in a manner 4s to reveal all the outlines of the female figure. One wonders how people caf seek justificution for sucha shameless way of lite from the Qur'an and Hadith. If some people feel like adopting it, they should beldly do so and declare their desertion of Tslam and ita jaw wnequivecally. This would indeed be the height of hypocrisy and dishonesty on their part if they openly adopted in dhe name of the Qur'an that system and way of life whose basic principles, objectives and practices have been condemned, onc and all, as unlawful by the Qur'an. By citing the Que’ae at the outest they perhaps want to deceive the world inte believing that they are following the Qur’nn in thei entire lives. The Object Before Us Such being the condition of the “Muslim'’ of today, our abject