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Verses of the Qur'an
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Ahadith of the Holy Prophet
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Arguments For and Against
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Views
of Eminent Scholars
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Discussion and Conclusion
I ‑ VERSES
OF THE QUR'AN
Those who
oppose the above proposition and contend that a woman is not permitted
by Islam to become the head of state or chief executive, produce the
following verses of the Holy Qur'an in their support:‑
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Behold, thy
Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They
said, "Wilt thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and
shed blood?‑ whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy
(name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not." (2:30)
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And
behold, We said to the angels, "Bow down to Adam'; and they bowed down
:Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was of those who reject
Faith. (2:34)
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And women
shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what
is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. And Allah
is Exalted in Power, Wise. (2:228)
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And get two
witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man
and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them
errs, the other can remind her. (2:282)
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Men are the
protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one
more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their
means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in
(the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard. (4:34)
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It is He
Who created you from a single person, and made his mate of like nature
in order that he might dwell with her (in love). When they are united,
she bears a light burden and carries it about (unnoticed). When she
grows heavy, they both pray to Allah their Lord, (saying):"If Thou
givest us a goodly child, we vow we shall (ever) be grateful." (7:189)
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Before
thee, also the apostles We sent were but men, to whom We granted
inspiration: if ye realise this not, ask of those who possess the
Message. (21:7)
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And stay
quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of
the former Times of Ignorance; and establish regular prayer and give
regular charity; and obey Allah and His Apostle. And Allah only wishes
to remove all abomination froze you, ye Members of the Family, and to
make you pure and spotless. (33:33)
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O
Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that
they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad):that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and
not molested: And Allah is Oft‑Forgiving, Most Merciful. (33:59)
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Is then one
brought up among trinkets, and unable to give a clear account in a
dispute (to be associated with Allah)? (43:18)
Those who
support the proposition and contend that a woman can become the head of
a Muslim state or chief executive, refer to the following verses of the
Holy Qur'an:‑
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And
remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord, with certain Commands,
which he fulfilled: He said: "I will make thee an Imam to the Nations."
He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!" He answered: "But My
Promise is not within the reach of evil doers." (2:124)
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And women
shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what
is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them.. And Allah
is Exalted in Power, Wise. (2:228)
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O
mankind! reverence your Guardian‑Lord Who created you from a single
person, created, of like nature, his mate,
and from
them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women:‑ reverence
Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights), and (reverence) the
wombs (that bore you):for Allah ever watches over you. (4:1)
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And in no
wise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His gifts more
freely on some of you than on others: to men is allotted what they earn,
and to women what they earn: but ask Allah of His bounty; for Allah hath
full knowledge of all things. (4:32)
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The
believers, men and women, are protectors, one of another: they enjoin
what is just; and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers,
practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His apostle, on them will
Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is exalted in Power, Wise. (9:71)
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(They are)
those who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular prayer
and give regular charity; enjoin the right and forbid wrong: with Allah
rests the end (and decision) of (all) affairs. (22:24)
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(The
queen) said: "Ye chiefs! Here is‑delivered to me‑a letter worthy of
respect. "It is from Solomon, and is (as follows):"In the name of Allah,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful: "Be ye not arrogant against me but come to
me in submission to the true Religion."
She said:
"Ye chiefs! Advise me in (this) my affair: no affair have I decided
except in your presence." They said: "We are endued with strength, and
given to vehement war: but the command is with thee; so consider what
thou wilt command." She said: "King, when they enter a country, despoil
it, and make the noblest of its people its meanest: thus do they behave.
"But I am going to send him a present, and (wait) to see with what
(answer) return (my) ambassadors." (27:29‑35)
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He said:
"Transform her throne out of all recognition by her: Let us see whether
she is guided (to the truth) or is one of those who receive no
guidance." So when she arrived, she was asked, "Is this thy throne?" She
said, "It was just like this: and knowledge was bestowed on us in
advance of this, and we have submitted to Allah (in Islam)," and he
diverted her from the worship of others besides Allah: for she was
(sprung) of a people that had no faith. She was asked to enter that
lofty Palace: but when she saw it, she thought it was a lake of water,
and she (tucked up her skirts), uncovering her legs. He said: "This is
but a palace paved smooth with slabs of glass." She said: "O my Lord!' I
have indeed wronged my soul: I do (now) submit (in Islam), with Solomon,
to the Lord of the Worlds." (27:41‑44)
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Those who
hearken to their Lord, and establish regular prayer; who (conduct) their
affairs by mutual consultation; who spend out of what We bestow on them
for sustenance. (42:38)
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II ‑
AHADITH OF THE PROPHET
Ahadith of
the Prophet (PBUH) of Islam relevant to the subject are:‑
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Abu Bakrah reported: when it reached the Prophet that the Persians had
enthroned a daughter of the Chosroe as queen over them, he said; never
shall a people prosper who appoints a woman to conduct their affairs.
(Bukhari)
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Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: "When your rich are
pious, your wealthy are generous and your affairs are governed by mutual
consultation, the surface of earth is better for you than its crust; but
when your rich are bad, your wealthy are miser and your affairs are
conducted by women, the crust of the earth is better for you than its
surface." (Tirmizi ‑ poor)
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Abu Saeed Al-Khudri reported that the Apostle of Allah came out for ‘Id‑ul‑Azha
or ‘Id‑ul‑Fitr towards the praying place and passed by some
women. He said: O Assembly of women, give alms and verily I see majority
of you as the inmates of Hell. They asked: O Messenger of Allah, for
what? He said: You often take to curse and are ungrateful to companions.
What I see from one of you about defect of wisdom and religion in
comparison with the wisdom of a wise man is a proof. They asked: And
what is the defect in our religion and intelligence, O Messenger of
Allah? He said: Is not the attestation of a woman like half of the
attestation of a man? Yes, they said: And that is on account of her
short intelligence: He said: Does she not, when she menstruates, desist
from praying and fasting? Yes, said they. He said: That is on account of
her defect in religion. (Bukhari, Muslim).
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III ‑
ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST
Let us
examine the arguments of both the sides before we reach some conclusion.
Those who oppose the rule of woman give the following arguments from the
Qur'an and Hadith.
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It was
Adam, the man and not the woman whom Allah placed as viceroy in the
earth. (Al‑Qur'an 2:30) Since the man has been made viceroy, how a woman
can rule? ‑ is the argument.
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It was
Adam, the man; before whom the Angels prostrated at the command of Allah
(Al‑Qur'an 2:34). So it is argued that the Angels prostrated before the
man, how a woman can rule over him?
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Though the
women have similar rights as men, yet the men are a degree above them
(Al‑Qur'an 2:228). Hence the argument is: since the man is superior to
woman, she cannot rule over him.
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Evidence of
two women is equal to the evidence of one man (Al‑Qur'an 2:282), so the
argument is that the woman who is half of man, how she can rule over
him?
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Men have
been declared as Qawwam (in charge of) of women and, according to
some who translate the word Qawwam as ruler, they are rulers of
women. (AI‑Qur'an 4:34). The man is the head of the family while a woman
enjoys a secondary position. So it is argued that a woman who cannot
become even head of the family in the presence of a man, how she can
become head of the state or the nation?
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By
referring to Al‑Qur'an (7:189) some argue that the function of women is
to console the man and produce and bring up children and not to aspire
for political offices.
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God has
sent only men as prophets for guidance of, humanity (Al‑Qur'an 21:7).
Since a woman has not been made Prophet, she cannot be ruler either.
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The women
have been instructed to stay in their houses (Al‑Qur'an 33:33). One who
cannot come out of her house except in the case of very essential need,
then how can she be permitted to assume the responsibilities of the head
of state which require full time engagements out of her home.
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The
women have been directed to observe purdah when they come out of
their houses (Al‑Qur'an 33:59). When a woman cannot come out of her
house before the strangers without observing purdah, how she can
hold political offices, specially the office of the head of state which
requires frequent meetings with the men, not only from one's own country
but also with foreigners.
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The woman
is brought up in ornaments and in dispute cannot make herself plain
(Al‑Qur'an 43:19). From this they argue that a woman is weak by nature.
She is very delicate and is brought up in fineries and ornaments and
lacks logical reasoning and sound argumentation. Therefore, she renders
herself to be incapable of ruling.
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The
Prophet of Islam, when he heard that the Persians had made the daughter
of Kisra ruler over them, said: "Never shall a people prosper who make a
woman their ruler"(Bukhari). According to another Tradition, the
Prophet of Islam called the women deficient in wisdom and religion
(Hadith reported in Bukhari and Muslim).
Those who
say that a woman can rule advance the following arguments.
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The
Qur'an has not prohibited the rule of woman anywhere. Not to speak of
prohibiting or condemning it in clear‑cut words in the direct manner,
the Qur'an has not even uttered a single word in disapproving or
disfavouring it. Had it been unlawful or haram, as the orthodox
say, there would have been certainly revealed a verse declaring it so.
When the Qur'an has not overlooked even minor issues while laying down
the rules and regulations governing the conduct of an individual in the
family and society, how it could overlook such an important and vital
issue like the rule of woman if it is haram and adversely effects
the progress and welfare of humanity. The silence of Qur'an on this
crucial issue means that . the Muslim community has been left to decide
it according to the circumstances and according to their best interest.
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It has been
related in the Qur'an (2:124) that God was pleased with Prophet Abraham
and appointed him a leader for mankind. In response to the question of
the Prophet whether there would be leaders from his offspring also, God
said that there would be leaders from his offspring but the wrongdoers
from them would not be appointed leaders. Had the leadership of women
been unlawful; God would have certainly said," My promise does not`
include wrongdoers and women," instead of saying, "My promise includes
not wrongdoers."
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The
women have rights similar to those of the men (AlQur'an 2:228). If, the
man has the ‑right to become head of state or government, why can't a
woman aspire for this office?
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The story,
of a woman ruler, the Queen of Sheba, has been related by the Qur'an in
its chapter 27. From the description of the Qur'an, we come to notice
that
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Her rule was not that of an autocrat: She had a very good quality of
consulting others on all important affairs of the state (a quality which
was lacking in most of the male rulers of her times).
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She was a very wise woman and her sound opinion could not be ignored.
See how she convinces her chieftains to come to terms with (Prophet)
Solomon.
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Like a true statesman, she was against war and loved peace. Instead of
agreeing with her war lords, she advances very sound arguments against
the war. Thus a decision is taken to start negotiations rather than
going to war. Perhaps a chauvinist would not have adopted this course of
action.
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Prophet Solomon tested her judgement bymiraculously
producing her throne but in a disguised form and she recognised it.
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And on top of all that she accepts Islam when she meets the Prophet and
sees the light despite the fact that she was the ruler of a disbelieving
nation and had lived all her life among the polytheists and idolaters.
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The Qur'an
has not talked of the rule of the Queen of Sheba with disapproval and
condemnation or denunciation: Rather her habit of consulting others
before taking decision on vital issues, her peace‑loving temperament,
her wisdom and sound judgment, and her readiness to accept Islam at once
rather than persisting in disbelief, have found special mention in the
Qur'an.
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There is
almost a consensus of opinion among the jurists and scholars of Islam
that the functions of an Islamic state have been outlined by the Qur'an
in its verse 41 of chapter 22. These functions include establishing of
prayer, paying of zakat, and enjoining good and forbidding wrong. These
very functions have been again mentioned in the verse 71 of chapter 9 of
the Qur'an and the responsibility of discharging these functions has
been laid on both the Muslim men and women.
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It is
also held unanimously that verse 38 of chapter 42 of the Holy Qur'an
provides the foundations of Islamic democracy when it lays down:"...and
whose affairs are a matter of counsel..." If this verse is considered
along with the verse preceding it and subsequent to it, we can easily
understand that the Qur'an is mentioning the virtues of the believers,
both male and female. One of these virtues is that they decide their
affairs by mutual consultation. History is witness to many incidents
when the Prophet (PBUH) himself consulted the believers before taking a
decision. On some occasions he consulted the women also. At Hudeybia he
consulted his wife Umme Salamah and made an important decision.
From this
it is evident that a woman can be a counsel. Since in a democratic
government (and the system of government in Islam is democracy), the
ruler is one of the counsels and conducts the affairs of the state in
consultation, the modern scholars and the liberal thinkers infer that a
woman can also become a ruler.
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To
support their contention, they also argue that Hadrat `Ayesha, the wife
of the Prophet (may Allah's peace be on him), commanded the troops and
participated in the `Battle of the Camel' in order to get the Qisas of
the murder of Hadrat Usman the third righteous Caliph.
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The
supporters of the women's rule do not accept the Hadith. pertaining to
daughter of Kisra as authentic since its reporter Abu Bakra was found
guilty of false evidence and was punished by Hadrat Umar. The other
Hadith regarding a woman's deficiency in wisdom and religion is not
accepted being its contradiction with the teachings of the Qur'an and
the Prophet (PBUH) of Islam about women.
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IV ‑ VIEWS
OF EMINENT SCHOLARS
Now some
views of the scholars are quoted for and against the rule of woman.
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Encyclopaedia of Seerah says: "That a woman is not only physically weak
and mentally emotional, tender, sensitive and delicate, but is also
under great strain for a few days every month 'during menstruation. Then
" she has periods of physiological as well as psychological strain
during pregnancy, birth and suckling. She is naturally most suited for
the job of childbearing, and their nursing, training and education. The
chief office of the state needs qualifications and qualities quite
opposed to the natural endowments of a woman. Islam has therefore
advised against entrusting the chief executive post of the leadership
(imamat) of the nation to a ,woman for these very reasons, and not
because of any feeling of hatred or contempt for her." It further says:
"Muslim scholars have summed, up the qualifications necessary for
a candidate for leadership in these words: he has independent judgement
(of a mujtahid) in the fundamentals. and details of Din,
so as to satisfy people of every opinion; he has a deep and penetrating
vision of human problems and is fully acquainted with the
strategies of war and peace, as otherwise, he will not be able to solve
the multifarious problems facing Din and the Millat; and
he should be a man of great determination and courage, so that no power
can obstruct him in the fulfilment of his duties.
Obviously,
these qualities are more often found in men than in women; and even then
in very few men."
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Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, a leading scholar of the . Islamic world, gave a
Fatwa in favour of the rule of Shahjahan Begum, the queen of Bhopal.
The Maulana states that if the government is democratic and the affairs
of the state are being conducted by the ruler with the help of elected
representatives and in consultation with them, then there is no bar
against the woman becoming the head of state or government. He argues
that in such a situation the woman ruler is in fact one of the counsels
and the woman is eligible for counselship because the Prophet of Islam
consulted Umme Salamah at Hudeybia and acted upon her advice. To justify
his view, the Maulana has relied on the reference of the Qur'an about
the rule of Queen .of Sheba.
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Head of
a leading religious and political party, Maulana Abul Ala Maududi, one
of the greatest scholars of the modern Muslim world, favoured the
candidature of a woman against a man for the Presidentship of Pakistan
in the elections of 1964. It was argued that if one is confronted with a
dilemma to choose between two evils, one must choose the lesser one.
Another argument which was advanced to justify the action of the Maulana
was: If on one side there is a woman possessing all the merits except
that she is a woman and,on the other side there is a man having all the
demerits except, that he is a man, you should support the woman in such
a situation.
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Professor Rafiullah Shehab, in his book ‘Mansab‑eHukoomat our
Musalman Aurat', quotes besides others the following authorities to
support his contention that a Muslim woman can become head of state:‑
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Muhammad‑ bin‑Jarir Al Tabari, one of the early
commentators of Islam, gave the verdict (Fatwa) that a Muslim,
woman is eligible for all the offices in an Islamic state.
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Imam Malik, the founder of Maliki school of Islamic
Fiqh is reported to have opined that a woman can head the state in
all its affairs.
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Sheikh‑ul‑Islam Allama Khair‑ud‑Din Ramli has justified
the rule of woman by the application of Doctrine of Necessity.
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V ‑
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
If we make
a thorough examination and critical appreciation of the arguments
advanced by both the parties, people who are opposed to women's rule and
people who support women's rule, we come to notice that none of these
two parties has been able to carry their point. Arguments given in
favour of the proposition and arguments given against the proposition
are by and large indirect and generally not relevant. Arguments of both
the parties, given by them from the Qur'an and Sunnah, neither
prove the proposition nor disprove it. These arguments simply bring home
the fact that man and woman are equal in some matters while in some
other they are not equal as nature has intended different fields of
activity for them. In fact there is no verse or injunction in the Holy
Qur'an which directly and clearly either permits the rule of woman or
prohibits her rule'. Similarly there is no Hadith or injunction
of the Prophet (peace be upon him) which can be quoted to establish that
the Holy Prophet either allowed the woman to become head of state and
government or disallowed and forbade her to assume such
responsibilities. The Tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (Allah's‑peace
be upon him) about Kisra's daughter who was enthroned by the Persians`,
is believed by many to be unreliable and unauthentic as the reporter of
this Tradition was convicted and punished in a case of Hudood and
his evidence is not dependable. Thus we can safely and without fear of
contradiction conclude that the Qur'an and sunnah neither permit
nor forbid the woman's rule.
The silence
of the Qur'an and Hadith on this very important and vital issue is not
without wisdom and sagacity. This deliberate silence means that Islam
has given full freedom and discretion to the Muslim Ummah to
decide this matter according to the ever changing socio‑political
circumstances. Since the socio‑economic and political environments
change with the passage of time effecting the human needs and
necessities, no permanent injunctions laying down any hard and fast
rules regarding the choice of the ruler or his sex, colour, race,
language or other qualifications have been enunciated by the Qur'an and
Sunnah. The choice has been left open to the Muslim community to
decide according to their needs in the prevailing circumstances as to
who should be their Amir or chief. Islam favours the form of
government by consultation which in the modern jargon:. is called
democratic form of government. In this form of government the people are
free to elect anybody who, they feel, would be able to discharge the
responsibilities of the highest office of the chief executive or head of
state. The ruler in Islam is not a despot, autocrat or dictator. He is
to rule in consultation with others. So the ruler may be a man or a
woman, he or she is to discharge duties of the office with the
consultation and advice of the elected representatives of the people.
The Qur'an
condemns in open and unambiguous terms the rule of Pharaoh of Egypt who
was a man, but it does not express even a slight disapproval of the rule
of the Queen of Sheba who was a woman. So it is not the sex of the ruler
which is important, but it is in fact the nature and spirit of the rule
which is significant. Circumstances may arise for the Muslim Ummah
when the benevolent and democratic rule of a woman like Queen of
Sheba may be preferable to the despotic and tyrannical rule of a man
like Pharaoh of Egypt. Pages of history bear witness to the fact that
women became rulers in the Muslim world like Razia daughter of Sultan
Iltutmash in India, in thirteenth century. Shajrat‑ul‑Darr daughter of
King Najam‑ud‑Din in Egypt in thirteenth century, Chand Bibi in southern
part of India in 16th century, Sutt‑ul‑Mulk daughter of caliph Al‑Aziz
Billah in Egypt in 11th Century A.D. and Queen Shahjahan Begum of Bhopal
in India in early 20th century. Their rule was never opposed by any of
the well known ulema of their age, neither any of the
contemporary jurists, scholars or leading ulema gave a Fatwa
declaring their rule Haram (unlawful) on the basis of their
sex. On the other hand; some ulema gave Fatwas to justify
their rule, e.g., in case of Queen of Bhopal, Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi
gave a Fatwa favouring her rule. However, we can easily find many
examples in history when the scholars of Islam and the ulema
vehemently opposed some male rulers because of their tyrannical and
despotic rule. Only recently we have seen in Pakistan that most of the
leading ulema supported the candidature of a woman for the
highest post of the President of Pakistan in the elections of 1964. Thus
the Muslim Ulema, unlike the Jewish and Christian clergy, have
never opposed any advancement of the Muslim Ummah in educational,
scientific, cultural and socio‑political fields.
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