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