EQUALITY BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN IS AN ORIGINAL PRECEPT IN ISLAM
When we looked into the issue of equality in the Quran, we found it to be inclusive. In the Quran, women’s entitlement is very broad; as well, men’s entitlement is very broad. But at the exoteric code level, entitlement is commensurate with their statuses. This is our focus about which you have heard, and which we have called The Second Message of Islam, which enhances the exoteric code. We have, for example, a book issued earlier, addressing women, entitled “The Step toward Marriage in Islam.” The title of this book speaks for itself, it is one step toward marriage in Islam. We need two to three more steps to get to “marriage in Islam,” which is our aim at the present time. We no longer talk much about “The Step toward Marriage in Islam” and we do not like to talk to women about Personal Statute Code in isolation. We want, even in similar gathering places as this one, that are reserved for women, to give them a chance to learn about the foundations of our idea. There will be no dignity for women at all unless their rights that are held in reserve by Islam are fulfilled, so as to settle and solve their problems. These reserved rights were as good as suspended. Why were they suspended? Because when Islam came, women were naive, and were already under the awkward tutelage of men. A man could bury a female child alive; she had no right to life. Since he was a guardian over her, or could marry ten or fifteen women, or divorce a woman whenever he wanted, or treat her as he wished, even more so, he could deprive her of life and he could deprive her of freedom. So, when Islam found women in such a condition, it placed them under the guardianship of men, as is the case with a minor who is orphaned.
An orphaned, minor might be under his uncle’s guardianship, for example. If a wealthy man died and left behind small children, an entrusted person from his close relatives will be appointed as a guardian over his wealth and orphans, to take care of them and their wealth. The guardian, depending on his honesty, is expected to grow their wealth if possible, and not to squander it. Yet, a poor guardian can moderately consume from their wealth. The guardian is not expected to hand over the wealth to the orphans when they are still minors, because it is inconceivable that a ten- or fifteen-year-old child should be given the wealth of his deceased father, and be told: Here is your money, you can do with it whatever you want. That is not expected since he is still a minor. What is expected of the relatives is to make the minor’s wealth grow and save it for him, guide him well, and educate him. If he completes his education and comes out a mature young man, his guardian will tell him: Here is your wealth, and this has been the growth or expenditure. At that time, the young man gets his rightful possession because he has matured. This is just like the case of women in Islam.
Women have the rights to full equality with men. A woman has the right to be one wife for one man, and has the right to divorce her husband as a man has the right to divorce his wife, if there is a necessity. If a woman has decided to engage in a marital relationship, first of all, it must be based on her choice. that is an unquestionable right. A woman should not be forced to marry. She must engage in the marital relationship by choice. However, if there was a change in her relationship with her husband, like in the beginning he was good and eventually became unbearably bad, she can divorce him, as he can divorce her. This is a product of religion. Other relationships are also protected in the same way.
Yet, that cannot be the case, when women are naive. Just as we have said, the wealth of the orphan is in the hands of his guardian, giving him as much as he needs, to help him become mature and grow up a little, a woman’s right to divorce is (historically) said to be in the hands of her man. So, she has no right to divorce, because up until her maturity she has no capability of exercising discretion as to this right―just as the case of the orphan’s wealth that we mentioned earlier. She cannot exercise discretion as to the right of divorce, and thus is not to be given this right. It is like playing with fire. If you handed fire to an infant, he may burn himself with it. You are expected to keep the infant away from it. Here, a woman’s rights were reserved under the hands of a male guardian, to help her become more mature. Once mature enough, she is to be given her rights, as in the case of the orphan’s wealth. That is what we are advocating now, after what we have all seen as to women rationality. This is the essence of religion.
