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From: rached@kaa.eng.ohio-state.edu (Rached Zantout)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.islam
Subject: Re: Women
Message-ID: <1991Jun25.175012.15133@wpi.WPI.EDU>
Date: 25 Jun 91 17:50:12 GMT
References: <1991Jun20.152742.19343@wpi.WPI.EDU>
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On the subject of women and working, many muslims have different points
of view depending on their origins. To the best of my knowledge (and I
don't claim to be the most knowlegeable) there is nothing in Islam
preventing a woman form going to work as long as she abides by the rules
of conduct set for a woman in society (this is the same for a man, he
has to abide by the rules) set by Allah in the Quran and through his
Messenger Muhammad Peace be Upon him.
On the other hand Islam places importance to the role of a woman as a
mother first and as a wife second. If we look at the mother of small
children, what is better for her to go to work and leave her children to
be raised up by another woman or to stay with them and ensure that they
are raised in the best way ? (I think we all agree on the answer). Now
for the society what is better ? to have women working to help that
society develop more fast while leaving the future generation to be lost
or to grow a little bit slower while ensuring the safety of the future
generation ? (I think we all will agree here also). 
Still the above is an opinion and may be wrong but the most important
thing to consider is the general picture and not go blindly behind full
equality between men and women.
Also in Islam the man is supposed to care for the family by working and
bringing money, the woman should be freed from that burden (sp ?) to
care for raising up her children. That does not mean that the man won't
have anything to do with their children neither that the woman will sit
down and see her husband not able to do his job and not help. But it is
important here to note that Islam gave the right for the woman to keep
her earnings (work or other) to herself and she is not obliged to share
in the expenses of the house, also she is free to do whatever she wants
with her money (unlike the husband).
The picture is like this, a woman should have her home (raising up the
children and ensuring a peaceful and ordered house for the husband) as
her first priority. The husband should have as first priority to work
for supporting the family. The relationship between both should be that
of love and partenership (sp ?) if the man sees his wife bored after her
children are in school and do not need her that much, he shouldn't stand
between her and working (I do not think that according to Islam he
could but again I may be wrong), also he should be ready to help when
her work is overwhelming. The same goes for the woman.
rached   

-- 
"I bear witness that there is only one god, and that Muhammad is his
messenger"