Women in Early Islam, Late Islamic Empires, Islamic Society, Women in Workforce, Women in Qur'an, Women in Divorce, Patriarchy, Polygamy, Inheritance, Male Authority, Hijab

1. Role of Women
in Western
Asia
By: April Van Estandarte Diwata

2. Creation of Humankind
Process of Human Creation
1.Khalaqa or initiation of creation
2.Sawwara or formation
3.Bringing to life

3. Early Islam
 Khadija
- Muhammad’s first wife, was the world’s first Muslim
 ’A’isha and Umm Salama
- became important transmitters of hadith, or
traditions of the Prophet
 Fatima
- daughter of Muhammad

4. Muhammad’s wives became particularly
important figures in hadith transmission,
solidifying their historic contribution to Islamic
law
patriarchal social structures and attitudes
continued to regard women as subordinate to
men in many realms of public life

5. Late Islamic Empires
(13th
Century)
 women continued to play vital roles in political life in
various Islamic empires
 wife of the Ayyubid sultan Salah al-Din, Shajarat al-
Durr, became the cofounder of the Mamluk
dynasty
 Women also became important figures in the
mystical movements of Islam, known collectively as
Sufism

6. Islamic Society
• the majority of women in the era of the great
Islamic empires lived their lives predominantly in the
private sphere
• conquering societies with strong patriarchal
restrictions on women’s movement in public
• women’s positions appear quite subordinate to
men’s

7. • Concubinage and expansive harems became the
rule for political leaders
• Patriarchal values became increasingly codified in
the haria, or Islamic law, as well as in the daily life of
Muslim women
• women in Islamic history gained strength from a
legacy of strong and influential women in the
founding years of their faith as well as tradition

8. Workforce
The Middle East
and North Africa
(MENA) region has
made significant
progress in
reducing gender
gaps in human
development
(Yamouri, 2010)

9. Workforce
(Yamouri, 2010)

10. Workforce
Young women are
especially vulnerable
and unemployment
rates in Egypt and
Jordan are already
worryingly high,
above 10 percent,
those among young
women are even
higher
(Yamouri, 2010)

11. Women in Qur’an
• Women is not just Biology
• Darajah
• Nushuz
So good women are qanitat, guarding in secret
that which Allah has guarded. As for those from
whom you fear, admonish them, banish to beds
apart, and scourge them. Then they will obey
you, seek not a way against them.

12. Divorce
• It is a lawful option for irreconcilable
differences between married couples
• Which allows the male a darajah
• Men have the power of repudiation

13. Patriarchy
• “All men are created equal”
• Females are looked upon in terms of
their utility to men
• Women gained new inheritance rights
that gave them access to property,
but not equally with men

14. Polygamy
• The need for females to be materially
provided for by some male
• The economic responsibility of maintaining
the wife would counterbalance the access
to the wealth
• Justice is the focus of most modern
commentaries concerned with polygamy

15. • All women are financial burdens
• If the wife is unable to have children
• If a man’s sexual needs cannot be
satisfied by one

16. Inheritance
• Two-to one formula
• One female child - half of the
inheritance
• 2 points:
1.In no way are females to be
disinherited
2.All distribution must be equitable

17. Male Authority
• General principle of leadership that is should
be filled by one “best suited”
• Men would always have the advantages
that would make them most suitable for
leadership
• The Qur’an does not restrict the female from
being in authority

18. Veiling

19. Types of Hijab

20. Why Muslim Women
wear HIJAB?
1. they believe God has made it an obligation for
believing women
2. Head-covers convey a message of purity and
godliness to many observers
3. Many people believe that a headscarf engenders
respect and honor for women, thus preventing
men from flirting, etc.
4. Hijab can be a symbol of piety and it can be a sign
of great inner strength and fortitude

21. References
Hotaling, Edward. (2003). Islam without illuisons: its past, present, and its challenge
for the future. United States of America: Syracuse University Press.
Religion Dispatches. 2013. 17 Reasons why Women wear Headscarves. Retrieved
September 28, 2013, from
http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/sexandgender/152/17_reasons_why_wom
.
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. 1996-2013. Women in World
History. Retrieved September 21, 2013, from George Mason University.
http://chnm.gmu.edu/wwh/modules/lesson3/lesson3.php?s=0.
Slideshare. 2008. Women In the Middle East. Retrieved Sept 28, 2013, from
http://www.slideshare.net/brighteyes/women-in-the-middle-east-nov2005?
from_search=4
Vbulletin Solutions. 2013. Muslims Happy to be Festive. Retrieved September 28,
2013, from http://www.aussiemuslims.com/forums/showthread.php?45445-
Muslims-Happy-To-Be-Festive-(-).
Wadud, Amina. (1999). Quran and Woman. New York: Oxford University Press.
Yamouri, Najat. 2010. Middle East and North Africa: Women in the Workforce.
Retrieved October 1, 2013, from Washington
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GTOPPOVRED/0,,contentMDK:22497617~pagePK:34004173~piPK:34003707~th
eSitePK:497110,00.html.