Domestic Issues and Their Solutions — Page 84
84 this. I shall relate a brief part of a most bea utiful commentary of the same [verse] by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him). He said: ‘First of all let us take the word قوام qawwam (guardian). Qawwam is someone who reforms; who straightens what is crooked and twisted. Thus men wil l be called qawwam in terms of being responsible for reforming society. The real significance of the word qawwam is that the foremost responsibility in society to reform women is of men. If female society starts to go wrong and develops crookedness and abe rrance and a liberal wave detrimental to family life , in other words, it destroys the family system and relationships then before blaming the women, men should first do some soul - searching because Allah the Exalted has appointed them guardians. It will app ear that will not have fulfil led some of their responsibilities in this regard. God Almighty states in: ُّ ّللَہ بِمَا فَضََل َ ا ‘…Allah has made some excel others…’ (4:35) that He has placed certain inherent excellences in each creation which are not found in other creation and some excel others. The word qawwam denotes one excellence of men here and most certainly does not mean that men excel women in every aspect. ’ (Address of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him) at Jalsa Salana UK 1 August 1987)