Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume II — Page 176
176 Observance of Purdah and the Rights of Women Excerpt from Address at Jalsa Salana Delivered by Hazrat Mirza Bashir - ud - D in Mahmud Ahmad, Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra December 27, 1954 “This year, the collection of donations for the construction of the Holland M osque had been declared as the specific obligation of women. Unfortunately , the determination with which they previously did their work has diminished this year. Their collection is sixty or sixty - five thousand rupees, even though the estimated expenses are more than a hundred and ten thousand rupees. This year , the women were told to collect twenty - one thousand rupees , but they only collec ted nine thousand rupees. To some extent , it appears that the administration’s indolence is responsible for this. Otherwise , there is no reason why the women who gave extraordinary contributions for the constructi on of the Rabwah Hall would not contribute towards the building of the h ouse of God, where the y woul d continue to reap blessings for generations to come. Hence, I would like to remind the women to promptly collect the required amount for the Holland M osque. ” Observance of Purdah “Secondly, I would like to draw your attention to the observance of purdah. In past times , purdah was given such horrific form that it appeared more or less like a prison. Such purdah has no connection to Islam. We find no evidence of such purdah in Islam ic history. However, n owadays there is such a reaction to this type of horrific purdah that it has become very hard to ascertain what real purdah actually is. Women shake hands with men, deliver speeches, and walk freely among them and they still claim to be committed to Islam ic purdah. If this can be called Islam ic purdah , then I don’t know what would constitute as ‘ immodesty. ’ After all, the Holy Qur’an’s injunction regarding purdah must have some significance. If it holds any import ance , then at the end of the day it is only the Muslims who will act to fulfill it. ”