Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume II — Page 44
44 will keep their opinions in my mind. In this manner there will be no objection about men and women coming together and I will also come to know how beneficial the women’s counsel is. Their opinions will be read in the Majlis at the time of making the decisions. I make this temporary decision in their favor. ” Excerpt from speech of Ha z rat Khalifat - ul - Masih II ra - Majlis - e - Mushawarat : 1941 “I would like to say something regarding women’s representation. Every year Lajna’s opinion is asked , but every year, it is thrown in the wastebasket. It has never been presented at Majlis - e - Mushawarat. Therefore, my suggestion is that from now on Lajna should have a representative present at the Majlis - e - Shura. All those suggestions received by the private s ecretary from Lajna outside of Qadian should be forwarded to the Lajna representative in the office of the private secretary. It will be his responsibility to present Lajna ’s opinions on every occasion and specify that this is the point of view in this matter from a certain Lajna and this is the point of view in a m atter from another Lajna. It will not only help acquaint us of their opinions but will also help to discover some refined and beneficial point s. Even if it does not prove beneficial in any other way , it will at least give us an idea of the intellectual progress of women in Lajna Ima’illah. It will be discovered that at times their point of view is ludicrous , b ased o n which, we can deduce that on a particular issue women lack knowledge of the circumstances. At other times, their point of view will be excellent , from which we can conclude that with regards to a particular matter their perception is astute. W hen reading their opinions out , members of our Jama'at will be able to recognize how our women are progressing in mental and intellectual faculties. At other times , it is possible that upon seeing that women have a particular nature, they hold an opinion , they will honor the women’s opinion and change their own in the women’s favor. ( Al - F azl , 28 August 1948 , p. 2)