Pathway to Paradise — Page 42
PATH WAY TO PARADISE 42 hijab/purdah in the true manner, she fulfills her responsibility to society and gains satisfaction in the knowledge that she is able to gain nearness to Allah. (For more information on wearing hijab/purdah, please see Chapter 4). THE ROLE OF MUSLIM WOMEN TODAY This chapter has attempted to give you an idea of the position that Muslim women hold in society, and the rights given to them by Islam. As you can see, no other teaching so specifically addresses the needs of women. Muslim women have all the rights that M uslim men enjoy, and in some ways, have certain privileges which men do not enjoy. To sum up, a Muslim woman’s primary duty is her duty to Allah, and then comes her duty to her fellow beings. Islam reminds her that her foremost responsibility is to her husband and children. However, it does not restrict her to that role; she has the righ t to go out and work if she needs to, but she is not obliged to shoulder the financial responsibility for the household. She is encouraged to seek higher education for her own improvement, and subsequently for her offspring. The institution of purdah provi des her with an environment of respect and dignity. In no way does it limit her pursuit of a professional career, a business or other kind of profitable activity. Some misconceptions concerning the role of woman in society are prevalent because unfortunately, some “Muslim” countries do not practice the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. In