The Sanctity and Dignity of Woman in Family from the viewpoint of Imam Ridha (AS) | ||
The Sanctity and Dignity of Woman in Family from the viewpoint of Imam Ridha (AS)
Ali Jalaian Akbarnia and Muhammad Reza Muhammadi Different schools try to provide people with their own lifestyles relying on their foundations and ideologies. Islam provides an effective lifestyle with the centrality of Quran and Itrat. In the exemplar offered by Islam, a woman has a special and effective status and keeping her dignity plays a very vital role in the survival of a society. Infallible Imams (AS) including Imam Ridha (AS) have clearly outlined the sanctity and dignity of Muslim women within the Islamic intellectual system. This article aims at analyzing the image provided by Imam Ridha (AS) for a Muslim woman, regarding her sanctity and dignity. Recognizing the dignity and status of women in Islamic society is essential, because it provides Muslim women with a certain identity and prevents them from being polluted with secular cultures. Here we argue that woman's true dignity lies in obeying and performing the orders of religion about herself, her family and her society and it is believed that men and women are equal in creation; however, the subtle and sensitive spirit of woman requires special protection. The dignity of women may be safeguarded by themselves; and the social personal and social interactions are very effective. Regarding her special mental and physical characteristics, woman has a special character. Attitude toward woman, her presence in the society, marriage, relationships with husband, job and financing are some important issues that the eighth Imam has discussed them and he has explained procedures to maintain the dignity of woman in each of these cases.
Women, Special Creatures Human is the only creature of God who has a higher status than jinn and angels. This stand-in and status is reflected in the Holy Quran with unique phrases and expressions. God has granted human a position beyond that’s of other creatures. God almighty has placed human in a position even higher than angels and he has put human as his successor on earth. This dignity was given to the human being by the Lord of universe and this dignity and honor will remain for him, if he maintains his piety and his righteousness and he will enjoy this status, if he can move in the path of God almighty. There is a vast source of literature regarding the dignity of human beings, but special attention to the issue of maintaining the dignity of woman from the perspective of Imam Ridha (AS) does not have a strong history. The main question is that whether in fact in the intellectual system of Islam woman has a special sanctity and dignity? Whether special spirit of woman and maintaining her dignity in the family are emphasized in the religious orders? The necessity of explaining and analyzing this issue is that today different lifestyles with various foundations are offered and each of them introduce a special position for women and sometimes they criticize Islam because of ignoring women or tyranny toward them. However, Islam guarantees a special position for woman in society and in the family and it has provided this position with regard to the specific characteristics of women and their dignity. The present article besides discussing the necessity of maintaining the dignity of woman attempts to express and review different examples raised by Imam Ridha (AS) on the sanctity and dignity of women in the family. Dignity as a word and a term Different meanings are mentioned for the word "dignity" and we summarize meanings and different types of dignity, from the view of etymologists and lexicographers: Khalil Farahidi has described dignity as honor and being honorable (Farahidi, 1410). Ibn Faris who was one of the most famous people in explaining the original meaning of words, explains Karam (dignity) in two forms: It is spiritual dignity or moral dignity and Karim that is one of the names of God almighty means someone who forgives the sins of the servants (Ibn Faris, 1404). Also, Johari believes that Karim is the opposite of miserly and mean (Johari, 1407). Ragheb Esfahani in defining Karam refers to the second meaning raised by Ibn Faris and says: "granting and giving blessings; when a man is described with the word Karam, then it is a name for good morality and good deeds by a man. The word Karim will apply for a person whenever we observe good morality and good behavior in that person". Karam is a good and holy act and the most Karim (or the best act) is something that pleases God (Ragheb Esfahani, 1404). Ibn Athir also mentioned this meaning, but he believes that Karim contains all kinds of goodness, kindness, honor and virtue and states: "Karim is someone who glorifies himself from opposition and disobedience of Allah" (Ibn Athir, 1364). Ibn Manzur also has translated this word like Ibn al-Athir (Ibn Manzur, 1405) and Tarihi believes that "Karam" is a feature that makes intellectuals satisfied and raises praise and adoration (Tarihi, 1408). In the vocabulary of the holy Qur'an Keramat (dignity) means magnanimity and nobility, generosity, being valuable and beloved (Qureshi: 103). Among Persian dictionaries, the dictionary of Dehkhoda has offered some meanings for Keramt and the first meaning is the idiomatic meaning and the second and the third meanings are acquired and innate meanings respectively: 1. Strange and wonderful things and extraordinary acts by some great spiritual people which are called Keramt. 2. Greatness, chivalry, generosity, benevolence, magnanimity and giving and donation. 3. Pride, dignity, magnanimity, sublimity and greatness. In conclusion we should say that Keramat is the dignity of the soul and it is the opposite of meanness and baseness and according to some contemporary scholars: "Dignity is avoiding meanness. Karim differs from Kabir and Azim. Karim has no exact and comprehensive equivalent in Persian. God almighty believed that the natural world is against Keramat and called it Donia (the world), because Denaat is against Keramat (meanness is against dignity) "(Javadi Amoli, 1987: 21). In terms of being innate and acquired, dignity (Keramat) can be classified in two forms: 1) God-given dignity; this dignity exists in the creation of all human beings. This dignity must be maintained regardless of any particular religion and it exists as long as human remain on the path of God almighty and doesn’t tarnish his dignity. 2) Acquired dignity which can be achieved through effort and planning and on the basis of religious teachings. The lifestyle and behavior of Muslim scholars and specially Imam Ridha (AS) indicate the importance of respecting human dignity; whether it is innate or acquired dignity. Imam Ridha (AS) dignifies his servants -who have low social status- by sitting beside them on a table and his logic, is that human beings are equal in terms of innate dignity; because all of our parents have one God and acquired dignity depends on our deeds. Equal status and dignity of women and men According to the religious teachings men and women do not differ regarding their human dimensions and both are created in the best shape and both possess divine spirit. Also God has obliged common duties upon men and women as far as gender is not concerned and wherever gender has been concerned, duties have been assigned to them according to justice and by considering their conditions and this is honoring them, as well. Because they are asked to do something which they can and they are not obliged to do what they can’t perform. As the role of women in family is upbringing children, they should not have financial concerns and they are not obliged to provide financial means for the family. Duties are assigned to man and women, according to their potentials and their dignity is respected and whoever is more pious he/she will be dearer to God and acquired dignity depends on one’s righteousness. Woman is an influential and epoch-making element in the society. Thus, her dignity should be maintained in order to protect the society and she must play her roles in the society according to her feminine identity and nature. Respecting the dignity of women Respecting the dignity of women is an issue that directs the presence of women in the society and in the family and affects creation of proper and healthy relationships between man and woman. Paying special attention to the dignity of women clarifies the path of presence of women in the society, their employment and their political, social and economic activities. Hence a proper and healthy interaction with subtle character of woman within the family and in the society requires a special attention which should be consistent with her dignity and character and should not despise her. Woman builds the society and healthy and grown people ascend from her lap to the heaven. Therefore, Islam has exempted her from performing hard, heavy and cumbersome works. She is responsible for upbringing the children generating and fostering generations is her responsibility. Woman should be as a management arm for his husband in their life. She must provide spiritual and mental tranquility for the family. Grace, kindness, compassion, courtesy and morality grows within the family in the light of the woman’s management and her teaching. The secret of dignity and pride of woman is using effective religious principles, in the interaction between women and society. Observing the dignity of woman is visible in all the orders and duties of Islam and especially in the area of orders on family. Easy and purposeful marriage, selecting a decent spouse, emotional family relations, behaviors and dialogues of couples, titivation of couples at home, maintaining the foundations and commitment to family, respecting sexual rights, providing living expenses, rejection of violence, legal issues such as divorce and inheritance and ... are all orders that result in maintaining the dignity of family members and especially woman. The result of observing these orders is a healthy society, based on genuine religious thinking which provides needed grounds for creation of a great Islamic civilization. The study of religious teachings proves this fact that Prophet (PBUH) and Infallible Imams (AS) have considered special status for man and woman in their behavioral and oral orders and by illustrating the path; they have explained the duties of each of them to maintain their dignity and to open the path toward their growth and excellence. In the meantime, the lifestyle of Imam Ridha (AS) can be recited due to the time of his Imamate. Therefore we investigate the dignity and status of woman in the family from the Perspective of Imam Ridha (AS). Forming family and human dignity Human reason and nature order him to form a family and prohibit him from evil and indifference; so marriage and commitment to the family is a sign of human character and it is the base of perfection of man and woman and it is an issue that God has granted it to the human. On the other hand, marriage is the natural need of men and women and it is the basis of their perfection. In this regard Imam Ridha (AS) believes that forming a family is a rational matter and even if the religion didn’t emphasize on this matter, wise people and those who seek success in their lives would give high priority to marriage. Marriage is perfection Marriage provides grounds for mental and physical relaxation and paves the way for the growth of faith, beliefs and for human perfection. So, not marrying won’t provide needed grounds for mental growth and development and it won’t open a path towards grace and perfection; but refusal of formation of family diminishes a man’s dignity and removes him from the circle of righteous people. Imam Ridha (AS), by referring to a story from Imam Baqir (AS) emphasized on this issue that a supreme figure like Hazrat Fatima (SA) formed a family and married. Meaning that since no one is like Hazrat Fatima (SA) in terms of grace and perfection, so if staying single was a grace then certainly Hazrat Fatima (SA) did not marry at all. The necessity of marriage There is no doubt that anything should be done in its appropriate time and hastening or delaying is not accepted. Marriage also is not an exception and postponing it reduces its freshness and vitality and sometimes its delay leads to disrespecting one’s character or challenging his/her dignity and we find examples of it in referring to fortune-tellers and soothsayers or undermining girls’ characters. Imam Ridha (AS) insists on maintaining the dignity of virgins during marriage and by stating a hadith resembles girls to fruits, because if delays occur in their marriage, they may face problems and intrigues which may not be easy to compensate. Choosing spouse and maintaining dignity The first element of marriage is choosing spouse which is highly sensitive and important and it affects the lives of couples and their families. Negligence in this issue may lead to irreparable consequences and it may inflict irreparable shocks to the status and character of each of the couples and may challenge their personal and social dignity. There are many men and women who have married to someone with whom they have nothing in common and this is because of their superficial and inaccurate marriage; so they have inevitably been forced to divorce or to live with the minimal conditions. In addition they have been forced to give up their honor, personal and social status and their dignity. In the lifestyle of Imam Ridha (AS) and other Imams (AS) dignity of human beings does not depend on their appearance and wealth. As the Almighty states that the dearest peoples are those who are the most virtuous ones, Imam Ridha (AS) also sees values in internal issues and capabilities. Thus, in a meaningful warning he prevents families from short-sighted attention to superficial and materialistic issues. On the other hand, Imam Ridha (AS) gives special attention to the piety of spouse and believes that existence of some moral vices in people indicate larger sins and he points out that seemingly small sins in a person are signs of greater sins and they provide grounds for greater faults. So if see a certain mistake in a person, we should not simply ignore it, but we must consider it as a window into the real character of that person. Weddings ceremony and maintaining dignity Celebrating marriage is an extremely important issue in maintaining the sanctity and dignity of women and the position of family. Marriage and creating a stable family based on religious factors is so important that it is appropriate to hold a ceremony, to inform and invite people and to serve them with foods. Also choosing an appropriate time for the ceremony is very important in maintaining the dignity and comfort of men and women; hence, it is recommended to hold the wedding ceremony at night and to serve food at night or in the afternoon. Dowry and honoring the value of women Islam considers the human status of women at the highest level. This issue can be examined from different aspects. One of most remarkable and most important issues is dowry. Dowry is a gift that the man presents to his wife at the time of marriage to show his sincerity. Although both man and woman need marriage and forming a family, however providing dowry has been assigned to man in order to maintain the elegance of soul and the dignity of woman. The importance of dowry is so much that it must be exactly determined during marriage and it should be mentioned in the marriage rituals. Dowry is woman's prerogative and no one can deprive a woman from possessing it. Even the girl's father who can permit her to marry or not, he also cannot possess her daughter’s dowry. Economic issues and dignity of woman Another aspect of maintaining dignity of women in Islam is related to economic issues. In a family which Islam has outlined its system, man is responsible to provide everyday living expenses and because of her dignity and status, woman can not undertake the role of breadwinner in the family. This is contrary to the dignity of a woman to work hard from dawn to dusk outside the home to support her family. Woman must undertake tasks appropriate to their status and according to their mental capacities. Managing home affairs, proper upbringing of children, maintaining the family and managing and maintaining household structure, preserving the values of family members and providing peace of mind and thought for man are among the responsibilities of a woman. Woman is responsible for managing inside the home and she is the strong arm of family management. This is one of the missions of woman in a Muslim and Razavi family. In an Islamic family, bearing financial burden of family has not been assigned to woman and no one expects her to do it. On the other hand, the man is obliged to prepare alimony and what a woman needs for a life and if a man can afford, he must improve his wife’s life. It is obvious that this improvement does not mean extravagance and luxury. But man must provide the real needs of his family and his wife so that his wife won’t be forced to do a job which may be inconsistent with her dignity to meet their needs. Titivation and honoring the status of woman Islam believes that women's dignity is a two-sided issue and it has analyzed deviations and possible mistakes and issues contrary to their dignity and also it has recommended ways to prevent the annihilation of their dignity. An issue which may destroy the family system and thus the dignity of woman is neglecting mental and sexual needs of a woman. Woman should be able to honor her husband and must see him as the base of her life and the man must be able to provide her psychological, emotional and sexual needs. Therefore, man should prepare himself in this regard. Imam Ridha (AS) in a hadith by analyzing a mistake by Israelites women in disregarding their appearance refers to one of the needs of women which have been less addressed and so he urges husbands to pay more attention to this aspect of their wife’s needs. Imam Ridha (AS) considered this matter in his practical life as well and he even painted his hairs and beard and in response to the questions and objections of other people, he said that husband’s titivation will result in his wife's chastity. Emotional relations and respecting the status of woman Respecting the human dignity of woman is not only providing material facilities, but It involves responding to her real needs as well. Man and woman need to form a common life which is based on love and its fruit is peace and comfort. Expressing love is a method to show love and friendship to the other person. Many failed marriages reflect the loss of love and friendship between the two sides. Expressing love must be refreshed; it is the source of stability of relationship between couples. When husband expresses his love to his wife, this will make woman to adhere to her family and to be more loyal and this can prevent from many psychological and emotional problems. Also it has been narrated that Imam Ridha (AS) during the birth of his son, Imam Jawad (AS) praised his wife and said: "she is sacred -the mother who gave birth to him- and he is created very clean and infallible". On the other woman should love her husband too and she must always express her love for him, unless man may try to find a love somewhere else. Providing sexual needs and maintaining dignity of woman Religious teachings have considered human dignity even in the most material physical needs. Islam has clearly expressed the duties of man and woman in providing sexual needs in a marital life. Razavi life style has also considered this issue. Paying attention to sexual needs of spouses and prohibited from leaving it is among the most basic rights of couples in the family. Providing sexual needs is considered an extremely crucial issue in preserving the foundations of the family. Conclusion Keramat is the dignity of the soul and it is the opposite of meanness and baseness. Keramat is not only for women or men and according to the religious teachings men and women do not differ regarding their human dimensions and both are created in the best shape and both possess divine spirit. Also God has obliged common duties upon men and women as far as gender is not concerned and wherever gender has been concerned, duties have been assigned to them according to justice and by considering their conditions and this is honoring them, as well. Respecting the dignity of women is an issue that directs the presence of women in the society and in the family and affects creation of proper and healthy relationships between man and woman. Marriage is a social interaction which has a great role in respecting human dignity and it provides grounds for mental and physical relaxation and paves the way for the growth of faith, beliefs and for human perfection. So, not marrying won’t provide needed grounds for mental growth and development and it won’t open a path towards grace and perfection; but refusal of formation of family diminishes a man’s dignity and removes him from the circle of righteous people. Improper selection of spouse, paying too much attention to material issues, considering low value for internal issues, neglecting some behavioral disorders, neglecting emotional, physical and sexual needs are among the issues which according to Imam Ridha (AS) may create dilemmas for families and as a result they may undermine women’s dignity. The amount of dowry, informing relatives, celebrating marriage and choosing an appropriate time for the ceremony are very important in maintaining the dignity and comfort of men and women. In a family which Islam has outlined its system, man is responsible to provide everyday living expenses and because of her dignity and status, woman can not undertake the role of breadwinner in the family. Woman must undertake tasks appropriate to their status and according to their mental capacities. Source: Farhange Razavi Journal
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