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Woman in the Sight of Islamic Leaders
Introduction
Undoubtedly the status and value of woman has its own distinct definition in every specific culture, system, and society. This definition is normally elaborated within the framework of thoughts and views of outstanding dignitaries of each system as the fundamental basics for the everyday life of its members.
The revival of true identity of a Muslim woman, too, may be well traced in the light of remarks and viewpoints of the supreme leaders of I.R.Iran’s system, which, in turn, is extracted from the principles and firm teachings of the truthful religion of Islam.
Having a glance at the socio-human standing of women and their related issues according to the viewpoints of the founder of the I.R.Iran - Imam Khomeini (R.A.) and the present Supreme Leader - Ayatollah Khamenei - can provide a documented paradigm to be used as a practical guide for the generation who are thinking of the real position of women and trying to find their human reality, know their value, and take steps in the path of their development.
Woman in the sight of Imam Khomeini, the Founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Woman in the sight of the Supreme Leader of I.R.Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
The position of women
In the viewpoint of Imam Khomeini
The Status and rights of women in the Islamic system:
We want women to attain the high rank of true humanity. Women must have a share in determining their destiny.
(6 march 1979 (
If nations were deprived of courageous women to rear true human beings, they would decline and collapse.
(6 march 1979 (
Women are human beings, great human beings. Women are the educators of society. It is from the laps of women that true human beings originate. The first stage in the development of soundmen and women beings. A country ‘s success or its misfortune depends on women. If they impart sound teachings, they create (sound) human beings and a flourishing country. Good fortune originates from the laps of women; they should be the source every success and happiness…
(16 may 1979)
One of the benefits of the Islamic movement obvious today is that women, these effective members of society, have to some extent regained their standing.
(5 May 1980(
Women’s role in the establishment of an Islamic society:
In an Islamic system, women, in their role as human beings, can work alongside men to establish the Islamic society, but no if they wish to act as more objects. Women do not have the right to lower themselves to such a level, nor do men have the right to think of them as such. As to those things known as entertainment, Islam opposes anything that tends to lead human beings towards acquiring a frivolous nature or towards self-estrangement.
(10 November 1978)
In Islam, women have a sensitive role to play in the establishment of the Islamic society. Islam elevates women to the extent that they can regain their human status in society and leave that woman – as- object level. In proportion with such growth, she can assume responsibilities in an Islamic government.
(10 November 1978)
Women must have a say the fundamental destiny of the country. Just as you have participated in our revolutionary movement, indeed played a basic role in it, now you must also participate in its triumph, and must not fail to rise up again whenever it is necessary. The country belongs to you and, God willing, you will rebuild it.
(9 March 1979)
It is hoped that the community of women will cease being indifferent and will awaken from the unnatural stupor the plunderers have forced them into, and that together, shoulder – to – shoulder, they will help those who have been deceived and guide them to the lofty station which is theirs. It is also hoped that women in the other Islamic countries will take lessons from the miraculous change that has occurred in the Iranian woman as a result of the great Islamic revolution, and will strive to reform their society and bring freedom and independence to their countries.
(24 April 1981)
The role of women in the world enjoys certain special characteristics. The rectitude or immorality of a society. Women are the only creatures who can bestow upon society individuals raised in their care whose deeds can be a blessing to communities and can inspire perseverance and lofty human values, or can have the opposite effect.
(14 April 1982)
Women must have a say in determining their destiny. Women in the Islamic Republic must vote. Just as men have the right to vote, women too have that right.
(1 February 1980)
Today, women in the Islamic Republic shoulder –to-shoulder with the men are striving to rebuild themselves and their country.
(5 May 1980)
Today, the ladies must act on their social and religious duties and protect public morality, and in so doing carry out their social and political activities.
(10 September 1980)
Guiding a nation is a momentous task to undertake, and guiding half of that nation – the women – is even more so. This task is fraught with difficulties; indeed the decision to take it on is itself an important undertaking. But now that you have resolved to do such a thing, let nothing weaken or shake that resolve.
(7 February 1981)
Today we see that the respected ladies of Iran throughout the country are useful members (of our society) and form a committed and devout community serving their country. They are the mainstay of this country. I hope that, mindful of Islamic precepts and armed with the weapon of faith and devotion to Islam, they will carry this victory forward and will be the mainstay of this revolution too.
(23 May 1981)
Wherever one looks in Iran, one sees women pursuing Islamic activities, religious and even political activities, while at the same time preserving their modesty and their dignity. Whereas those women who freely mingled with men in society produced nothing other than corruption throughout the whole of the taghut period, these women (today), in this short span of time, have been so active that the result of their endeavors are already beginning to show in Qum and other cities.
(13 March 1983)
We are proud that the ladies, both young and old, are present in the cultural, economic and military arenas, and that they are active shoulder – to- shoulder with the men or even more so than they are – in the area of elevating Islam and advancing the goals of the Most Noble Qur’an.
(5 June 1989)
It is by you that great men and women are raised; it is in your laps they are raised. You are held dear by the nation; you are its support. Strive hard in your studies so that you equip yourselves with moral excellence and are virtuous in word and deed. Rear strong children for the future of our country. Your laps are like schools in which strong youth should be raised. Seek to acquire the highest virtues so that in your care your children will also acquire them.
(10 April 1979)
A mother’s lap is the best school in which a child is trained. That which he learns from his mother is quite different from what he learns from his teachers. He picks up more from his mother than he does his teachers; he is trained better in the lap of his mother than he is by his father or teachers. It is a human responsibility and a divine duty, a noble deed, to raise a true human being.
(17 August 1979)
Our movement is indebted to them. The men poured into the streets after the women; the women encouraged the men; they formed the vanguard. Women are the creatures who can destroy a power that seems everlasting, a demonic power.
(16 May 1979)
If the role of the women was not greater than that of the men, it was certainly no less. Their presence on the various fields of battle made the faint-hearted strong and doubled the strength of the strong. And you yourselves can vouch for the fact that the role of you ladies throughout this Islamic movement, this Islamic revolution, has been greater. For you were both active yourselves and inspired the men to be active too. You have been a source of pride and it is much appreciated.
(8 April 1984)
You esteemed ladies rose up for God and it is for God that you stand firm in this uprising, therefore you will suffer no harm. Bring your ranks even closer still, protect the revolution and take it forward.
(18 August 1980)
The resistance demonstrated by these great women in the imposed war and the sacrifices they are making are so astonishing that pens and tongues can not adequately describe them, indeed they put them to shame. Throughout this war, I have seen mothers, sisters and wives who have lost their dear ones do things that I don’t think could be witnessed anywhere else other than here in this revolution. One event in particular stands out in my mind from all the rest, and that is the marriage of a young girl to a dear revolutionary guard who had lost both his hands in the war and had received injuries to both his eyes. The brave young girl whose magnanimous spirit overflowed with sincerity and genuineness said: ‘ Since I can not go to the war front, let me pay my debt to the revolution and my religion through this marriage.’ No writer, poet, speaker, painter, artist, mystic, philosopher or jurisprudent, indeed anyone you care to name, can adequately convey the spiritual magnificence of this event of the human worth and the divine tones contained therein. No one can evaluate this great girl’s self-sacrifice, her otherworldliness and devotion to God using current criteria.
This blessed lady is the day of women such as her, may God keep them for Islam and Iran.
(14 April 1982)
In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Women In the Sight of
Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei
Great leader of our revolution, the late Imam Khomeini (may Allah bless his soul), used to venerate the role of women in the emergence and furtherance of Islamic Revolution. He respected woman’s position in the evolution and perfection of Islamic community.
By the blessings of Islamic revolution, the Iranian nation today is capable enough to offer an innovative insight into women’s issues and their values; it has also provided a modern example of dignified women for the world. This is a great victory and an everlasting movement to be taken as a lesson by other nations.
Knowledgeable and alert women in the Islamic Republic of Iran should keep to their bright path and take firm steps in this way.
We believe that - in every well-established human society - an opportunity must be given to women in order to take advantage of their potentialities and let them join in the scientific, social, administrative, and constructive activities. There is no difference between men and women in this regard. The main goal of creation of each single human being is actually the goal of creation of the whole mankind; that is, “attainment of human perfection and taking the most advantage of man’s virtues and merits”. Here, men and women share a common aspect. The most outstanding example is Hazrat Fatima Al-Zahra (s.a.) at the highest rank, and then other great women throughout the history.
When I look at different schools of thought and compare them with Islam, I soon find out that there is just one way for mankind to reach its desired perfection regarding ‘sound relations between men and women’; and that way is not but a true understanding of Islamic viewpoints - without going to extremes - and putting them into practice in the society. This is our idea about women in the world. We by no means agree with the approaches of materialistic civilizations toward women, and believe that this kind of approach shall never be to the benefit of either women or the whole society.
Islam aims at the uplift of women to the highest possible rank in all cultural, intellectual, social, political, and spiritual aspects. From Islamic point of view, women - as inseparable members of the community - must leave the most outstanding impact on their societies and families. All the Islamic teachings, including Hijab, are based on this idea.
Our revolution invalidated all wrong notions about women, and we witnessed how our women appeared to be the vanguards in the Islamic revolution. This is a fact, and I am not trying to exaggerate. During the revolution, we could see that women were soldiers at the front line. If women had not recognized the revolution or participated therein, surely the revolution would not have occurred. I am confident in this my idea, because, firstly, women formed a half of the revolutionary forces who were directly present in the arena; secondly, they indirectly influenced their husbands, sons, brothers, and generally their family atmospheres. Actually women are much influential within the families. So, presence of women played a significant role in demolishing the enemy and in the furtherance of national combat in its real sense.
Iranian women, particularly those who have proceeded in different academic fields while sticking to their religious principles and their Islamic veil (Hijab), should make other women, girls, and female students throughout the world understand that acquisition of knowledge is not equal to irreligiousness and immorality. They should teach other women that attainment of academic degrees does not require negligence of moralities and religious values or unlawful relations between men and women. Just the opposite, it is fully possible both to observe these religious standards and to acquire knowledge and achieve high scientific ranks. You - virtuous Iranian women - are good role models to announce the global message of Islam to the world.
Today, our women in all rural areas and remote cities of Iran are known to be dignified individuals, who act as the guardians and companions of the Islamic Revolution. In this regard, there is no difference between men and women; even sometimes women show more passionate faith and brighter view regarding social issues. They believe that the interior affairs of their country are fully linked up with their lives.
The role of women in the revolution was a determining role; in the imposed war, too, they had determining roles; and we hope that they shall have a determining role in future as well. But, this will happen if only we pay attention to the real values of our women, because it is these values, which shall secure and guarantee the future era. I hope you women will be graced by Allah’s blessings.
If a country is to be reconstructed thoroughly, then the most careful attention must be focused on human resources. When there is a talk of human resources, we should note that half of the human resources of each nation is formed by the women. So, if a wrong insight into women’s affairs would exist among a nation, a thorough reconstruction shall not be feasible. On the one hand, women themselves must have a comprehensive knowledge on the their position in Islam in order to well defend their rights according to the teachings of this exalted religion, and on the other hand, all other members of the Islamic society must be familiar with Islam’s viewpoints on the subject of women, importance of their presence in different fields of life, their education, role of women within and outside their families, and finally Islamic perspective on social, political, economic, and academic activities of women.
Women’s community is the first and utmost group to be aware of how Almighty Allah, the Holy Koran, and religion of Islam judge the position of women. All women should realize their tasks and responsibilities in family and society, and should defend what Islam has asked them. It is the group of women who should will this; if they do not will, they shall turn into individuals who would not be bound to any human value, and will easily let others oppress them.
Women, like men, should consider themselves responsible for the issues of Islamic world, Muslim communities, and actually all global issues; because this is an Islamic duty, about which all Muslims must be concerned.
In all communities, including our own community, women still face shortages and deficiencies. But lack of destructive freedom (free unlawful relations) should be excluded from the existing shortages of women in our society. When we speak of deficiencies, we are actually talking about the lack of sufficient opportunities for acquisition of knowledge, science, training, and progress of women, or lack of fewer chances for taking advantage of their thriving talents. This is what we have to secure for women, on which Islam has also stressed.
If, in a society, the ground would be paved for women to achieve the perfect moralities, spiritual virtues, and high scientific ranks that Almighty Allah has equally planned for all human beings – both men and women – then, the upbringing of children shall be improved, families shall experience a warmer and sincerer atmosphere, societies shall undergo better progress, and problems of everyday life shall be resolved much easier; as a result, both men and women shall have a lucky life.
The idea of “women’s moral and spiritual uplift” must be a prevailing idea among women themselves.
Women must be very serious to move in the direction of acquisition of knowledge, science, awareness, information, and Islamic teachings. This is an important matter to be considered by our women.
“Muslim women” glittered beautifully in the sky of our revolution and Islamic system. They were successful enough to allocate a very brilliant position to themselves both in Iran and in the global female society. This is not a motto; it is a pure fact. If Muslim women had not made efforts or practiced according to their great Islamic duty, the revolution would not have achieved its victory; and likewise, we would not have obtained the desired result in our holy defense during the 8-year imposed war. Today, too, if our women leave the arena, we will face problems in the completion of our constructive projects.
Women must use their awareness and good knowledge – as effective tools provided by Islam for women – in order to defend against the cultural attacks of enemies.
All of us must struggle to have an effective role in the development of our society by means of elevated thoughts, enlightened minds, scientific progress, social improvement, and enactment of laws for prosperity and salvation of women.
Hijab (Islamic veil) is women’s “uniform” of “social participation”.
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