How can a Woman Cooperate in Social Life?

How can a Woman Cooperate in Social Life?

The arena of social life being the third area of search and strival of son of Adam for attaining to perfection, in which a great portion of aptitudes and abilities are put in practice and flourishing, as they are also effective in realizing individual maturities and success in family life. Further the social life is becoming nowadays much more miscellaneous and extensive than it was in the past. The examples for this can be seen in employment, art, sports, minute and enormous management in the society, parties and associations, legal procedure, and arbitration, education and training.

In other words, it can be said that the social life covers 3 fields:

1. Employment and economic activities;

2. Social activities, like education and training, physical exercise and art;

3. Political participation.

These being the three main domains of participation of women in social life.

Now the following question is raised: Is this area, with all its dimensions, restricted to men, with no role left for women? Or no confinement being there and this field endures no sexuality? Or is it that with accepting participation and co­operation we should ignore any difference between women and men?

Some are of the opinion that women are being created for the house and housekeeping only. Abul Ala Al­Mawdudi, an Indian Muslim scholar, says:

"Politics, government administration, military and high services and alike are undertaken by men restrictively. When Islam charges the women with aiding the wounded during wars, this should never be taken to mean that Muslims charge them during peacetime with running libraries, schools, workshops, associations and parliaments, since they were never created for performing such jobs. Besides, charging the woman with works for which she was not created by nature, would bring her failure and disappointment.

Stating names of great women having outstanding background in these fields as recorded in history books, never changes the truth, as the criterion for judging the women being to view them the same eye as a group and with regard to the constitution on which they were created.

Some of Shi'i writers are reported to have said also:

Therefore the women should be either connected or pregnant, or nursing so as to be counted among the humanity caravan that proceeding toward the Worshiped and Beloved and Centre­point for the eagers and Ka'bah for lovers, and searchers for reaching His Sanctuary of safety and security, altogether with men.

If every woman tries, instead of engaging herself in various social tasks, arts and handicrafts, give birth to a child, grow it up and deliver it to the society with existentialist capabilities, she will elevate herself to the highest status proportionate to the number of her children.

Such extremist views led some other thinkers to base their viewpoints on the Quran and say that: No trade or social profession is prohibited for women except whoredom!

Consulting and examining the holy Quran and biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his household) and infallible Imams will definitely show us a rational and bright path toward truth. Herewith I shall first demonstrate the pivots of social activities from the Quran and Prophet's Sunnah and conduct "Seerah'', and then I will finish manifesting the motives of social joint cooperation of women with conditions of this presence.