Responsibility is Not Superiority
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The Qur’anic verse: “Men shall take care of women with what God has bestowed
on the former…” (4:34) does not state a “superiority” of man over woman, rather it
explains the “responsibility” of a man for sustaining the family. Since the woman
is physically restricted from earning a living during the late stage of her pregnancy
and the first year – or more- of her child’s life, it is essential to show who is
responsible for supporting the wife, mother and the children. The Quran says:
“….and it is incumbent upon him who has begotten the child to provide fairly for
their (mother and child) sustenance and clothing….(2:233)
This is the “care” that is mentioned in that previous verse of the Quran (4:34). In
Arabic, the verb (qama) with the preposition (‘ala) means, “take care of”. The
man has to carry on his responsibility of providing the sustenance of his divorced
wife during a certain waiting period (65:6-7), as it has been mentioned earlier.
But, this responsibility of taking a care of “qawama,” is within the family as the
Qur’anic verse shows clearly, and cannot be extended to be a general rule in the
whole society. Besides, the man’s obligation to support the family does not
contradict or restrict the woman’s right to work if she likes to do so, and a
coordinated timetable for both spouses can be reached after a constructive
discussion that ends in mutual consent. When a man does not work and cannot
secure for himself and his family a decent living for any reason, he cannot assume
“qawama” just because he is related to the gender of men. However, his wife who
works and earns money and secures for the whole family its needs should treat the
non-workingman respectfully. Each believer- male or female- has to observe the
divine teachings in mutual relations, whether one may be more or less powerful.
This is the main difference between a God-conscious society and a jungle of selfish
materialist.
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A view that makes a man superior to a woman because he is physically ‘stronger’
lack the support of the Quran and authentic Sunna. The divine sources mention
“care” and “responsibility” within the family, but not superiority. Muslim men and
women are equal in their individual and social responsibilities. They have to
support each other in maintaining human rights and attaining moral and material
development of each and of the whole society, being in charge (protectors) of one
another and of the whole society “awaliya”, and enjoining the doing of what is
right and forbidding the doing of what is wrong.(9:71)
