Treating women as awra: Difference between revisions
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=== Confinement to Home and Avoidance of Social Presence === | === Confinement to Home and Avoidance of Social Presence === | ||
On the basis of the instruction “وَ اسْتُرُوا عَوْرَاتِهِنَّ بِالْبُیوتِ” (“conceal their awra in houses”), jurists have regarded women’s social presence as undesirable. They argue that a woman is awra and the exposure of awra is a shameful thing, therefore appearance of women likewise causes shame. Some have clearly indicated that women should stay at home as much as they can and that interactions with them, even simple greetings, should be minimized to prevent revealing their lack of knowledge and inability to converse.<ref>Majlisi, Rawdat al-Muttaqin fi Sharh Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih, vol. 8, p. 106.</ref> On this basis, many jurists, including [[Sayyid Mohammad Kazem Tabatabaei Yazdi]], have issued fatwas regarding the “recommendation of confining women to the home.”<ref>Yazdi, al-Urwa al-Wuthqa, vol. 5, p. 490.</ref> Other jurists, in their comments on this fatwa, have similarly recognized the narrations depicting women as awra as a key argument in support of it.ref>Sabzevari, Muhadhdhab al-Ahkam, vol. 24, p. 26; Abu al-Qasim Khoei and Javad Tabrizi, Sirat al-Najat fi Ajwibat al-Istifta’at, vol. 8, p. 221.</ref> | On the basis of the instruction “وَ اسْتُرُوا عَوْرَاتِهِنَّ بِالْبُیوتِ” (“conceal their awra in houses”), jurists have regarded women’s social presence as undesirable. They argue that a woman is awra and the exposure of awra is a shameful thing, therefore appearance of women likewise causes shame. Some have clearly indicated that women should stay at home as much as they can and that interactions with them, even simple greetings, should be minimized to prevent revealing their lack of knowledge and inability to converse.<ref>Majlisi, Rawdat al-Muttaqin fi Sharh Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih, vol. 8, p. 106.</ref> On this basis, many jurists, including [[Sayyid Mohammad Kazem Tabatabaei Yazdi]], have issued fatwas regarding the “recommendation of confining women to the home.”<ref>Yazdi, al-Urwa al-Wuthqa, vol. 5, p. 490.</ref> Other jurists, in their comments on this fatwa, have similarly recognized the narrations depicting women as awra as a key argument in support of it.<ref>Sabzevari, Muhadhdhab al-Ahkam, vol. 24, p. 26; Abu al-Qasim Khoei and Javad Tabrizi, Sirat al-Najat fi Ajwibat al-Istifta’at, vol. 8, p. 221.</ref> | ||
=== Prohibition against Assuming the Marja‘iyya and Judgeship === | === Prohibition against Assuming the Marja‘iyya and Judgeship === | ||
Another | Another result of treating women as awra is that it prohibits them from holding social and religious positions that necessitate their participation in society. It has been argued that how can a person take on duty of issuing fatwas, the marja‘iyya, and judgeship while being labeled as “awra” and instructed to be hidden. These activities inevitably require meeting people and addressing issues have been arised, and such a position is incompatible with the entire concealment obligation for women.<ref>Safi Golpayegani, Dhakhirat al-‘Uqba, vol. 1, pp. 123-124.</ref> | ||
=== Prohibition of Singing === | === Prohibition of Singing === | ||
Some jurists | Some jurists broadened the definition of awra to include the voice too. According to them, being awra entails the “obligation of concealment,” and the manner of this concealment differs depending on its object: just as the body needs to be concealed from Non-Mahram's eyes, the voice must also be concealed from Non-Mahram's ears. Therefore, regardless of the prohibition of [[ghina]], the very act of [[Women’s Singing|letting men hear the sound]] (isma‘ al-sawt) will be prohibited because a woman is awra.<ref>Eshtahardi, Madarik al-Urwa, vol. 15, p. 128.</ref> | ||
== Predominant View of Jurists: Woman as Awra == | == Predominant View of Jurists: Woman as Awra == | ||