A division of work

The function of the husband and the wife are quite distinct, and each is entrusted with the functions which are best suited for his or her nature. The Holy Qur’ān says that God has made man and woman to excel each other in certain respects. The man excels the woman in constitution and physique, and is therefore capable of bearing greater hardships and facing greater physical dangers than a woman. On the other hand, the woman excels the man in the qualities of love and affection. Nature, for her own purpose of helping in the growth of creation, has endowed the female among human beings, as well as among the lower animals, with the quality of love to a much higher degree than the male. Hence there is a natural division as between man and woman of the main work which is to be carried on for the progress of humanity. Man is suited to face the hard struggles of life on account of his stronger physique; woman is suited to bring up the children because of the preponderance of the quality of love in her. The duty of the maintenance of the family has therefore been entrusted to the man, and the duty of bringing up the children to the woman. And each is vested with authority suited to the function with which he or she is entrusted. Hence it is that men are spoken of as being the maintainers of women, and women as “rulers over the household and the children.”

Woman not excluded from any activity in the sphere of life

This division of work is only the general rule; it does not mean that woman has entirely been excluded from other kinds of activity. A study of the Ḥadīth literature shows that, notwithstanding her rightful position in the home, as the bringer up of children and manager of the household, women took interest in all the national activities of the Muslim community. The care of the children did not prevent her from repairing to the mosque to join the congregational prayers,29 nor was this care an obstacle in her way to join the soldiers in the field of battle, to perform a large number of duties, such as the carrying of provisions,30 taking care of the sick and the wounded,31 removing the wounded and the slain from the bat-tlefield,