Iran and Women's Rights
This is a hot topic and one that is widely contested in the Muslim community in the Middle East. The issue of women's rights as perceived by westerners is concerned sinful by the Muslim communities in Iran and in the greater Middle East.
Westerners believe that women have the same rights in society as men and should have those rights to be employed, earn the same amount of money, and to have the freedom to travel and live their lives as they see fit.
In Iran and other Muslim cultures this "freedom" is considered sinful. A woman's honor is a cherished possession and even the illusion that it has been trampled on is a very hot issue. Men in Muslim communities strive to protect their women from any infringement on the issue of their honor. As when a woman loses their honor, the whole family is affected. So a woman can not travel with other men even in business settings as this would give the illusion that their honor has been compromised or been tainted by association. Women can not have managerial authority over men in the workplace in these societies as the man is simply perceived as more gifted by God for managerial roles in the workplace and is the leader of the family as well. Herein lies the crux of the issue and the difficulty for westerners to understand the cultures in the Middle East.
Although Islam strongly values women and the teachings of Muhammad praise and raise up women, the current faith as practiced by the majority of Muslims worldwide and including in Iran and Afghanistan do not raise women to the standards that Muhammad did in his time. Women have a strong value in the sphere of the family and home, but when a woman leaves that sphere, men are their betters.
This is one issue as perceived from a western viewpoint that creates friction in acceptance of Islamic cultures and is an inherent problem for acceptance of societies that foster these perceptions. Yes, Iran is actually more open to opportunities for women than many other Muslim countries but still has opportunities to embrace the true vision that Muhammad had for the acceptance and value of women in society and provide additional career and work opportunities for them in positions of leadership.
Westerners believe that women have the same rights in society as men and should have those rights to be employed, earn the same amount of money, and to have the freedom to travel and live their lives as they see fit.
In Iran and other Muslim cultures this "freedom" is considered sinful. A woman's honor is a cherished possession and even the illusion that it has been trampled on is a very hot issue. Men in Muslim communities strive to protect their women from any infringement on the issue of their honor. As when a woman loses their honor, the whole family is affected. So a woman can not travel with other men even in business settings as this would give the illusion that their honor has been compromised or been tainted by association. Women can not have managerial authority over men in the workplace in these societies as the man is simply perceived as more gifted by God for managerial roles in the workplace and is the leader of the family as well. Herein lies the crux of the issue and the difficulty for westerners to understand the cultures in the Middle East.
Although Islam strongly values women and the teachings of Muhammad praise and raise up women, the current faith as practiced by the majority of Muslims worldwide and including in Iran and Afghanistan do not raise women to the standards that Muhammad did in his time. Women have a strong value in the sphere of the family and home, but when a woman leaves that sphere, men are their betters.
This is one issue as perceived from a western viewpoint that creates friction in acceptance of Islamic cultures and is an inherent problem for acceptance of societies that foster these perceptions. Yes, Iran is actually more open to opportunities for women than many other Muslim countries but still has opportunities to embrace the true vision that Muhammad had for the acceptance and value of women in society and provide additional career and work opportunities for them in positions of leadership.
