Ansar Burney Vs. Federation of Pakistan.

I

» I X THE FEDERAL SHARIAT COURT

TbRIGINAL JURISDICTION)

Present:

Mr. J u s t i c e A f t a b H u s s a i n C hief J u s t ic e Mr. J u s t i c e Z a h o o r u l Haq Judge Mr. J u s t i c e M a l i k Ghulam A l i Judge

SHARIAT PETITION NO.K-4 OF 1982

A n s a r Burney .......... P etition er Vs

Federation o f Pakistan .......... R e sp o n d e n t and o t h e r s .

For t h e P e t i t i o n e r M r.An sar B u r n e y . P e t i t i o n e r ( i n person) Mr. M.A. K h a l i l S i d d i q i , A d v o c a t e . Mr. G.M. S a l e e m , A d v o c a t e For t h e R e s p o n d e n t M r . S h a r i f ud Din P i r z a d a , A ttorney General of Pak istan.

Mr. Khaiild M. I s h a q , A d v o c a t e a l o n g w i t h Mr. I s h r a t A l i Khan, A d v o c a t e f o r APWA.

Mr. Anwar Ahmad O a d r i , A d v o c a t e f o r F e d e r a l Government.

Mrs. R a s h i d a P a t e l , V i c e Chairman, APWA and P r e s i d e n t Women Lawyers A s s o c i a t i o n , Karachi.

Mrs. S a l i m a N a s i r ud D i n , Advocate.

Dates o f h e a r in g 3 1.7.1982, 1.8 .1 9 8 2 , 5 .8 .1 9 8 2 ,

JUDGMENT:

AFTAB HUSSAIN, CHIEF JUSTICE.

This p e t i t i o n has been f i l e d t o c h a lle n g e t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f women as j u d g e s or m a g i s t r a t e s fo r th e fo llo w in g reasons

1.They d i s c h a r g e t h e i r f u n c t i o n s o f Qazi w it h o u t o b s e r v in g pardah which is a c le a r v i o l a t i o n o f the In ju n ctio n s o f Islam .

2.D u r in g t h e p e r i o d o f t h e H o l y P r o p h e t and h i s r i g h t f u l co mpanions t h e d u t i e s o f Qaza w e r e n e v e r e n t r u s t e d t o f e m a l e s s i n c e i t appears t o b e a v i o l a t i o n o f th e I n ju n c tio n s o f Islam .

3.A c c o r d i n g t o Muslim Law t h e e v i d e n c e o f a woman i s h a l f o f t h a t o f a man and h e r s h a r e i n t h e i n h e r i t a n c e i s equal t o h a l f of that o f her brother.

The j u d gm e n t o f tw o l a d i e s o n l y can be e q u iv a len t t o th a t o f a.m ale.

4.The l a d i e s do n o t f u l f i l t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n o f Qazi according t o the e s t a b lis h e d p r i n c i p l e s o f Muhammadan J u r i s p r u d e n c e .

2.T h i s p e t i t i o n was f i x e d a t K a r a c h i f o r p r e l i m i n ar y h e a r i n g b u t s i n c e t h e A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l as w e l l as o t h e r l a w y e r s w i s h e d t o b e h e a r d , we considered i t a d v i s a b l e t o h e a r f u l l arg umen ts from t h e l e a r n e d c o u n s e l o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r as w e l l as t o g iv e a h ea rin g b e s id e s th e A ttorney General of P a k i s t a n t o a l l t h o s e who w i s h e d t o b e h e a r d . The c a s e was t h u s a r g u e d by Mr. G.M. S a l e e m f o r t h e p e t i t i o n e r , Mr. A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l , Mr. Anwar H u s s a i n Q a d r i , Mr. K h a l i d M. I s h a q , Mrs. S a l e e m a N a s i r u d d i n and M r s . R a s h i d a P a t e l , A d v o c a t e s . A f t e r h e a r i n g t h e c a s e , t h e p e t i t i o n was d i s m i s s e d by a s h o r t o r d e r fo r d e t a il e d reasons t o be given l a t e r .

3.Some o f t h e p o i n t s n e e d n o t d e t a i n u s . It was c o n c e d e d b e f o r e us t h a t t h e r e i s no la w o r c u s t o m o r u s a g e h a v i n g t h e f o r c e o f law f o r o r a g a i n s t t h e s e c l u s i o n o f women. I n t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , we are n o t c a l l e d upon t o go i n t o t h e q u e s t i o n w h e t h e r

r:

Islam a llow s com plete s e c l u s i o n or p a r t i a l s e c l u s i o n o r w h e t h e r a woman s h a l l a p p e a r i n p u b l i c v£j|lldd i or u n v e i l e d . The argument o f t h e l e a r n e d c o u n s e l f o r t h e p e t i t i o n e r t h a t s i n c e t h e e v i d e n c e o f two women i s a s u b s t i t u t e f o r t h e e v i d e n c e o f one man and h e r s h a r e i n i n h e r i t a n c e i s e q u a l t o one h a l f o f th a t o f h er b r o th e r , th er e should be a t l e a s t tw o f e m a l e j u d g e s t o d e c i d e a c a s e , is im possible to accept. I f such a concep t i s given e f f e c t t o i t w i l l f o l l o w t h a t no male Qazi s i t t i n g a l o n e can d e c i d e a c i v i l or crim inal case. According t o Fiqh, in cases o th e r than t h a t o f a d u lt e r y in which fo u r e y e w i t n e s s e s are r e q u ir e d to prove th e o f f e n c e , a t l e a s t two m ale w i t n e s s e s must p r o v e d i s p u t e s o f p r o p e r t y or c r i m i n a l c a s e s o f Hudood and O i s a s . I f t h e argument o f the le a rn ed c o u n se l i s taken to i t s lo g ica l conclusion, it s h o u l d f o l l o w t h a t t h e number o f Qazis t o d e c id e a p a r t i c u l a r c a se s h o u ld correspond t o t h e number o f w i t n e s s e s r e a u i r e d t o p r o v e i t .

A Qazi s i t t i n g a l o n e can b e a l l o w e d t o a c t as a judge in rare c a se s . S im ila r lv i t i s n o t a ground f o r e x c l u d i n g women from apDoin tm ent as Q a z i s t h a t t h e h o l y P r o p h e t or h i s fou r s u c c e s s i v e Caliphs d i d n o t a p p o i n t any woman as s u c h s i n c e t h e r u l e i s t h a t w hat i s n o t p r o h i b i t e d by t h e h o l y Quran and Sunnah i s p e r m i t t e d , and t h e b u rd en o f p r o o f about a n y t h i n g b e i n g p r o h i b i t e d i s on t h e p e r s o n who c l a i m s i t t o b e s o . This i s a p p a r e n t fr om t h e maxim ^ (■ C a d i ' s 1' c / * (}& " » <

( A l a s h b a h u w a l N a z a i r by I b n N u j a i m P . 6 6 ) . We have t o s e e whether th er e i s any e x p r e s s o r e v e n i m p l i e d r e s t r i c t i o n on t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f a fem ale Q azi. I f no s u c h ‘r e s t r i c t i o n can b e i n f e r r e d ,

- ti­

th e appointment w i l l b e l e g a l i n s h a r i a t .

4.I t *?as n o t d e n i e d t h a t t h e r e i s no s p e c i f i c and d ir e c t Injun ction i n t h e Quran or t h e Sunnah o f t h e h o ly Prophet co n cern in g t h i s m a tter. T here a r e o n l y t h e c o n f l i c t i n g opinions o f t h e J u r i s t s . The v i e w o f Imam Abu H a n i f a i s t h a t t h e a u t h o r i t y o f a K a z i i s not v a lid , u n l e s s h e possesses t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n s n e c e s s a r y for a w itn ess. Hedaya ( H e l i c o n ' s ) P .334. This opinion e x c l u d e s from i t s am b it a l l c a s e s o f Hudood and Q i s a s w h i c h i n h i s Fi qh^do n o t a d m it o f e v i d e n c e o f women.

A c c o r d i n g t o Imam J a r e 6T A——- £.3 r i s h e can b e a p p o i n t e d as Q a z i i n a l l m a t t e r s . H e c a y a by H a m i l t o n P . 3 3 4 , Sharh

K S'

Waqaya P . 6 2 , D u r r u l Mtthtar. V c l . I t l , P .2 3 £ , Jurisprudence by Abdu l Rahim, P . 3 8 9 , A d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f J u s t i c e by A lh a j Mohammadullah S . J u n g , ? . 5 , I s l a m Ka U i z a m - i - A d a l by Mahmud b i n Mohammad, P . 1 6 9 , Ehkam u l S u l t a n i a by Mawardi (Urdu) P . 1 1 7 , P h i l o s o p h y o f J u r i s p r u d e n c e by Subh Mahmasani, P . 1 8 0 . A c c o r d i n g t o ’K i t a b u l Qaza' in F atph-ul-B ari, V o l.l3 ,P . 5 6 , some o f t h e M a la k e e s a l s o favour t h e o p in io n o f Ibne J a r e e r . S e e a l s o M c h a l l a by Ibn-e-Hazam, V o l . 7 , P .4 3 0 . I b n e Kazan a l s o s u p p o r t s t h i s v i e w as h i s o p i n i o n i s t h a t a f e m a l e can b e a h e a d o f t h e s t a t e and H a z r a t Umar h a d a p p o i n t e d a l a d y as t h e ✓ w Inspectress o f t h e m ark et ( I b i d ) . Ibn-e- -

A r a b i d oe s n o t a c c e p t t h e c o r r e c t n e s s o f t h e H a d i t h about a p p o i n t m e n t o f a woman by H a z r a t Omar t o s u p e r v i s e t h e m arket.

5.The l e a r n e d c o u n s e l f o r t h e p e t i t i o n e r r e l i e d upon t h e v i e w o f Imam S h a ' f a i and Imam Ahmad b i n Hanbal who h e l d t o t h e c o n t r a r y on t h i s p r o p o s i t i o n . He f u r t h e r subm itted th a t according t o a t r a d it io n c o rr e ctn e ss of w hich i s u n d isp u ted t h e h o ly Prophet s a id :

(There w i l l b e no b l e s s i n g s or p r o s p e r i t y f o r a n a t i o n w h i c h i s r u l e d by a woma n). He f u r t h e r r e l i e d upon t h e Quranic v e r s e " " which, as w i l l

b e s e e n , has been i n t e r p r e t e d m ainly in p r o o f o f th e

s u z e r a i n t y o f men o v e r t h e women and by some i n f a v o u r o f a man b e i n g o n l y a p r o v i d e r f o r woman.

Some t r a d i t i o n s w e r e a l s o q u o t e d t o w h i c h r e f e r e n c e w i l l b e made a t t h e p r o p e r s t a g e . He f u r t h e r q u o t e d t h e v e r s e s fr om w h i c h h e i n f e r r e d I n j u n c t i o n s about t h e s e c l u s i o n o f women and t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e i n p u b lic only w ith t h e i r fa c e s v e i l e d .

6.The l e a r n e d A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l f i r s t made ir c l e a r t h a t h e was n o t - p r e s e n t i n g t h e Government's case as s u c h b u t was a p p e a r i n g o n l y f o r t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f t h e Court i n t h i s c o n t r o v e r s i a l m a t t e r . He r e f e r r e d t o t h e v i e w s g i v e n by t h e C o u n c i l o f I s l a m i c I d e o l o g y on a q u er y by t h e Government a b o u t t h e l e g a l i t y o f a p p o i n t m e n t o f woman as Q a z i . The C o u n c i l s a i d i n its r e p l y t h a t a l a d y can b e a p p o i n t e d a Q a z i in a l l fa m ily m atters su b je c t t o her b e in g over 40 y e a r s o f age and s u b j e c t t o t h e c o n d i t i o n o f o b s e r v a n c e o f pu rd ah. He c i t e d a q u o t a t i o n from " I s l a m i N i z a m - i - A d a l a t " by Dr. T a n z i l u r Rehman, (now Chairman o f t h e I s l a m i c I d e o l o g y C o u n c i l ) p a g e 4 1 , w h i c h r e f e r s t o t h e o p i n i o n o f Imam Abu H a n ifa in r eg a rd t o t h e l e g a l i t y o f appointment o f a fem ale Q azi in a l l m a t t e r s in which h e r e v id e n c e is a d m i s s i b l e w i t h w h i c h t h e a u t h o r a g r e e d . He a l s o r e f e r r e d t o t h e o p i n i o n o f I bne J a r i r who d oe s n o t im p o s e any r e s t r i c t i o n o f a d m is s ib i lit y o f evidence and I s o f t h e v i e w t h a t a woman can b e a p p o i n t e d a Q a z i i n a l l m a t t e r s . As r e g a r d s t h e o p i n i o n t o t h e c o n t r a r y h e l d by S h a f i e s , H a n b l i e s and some M a l i k i e s h e s u b m i t t e d t h a t t h i s v i e w i s b a s e d upon t h e ab ove t r a d i t i o n i n w h i c h t h e H o l y P r o p h e t condemned t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f a f e m a l e r u l e r . But h e a r g u e d t h a t t h e t r a d i t i o n p e r t a i n e d t o t h e t h e n r u l e r o f I r a n and d i d n o t l a y down t h e law t h a t t h e women a r e d i s ­ q u a l i f i e d from b e i n g e l e c t e d o r a p p o i n t e d r u l e r s .

^T#A 6

7.In t h i s connection th e learned Attorney

G e n e r a l r e f e r r e d t o "Mawahibur Rehmania" and t h e F ataw a o f some Ulema i n c l u d i n g Maulana Maudoodi i s s u e d i n f a v o u r o f Miss F a t i m a J i n n a h ' s c a n d i d a t u r e f o r e l e c t i o n t o t h e P r e s i d e n t s h i p o f P a k i s t a n . He s u b m i t t e d t h a t t h e b a s i s o f t h e s e F atawa a r e t h e o p i n i o n s o f d i s t i n g u i s h e d s c h o l a r s l i k e Maulana A s h r a f A l i T h a n v i and S ve d S u la im a n N a d v i .

8.The A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l s u b m i t t e d t h a t h e had n o t b e e n a b l e t o f i n d i n b o o k s on S h a r i a any l i m i ­ t a t i o n as r e g a r d s a g e , purdah o r t h a t f e m a l e j u d g e s can b e a p p o i n t e d o n l y f o r d e c i d i n g c a s e s concerning fam ily m atters. He s a i d t h a t e v e n as r e g a r d s t h e l a s t p o i n t t h e H a n a f i v i e w was much more l i b e r a l .

He a l s o c i t e d a p h r a s e w r i t t e n by S y e d Suleman N a d v i in h i s book ” ” p a g e 292 t h a t w h e n e v e r t h e co mpanions o f t h e H o l y P r o p h e t d i f f e r e d on any m atter, they r e fe r r e d the case to the court of

H a z r a t A i s h a . He s a i d t h a t t h e u s e o f t h e word " " i s i m p o r t a n t s i n c e i t w o u l d show t h e i r i n t e n t i o n t h a t t h e y w a n t e d a ju dgm ent from h e r .

9.He r e f e r r e d t o t h e book on " p u r d a h ' ' ( E n g l i s h ) by Maulana Maudoodi i n w h i c h h e e x p r e s s e d h i s o p i n i o n t h a t t h e r u l e o f p u rd ah c o u l d b e r e l a x e d i n some c a s e s . He r e a d e x t e n s i v e l y from t h e "The I n t r o d u c t i o n t o I s l a m " by Dr. H a m i d u l l a h who a r g u e d a f t e r r e f e r r i n g t o t h e o b l i g a t i o n o f a woman as s t a t e d i n t h e Quran t h a t when t h e j u r i s t s admit t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f t h e i r b e i n g a p p o i n t e d as j u d g e s o f t r i b u n a l s t h e r e i s no r e a s o n why t h e y s h o u l d n o t c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h men t o e a r n t h e i r l i v e l i h o o d and t o d e v e l o p t h e i r t a l e n t s .

10.Mr. Anwar H u s s a i n O a d r i r e f e r r e d m o s t l y to verses from t h e H o l y Quran and p a r t i c u l a r l y p l a c e d r e l i a n c e on v e r s e 58 o f C h ap t er IV:

" ( f 'd J i( j* ^ * 0 1 * "

( a n d i f y e j u d g e b e t w e e n man kind , t h e n y e j u d g e ju stly). He s u b m i t t e d t h a t t h i s v e r s e i s general i n s c o p e and t h e i n j u n c t i o n i s d ir e c te d to both men and women and p r o v e s t h e l e g a l i t y o f appointment o f members o f t h a t s e x as Q a z i s . He a l s o s u b m i t t e d t h a t t h e m o t h e r o f Muqtadar B i l l a h p r e s i d e d o v e r t h e H ig h Court o f A p p e a l .

11.Mr. K h a l i d M. I s h a q s u b m i t t e d t h a t i t was n o t c o r r e c t t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e o f a woman i s h a l f o f t h e e v id e n c e o f a male. R eferring to v erse 6 of Surah N o o r a b o u t L i a n , h e s u b m i t t e d t h a t i t is clear t h a t t h e o a t h o f a woman i s equal t o the testim ony o f one w i t n e s s . He r e f e r r e d t o a j u d gm e n t o f Qazi S h u r a i h , i n "Akhbarul Q u z z a t " b y Hakeei, V o l . I l l , p a g e 359 i n w h i c h h e d e c i d e d a m a t t e r on t h e s o l i t a r y e v id e n c e o f a lady b e c a u se t h e p l a i n t i f f and t h e d e f e n d a n t b o t h m a l e s s i g n i f i e d t h e i r a s s e n t t o t h i s p r o c e d u r e . He a r g u e d t h a t t h e p h r a s e " was u s e d i n t h e H o l y Quran i n

o r d e r t o l a y s t r e s s upon t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f a male t o p r o v i d e f o r t h e f e m a l e . He q u o t e d e x t e n s i v e l y from d i f f e r e n t b o o k s . S i m i l a r arguments w e r e g i v e n by M r s . S a l e e m a N a s i r u d d i n and Mrs . Rashida P a t e l .

12.I t has a lr e a d y been o b s e rv e d t h a t t h e q u e s t i o n o f p u rd ah i s n o t r e l e v a n t s i n c e t h e r e i s n o la w , c u s to m o r u s a g e e n f o r c ea b le by law i n r e g a r d to i t . H ow ever , in p a ssin g , i t may b e s t a t e d t h a t a c c o r d i n g t o Imam Abu H a n i f a , Imam M a l i k , Imam S h a f a i and Imam Ahmad b i n H a n b a l , t h e f a c e and han ds o f a woman a r e e x e m p t e d fr om c o n c e a l m e n t . T h i s o p i n i o n is a l s o a t t r i b u t e d i n T i r m z i t o I b n e Abbas on a r e p o r t fr om S a e e d b i n J u b a i r . According t o a report from A t t a , H a z r a t A i s h a i n a d d i t i o n t o f a c e and hands a l s o exempted f e e t from b e i n g c o v e r e d . ( T a f s e e r - M azhari, V o l . 8, P .3 2 6 ).

13.T h e re i s a H ad ees o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t t h a t a l a d y o f t h e t r i b e named Akhsam came t o t h e P r o p h e t i n t h e y e a r o f H a j j a t u l Widaa and e n q u i r e d w h e t h e r s h e c o u l d p e r f o r m Haj on b e h a l f o f h e r f a t h e r who was t o o o l d t o r i d e an a n i m a l . The P r o p h e t an s w er e d in the a ffir m a tiv e . I b n Abbas who r e p o r t e d t h i s t r a d i t i o n s a i d t h a t F a z a l who was r i d i n g b e h i n d t h e P r o p h e t g a z e d a t t h e l a d y who was l o o k i n g t o w a r d s h i m . The P r o p h e t turned F a z a l's face t o another s id e .

L*

14.I bn Qatan i n f e r r e d from t h i s t r a d i t i o n t h a t s i n c e t h e P r o p h e t d i d n o t o b d e r t h a t woman t o v e i l o r cover her face i t follow s that i t i s not p r o h ib ite d to s e e i f t h e r e b e n o a p p r e h e n s i o n o f m i s c h i e f by e n c h a n t ­ ment. T a f s e e r - i - M a z h a r i , V o l . 8 , P . 3 2 5 .

15.The o n l y q u e s t i o n w h i c h r e m a i n s t o b e c o n s i d e r e d • i s t h e l e g i t i m a c y o f a p p o i n t m e n t o f a woman Qazi a c c o r d i n g t o t h e h o l y Quran and t h e Sunnah o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t ( P B H ) .

16.The f i r s t p o i n t i s about t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f v e r s e 34 o f Su rah N i s a ( C h a p t e r "

(Men a r e i n c h a r g e o f w om e n ). T h i s v e r s e f u r n i s h e s t h e main p l a n k f o r t h e argument i n f a v o u r o f women b e i n g s u b o r d i n a t e t o men. I n some o f t h e c o m m e n t a r ie s t h e eh'-* (Qawwam) word " \ \ j t " / i s u s e d i n t h e s e n s e o f a r u l e r o r m a s t e r

» “ I- ' ->

o r a p e r s o n h a v i n g an a u t h o r i t y , f o r e x a m p le <<OVrL*S " ( N a a r u f y k Ouran) • (To oh u l Maani) / b y M u f t i Mohammad S h a f i . I n '£-- ^ 7 by A l o o s i V o l . V p a g e 2 1 t h e p o s i t i o n o f man i s o f "

s o v e r e i g n power o v e r t h e s u b j e c t . The word " ( s o v e r i g n power) i n r e s p e c t o f women i s a l s o u s e d i n l \ ‘S ( T a f s e e r u l Manar) " Maul an a F a t e h Muhammad o f J u l u n d h a r

t r a n s l a t e d t h e s a i d v e r s e i n t h e same m e a n in g ( i.e . th ey are r u l e r s and h a v e a b s o l u t e s o v e r e i g n t y o v e r th em . “ /

17.I n o t h e r c o m m e n t a r i e s , h o w e v e r , t h e word " (Qawwam) / i s i n t e r p r e t e d as a g u a r d i a n o r h e a d o f t h e f a m i l y .

( S e e Tadab.bSrul Quran by Maulana Amin Ahsan I s l a h i ) .

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad t r a n s l a t e d t h e w ord as

( a manager and a r u l e r ) b u t i t a p p e a r s fr om h i s commentary t h a t h e h a s u s e d t h e w ord " ^ W'V*''" ( r u l e r ) in th e sense o f t h e h e a d o f t h e f a m i l y o r a p e r s o n who manages t h e a f f a i r s o f t h e f a m i l y . The word " (Sarbarah) is a l s o u s e d t o mean a p r o v i d e r . In th e U rdu-English D i c t i o n ­ ary by John S h a k e s p e a r one o f t h e m e a n in g s o f s a r b r a h i i s th e act o f providing s u p p lie s . It i s in t h is s e n s e t h a t Maulana Umar Ahmad Usmani i n t e r p r e t s it in Fiqh-ul-O uran, V o l. I l l .

18.I n s u p p o r t o f t h e d i l u t e d m e an in g Maulana Abul Kalam Azad h a s r e f e r r e d t o t h e p r e I s l a m i c c o n c e p t ab ou t t h e members o f t h e o t h e r s e x b e i n g e n t i t l e d t o s u b s e r v i e n t status o n l y and t h e i r d u t y i s t o serve t h e members o f t h e male s e x , t o obey th em and s a t i s f y th eir d esires.

The Quran h a s im p r o v e d t h i s s t a t u s . For p r o p e r a p p r e c i a ­ t i o n o f t h i s view i t i s n e c essa ry to r e f e r to th e various c o n c e p t i n w h i c h t h e r o l e o f a woman r a n g e s from s u b o r d i ­ n a tio n to subjugation.

19.In W i l l D u r a n t ' s s t o r y o f c i v i l i z a t i o n V o l . I l l , P a g e s . 5 9 6 , 597 i s summed up P a u l ' s in str u c tio n s to his c o m m u n it ie s w h i c h t h e y w e r e r e q u i r e d t o f o l l o w s t r i c t l y .

'Women s h o u l d k e e p q u i e t i n Church. They must t a k e a s u b o r d i n a t e p l a c e . I f t h e y w ant t o f i n d o u t a n y t h i n g t h e y s h o u l d a s k t h e i r h u s b a n d s a t home; f o r i t i s d i s g r a c e f u l f o r a woman t o s p e a k i n c h u r c h .......................Man was n o t made from woman, b u t woman from man; and man was n o t c r e a t e d f o r woman, b u t woman f o r man.

T h at i s why s h e o u g h t t o w e a r upon h e r h e a d som ething t o sym bolize her s u b j e c t io n ."

(See I C o r i n t h e a n s 11: 3 - 1 6 )

He ( P a u l ) o r d e r e d them t o t a k e v e i l a t t h e r i s k o f t h e i r heads b e in g shaved.

" I f a woman d oe s n o t w e a r a v e i l , l e t her h a ir be cut; but i f i t i s d isg r a c e fu l f o r a woman t o h a v e h e r h a i r c u t o f f or her head shaved, th en l e t h e r wear a v e i l . " (1 C orintheans 11:6)

T h i s was t h e J u d a i c and Greek v i e w o f woman ( s t o r y o f c i v i l i z a t i o n by W i l l D u r a n t , V o l . I l l , P .597). In ancient I s r a e l t h e husband had a p r o n r i e t a r y r i g h t ov e r h i s w i f e ( E n c y c l o p a e d i a o f R e l i g i o n and E t h i c s , V o l . 5 , P . 7 2 4 ) .

The f a t h e r c o u l d s e l l h i s d a u g h t e r i n t o b o n d - s e r v i c e .

( w i t h c o n c u b i n a g e ) t h o u g h n o t t o f o r e i g n e r s . He m igh t cause a p r o d i g a l son t o b e s to n e d t o death or a p r o d ig a l daughter t o be burnt a l i v e (I b id P.728).

20.The p r o p e r t y r i g h t o f women w e r e as l i m i t e d i n Talmud as i n E i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y E n g la n d ; t h e i r e a r n i n g s and t h e in c o m e from t h e i r p r o p e r t i e s b e l o n g e d t o t h e i r husbands. (The Age o f f a i t h by W i l l Durant P . 3 6 3 ) . In law a c c o r d i n g t o one Rabbi ' a h u n d r e d women a r e e q u a l t o o n ly one w i t n e s s ' .

21.Even i n t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y i n A m e rica (New E n g la n d ) a m a r r i e d woman h a d no l e g a l e x i s t e n c e a p a r t from h e r h u s b a n d ' s . She c o u l d n o t s u e , contract, or e v e n e x e c u t e a w i l l o f h e r own; h e r p e r s o n , e s t a t e and w a g e s b ec ame h e r h u s b a n d ' s when s h e t o o k h i s name (Bonds o f Women by Nancy F . C o t t , P . 5 ) The p r o p e r t y r e f o r m s i n most S t a t e s s t a r t e d a f t e r 183 9 . In E n g la n d t h e f i r s t A ct 'T he M a r r i e d Women's P r o p e r t y R i g h t s A c t ' , was p r o m u l g a t e d i n 1 8 8 2 . As l a t e as t h e 1 8 t h c e n t u r y S i r W i l l i a m B l a c k s t o n e p u b l i s h e d h i s i n f l u e n t i a l c o m m e n t a r ie s on t h e l a w s o f E n g l a n d i n w h i c h h e r e a f f i r m e d t h e l e g a l i n f e r i o r i t y o f women. He h e l d t h a t women h a d n o l e g a l e x i s t e n c e o n c e m a r r i e d ; h u s b a n d and w i f e w e r e one p e r s o n , i n la w , and t h a t p e r s o n was t h e i r h u s b a n d . (New S t a n d a r d E n c y c l o p a e d i a on 'Women's Rights^) , s e c t i o n 37 o f t h e La-;

o f p r o p e r t y . A c t -; 1925 d e c l a r e d t h a t a h u s b a n d and w i f e s h a l l f o r a l l p u r p o s e s o f a c q u i s i t i o n o f any i n t e r e s t i n p r o p e r t y u n d e r a d i s p o s i t i o n made o r coming i n t o o p e r a t i o n a f t e r t h e commencement o f t h i s A c t , b e t r e a t e d as two persons. Law Reforms ( M a r r i e d Woman and T o r t f e a s e r ' s A c t , 1935) d eclared h er t o be capable o f su in g or b ein g sued e i t h e r i n t o r t or in c o n tr a c t or o t h e r w is e , of a c q u i r i n g h o l d i n g and d i s p o s i n g o f p r o p e r t y and o f r e n d e r i n g h e r s e l f and b e i n g r e n d e r e d l i a b l e i n r e s p e c t o f any t o r t , C o n t r a c t o r d e b t o r o b l i g a t i o n ( S . 1). I t * a l s o d e c l a r e d t h a t w hat w as h e r s e p a r a t e p r o p e r t y o r may

b e l o n g t o h e r o r d e v o l v e upon h e r a f t e r t h i s A ct s h a l l b e l o n g t o h e r and may b e d i s p o s e d o f by h e r as i f s h e w e r e a feme s o l e .

22.Among t h e Gre ek s t h e women w e r e l e f t i n c o m p l e t e seclu sion . She was e x p e c t e d t o s t a y a t home, and n o t a l l o w h e r s e l f t o b e s e e n a t a window. Most o f h e r l i f e was s p e n t i n t h e women's q u a r t e r s at t h e r e a r o f th e h o u s e ; no m a le v i s i t o r was e v e r a d m i t t e d t h e r e n o r d i d s h e a p p e a r when men v i s i t e d h e r h u s b a n d . She c o u l d v i s i t h e r r e l a t i v e s i f p r o p e r l y v e i l e d and a t t e n d e d .

"The name o f a d e c e n t woman, l i k e h e r p e r s o n , s h o u l d b e s h u t up i n t h e h o u s e " s a i d P l u t a r c h . (Story o f c i v i l i ­ z a t i o n by W i l l D u r a n t , V o l . I I , P .305. See a l s o E n c y c lo ­ p a e d i a o f R e l i g i o n an E t h ic s Vol. 5 , P .7 3 5 ) .

23.I n Roman Law a woman was c o n s i d e r e d l e g a l m in o r u n d e r p e r p e t u a l t u t e l a g e o f f a t h e r and h u sb a n d . (P atria Potestas)

24.The c o n d i t i o n o f women among t h e H in d u s i s w e l l known t o p e r s o n s r e s i d i n g i n t h e s u b - c o n t i n e n t . Her p o s i t i o n was no b e t t e r t h a n t h a t o f a s l a v e and s h e had t o b e S a t i ( d i e by b u r n i n g ) on t h e c r e m a t i o n o f h e r hu sb an d .

25.I n Japan a f t e r t h e co ming o f C o n f u c i a n and B u d d h i s t t e a c h i n g s woman's d u t y b ec am e t h a t o f o b e d i e n c e t o h e r f a t h e r , h e r h u s b a n d & h e r s o n ; when m a r r i e d h e r p r o p e r t y became t h e p o s s e s s i o n o f h e r new f a m i l y . (E ncyclopaedia o f E th ic s & R e l i g i o n Vol. 5 , P .7 4 0 ) .

26.Thus g e n e r a l l y t h e women w e r e n o t c o n s i d e r e d economic i n d i v i d u a l . On t h e o t h e r h a n d i f t h e y h a d p r o p e r t y o r e a r n e d w a g e s o r w e r e made t o e a r n w a g e s , t h e i r income was s p e n t o n l y t o p r o v i d e e c o n o m i c r e l i e f t o t h e i r h u s b a n d . T h e i r p o s i t i o n was o f s u b j u g a t e d i n d i v i d u a l s .

27.I s l a m on t h e o t h e r hand d l a c e d woman and man b o t h on t h e same f o o t i n g i n e c o n o m ic i n d e p e n d e n c e , property r ig h t s and l e g a l p r o c e s s . She m i g h t f o l l o w any l e g i t i m a t e p r o f e s s i o n , k e e p h e r e a r n i n g s , in h erit

p r o p e r ty & d is p o s e o f h e r b e lo n g i n g s at w i l l ( 0 .4 : 3 2 ) ( S e e The Age o f f a i t h by W i l l Durant P . 1 8 0 ) .

28.The c o m m e n t a r ie s i n w h i c h t h e c o n c e p t o f dom inion o r s o v e r e i g n t y i s ad v a n ce d app ea r t o b e b a s e d upon t h e o l d c o n c e p t u a l t r e n d s .

29.The r o o t wor d o f "qawsam" i n A r a b i c i s " W " j> f (Oawwma) or " ".^ The wo rd s " o { s ” (Oawama a l a ) means t o

p ro v id e someone's n e e d s , t o s u D p o r t someone o r f u r n i s h r-•" someone w i t h t h e means o f s u b s i s t e n c e . t/“*Y^y(Qawwam a l a ) w ill, t h e r e f o r e , mean a p r o v i d e r , a supporter or fu rn ish er f o r a n o t h e r w i t h t h e means o f s u b s i s t e n c e . It a l s o means a m an ager , c a r e - t a k e r . c u s t o d i a n or guardian.

It is f o r t h i s rea so n t h a t Abdullah Y ousaf A l i has t r a n s l a t e d t h e w ord " \ LV ” as m e an in g p r o t e c t o r .

P i c k t h a l has t r a n s l a t e d i t as i n c h a r g e , w h i c h i s t h e s a m e t h i n g as c a r e t a k e r or g u a r d i a n . A r b e r r y i n t e r p r e t s it as one who manages t h e a f f a i r s o f women.

30.T h i s s e n s e i s more i n a c c o r d w i t h t h e s u b s e q u e n t language o f t h i s v e r s e . The r e a s o n i s t h a t men s p e n d t h e i r p r o p e r t y f o r t h e s u p p o r t o f women. Abdu l A z i z J a w e e s h s a y s A1 I s l a m Deen u l F i t r a t a Wal H u r r i y a , P . 9 8 that the su p e r io r ity i f any i s n o t f o r any n a t u r a l p r o f i c i e n c y i n one and d e f i c i e n c y i n a n o t h e r b u t i t is o n l y on a c c o u n t o f t h e l i a b i l i t y t o m a i n t a i n . I t must f o l l o w t h a t one who does n o t m a i n t i a n h i s w i f e s h o u l d n o t b e Oawwam. And t h i s i s e x a c t l v what i s s a i d in Al- Bahr u l Moheet by Abu Hayyan Und^usi w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o Q urtabi (P .2 3 9 ).

31.The s e n s e o f a p r o v i d e r and a p r o t e c t o r i s v e r y much i n c l u d e d i n t h e v e r s e . By c a l l i n g m ale a s o v e r i g n , t h e c o n c e p t o f h i s h a v i n g f u l l d o m in io n o v e r h e r l i f e and p r o p e r t y b o t h w i l l h a v e t o b e i m p o r t e d w h i c h can n o t b e in accordance w i t h t h e Quranic i n j u n c t i o n s i n which the l i f e and p r o p e r t y o f a l l i n c l u d i n g t h a t o f women is sacrosanct. On t h e o t h e r hand S h a r i a h p r o v i d e s t h a t even i f t h e woman i s w e a l t h y enough o r w e a l t h i e r t h a n h e r

h u s b a n d , t h e l a t t e r i s u n d e r an o b l i g a t i o n t o p r o v i d e f o r h e r m aintenance k e e p in g in view h i s own means as w e l l a s t h e s t a t u s o f woman i n t h e s o c i e t y . The e x c e l l e n c e o f one o v e r t h e o t h e r i s in r e la tio n to the p h ysical s t r e n g t h and th e w i l l and d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o f i g h t and t o ' protect ''‘B e c a u s e A l l a h h a s "'given t h e one more ( s t r e n g t h ) than th e o th e r ” connotes th i's " e x c e lle n c e i n . . s t r e n g t h . The word s t r e n g t h i n c l u d e s p h y s i c a l s t r e n g t h .

They a r e f o r s u c h r e a s o n s i n a b e t t e r p o s i t i o n t o s a f e ­ g u a r d t h e i n t e r e s t o f women.

32.I think th e b e s t commentary o f t h i s v e r s e i s i n t h e t r a d i t i o n o f t h e h c l v P r o o h e t (PBH) :

(f'cf ^ ^ L, // OW I

d is respon sib le

fo r h is charges. _r.e Imam ( r u l e r ) o f the people i s a g u a r d i a n and i s respon sib le fo r h is charge; a man i s t h e guardian o f h i s fam ily (household) and i s

resp on sib le for h is charge: a woman i s th e guardian o f h e r h u s b a n d ' s home and c f h i s c h i l d r e n and i s r e s p o n s i b l e f o r them; and t h e s l a v e o f a man i s a g u a r d i a n o f h i s m a s t e r ' s p r o o e r t v and i s respon sib le for i t . E v e r y one o f y o u i s a g u a r d i a n and r e s p o n s i b l e f o r h i s charges (B ukhari). "(]> means p r o t e c t o r , c u s t o d i a n o r a p e r s o n who i s r e s p o n s i b l e for the d e v e l o p m e n t o f h i s p r o t e c t e d t h i n g and t h u s h e i s r e q u ir e d t o be j u s t and t o look after its in terests.

( F a t h u l B a r i , V o l . 13 Pa g e 1 1 2 ) .

33.I t may b e c l a r i f i e d t h a t t h e w ord " " which i s t h e r o o t w ord o f " ^ ^ " and " means t o

g ra ze, to ten d , t o tak e care o f , to guard, t o p r o t e c t .

means s h e p h e r d , h e r d s m a n , g u a r d i a n , k e e p e r , / y .'

protector. " " i n t h a t s e n s e c a r r i e s t h e mea nin g o f ' h e r d ' o r ’ f l o c k ’ . The f u n c t i o n s o f a s h e p h e r d are

firstly t o g r a z e o r t e n d t h e h e r d w h i c h makes him undertake th e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f a p r o v id e r , secondly to protect i t fr om t h e a t t a c k s o f w i l d a n i m a l s w h i c h g i v e s it a s e n s e o f p r o t e c t o r and t h i r d l y t o s e e t h a t a member o f t h e f l o c k does n o t s t r a y from t h e p a t h . In t h a t case h e can a l s o e x e r c i s e h i s a u t h o r i t y o f r e t r i b u t i o n . P ri­ m a r i l y t h e s h e p h e r d u s e s a l l means o f l o v e f o r k e e p i n g t h e members o f t h e f l o c k from s t r a y i n g . I t i s o n l y as a l a s t r e s o r t t h a t h e may g i v e th em a s l i g h t b e a t i n g .

34.The m e an in g o f t h e v e r s e w h i c h may now b e r e p r o d u c e d f u l l y fr om A b d u l l a h Y o u s a f A l i ' s commentary on t h e Quran x * i l l b e a r o u t t h i s s e n s e o f a s h e p h e r d and it appear t h a t a p a r t o f t h i s H adith i s r e a l l y a commen­ tary of th is verse:

"Men a r e t h e p r o t e c t o r s And m a i n t a i n e r s o f women, Because A llah has given The one more ( s t r e n g t h ) Than t h e o t h e r , and b e c a u s e They s u p p o r t them from t h e i r means.

T h e r e f o r e t h e r i g h t e o u s women Are d e v o u t l y o b e d i e n t , an d guard In ( t h e husband's) absence What A l l a h w o u l d h a v e them g u a r d . " (V erse 4:34) I t a l s o a p p e a r from H a d i t h t h a t t h e m a n t l e o f s h e p h e r d h o o d i s n o t f o r t h e m ale o n l y ; a fem ale a lso may b e a s h e p h e r d e s s . She e n j o y s t h a t r o l e o v e r h e r ch ild ren. I n a c a s e w h e r e s h e i s u n - m a r r i e d o r a widow o r h e r husband d e s e r t s h e r or t h e r e i s s e p a r a t i o n b e t w e e n t h e s p o u s e s , s h e be com es t h e Qawwam o r g u a r d i a n or mentor of t h o s e sh e has t o look a f t e r . The v e r s e d e a l s w i t h f a m i l y i n w h i c h t h e man and t h e w i f e a r e t h e tw o p r i n c i p a l c h a r a c t e r s b u t i n s u c h a n o r m a l f a m i l y also her p o sitio n i s t h a t o f s e c o n d i n command and i n h e r c h i l d r e n s h e h a s a f l o c k t o b e s h e p h e r d e d by h e r . In t h e s e c ir c u m s t a n c e s i t w i l l be d o in g v i o l e n c e t o t h e language o f th e v e r s e to i n t e r p r e t i t i n th e sen se t h a t a man alw a y s h o l d s some d o m i n a t i n g p o s i t i o n o v e r th e o th er s e x . T his i s c l a r i f i e d by th e Hadis.

35.The same r e s u l t c a n b e o b t a i n e d from a r e f e r e n c e l

.............i 5 . . .

t o Q .2 :2 2 3 , "Your women a r e a t i l t h fo r you (to c u l t i v a t e ) " . T h is v e r s e has been g e n e r a lly in t e r p r e t e d t o b e a g a i n s t t h e c o m m is s io n o f an u n - n a t u r a l s e x u a l act w ith one's w if e . There i s , h o w e v e r , no j u s t i f i c a t i o n fo r c o n fin in g i t t o th a t m atter. It a l s o i n d i c a t e s how a person i s t o a c t t o w a r d s o r t o t r e a t h i s w i f e . The t r e a t m e n t s h o u l d b e o f a f a r m e r h a n d l i n g and man aging h is l a n d as l o v i n g l y as p o s s i b l e and l o o k i n g a f t e r i t w i t h s u c h c a r e and c a u t i o n w h i c h may e n a b l e him t o g e t t h e b e s t produce o u t o f i t . Maulana Amin Ahsan I s l a h i h a s p a r t l y r e f e r r e d t o t h i s p o i n t w h i l e commenti ng upon t h i s v e r s e i n T a d a b b a r u l Quran. He s a y s :

" I t i s a common d e s i r e on t h e p a r t o f a t i l l e r o f th e s o i l th a t he should o b t a i n t h e b e s t c r o p from h i s l a n d and fo r t h i s purpose t o plough at th e r ig h t t i m e , t o w a t e r i t and t o g i v e manure t o i t a c c o r d i n g t o n e e d , and s e e t h a t i t r em a in s p r o t e c t e d from s e a s o n a l c a l a m i t y and t h e de- p red atim o f b e a s ts o f p rey , g razin g anim als, b i r d s , e n e m i e s and t h i e v e s . When h e l o o k s t o w a r d s i t , h e w i l l b e g r a t i f i e d and p l e a s e d by i t s v e r d u r e , anc f r e s h n e s s and when t h e t i m e c o m e s , h e may r e a p e x c e s s i v e c r o p . "

36.The s i m i l e i s v e r y a p t and i s su g g estiv e of the l o v in g trea tm en t t o which a w i f e i s e n t i t l e d .

37.The p o s i t i o n o f a "Qawwam", g u a r d i a n , m an ag er , m aintainer, p rovid er, in whatever s e n s e i t is in terpreted, d oe s n o t g i v e any p a r t i c u l a r t r i u m p h t o t h e h u s b a n d over th e w i f e . Islam i s a r e l i g i o n w h i c h s t r e s s e s upon extrem e d i s c i p l i n e . It i s t o advance t h i s o b j e c t t h a t t h e h o ly Prophet a d v ise d t h a t even during a jo u r n e y t h e c o - t r a v e l l e r s s h o u l d choose from amongst t h e m s e l v e s a ch ief i.e . a p e r s o n who may l o o k a f t e r t h e i r c o l l e c t i v e i n t e r e s t f o r s o l o n g as t h e y t r a v e l t o g e t h e r . In t h i s view o f t h e m a t te r , i t i s n o t s t r a n g e t h a t n eed has been felt f o r a p p o i n t m e n t o f someone as t h e h e a d o f t h e fam ily. T h i s d u t y c o u l d n a t u r a l l y b e a s s i g n e d t o one who u n d e r t a k e s t h e a d d i t i o n a l d u t y t o m a i n t a i n h i s w i f e and c h i l d r e n , t o l o o k a f t e r t h e l a t t e r ' s t r a i n i n g and e d u c a t i o n and a l s o t o guard them a g a i n s t e v i l d o e r s .

T h e s e a r e f u n c t i o n s w h i c h can b e more s a t i s f a c t o r i l y *• jsp d i s c h a r g e d by a m a l e . A l t e r n a t i v e a r ra g n em en t h a s b e e n made f o r t h e m o t h e r t o a c t as s e c o n d - i n - c o m m a n d d u r i n g t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e h u s b a n d and an a l t e r n a t i v e h e a d d u r i n g h i s a b s e n c e or e v e n n o n - e x i s t e n c e , as i s c l e a r from t h e above H a d i t h . In f a c t ev eryon e i s e n j o i n e d t o l o o k a f t e r p e r s o n s who a r e i n h i s care.

38.I n c l a s s i c a l Roman Law, a p a t r i a p o t e s t a s o r t h e e l d e r o f t h e f a m i l y was g i v e n t h e r i g h t e v e n t o k i l l the child ren. I n t h e Old T e s t a m e n t i n c a s e o f d i s ­ o b e d i e n c e o f t h e f a t h e r by t h e s o n , t h e l a t e r was l i a b l e t o be s e n te n c e d t o death. But I s l a m d oe s n o t a l l o w t h e h e a d o f t h e f a m i l y t o k i l l a n yon e. The r o l e o f "Qawwam" t h e r e f o r e b e i n g t h a t o f a p r o t e c t o r , a manager, or m a i n t a i n e r , t h e p o s i t i o n d oe s n o t g i v e h i m a p a r t i c u l a r e d g e o v e r t h e members o f h i s fam ily.

39.On t h e o t h e r h a n d t h e r e i s m u t u a l i t y i n t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p o f t h e s p o u s e s . The Quran s a y s :

"The^ (women)i a r e r a i m e n t f o r y o u and

you are raiment f o r them." ( 0 . 4 : 1 8 7 )

"And t h e b e l i e v e r s , men and women, a r e p r o t e c t i n g f r i e n d s one o f a n o t h e r ; t h e y e n j o i n t h e r i g h t and f o r b i d t h e w r o n g , and t h e y e s t a b l i s h w o r ­ s h i p and t h e y pa y t h e p o o r - d u e , and t h e y obey A l l a h and H i s m e s s e n g e r . As f o r t h e s e A l l a h w i l l h a v e me rcy on them.

L o! A lla h is M ighty, W ise."

T h e r e i s t h u s m u t u a l i t y i n f r i e n d s h i p and a l s o i n e n j o i n i n g t h e r i g h t and f o r b i d d i n g t h e w r o n g . Even i n t h e s t o r y o f Adam and Eve Quran d o e s n o t p a i n t one as t e m p t o r e s s and t h e o t h e r a c t i n g u n d e r t h e enchanting in f lu e n c e o f th e oth er (G en.3 : 1 - 6 ) .

A c c o r d i n g t o t h e s t o r y i n G e n e s i s t h e woman f i r s t y i e l d s t o tem ptation. But t h e Q u r a n i c s t o r y k e e p s th em on l e v e l o f e q u a l i t y e v e n when s a t a n l e a d s them a s t r a y .

"Then s a t a n w h i s p e r e d t o t h e m .......... And h e swore u n t o t h e m : Lo! I am a s i n c e r e a d v i s o r u n t o y o u . Thus

d i d h e l e a d th em on w i t h g u i l e . And when t h e y t a s t e d o f t h e t r e e , t h e i r shame was m a n i f e s t t o t h e m .............

And t h e i r Lord c a l l e d t h e m .......... They s u e d : O u r Lord!

we h a v e w r o n g e d o u r s e l v e s " (Q .7 :2 0 -2 3 ).

40.The i n j u n c t i o n s t o men and women a r e s i m i l a r and t h e i r r e w a r d and p u n is h m e n t a r e e q u a l . I n some i n ­ j u n c t i o n s t h e man and woman b o t h a r e a d d r e s s e d . Such i n j u n c t i o n s may b e r e g a r d i n g t h e d u t i e s o r t h e y may b e r e g a r d i n g r ew ard or n u n i s h m e n t .

Q . 3 3 :35

"Lo! men who s u r r e n d e r u n t o A l l a h , and women who s u r r e n d e r , and men who b e l i e v e , and women who b e l i e v e , and men who obey and women who o b e y , and men who s p e a k t h e t r u t h and women who s p e a k t h e t r u t h , and men who p e r s e v e r e ( i n r i g h t e o u s n e s s ) and women who p e r s e r v e r e , and men who a r e h u m b le , and women who a r e h u m b l e , and men who g i v e alms and women who g i v e alms , and men who f a s t and women who f a s t , and men who g u a r d t h e i r m o d e s t y and women who g u a r d ( t h e i r m o d e s t y ) , and men who remember A l l a h much and women who remember - A l l a h h a t h p r e p a r e d f o r th em f o r g i v e n e s s and a v a s t r e w a r d . "

Q ,33:73

"So A l l a h p u n i s h e t h h y p o c r i t i c a l men and h y p o c r i t i c a l women, and i d o l a t r o u s men and i d o l a t r o u s women. But A l l a h p a r d o n e t h b e l i e v i n g men and b e l i e v i n g women, and A l l a h i s F orgivin g, M ercifu l,"

41.T h e r e a r e a l a r g e number o f i n j u n c t i o n s i n which o n ly m a s c u lin e gender i s u sed b u t i t is an e s t a b l i s h e d r u l e o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e Quran t h a t u n l e s s t h e r e b e s o m e t h i n g r e p u g n a n t i n t h e s u b j e c t or c o n te x t, th e m asculine w i l l a ls o in c lu d e th e fem inine.

Q .10:27.

"And t h o s e who earn i l l d e e d s , ( f o r them) r e q u i t a l o f e a c h i l l d e e d by t h e l i k e t h e r e o f ; and i g n o m in y o v e r - t a k e t h th em - They h a v e no p r o t e c t o r fr om A l l a h - as i f t h e i r f a c e s had been c o v er e d w ith a cloak o f darkest n ig h t.

Such are r i g h t f u l owners o f t h e F i r e ; t h e y w i l l a b i d e t h e r e in '. '

Q .1 8 :8 8 .

"But as f o r him who b e l i e v e t h and d o t h r i g h t , g ood w i l l b e h i s r e w a r d , and we s h a l l s p e a k u n t o him a m i l d command'.'

Q .56:24.

HReward f o r what t h e y u s e d t o d o ."

s uch T h e r e a r e a l a r g e number o f / i n j u n c t i o n s b u t o n l y a few o f th em h a v e b e e n c i t e d f o r t h e s a k e o f i l l u s t r a t i o n .

42.T hese v e r s e s p ro v e t h e measures o f e q u a l i t y b e t w e e n men and women. I n Q. 3 : 1 9 5 and Q . 4 : 2 5 i t is stated g "Ye p r o c e e d one

fr om a n o t h e r " . P ickthal in terp rets it as l a y i n g down t h a t men and women a r e o f e c u a l s t a t u s . Some o f t h e women, i n f a c t , h a v e p r e f e r e n c e o v e r m a l e s e g . the w i f e o f Pharaoh who b r o u g h t up M o s e s , Mary m o t h e r o f J e s u s , H a z r a t K had ij a , H a z r a t A i s h a and H a z r a t F a t im a and a l l o t h e r w i v e s o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t . The f i r s t p e r s o n who b e l i e v e d i n t h e m i s s i o n o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t was a woman i . e . H a z r a t Khadij a . Sh e b e l i e v e d and a c k n o w l e d g e d th e tr u th o f Islam . A c c o r d i n g t o I b n e Hasham, w h e n e v e r t h e h o l y P r o p h e t h e a r d s o m e t h i n g t h a t g r i e v e d him touching h is r e j e c t i o n by p e o p l e , s h e r e a s s u r e d and s u p p o r t e d h im (Women i n M uslim H i s t o r y by C h a r i s Waddy, P .9). The h i g h o p i n i o n o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t ab o u t H a z r a t Khad ij a i s c l e a r fr om t h e H a d i t h r e p o r t e d by H a z r a t A i s h a . He s a i d :

"She b e l i e v e d i n me when I was r e j e c t e d , when t h e y c a l l e d me a l i a r s h e p r o c l a i m e d me o f t r u t h f u l , when I was p o o r s h e s h a r e d w i t h me h e r w e a l t h and A l l a h g r a n t e d me h e r c h ild r e n though w ith -h o ld in g o f others ( I b i d , Pa ge s 1 8 - 1 9 ) . "

This H adith r e f l e c t s the f e e lin g o f lo v e , respect and f r i e n d s h i p yfrich was m u t u a l b e t w e e n t h e i d e a l h u s b a n d and t h e i d e a l w i f e .

43.That t h e h o l y P r o p h e t a l s o h e l p e d h i s w i f e ( i n d o m e s t i c work) i s p r o v e d by a n o t h e r H a d i t h . H a z r a t A i s h a was a s k e d w hat was t h e f i r s t t h i n g t h e M e s s e n g e r o f A l l a h u s e d t o do when h e came home, s h e a n s w e r e d , h e cleaned h is te e th . Sh e was a s k e d w hat d i d h e do a t home, sh e answered h e h e lp e d h i s w i f e ( I b i d P.21)

44.From t h e s e t r a d i t i o n s it a p p e a r s t h a t t h e h u sb an d and w i f e a r e l i k e t h e two w h e e l s o f t h e same c h a r i o t and

d o m e s t i c work i s n o t t h e d u t y o f a woman o n l y ; t h e h u sb an d is a ls o required to help her.

45.The c o n c e p t o f e q u a l i t y was summed up by t h e h o ly Prophet in h i s a d d r e s s on H a j j a t u l Wida as w i l l b e c l e a r fr om t h e f o l l o w i n g p a s s a g e : -

" A l l p e o p l e a r e e q u a l as e q u a l as t h e t e e t h o f a comb. T h e r e i s no c l a i m o f m e r i t o f an Arab o v e r a n on -A ra b o r o f w h i t e o v e r a b l a c k p e r s o n o n l y God f e a r i n g p e o p l e m e r i t a p r e f e r e n c e w i t h God."

Thus men & women a r e e q u a l . B u t t h i s may b e s u p e r i o r b e c a u s e God f i x e s o n l y one c r i t e r i o n f o r r e a l s u p e r i o r i t y and i t is "The n o b l e s t o f y o u i n t h e s i g h o f A l l a h i s t h e b e s t i n c o n d u c t . "(Q. 49 :1 3)

46.I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e a b ove p r e c e ^ p t s t h e r e a r e i n j u n c ­ t i o n s t o shew k i n d n e s s and p o l i t e n e s s t o t h e p a r e n t s and t o l o w e r u n t o t h em t h e w i n g o f s u b m i s s i o n t h r o u g h me rcy ( Q . 1 7 :

23,24) and t o show c o u r t e s y and k i n d e n s s t o t h e women e v e n a t t h e t i m e o f d i v o r c e ( 0 . 6 5 : 6 ;Q.2 : 2 2 9 ) . The r e s u l t t o b e o b t a i n e d fr om t h e s e s p e c i f i c o r d e r s i s t h a t w h i l e a woman i s e n t i t l e d t o be t r e a t e d w ith honour, she should be r e le a s e d in kin dness.

47.The h o l y P r o p h e t S a i d : 'The b e s t o f y o u i s one who treats h is w ife b est' and 'God d i s l i k e s a man who i s stem to h is f a m i l y and s e l f c o n c e i t e d ' I h y a u l Uloom Book I I , P . 3 8 ( t r a n s l a t i o n by Maulana F a z a l Karim) . I t is not p o s s ib le t o i n f e r any p r o h i b i t i o n fr om v e r s e Q . 4 : 3 4 a b o u t Qawwam. p * '

48.The n e x t p o i n t i s w h e t h e r t h e H a d i t h " (T h at n a t i o n w i l l n o t p r o s p e r w h i c h

i s r u l e d by a woman) d i s q u a l i f i e s women fr om a p p o i n t ­ ment as Q a z i s . I t i s on a c c o u n t o f t h i s H a d i s t h a t i n t h e 22 p o i n t s o f t h e Ulema ( l e a r n e d j u r i s t s ) of P a k i s t a n w h i c h w e r e p r e s e n t e d t o t h e Government as n e c e s s a r y p r e l i m i n a r i e s t o th e framing o f a C o n s t i t u t i o n , P o i n t N o . 12 s p e c i f i c a l l y s a i d t h a t t h e Head o f t h e S t a t e w i l l b e a Muslim m a l e . T h i s p o i n t was r e - e x a m i n e d d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f co mpa igne f o r t h e P r e s i d e n t i a l E l e c t i o n s o f 1 9 6 4 i n w h i c h Miss F a t im a J i n n a h was no m i­ n a t e d by t h e o p p o s i t i o n p a r t i e s t o f i g h t t h e e l e c t i o n t o th e o f f i c e o f th e P resid en t o f Pakistan again st

F i e l d M a r t i a l Muhammad Ayub Khan. A f t e r a r e s e a r c h t h e v i e w as a b o u t a woman b e i n g q u a l i f i e d f o r t h e o f f i c e o f t h e Head o f t h e S t a t e was c h a n g e d on t h e b a s i s o f o p i n i o n s o f tw o o f t h e m os t renowned Ulema o f t h e 2 0 t h C en tu ry i n I n d o P a k i s t a n , n a m e ly Maulana A s h r a f A l i T h a n v i and A lla m a S y e d S u la im a n N a d v i . The J a m a i t - e - I sla m ia P ak istan endorsed t h i s view a f t e r r e t r a c t i n g its e a r l i e r s t a n d on t h e m a t t e r w h i c h was r e f l e c t e d i n t h e a b ove m e n t i o n e d p o i n t Mo.1 2. Maulana Maudoodi was s e v e r e l y c r i t i c i s e d f o r t h i s by K a l i m Bahadur i n h i s book " J a m a it - i- I s la m i o f P ak istan " . But t h i s c r i t i c i s m was n o t j u s t i f i e d s i n c e i t i s t h e duty o f a Muslim t o a c c e p t t h e t r u t h and t o ch ange and r e t r a c t h i s e a r l i e r view. I n t e c h n i c a l p a r l a n c e t h i s i s known as t h e d o c t r i n e o f ' ' (Raju or r e t r e a t ) .

49.Maulana A s h r a f A l i T h a n v i e x p r e s s e d t h i s opinion i n an s w er t o a q u e r y w h e t h e r t h e women r u l e r s o f ( I n d i a n ) or S t a t e s w e r e i n c l u d e d i n / h i t by t h i s t r a d i t i o n . He s a i d i n r e p l y t h a t t h e governments are o f t h r e e t y p e s . One category i s in which t h e r e i s a b s o l u t e n e s s as w e l l as generality; a b s o l u t e n e s s i n t h e s e n s e t h a t i t may be a d e s p o t i c r u l e and g e n e r a l i n t h e s e n s e t h a t t h e g o v e r n e d s h o u l d n o t c o n s i s t o f a s m a l l b o d y . The s e c o n d k i n d i s where t h e r e i s absoluten ess but not g e n e r a lity . In th e th ir d category there i s g e n e r a l i t y but n o t a b s o lu t e n e s s .

The e x a m p le o f t h e f i r s t i s o f a woman w h o s e r u l e i s d e s p o t i c . The ex ample o f t h e s e c o n d i s o f a woman who i s a b s o l u t e s o v e r e i g n o f a s m a l l b od y o f p e r s o n s . The t h i r d may b e i l l u s t r a t e d w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o a p o p u l a r R e p u b l i c a n Government i n w h i c h t h e d e f a c t o and d e j u r e r u l e r i s n o t in appearance a r u l e r but i s o n l y one o f t h e c o n s u l t a t i v e b od y and t h e go v e rn m e n t i s composed o f a b od y o f a d v i s e r s o r c o n s u l t a n t s . I t a p p e a r s from t h e H a d i t h t h a t i t w as meant f o r t h e f i r s t k i n d ( d e s p o t i c r u l e ) . T h e s e wo rd s w e r e u t t e r e d by t h e h o ly Prophet i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e e l e v a t i o n o f C hosroe's

daughter to fu ll/so v ereig n ty in Ira n . In t h e t h i r d kin d t h o u g h t h e s e l e c t i o n i s by t h e w h o l e n a t i o n b u t t h e r e i s n o a b s o l u t i s m i n a u t h o r i t y and a l l a c t s a r e p e r f o r m e d by a d v i c e and c o n s u l t a t i o n .

50.In t h i s c o n n e c t i o n r e f e r e n c e was made t o B i l q e e s o f S a b a i n t h e Quran i n w h i c h t h e r e i s a v e r s e l b , ? /., (I decide no case t i l l you are present wit " (J^ * " / ( Q . 2 7 : 3 2 ) from w h i c h i t a p p e a r s 102 t h a t e i t h e r c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y or by u s a g e i t was a s o r t o f d e m o c r a t i c g o v e r n m e n t . T h e re can b e no o b j e c t i o n t o t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f a woman as s u c h a Head o f S t a t e and S t a t e s w i t h s u c h Governments f r e e from t h e t a i n t o f

A

d e f i c i e n c y p o i n t e d o u t i n t h e H ad ees (Imdad u l Fatawa, V o l V. Pp. 9 1 - 9 3 )

51.A s i m i l a r o p i n i o n was g i v e n by S y e d S u l a i m a n N a d v i in h i s book " " p a g e 1 3 7 . Maulana Z a f a r Ahmad

Usmani i s o f t h e v i e v T, as s t a t e d i n h i s book V o l . 1 5 , P , 2 8 t h a t , t h e H a d i t h d oe s n o t amount t o p r o h i b i ­ t i o n a g a i n s t t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f a woman as Head o f t h e State. I t i s by way o f "Istehsan" th a t t h i s view i s g i v e n w h i c h means t h a t g e n e r a l l y i t may n o t b e a d v i s a b l e t o a p p o i n t a woman.

52.Maulana Umar Ahmad Usmani i n h i s b o o k " F i q h u l Quran", V o l . I l l , P p . 2 8 6 - 2 8 7 h a s e x p r e s s e d some d o u b ts ab ou t t h e a u t h e n t i c i t y o f t h i s "Ahad" ( i s o l a t e d ) trad ition ( r e p o r t e r s o f w h i c h do n o t e x c e e d tw o i n e a c h age) on t h e g r o u n d t h a t i t was r e p o r t e d by H a z r a t A b i B ak ra a t t h e t i m e o f War o f Camels (£f-£c->¥) w h i c h was b e i n g f o u g h t u n d e r t h e l e a d e r s h i p and command o f H a z r a t A i s h a . T h i s H a d i t h was d e s c r i b e d by H a z r a t Abu B ak ra i n an i n t e m e - c in e 'w a r in which b o th t h e w arrin g s i d e s con sisted of a l a r g e number o f co mpanions some o f whom w e r e i l l u s t r i o u s and H a z r a t Abu B a k r a h i m s e l f was i n t h e r an k and f i l e of H a z r a t A i s h a . No companion o f t h e P r o p h e t o f A l l a h d i s c l a i m e d a l l e g i a n c e t o H a z r a t A i s h a on t h i s ground.

Maulana Z a f a r Ahmad Usmani s a y s t h a t anu'mber o f com­ pan ions o f t h e h o ly Prophet p a r t i c i p a t e d in t h i s b a t t l e

b u t noiie o f them a p p l i e d t h i s H a d i t h t o t h e l e a d e r s h i p o f H a z r a t A i s a h ( E l a u l S u n n a n , V o l.X V , P . 2 8 )

53.T h i s d i f f e r e n c e o f o p i n i o n s on t h e q u e s t i o n o f a p p o i n t m e n t o f woman a s t h e Head o f a S t a t e o r as Qazi i s n o t new. W h i l e some s c h o o l s o f t h o u g h t o p p o s e d s u c h a p p o i n t m e n t , I b n e J a r i r T a b a r i who was i n f a v o u r o f l e g i t i m a c y o f a p p o i n t m e n t o f women as Qazi a l s o f a v o u r e d h e r a p p o i n t m e n t as a Head o f t h e S t a t e . A ccording to F a t h u l B a r i , V c l . Y I I I , P a g e 123 ( p r i n t e d by D a r u l F i k r , B eirut) ( C h a p t e r r e g a r d i n g '^Letter o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t t o Q isra" ) n o t o n ly T abari has p e r m i t t e d th is b u t t h e r e is a s i m i l a r r e p o r t e d v i e w o f Imam M a l i k a l s o . On t h e b asis o f o p i n i o n o f Imam M a l i k , t h e Malki j u r i s t s h a v e a ls o giv en v e r d ic t s in favour o f t h i s view . (F athul B ari, V o l . X I I I , P age 56) ( P r i n t e d by D a r u l F i k r , B e i r u t ) .

54.I n t h e o p i n i o n giver, by Maulana A s h r a f A l i Thanvi i n "Fatawa-e-Im dadia" V o l.V , P p .9 1 - 9 3 , d istin ctio n h a s b e e n made b e t w e e n Imamate Kubra ( H e a d s h i p o f t h e State) and Qaaa ( j u d g e s h i p ) . He s a y s t h a t t h o u g h t h e j u r i s t s h a v e made t h e m a l e n e s s o f s e x as a c o n d i t i o n p r e ­ cedent f o r le g itim a c y in headship o f t h e s t a t e , it is n o t a c o n d i t i o n p r e c e d e n t f o r j u d g e s h i p . T h i s i s .h ow e ve r

A

conditioned w ith " ( t o e s c a p e fr om s i n )

b u t t h e r e i s n o e x e m p t i o n on t h e b a s i s o f s e x i n t h e managership o f a w a q f, e x e c u t o r s h i p o f w i l l s and evidence. It is a l s o a f a c t t h a t H a z r a t Umar h a d a p p o i n t e d S h i f a B i n t e A b d u l l a h as an I n s p e c t r e s s o f M a r k e t s . T h i s f a c t as w e l l as h e r b i o g r a p h y i s g i v e n i n " " ( A l i sab a f i TamizcJLsfeba) /by I b n e H a j r A s q a l a n i , V o l . IV, P . 3 3 3 , M o h a l l a by Ibn . j . » ( E l a u l Sunan) \r,idui ouuan;

Hazam, V o l . V I , P . 4 2 9 " 6 ^ ' ^ ' " / V o l . X V , P . 2 7 by Maulana (S eerat-e-A isha) Z a f a r Ahmad Usmani , and " ^ " /b y S y e d S u la im a n N a d v i, P .126. I t may b e s t a t e d t h a t I b n e A r a b i d o e s n o t c o n s id e r t h i s Hadith t o be c o r r e c t but i t is not p ossib le to agree w ith t h is i n v i e w o f r e l i a n c e p l a c e d on t h i s appointment by o t h e r d i s t i n g u i s h e d j u r i s t s and Ulema.

55.T h e r e a r e a l s o a number o f h i s t o r i c a l i n s t a n c e s

ab ou t t h e e x e r c i s e o f j u r i s d i c t i o n o f Q a z i o r Head o f t h e S t a t e by women w i t h o u t any o b j e c t i o n by t h e Ulema o f t h a t a g e . The o l d e s t exam p le i s o f t h e m o t h e r o f Muqtadar • B i l l a h who p r e s i d e d a t t h e H ig h Court o f A p p e a l ( H i s t o r y o f S a r a c e n s by Amir A l i , P . 4 5 5 , " T a r i k h u l K h u l a f a " by S ayooti, P .381). From t h i s l a t e r book i t appears t h a t she decided c rim in a l c a se s. R a z i a S u l t a n a as a Head o f the S ta te a ls o decided c a se s. (A dm inistration o f J u s tic e i n M e d i e v a l I n d i a by M.B.Ahmad, P . 9 4 ) The name o f S h a j a r u t - ul-D urr i s f r e q u e n t ly mentioned in t h i s c o n n e c t i o n by the j u r i s t s .

56.I t i s u n n e c e s s a r y t o q u o t e many e x a m p l e s , i t may b e s u f f i c i e n t t o c i t e t h e summing up i n t h e " I n t r o d u c t i o n t o I s l a m " by D r . H a m i d u l l a h , P . 1 3 7 i n r e g a r d t o t h e w o r k i n g o f women i n d i f f e r e n t ca p a cities:

"In e v e r y e p o c h o f I s l a m i c h i s t o r y , in c lu d in g th e tim e o f th e Prophet, one s e e s Muslim women e n g a g e d i n e v e r y p r o f e s s i o n t h a t s u i t e d them. They w o r k e d as n u r s e s , t e a c h e r s , and e v e n as c o m b a t a n t s by t h e s i d e o f men when n e c essa ry , in add ition to being s in g e r s , h a i r - d r e s s e r s , c o o k s , e t c . C a l i p h Umar e m p lo y e d a l a d y , S h i f a b i n t A b d u l l a h as i n s p e c t o r i n t h e m ark et a t t h e c a p i t a l (Madinah) as I b n e H a j a r ( I s a b a h ) r e c o r d s . The same l a d y h a d t a u g h t H a f s a h , w i f e o f t h e P r o p h e t , how t o w r i t e and r e a d . The j u r i s t s ad m it t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f women b e i n g a p p o i n t e d as j u d g e s o f t r i b u n a l s , and t h e r e are s e v e r a l e x a m p le s o f t h e k i n d . I n b r i e f , f a r from b e c o m i n g a p a r a s i t e , a woman c o u l d c o l l a b o r a t e w i t h men i n Muslim s o c i e t y t o e a r n h e r l i v e l i h o o d and t o d e v e l o p h e r . "

57.There i s a H a d i t h from B u r a i d a t h a t tw o c a t e g o r i e s o f t h e Q a z i s w i l l b e i n h e l l and o n l y one w i l l b e i n paradise. T h o s e who w i l l b e i n p a r a d i s e a r e t h o s e who d e c i d e d i s p u t e s on t h e b a s i s o f assessm ent of tru th . But if anyo n e r e a l i s e s t h e t r u t h b u t p a s s e s an o r d e r c o n t r a r y to i t , he w i l l be in h e l l . S i m i l a r l y t h a t Qazi w i l l be i n h e l l who d oe s n o t s t r i v e a t f i n d i n g o u t t h e t r u t h ( E l a u l Sunnan, V o l . 1 5 , P . 2 5 ) £ a l\ (Almuntaqa)

58.Imam I b n e T a i m i a a r g u e d i n " L> " _/that t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f a woman as Q a z i i s n o t c o r r e c t . s i n c e t h e i\ \ ^

wor d (men) h a s b e e n u s e d i n r e l a t i o n t o t h e Qazi at a l l t h e t h r e e p l a c e s . T h i s argument does n o t a p p r e c i a t e t h a t i t was n o t i n t e n d e d t o l a y s t r e s s upon t h e s e x o f th e Q azi; th e i n t e n t i o n i s o n ly t o c a t e g o r i s e Q a z i s i n a manner s o as t o d e m o n s t r a t e as t o how t h e y s h o u l d a c t and how t h e y a r e l i k e l y t o a c t . The o n l y manner i n which h e s h o u l d a c t i s t o s t r i v e a t r e a c h i n g t h e t r u t h and t h e n t o d e c i d e and t o r e f r a i n f r o m s h i r k i n g the tru th . Even o t h e r w i s e t h e m a s c u l i n e i s more o f t e n u s e d by way o f T a g h l i b ( b e i n g c u s t o m a r y among t h e m a j o r i t y ) and by h a b i t t o d e s c r i b e s o m e t h i n g w h i c h a p p l i e s t o members o f t h e m a s c u l i n e as w e l l as t h e f e m i n i n e g e n d e r .

U n l e s s t h e r e b e some repugnance i n t h e c o n t e x t , t h e male , , ( E l a u l Sunan) w i l l in c lu d e th e fem ale a ls o ( ^ l / V o l . XV, P . 2 6 ) .

59.Abu Ba kr b i n Tayyab S h a f a i o p p o s e d t h e v i e w o f Imam Abu H a n i f a and Imam I b n e J a r i r on t h e grou n d t h a t it i s n o t s u i t a b l e f o r a woman t o a p p ea r i n p u b l i c , t o h a v e c o n t a c t s w i t h men and t o t a l k t o th em on e q u a l terms b e c a u s e i f she i s young, i t is not p erm issib le to l o o k t o h e r and t o l i s t e n t o what s h e s a y s and i t w i l l a l s o n o t b e r i g h t f o r h e r t o a p p e a r am on gst men w i t h o u t p ard ah o r t o l o o k t o w a r d s them.

60.In o r d e r t o f u r n i s h a r e p l y t o t h i s ob jection Maulana Z a f a r Ahmad Usmani t r i e s t o d i s t i n g u i s h between w hat i s m e r e l y a l l o w e d and what o u g h t t o b e done ( S e e E l a u l Sunnan, V o l.X V , P . 2 8 ) . A c c o r d i n g t o him Imam Abu H a n i f a h a s o n l y g i v e n an o p i n i o n t h a t j u d g e s h i p o f a woman i s n o t i n c o r r e c t b u t h e n o w h e r e s a i d t h a t s h e s h o u l d b e s o a p p o i n t e d . He g i v e s an e x a m p l e t h a t i f on account of " " ( h e r awe inspiring magnificance)

s h e d e c i d e s some d i s p u t e , h e r j u d g e s h i p w i l l b e un- obj e c t i o n a b l e .

61.T h i s d i s t i n c t i o n a p p e a r s t o b e w i t h o u t any d istin ctio n . I n t h e a b s e n c e o f any p r o h i b i t i o n t h e appointm ent, i f made, w i l l b e t r e a t e d t o b e l e g a l , i r r e s p e c t i v e o f any o t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n . The v e r d i c t

o f l e g a l i t y w o u l d f u r n i s h s u f f i c i e n t gro und f o r a p p o i n t m e n t o f a woman as Q a z i . I t i s q u ite p ossib le t h a t Imam Abu H a n i f a and Imam I b n e J a r i r w h i l e g i v i n g t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e o p i n i o n s had i n v i e w t h e a w e - i n s p i r i n g d i g n i t y o f t h e o f f i c e o f a j u d g e i n which t h e j u d g e h a s t o m a i n t a i n t h e a u t h o r i t y and d i g n i t y o f c o u r t and i t i s n o t p e r m i s s i b l e e i t h e r on h i s p a r t o r on t h e p a r t o f litig a n ts t o v e n t u r e t o b e d i s r e s p e c t f u l t o t h e Court o r , t o s a y i n t h e Court a n y t h i n g w h i c h i s irrelevan t to th e case. The l i t i g a n t s and members o f t h e p u b l i c p r e s e n t have t o be r e s p e c t f u l in t h e i r d e a l i n g s towards t h e C o u r t . The Court h a s t o k e e p i t s decorum and f o r t h i s -purpose i t is armed w i t h po w e r s t o d e a l w i t h a s t r c n e h a n d w i t h c a s e s o f c o n t e m p t o f Court ( S e e t h e P r o v i s i o n s o f t h e Contempt o f Court A c t and S . 2 2 8 , P a k i s t a n P e n a l Code) . 'vhat i s s t a t e d by Maulana Z a f a r Ahmad U s n a n i as an e x c e p t i o n i s r e a l l y a r u l e i n Courts.

Armed w i t h power s t o d e a l w i t h i n s u l t t o t h e Court o r e v e n i n t e r r u p t i o n i n i t s p r o c e e d i n g s a woman K a z i i s a l s o immune from t h e d i s r e s p e c t f u l c o n d u c t o f o t h e r s .

62.I t i s v e r y s t r a n g e as s t a t e d by Abu Bakr Ibne Tayyab S h a f i e t h a t e v e n h e a r i n g t h e v o i c e o f a woman is not perm issib le. This i s contrary to th e In ju n ctio n s o f t h e h o l y Quran i n w h i c h t h e w i v e s o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t are d i r e c t e d n o t t o speak s o f t l y and p o l i t e l y t o strangers ( o t h e r t h a n t h o s e who a r e 'mahram') b u t t o show some s t e r n n e s s . H a z r a t Saudah was a l l o w e d by t h e P r o p h e t t o g o o u t o f h e r h o u s e w h e n e v e r n e c e s s a r y . As:

f a r as t h e o b j e c t i o n a b o u t l o o k i n g t o one a n o t h e r i s co n c er n e d , i t has p r o b a b ly been ta k e n from t h e order t o men and women t o l o w e r t h e i r g a z e on s e e i n g one a n o t h e r and t o t h e c u s t o m a r y n o t i o n o f v e i l i n g t h e i r f a c e s .But t h e r e a r e c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n w h i c h i n due c o u r s e o f b u s i n e s s men and women h a v e t o s e e one a n o t h e r . T h i s may b e t h e c a s e when a woman a p p e a r s , i n Court as a w i t n e s s . Even t h o s e who b e l i e v e i n t h e

!\W _________ 26

c o v e r i n g o f t h e f a c e o f t h e woman by v e i l o r i n any o t h e r manner c o n s i d e r t h i s to be j u s t i f i e d . Maulana Maudoodi d i s c u s s e s t h i s p o i n t - i n h i s b o o k "Pardah" a t p a g e 1 8 1 . He s a y s :

"But sometimes one has t o have a lock at th e other woman, e . g . a f e m a l e p a t i e n t who maybe un der t h e t r e a t m e n t o f a d o c t o r , o r a woman who h a s t o a p p e a r b e f o r e a j u d g e as a w i t n e s s o r as a p a r t y . Then one n a y h a v e t o h e l p a woman who i s l e f t i n a b u r n i n g p l a c e , o r a woman who i s d r ow n in g i n w a t e r , o r a woman w h o s e l i f e or honour i s i n danger. In such c a s e s , e v e n t h e s h a m e f u l p a r t s can b e s e e n i f r e q u i r e d , and t h e b od y can a l s o b e t o u c h e d . So much s o th a t i t i s n ot only law fu l but o b lig a to r y t o r e s c u e a dro wnin g o r a b u r n i n g woman even by c a r r y i n g h e r i n o n e ' s l a p . The L a w - g i v e r commands t h a t as f a r o o s s i b l e one s h o u l d k e e p o n e ' s i n t e n t i o n p u r e a t s u c h an o c c a s i o n . But i f i n s p i t e o f th a t o n e 's emotions are a l i t t l e e x c i t e d n a t u r a l l y , i t i s n o t s i n f u l . For o n e ' s l o o k i n g a t t h e o t h e r woman and h a v i n g c o n t a c t w i t h h e r body was n e t i n t e n t i o n a l , b u t was n e c e s s i t a t e d by c i r c u m s t a n c e s , and i t i s n o t p o s s i b l e f o r a man t o s u p u r e s s h i s n a t u r a l urges co m p le te ly .

L ik ew ise, i t i s not only la w fu l t o have a l o o k a t a woman b e f o r e m a r r i a g e b u t t h i s has b e e n e n j o i n e d by t h e S h a r i a h . The H o l y P r o p h e t h i m s e l f h a d a l o o k a t a woman f o r t h i s p u r p o s e . " " I f one c o n s i d e r s t h e s e e x c e p t i o n s c a r e f u l l y , on e w i l l f i n d t h a t t h e L a w - g i v e r does n o t mean t o p r o h i b i t a t a l l h a v i n g a l o o k a t t h e o t h e r women, b u t h i s r e a l o b j e c t i s t o p r e v e n t t h e i n c i d e n c e o f e v i l r e s u l t s . That i s why h e h a s p r o h i b i t e d o n l y t h a t c a s t i n g o f th e e y e s w hich i s n o t n e c e s s a r y , which d oe s n o t s e r v e any s o c i a l p u r p o s e , b u t i s charged w ith s e x u a l m otives i n s t e a d ."

63.The i n t e n t i o n o f p r o h i b i t i n g t h e w i v e s o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t fr om b e i n g s o f t i n t h e i r speech t o w a r d s men was t h a t t h e y may n o t e n t e r t a i n any f a l s e h o p e .

I n a Court o f law w h i l e d i s c h a r g i n g cue's d u ty i n t h e manner as e n j o i n e d by t h e h o l y P r o p h e t i n t e r a l i a i n t h e Hadith o f Buraida r e f e r r e d t o above, t h a t p o s s i b i l i t y c a n n o t e v e n b e i m a g i n e d . The u t m o s t t h a t can b e done in t h i s connection i s t o p r e s c r i b e some o t h e r garment w h i c h may c o n c e a l t h e d r e s s and womanly a d o r n m e n t s .

64.A n o t h e r H a d i t h on w h i c h g e n e r a l l y r e l i a n c e was p l a c e d f o r t h i s o b j e c t i o n i s " e . g . women a r e d e f i c i e n t i n i n t e l l i g e n c e & r e l i g i o n (Muslim) I t i s s a i d t h a t t h e h o ly Prophet e x p la in e d t h a t th e

defect of in t e llig e n c e is c l e a r fr om t h e f a c t t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e o f two women r e q u i r e s s u p p o r t from t h e (religion) e v i d e n c e o f men and t h e d e f e c t i n D i n / i s t h a t s o em tim e s t h e y do n o t h a v e t o o f f e r p r a y e r or t o k e e p f a s t s .

65.In I s l a m i Q a n o o n - e - S h a h a d a t , a t P . 3 3 9 , Abdu l M a l i k A r f a n i t r a n s l a t e d i t . The h o l y P r o p h e t said: " I s n o t t h e e v i d e n c e o f a woman e q u a l t o h a l f ? , we s a i d " y e s " . He t h e n s a i d " t h i s i s t h e p r o o f o f d e f e c t i n Aql ( i n t e l l i g e n c e ) " . See a ls o F ath u l Bari V ol.V , P .2 9 9 , K itabush Shahadat. I b n e Hazam i n h i s book " U l | “ pp_ 2 2 2 - 2 2 4 , s a i d t h T t ^ t h e ^

A.

d e fe c t in i n t e l l i g e n c e her evidence i s equal to h a l f o f t h e e v i d e n c e o f man.

66.From t h e o p i n i o n o f I bne Hazam i t appears t h a t e x c e p t f o r t h e d e f e c t i n e v i d e n c e t h e r e i s no o t h e r d e f e c t o f i n t e l l i g e n c e i n a woman. T h i s i s a refutation o f t h e argument i n f a v o u r o f t h e obj e c t i o n a g a i n s t h e r j u d g e s h i p . Abdu l Hamid M a t w a l i i n h i s book " Wt*V" (mubadi e n i z a m u l hii^kam f i l I s l a m ) / P . 8 6 7 has t r i e d t o prove t h a t t h i s i s o l a t e d Hadith ( H a d i t h A ’h ad ) i s n o t a c c e p t a b l e as c o r r e c t .

67.T h e re a r e a number o f p r e c e d e n t s i n w h i c h women w e r e c o n s u l t e d o r t h e i r o p i n i o n s p r e v a i l e d . I t is w i d e l y known t h a t t h e h o l y P r o p h e t c o n s u l t e d H a z r a t Umme Salma. On t h e o c c a s i o n o f T r e a t y o f H u d a i b i a t h e co mpan ions w e r e n o t w i l l i n g t o s a c r i f i c e a n i m a l s a t t h a t p l a c e and t o open t h e i r "Ehram" (unse wn c l o t h t i e d aro und t h e w a i s t f o r Haj) w h i c h t h e y w e r e w e a r i n g f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f Umra. H a z r a t Umme Salma a d v i s e d t h e h o l y P r o p h e t t o take precedence in s a c r i f i c e and o p e n i n g o f Ehram. It i s e s t a b l i s h e d t h a t a l l t h e companions t h e n f o l l o w e d th e h o ly Prophet. S i m i l a r l y t h e r e are c a s e s in which H a z r a t A i s h a c o r r e c t e d H a z r a t Abu H u r a i r a i n r e s p e c t of trad ition s on t h e b a s i s o f t h e i r r ep u g n a n c y w i t h Quran. Her o b j e c t i o n s i n v o l v e d c o n s i d e r a t i o n o f j u r i s t i c r e a s o n i n g . A l a d y i n t e r r u p t e d H a z r a t Umar s u c c e s s f u l l y i n r e g a r d t o h i s p r o p o s a l ab o u t f i x a t i o n o f dower a t a

low l e v e l . A f t e r a s s a s s i n a t i o n o f H a z r a t Umar t h e B oard a p p o i n t e d by him f o r s e l e c t i o n o f a C a l i p h c o n s u l t e d women a l s o . In t h i s v i e w o f t h e m a t t e r we a g r e e w i t h t h e o p i n i o n o f Maulana Umar Ahmad Usmani i n F i q h u l Quran, V o l . I l l , P p .2 8 0 -2 8 1 t h a t i f t h e r e had been a d e f e c t i n t h e i r i n t e l l i g e n c e th e y would n o t have b e e n c o n s u l t e d n o r Imam T a b a r i and Imam Abu H a n e e f a w ould have g iv e n o p in io n in favou r o f t h e i r appointment as j u d g e s .

68.I t may b e s t a t e d t h a t t h e p e r s o n who f i r s t a c c e p t e d I s l a m was a woman i . e . H a z r a t K h a d i j a . T h e re a r e a number o f l a d i e s who e i t h e r r e p o r t e d A h a d i t h from t h e h o l y P r o p h e t o r c o m m i t t e d th em t o memory b u t t h e main d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n th em and t h e m a l e r e p o r t e r s i s t h a t t h o u g h a l a r g e number o f m a l e r e p o r t e r s w e r e c h a r g e d w i t h f a k i n g A h a d i t h , n o such, c h a r g e o r b la m e e l i e s against any f e m a l e . I t i s h i s t o r i c a l fa c t th a t p eop le used to come from f a r and n e a r t o c o n s u l t t h e s e l a d i e s who w e r e learned in h a d ith . I n any c a s e t h e r e a p p e a r s t o b e w e i g h t i n t h e o n i n i o n o f I b n e Hazam t h a t t h e w o r d s " " (d e fic ie n t in in te llig e n c e ) /w as s a i d a t m o s t i n r e l a t i o n s t o e v i d e n c e and n o t t o any o th e r f u n c t io n s or a t t r i b u t e s .

69.The v i e w t h a t woman c a n n o t a p p e a r as a w i t n e s s i n m a t t e r s o f Hudood and O i s a s i s on ly a j u r i s t i c view and i s n o t b a s e d on e i t h e r Quran o r H a d i t h . I t i s not b a s e d on any p r e c e d e n t o f t h e h o l y P r o p h e t i n w h i c h h e m ig h t h a v e r e f u s e d t o a c c e p t t h e e v i d e n c e o f a woman in such m atters (A1 Mchalla/by I bn Hazam, V o l . 6 P . 4 3 0 ) . Some support i s sought for t h i s j u r i s t i c v i e w from t h e wo rd s " (and c a l l t o w i t n e s s

tw o j u s t men from amongst y o u ) ( 0 . 6 5 : 2 ) i n C h a p t e r 'The D ivorce' and t h e words (ca ll

to w itn ess a g a i n s t them f o u r fr om amongst you) (Q .4:15) i n Chapter e n t i t l e d 'The Women'. But t h e word "

cannot n e c e s s a r i l y be s a i d t o b e c o n f in e d in i t s scope t o men. On t h e p r i n c i p l e o f m a s c u l i n e b e i n g u s e d on

f a m i n i n e , t h e wor d is s u s c e p t ib le o f being i n t e r p r e t e d as i n c l u s i v e o f men as w e l l as women. In t h i s c o n n e c t i o n t h e a n a l y s i s made by Maulana Umar Ahmad Usmani i n F i q h u l Quran, V o l . I l l , P.87-onw ards, i s quite r e v e a l i n g and w e i g h t y .

70.There are c a s e s in whioh t h e h o l y Prophet a c te d on t h e e v i d e n c e o f a woman. The f i r s t case is o f a Jew who r o b b e d a g i r l o f h e r orn am en t s and t h e n c a u s e d h e r g r i e v o u s i n j u r i e s (whi ch u l t i m a t e l y r e s u l t e d i n h e r dea th ) by h i t t i n g h e r h e a d w i t h tw o s t o n e s from e i t h e r s i d e .

She was t a k e n t o t h e h o l y P r o p h e t . The names o f d i f f e r e n t p e r s o n s w e r e t a k e n t o i n q u i r e from h e r w h e t h e r any o f them was t h e o f f e n d e r . U l t i m a t e l y when t h e name o f t h a t Jew was u t t e r e d s h e n o d d e d on w h i c h h e was a r r e s t e d and brought t o th e h o ly Prophet. In t h i s con n ection t h e r e are two v e r s i o n s , i n one o f w h i c h i t is s a i d t h a t im m ediately t h e r e a f t e r h e was e x e c u t e d i n t h e same manner a s h e had k i l l e d that g ir l (2 v e r s i o n s i n M uslim , Jamaul Fawaid H ad ith N o .5231, 5233 & 5234) b u t th e o th e r v e r s i o n i s t h a t t h e e x e c u t i o n was o r d e r e d on t h e c o n f e s s i o n o f t h e Jew ( o n l y one v e r s i o n i n M u s l i m ) . The o t h e r c a s e w h i c h i s more t o t h e p o i n t i s o f a l a d y who was r a p e d by an un-known p e r s o n w h i l e co ming t o t h e mosque f o r o f f e r i n g h e r m o r n in g p r a y e r s . She r a i s e d a l a r m on w h i c h a number o f p e r s o n s c o l l e c t e d t h e r e and c a u g h t a p e r s o n who was i d e n t i f i e d b y h e r . He was c a u g h t and t a k e n t o t h e h o l y P r o p h e t and t h o u g h h e p r o t e s t e d h i s i n n o c e n c e , the h o l y P r o p h e t on t h e e v i d e n c e o f t h a t l a d y o r d e r e d him t o b e s t o n e d t o d e a t h . At t h a t t i m e a n o t h e r companion r o s e and c o n f e s s e d t h a t he h ad c o m m i t t e d t h e o f f e n c e .

The h o l y P r o p h e t a c q u i t t e d t h e f i r s t man. In r e g a r d t o t h e s e c o n d t h e r e a r e a g a i n two v e r s i o n s . A c c o r d i n g t o Abu Daud ( H a d i t h 9 7 4 ) h e was a l s o d i s c h a r g e d s i n c e h e h ad s a v e d t h e l i f e o f an i n n o c e n t p e r s o n by c o n f e s s i n g th e tru th bu t according t o th e report in T rim izi he

was s t o n e d t o d e a t h . Imam I b n e Qayam p l a c e d r e l i a n c e upon t h e v e r s i o n i n Abu Daud.

71.Maulana Umar Ahmad Usmani h a s g i v e n t h e i n s t a n c e o f H a z r a t N a i l a w i f e o f H a z r a t Usman who was t h e o n l y w i t n e s s who saw t h e a s s a s s i n a t i o n o f h e r h u s b a n d . I t was o n l y on t h e b a s i s o f h e r e v i d e n c e t h a t t h e r e was a demand f o r Q i s a s by a number o f co m pan ions and n o n e t o o k any o b j e c t i o n t h a t i n t h e a b s e n c e o f a m a l e w i t n e s s t h e demand f o r Q i s a s was n o t t e n a b l e . (Akhbar u l Q u z z a t ) 72. Mr. K a h l i d M. I s h a q r e l i e d upon " 'yby

Wakee, P . 3 5 9 i n w h i c h i t i s s t a t e d t h a t Qazi Shuraih d e c i d e d a d i s p u t e on t h e b a s i s o f e v i d e n c e o f a s o l i t a r y woman s i n c e b o t h t h e p a r t i e s a g r e e d t o r e l y upon i t .

T h i s p r e c e d e n t i s , h o w e v e r , n o t on a l l fo i( 8 £ , it is a n a l o g o u s t o S e c t i o n 20 o f t h e E v i d e n c e Act w h i c h s a y s t h a t " S t a t e m e n t s made by p e r s o n s t o whom a p a r t y t o t h e s u i t has e x p r e s s l y r e f e r r e d fo r in fo rm a tio n t o in r e f e r e n c e t o a m a t t e r i n d i s p u t e a r e a d m i s s i o n s ” . Atmost J j, (Tahkeem) we can c a l l i t a c a s e o f " r- " / w h i c h i s a fo rm o f arb itration .

73.T here a p p e a r s t o b e a c o n c e n s u s on t h e p o i n t t h a t i f a woman Q a z i g i v e s a ju dgm ent and o r d e r i n a m a t t e r o f Hadd and t h e c a s e g o e s t o a n o t h e r Q a z i t h e l a t t e r i s b ou nd t o e x e c u t e t h e o r d e r . (A1 B a h r u l Ra iq u e F i Kannz u l D a q a i q u e , V o l . 7, Pp. 5 & 6 , F a t h uiyP^icffteer, V o l . 6, P . 3 9 1 , D u r r u l M ok h t ar, V o l . 3, P . 2 5 3 , H a s h i a t u l T a h t a w i , V o l . 3, P . 2 1 3 ) . I n B i d a i t u l M u j t a h i d , V o l . 2, P.344 i t i s s t a t e d th a t th e f a c t i s th a t whoever i s c a p a b l e o f d e c i d i n g d i s p u t e s b e t w e e n two p e r s o n s h i s d ecision is e x e c u t a b l e e x c e p t i n r e s p e c t o f w hat i s p a r t i c u l a r i s e d by c o n c e n s u s i n r e s p e c t o f h e a d s h i p o f the S ta te . T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l o p i n i o n s i n Musannaf Abdul R a z z a q , V o l . 8 , P . 3 3 1 ab ou t t h e a d m i s s i b i l i t y o f a woman's e v i d e n c e i n m a t t e r s o f Hudood and Q i s a s . Taous was o f t h e v i e w t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e o f women a l o n g w i t h men i s a d m iss ib le in a l l c a ses except th a t o f

Zina ( a d u lte r y ) b e c a u se i t d oe s n o t b e h o v e them t o l o o k a t t h a t a c t . The same v i e w i s a s c r i b e d t o Hfcsham b i n H u j a i r a ( S e e A t t u r u q - u l - H u k m i a by I b n e Qayyam, P.135). A l s o S e e A t t u r u q u l H(ikmia by Imam I b n e Qayyam, Pp. 1 3 4 - 1 3 6 i n w h i c h s i m i l a r o p i n i o n s a r e c o l l e c t e d . He i n t e r a l i a s a y s t h a t Hamad b i n Abi S u la im a n h a s a l s o c o n s i d e r e d t h e e v i d e n c e o f a man and two women a d m i s s i b l e i n m a t t e r s o f Hudood and Q i s a s .

74.The o p i n i o n o f A t t a i s t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e ^ i s a d m i s s i b l e a l o n g w i t h t h e e v i d e n c e o f men i n a l l m a t t e r s i n c a s e s o f Z i n a . The c o n v i c t i o n can b e b a s e d on t h e o p i n i o n o f tw o women w i t h t h r e e men.

75.I bn-e-S hfchab s a i d t h a t A l l a h h a s d i r e c t e d t h e m a t t e r t o b e d e c i d e d on t h e e v i d e n c e o f tw o men and i n t h e a b s e n c e o f two men on t h e e v i d e n c e o f one man and two women and d i d n o t p r o h i b i t t h e e v i d e n c e o f women a l o n g w i t h men. He a l s o s t a t e d t h a t t h e e v i d e n c e o f women a l o n g w i t h a man i s s u f f i c i e n t t o p r o v e a c a s e o f murder.

A l l a m a Ainee h a s m e n t i o n e d t h a t a c c o r d i n g t o S h u r a i h t h e e v i d e n c e o f woman alcngwith man i s a d m i s s i b l e i n Hudood and Q isas both.

76.There i s a l s o s u b s ta n c e in t h e arguments o f t h e l e a r n e d A t t o r n e y G e n e r a l and M r . K h a l i d I s h a q t h a t f i r s t l y adm ission i s e q u a l t o e v i d e n c e ( A i n u l H e d a y a , V o l . 3, P.283) and s e c o n d l y t h a t e v e n women's o a t h i n l i a n h a s th e e f f e c t o f evidence. In S u r a - e - N o o r ( 0 . 2 4 : 6 ) th e oath has been g iv en th e s t a t u s o f e v i d e n c e . By v i r t u e o f v e r ­ s e s 8 & 9 e f f e c t o f t h e o a t h s t a k e n by t h e h u s b a n d i s r e f u t e d by t h e o a t h s o f t h e women. A d m i s s i o n and o a t h in lia n b ein g s u b s t it u t e s f o r e v i d e n c e and a d m i s s i o n o f woman b e i n g f u l l y a d m i s s i b l e i n m a t t e r s o f Hudood and Q i s a s and o a t h s b e i n g a d m i s s i b l e i n m a t t e r s o f l i a n , t h e r e i s no r e a s o n why t h e o t h e r k i n d s o f e v i d e n c e i . e .

o r a l t e s t i m o n y may n o t b e a d m i s s i b l e .

77.I t was u r g e d t h a t tw o women a r e n f o v e d t o b e ea.nal t o one man by t h e p r i n c i p l e o f i n h e r i t a n c e . The

i n h e r i t a n c e i n t h e m ale l i n e h a s g e n e r a l l y b e e n t h e r u le (E ncyclopaedia o f R e lig io n & E t h i c s , V o l . V I I on ' I n h e r i t a n c e ' )T h e Q u r a n i c L e g i s l a t i o n g i v i n g t h e d a u g h t e r h a l f as much o f t h e e s t a t e as w e n t t o a s o n was an inn ovation (I b id P. 3 06 ) . The s o n s a l s o d i d n o t alw a y s get equal share. I n some c o u n t r i e s and c u l t u r e s t h e r u l e o f primo g e n i t u r e p r e v a i l e d . T h e r e a r e i n s t a n c e s when d i f f e r e n t ty p e o f p r o p e r t ie s were given t o d i f f e r e n t sons e . g . among t h e Naga t r i b e s t h e h o u s e was i n h e r i t e d by t h e y o u n g e s t s o n ( I b i d P . 2 9 3 ) . Amongst B a n i I s r a e l t h e f i r s t b o m was g i v e n a d o u b l e o f w hat was g i v e n t o each o th e r son, In view o f t h i s g iv in g t o t h e daughter h a l f o f w hat e a c h o f h e r b r o t h e r g e t s i s n o t a s i g n o f i n e q u a l i t y . The r e a s o n i s t h a t a woman h a s e x c l u s i v e r ig h t o f d is p o s a l over h e r property whether she i n h e r i t s it or earns i t . Sh e h a s n o f i n a n c i a l l i a b i l i t y of m ain tain in g even h er c h ild re n . The h u s b a n d i s bound t o m a in ta in h e r anc h e r c h ild r e n however c o n s id e r a b le h e r own w e a l t h may b e . The s h a r e g i v e n t o a m a l e i s in proportion to h is r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s and n o t due t o any s u p e r i o r i t y over t h e fem ale.

78.T h e r e a p p e a r s t o b e no r e a s o n t o make t h e a d m i s s i b i l i t y o f e v i d e n c e a c r i t e r i o n f o r a p p o in t m e n t as Q a z i and i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n t h e o p i n i o n o f I bne J a r i r and s u p p o r t e d by I b n e Hazam i s p r e f e r a b l e . The f u n c t i o n s o f a Q a z i and o f a w i t n e s s a r e q u i t e d i f f e r e n t .

Anyone who h a s t h e n e c e s s a r y k n o w l e d g e o f law and t r a i n i n g i n t h a t f i e l d can a c t . It i s worth m entioning t h a t on t h e one hand i t i s s a i d t h a t a woman c a n n o t be a Q a z i i n m a t t e r s o f Hudood and Q i s a s and on t h e o t h e r hand t h e r e i s a r u l e t h a t i f a j u d gm e n t i s g i v e n by a woman Q a z i i n m a t t e r s o f Hudood, i t must b e e x e c u t e d and t h e r e i s Ijm a on t h i s p o i n t ( F a t h u l Q ad e e r , V o l . 6 , P.391). On t h e m a r g in i t i s o b s e r v e d t h a t d e f e c t i n i n t e l l i g e n c e d oe s n o t a f f e c t h e r a p t i t u d e s i n o t h e r m a t t e r s o r as t o d e p r i v e h e r a b s o l u t e l y o f r i g h t s t o ^ b e a p p o i n t e d as a J u d g e . It is fu rth er observed that

the d e f i c i e n c y in i n t e l l i g e n c e i s r e la te d to the sex o f a woman. T h e r e may b e woman h a v i n g more i n t e l l i g e n c e t h a n man.

79.There are c e r t a i n I n j u n c t io n s i n t h e h o l y Quran w h i c h l i k e t h e o t h e r I n j u n c t i o n s a b o u t go o d c o n d u c t , d i s c h a r g e o f d u t i e s , r ew ard and p u n i s h m e n t , a r e common t o men and women. T h e s e I n j u n c t i o n s a r e r e g a r d i n g t h e d u ty o f a l l Muslims t o b e j u s t and t o do j u s t i c e . Thus in Q.4:58 i t is sa id in t e r a lia that:

"Lol A l l a h commandeth y o u t h a t ye resto r e d ep osits to th e ir ow n ers,an d , i f y e ju d g e between m ankind , t h a t y e j u d g e j u s t l y . "

The o t h e r v e r s e i s Q.5:42:

" I f th o u j u d g e s t , judge between them w i t h e q u i t y "

In Q . 5 7 : 2 5 .

"We v e r i l y s e n t Our m e s s e n g e r s w i t h c l e a r p r o o f s ............... t h a t mankind may r em a in s t e a d f a s t on j u s t i c e . "

o r as Arberrv s a y s ' m a v u n h o l d j u s t i c e ' . P ick th all t r a n s l a t e s t h e wor ds " " in t h is

v e r s e as " s o t h a t mankind may o b s e r v e t h e r i g h t m e a s u r e" b u t t h e t r a n s l a t i o n d o e s n o t c o r r e c t l y i n d i c a t e t h e s e n s e i n w h i c h t h e above words a r e u s e d . Arberrv h a s c o r r e c t l y t r a n s l a t e d i t as "So t h a t men ( p e o p l e ) m i g h t u p h o l d j u s t i c e ” .

J < M

80.The wo rds* (A d i ) o r " " ( Q i s t ) , no are d o u b t , /u s e d i n a much w i d e r s e n s e and e a c h Muslim w h e t h e r m a l e o r f e m a l e i s bound t o b e j u s t and e q u ita b le in h is dealin gs w ith h is spouse, p a r e n t s , ch ild ren, n eigh b ou rers, r e l a t iv e s , frien d s, fellow Muslims and a l l o t h e r s . The c o n c e p t o f j u s t i c e in d e c id in g d i s p u t e s between t h e p a r t i e s or i n d e c id in g crim inal cases is o n l y a p a r t o f Adi o r Q i s t . The f i r s t two v e r s e s Q . 4 : 5 8 and 0 . 5 : 4 2 c l e a r l y e n v i s a g e t h e d e t e r m i n a t i o n o f d i s p u t e s or l i t i g a t i o n . There i s n o d i s t i n c t i o n i n t h i s c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n man

and woman. In v i e w o f t h i s ; p a r t i c u l a r l y in t h e absence o f any p r o h i b i t i o n i n Quran o r H a d i t h a b o u t t h e j u d g e s h i p or any o f a wom an/_restriction l i m i t i n g th e fu n c tio n o f d e c id in g d i s p u t e s t o men o n l y , t h e g e n e r a l i t y o f t h e s e v e r s e s c a n n o t b e c u t down. From w h a t e v e r a n g l e i t may b e l o o k e d t h e r e appears t o b e no m erit in t h e o b j e c t i o n r a i s e d by t h e p e t i t i o n e r a g a i n s t t h e a p p o i n t m e n t o f women t o ju d icia l o ffices.

81.The Quran a l l o w s a woman t o e a r n money. In t h e C h a p t e r r e l a t i n g t o women ( Q . 4 : 3 2 ) it is declared "Unto man a f o r t u n e from t h a t w h i c h t h e y h a v e e a r n e d , and m t o women a f o r t u n e fr om t h a t w h i c h t h e y h a v e e a r n e d . " T h e r e a r e i n s t a n c e s i n w h i c h t h e woman t o o k t o some p r o f e s s i o n f o r e a r n i n g . H a z r a t Zain ab t a n n e d s k i n s and t h r e a d b e e d s t o s e l l t o e a r n money f o r t h e p o o r . (Women i n M u s l i m H i s t o r y by C h a r is Waddy, P . 1 9 )

82.Mrs. S a l i m a N a s i r u d d i n and Mrs. R a s h i d a P a t e l a r g u e d t h a t women a r e a l s o e n t i t l e d t o as much e d u c a t i o n as men. T h e r e i s no d i s p u t e on t h e q u e s t i o n o f t h e r i g h t o f t h e women t o a c q u i r e e d u c a t i o n . T h e re i s a l s o no d i s p u t e t h a t i n r e s p e c t o f I l m I s l a m d oe s n o t d i s t i n g u i s h b e t w e e n man and woman b u t on a c c o u n t o f t h e i n c i d e n c e o f Pardah t h e r e i s o p p o s i t i o n from c e r t a i n q u a r t e r s t o t h e i r o b t a i n i n g h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n i n c o l l e g e s and u n i ­ v ersities. I t i s , however, un necessary t o persu e t h i s m a t t e r f u r t h e r s i n c e t h e number o f women b e i n g a l m o s t h a l f i n t h e p o p u l a t i o n o f any c o u n t r y , i t is necessary t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d b e s u f f i c i e n t number o f l a d y d o c t o r s t o a t t e n d them and t e a c h e r s t o t e a c h them. So m et im es i t i s n o t p o s s i b l e f o r a fem ale p a t i e n t t o c o n s u lt a Doctor w i t h o u t e x p o s i n g p a r t s o f h e r b od y w h i c h must b e k e p t concealed. I t would b e b e t t e r i f t h e r e be lad y do cto rs t o a tt e n d t o such p a t i e n t s . The j o b o f a G a e n a c o l o g i s t s h o u l d b e b e t t e r l e f t t o a woman. The i m p o r t a n c e o f e d u c a t i o n i n t h e p r e s e n t ag e c a n n o t , t h e r e f o r e , b e d e n ie d or even m inim ised.

j

83.A B o o k l e t known as U n i v e r s a l I s l a m i c D e c l a r a t i o n o f human r i g h t s h a s b e e n p u b l i s h e d by M r. S alem Azzam, S e c r e ta r y General, I s l a m i c F o u n d a t i o n , London. I t gives a list o f t h e human r i g h t s as r e c o g n i z e d by I s l a m . The t h i r d r i g h t w h i c h d e a l s w i t h t h e e q u a l i t y b e f o r e Law, e n t i t l e m e n t t o e q u a l o p p o r t u n i t i e s and p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e Law a l s o p r o v i d e s f i r s t l y t h a t a l l p e r s o n s s h a l l b e e n t i t l e d t o e q u a l wa ge f o r e q u a l work and s e c o n d l y t h a t n o p e r s o n s h a l l b e d e n i e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o work o r b e d i s c r i m i n a t e d a g a i n s t i n any manner o r e x p o s e d t o g r e a t e r p h y s i c a l r i s k by r e a s o n o f r e l i g i o u s b e l i e f , colour, race, o r i g i n , s e x or l a n g u a g e . T h i s r u l e s u p p o r t s t h e v i e w taken by us.

84.B e f o r e f i n i s h i n g t h i s i t may b e c l a r i f i e d t h a t we h a v e n o t b e e n a b l e t o f i n d any j u s t i f i c a t i o n for the i m p o s i t i o n o f c o n d i t i o n s on an a p p o i n t m e n t o f a woman Qazi. In f a c t t h e o p i n i o n o f D r . T a n z i l u r Rehman i n h i s Book I s l a m Ka N i z a m - e - A d a l a t , P . 4 1 i s a l s o w i t h o u t any c o n d i t i o n s i n c e h e a g r e e s w i t h t h e v i e w o f Imam Abu H a n i f a

85.T h e re i s n o m e r i t i n t h i s p e t i t i o n w h i c h i s dism issed.

CHIEF JUSTICE

JUDGE - IV

K arachi, th e 10th A u g u s t , 1982

FIT FOR REPORTING