WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN ISLAM

3. WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN ISLAM

Leadership by deinition difers from ruler-ship. Leadership is concerned more with leading and making decisions in governance or administration. It is a general term. On the other hand, ruler-ship is a speciic term concerned with ruling and is explicitly used for positions like the President, Prime Minister, King, Head of the Armed Forces and other top posts. Nevertheless, it is also important to understand that these posts or positions cannot, by virtue of name, be judged as being similar in all countries, as diferent countries have diferent political and hierarchical systems. In Malaysia for example, although we have a Prime Minister, the highest ranking in the country’s system is the Yang Di Pertuan Agong. The position possibly equates with al-khalifah, al-imamah al-kubra or al-Sultan al-a`zam who are the highest rulers or policy makers in the country under the caliphate system. Their power, authority and jurisdiction are broad and crucial to the nation compared to other political and security positions. This position is classiied as `Wilayah Ammah’ and its opposite is classiied as `Wilayah Khassah’ by Muslim scholars. The ruler- ship positions are entrusted solely to men by the majority of Muslim scholars based on several arguments and factors including;

a) Allah’s Command in Surah al-Nisa’4:34. Allah Said; “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because God has

given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means.”

b) The Tradition of Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) said; From Abu Bakr, where he said, “Allah has given me a beneit of a khalifah

on the day of al-Jamal where I was sitting with members of al-Jamal after the war where I fought, and when the news was delivered to the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h) that the Persian has appointed his daughter (kisra’s daughter) as his successor, the Prophet said: No community will

be successful if they appoint women as their leader.” [Sahih al-Bukhari, vol.13, no.4425]

c) The nature of male creation including being physically tough and strong, possessing strength and bravery.

d) The view that women should not be overburdened with the heavy task of ruling

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and making diicult decisions for the country. Besides these arguments, it must be pointed out clearly that the prohibition on women

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holding ruler-ship positions is not due to their inability, incapability or weakness as mentioned by some western views or feminine activists. Not overburdening women with the heavy responsibilities of ruler-ship is seen as an honor and respect accorded to women. As such, there is no issue of discrimination based on gender. According to some Muslim scholars, women leaders are allowed to hold positions other than al-khalifah such as Minister, Deputy Minister, Senator, Head of Department, Speaker of Parliament, State Secretary and other posts involved in implementing, executing and revising government policies or even making policies for the nation. This opinion excludes women’s leadership from the top hierarchy of the country. The scholars agreed to permit women to hold positions other than the very top based on their rights and capability. Indeed, in the al-Quran, Allah said in al-Taubah: 71;

“And [as for] the believers,both men and women-they are close unto one another [or] are protectors of one another who invite unto all of what is good and forbid the doing of what is wrong”.

According to Ibn Hazm, women are permitted to hold these positions based on al-hadith narrated by Abu Bakr;

“Each of you is a leader and responsible to whom you lead.” (al-Bukhari,1986)

However, there are also Muslim scholars disagreeing on this because they consider that all those positions are also under the jurisdiction of `wilayah Ammah’. But for the purpose of this paper and the Muslim culture in this country, the irst opinion is more sensible, applicable, acceptable and accurate and the one to be followed. With this hukm, we acknowledge that women’s involvement in government or organizational leadership is permissible in Islam.