Imam Khomeini’s Thought and the Role of Women in Society
In Imam Khomeini’s view, the Glorious Qur’an builds up human beings and the women do likewise. A women’s duty is to build humans. In the Islamic revival, women not only achieved their human dignity but also in line with the Holy Qur’an and divine prophets attained the status of building humans.
For the most part, the happiness and adversity of a country depending on the existence of women. Women could be the source of all happiness in a nation and establish transcendent human values and maintain the stability of the society. However, they may act in the opposite direction as well. As Imam Khomeini (ra) states in this regard: “The role of women in the world enjoys special features. The well-being and corruption of a society emanate from the soundness and corruption of women in that society. A woman is a single being who can raise individuals in her lap and hand them over to society, from whose blessings a society and even societies can prosper and attain human lofty goals; that said, she may move in the opposite direction.”
The Position of Women in the Family from the Viewpoint of Imam Khomeini (ra)
In various meetings with women, Imam Khomeini (ra) has given comprehensive remarks on the family and the role that a woman may play as a mother who has the responsibility of raising children in the family: “The role of the mothers of kids and the fathers of the young ones is extremely important… Basically, upbringing starts from the lap of the pure mother and the guidance of the father. With the right Islamic upbringing, they will lay the ground for
safeguarding the independence and freedom of the country and make them committed to the interests of the country.”
“Women are the manifestations of the realization of humanity’s desires. Women are those who bring up great men and women. It is by women’s training that men can reach higher intellectual levels. The women are those who train great men and women.”
Imam Khomeini’s thoughts on the sensitive role of the mother in raising the children and reforming and corrupting society have been expressed as follows:
“You women have the honour of motherhood, and in this respect, you are ahead of men; you have the responsibility of rearing a child in your bosom. The foremost classroom that a child has is the bosom of the mother. A good mother rears a good offspring and if the mother is a deviant one the child comes out deviant right from inside her bosom… In your motherhood, you must purify your children; in your tutorship also you must refine them, and hand over upright individuals to society so that society becomes upright. If God forbid, you do otherwise, then their ill training too will be your responsibility and you shall be affected by the consequences of their misdeeds.”
Imam Khomeini (ra) was the leader of an Islamic society and could not spend much time with his family due to special conditions of the first days of the Islamic Revolution, yet he used to write letters to Haj Mostafa and Sayyed Ahmad asking them to take care of his wife and children, especially his daughters. In addition, he used to write letters to his wife and daughters, Zahra and Farida Mostafavi. All these documents show how important and valuable family was for Imam Khomeini (ra) and also reveal his special view regarding women and their position in the family.
In one of the letters Imam Khomeini (ra) wrote to Sayyed Ahmad we read: “Although mothers are exemplary, some of them enjoy special features. In the course of my life with your esteemed mother and the memories, I have of her at nights she spent with her children and during days, I found her possessing great characteristics. I advise you, dear son and children, to take care of her and to win her satisfaction after my death. As I see, she is satisfied with you in life. After me, make greater efforts to serve her.”
Imam Khomeini (ra) and Setting a Role Model for Women
Imam Khomeini (ra) introduced great figures to the society of women and even men, such as the daughter of the Commander of the Faithful, Lady Zaynab (s), the noble wife of the Prophet, Lady Khadijah (s) and the mother of the Spirit of God, Lady Maryam (s), as well as the best of all these noble personalities and the Master of the Women of the Two Worlds, Lady Fatimah Zahra (s). From Imam Khomeini’s point of view, all existential and positive aspects that could be imagined for a woman and even a human being have been manifested in Her Highness, and on various occasions, he has praised her spiritual position considering it as equal to the status of prophets and saints of God.
According to the Qur’an-based view of Imam Khomeini (ra), a woman can attain the level where she becomes an eternal role model, as Lady Zahra (s) is the divine role model for the whole people of the world. Imam Khomeini’s decision to announce a day such as Women’s Day and introducing a superior role model for Muslim women in the early days of the Islamic Revolution, show his profound understanding and insight that addressed this psychological need of the female gender: “Today is a great day, a day in which a great woman came to the world who is equal to all men. A woman came to the world who is an exemplary human. A woman came to the world who is the entire manifestation of a humane identity. So, today is a great day. Today is the day for all women. “
Women’s Dignity in Political Activities
Before the Revolution, the women of our society were considered by the Shah and his agents as “charmers” and viewed more as an instrument rather than human beings who can have an active presence in society and politics. During that period, some women were nothing more than a character in cabarets and other gatherings, until, with the victory of the Islamic Revolution and the introduction of a special view in this regard by Imam Khomeini (ra), the position of women took a very different shape. In his view, women are free human beings who could engage in society while maintaining their dignity and chastity, and a woman could abandon licentiousness and express herself as a real human being who enjoys all the human aspects.
Addressing the issue of women’s political presence which may lead to the prosperity of the country, Imam Khomeini (ra) states:” As men have to interfere in political affairs and safeguard their own society, women also have to interfere in social and political activities along with men. Of course, they should observe what Islam has ordered, which is, fortunately, the case in Iran.” one of the contributions Imam Khomeini (ra) made during the early days of the Revolution to highlight women’s political role was designating Mrs. Marzieh Hadidchi-Dabagh along with a delegation to deliver his letter to Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow.
Mrs. Hadidchi-Dabbagh herself has stated in this regard:
“Our women should be aware that Imam Khomeini (ra), by choosing me and Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli, wanted to show that men and women should both be engaged in whatever role is to be played in the Islamic society and that they should help each other in realizing the aims and agendas of the Revolution and the Islamic Republic. Certainly, the cooperation and activism of both women and men will lead to sufficient and complete results, and for this reason, we see that Imam Khomeini (ra) chose a man and a woman, a decision that is an honour for the women of our society. I hope that women of our society will take the message of this trip and that we would be able to recognize the right of Imam Khomeini (ra) and benefit from his thoughts.”
Promoting the Value of Women Through Hijab
As a religious leader, Imam Khomeini (ra) did not consider maintaining chastity and wearing Hijab to be in any way opposed to being in the community and a sign of backwardness; rather, he states: “Islamic dress code [hijab] in its general sense which prevails among us and is known as the Islamic hijab has no contradiction with freedom. Islam opposes what is opposed to chastity. We will invite them to observe the Islamic dress code. Our courageous women are fed up with the calamities inflicted upon them by the West in the name of civilization and have taken refuge in Islam.”
Also, on another occasion, he says: “The concept of the Islamic hijab is for protecting your values.”
Reference: Proceedings of the National Congress on Imam Khomeini’s Cultural and Social Thoughts
Archive of Imam Khomeini
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