Authors
1 IAU
2 University of Qom
Abstract
Abstract Some Western ideologies, such as feminism, consider women’s sociopolitical participation as a duty for them and the ultimate goal for their empowerment. In the meantime, some governments like the United States have used this as a cover to represent themselves as the proponents of human rights, and the rights of women in particular, to pretend that Islamic perspective is against this branch of human rights. This paper has adopted a descriptive-analytical approach to delve into Imam Khomeini’s viewpoints on the rights of women to participate in sociopolitical activities. The results of this study indicate that, thanks to Imam Khomeini’s all-embracing knowledge on Islamic teachings, he has had a precise and thorough approach toward the conceptual domain of the rights of women in social and political participation. Although Imam Khomeini has never rendered it religiously forbidden – and still religiously recommended in some cases - he has considered superb role and goal for women such as playing an active role in upbringing the Islamic society. In Imam Khomeini’s thought, women can be employed but this must not end in forgetting, denying or understating principal responsibilities of women. Therefore, in Imam Khomeini’s school of thought, Islam considers women’s presence and their activities primarily within the family atmosphere and inside the house. While placing emphasis on women’s participation in the social activities, Islam insists on their primary role in the house as a good mother and a good wife.
Keywords
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