Woman Between Islam and Western Society
9. Dowry
~ 437 ~
shari’ah
of the Mosa, without this, however,
preventing them from being cursed by the
Almighty.
MAHR — THE DOWER
Islam has successfully maintained an even balance
in society between men and women by giving its
unequivocal endorsement to a practical division of
labor, whereby women are placed in charge of the
internal arrangement of the household, while men
are responsible for its financing. The home is thus
organized on the pattern of a microcosmic estate,
with the man in a position of authority. The Qur’an
is specific on this issue:
Men are the protectors and maintainers of
women because God has made some of them
to excel others and because they support them
from their means. All the righteous women
are the truly devout ones, who guard the
intimacy which God has (ordained to be)
guarded.
6
For largely biological reasons, women are well
adapted to domestic pursuits while men, for similar
