Woman Between Islam and Western Society
1. A Survey
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responsible for or takes care of a thing or a person.”
Thus the use of this word is indicative of the
wisdom of the division of labor rather than the
superiority of man over woman. It should be
conceded that if the woman finds herself in a
position of responsibility in running the home, it is
because her more passive nature, her talent for
household tasks, her gentleness and affection all fit
her admirably for domesticity, to which she is
certainly better adapted than her male counterpart.
Since time immemorial life had been equably
systemized by this division of labor. Earning a
living had most often meant hunting, farming,
fishing, working in orchards, transporting
merchandise for barter or trading, all tasks
physically difficult to perform, and, therefore, better
and more easily done by men. While men were thus
engaged, it was simply more practical for women to
stay at home and manage the household. But with
the advent of the industrial revolution, conditions
were created which tended to break up this natural
order, for now jobs came into existence which, to
some extent, were suitable for women, and, since
tradition in western countries did not require
