Page 348 - Bigotry: The Dark Danger

Bigotry:
The Dark Danger

word "hukkam" is used for governors
and rulers in the Qur'an. On that
basis, we may easily conclude
that the true meaning of the

word in the verse in question is
"to watch over and protect."

We can see this better
when we look at the Qur'an in
general. As we have already said,
women are generally given a supe-
rior position in the Qur'an, and they

are free, but also protected against
the possibility of any difficulty. The
defense of women, their protection
in the material sense and preventing
them from being exposed to difficul-

ties are all responsibilities incumbent
upon men (this has been set out in
detail in earlier sections). Therefore,
as the term "qawwam" makes clear in the
verse in question, men have a duty to protect
women, always and under all circumstances. This verse, which some

fanatics seek to use as evidence for male superiority, is a very impor-
tant one that actually describes the superiority of women.

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