The Social System in Islam

The need to unite the family and to ensure its happiness was felt by all Muslims, and the search for a solution to this serious problem occupied the minds of many people. Different attempts of various sorts appeared to present solutions. Many publications were written demonstrating the societal solution and amendments were made to the laws of the Sharee'ah courts and electoral systems. Many tried to apply their views on their families, on their wives, sisters and daughters. Changes were made to the school system with regards to the mixing of boys and girls. Such attempts at addressing the situation continued to appear in these and similar guises. However, none of them succeeded in finding a solution, or bringing forth a system, or finding a method to implement what they perceived as reform. This is because the issue of the relationship between the two sexes became obscure in the minds of many Muslims.

They were unable to comprehend the way in which the two genders can co-operate with each other, even though the well-being of the Ummah stems from this co-operation. They were completely ignorant of the thoughts and rules of Islam, which relate to the meeting of the man and the woman. This led them to discuss and debate the means of treatment, avoiding the study of its reality until, as a consequence of their attempts, anxiety and confusion increased. A chasm came to exist in society which gave rise to concerns for the entity of the Islamic Ummah, in its capacity as an Ummah with distinct characteristics. It was feared that the Muslim household would lose its Islamic character, and the Muslim family would lose the guidance of the enlightened thoughts of Islam and stray from valuing its rules and thoughts.

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Social System.
• The View of Man and Woman.
• The Impact of this View on the Relationship between Men and Women
• Regulating the Relations between Man and Woman.
• Private Life.
• Obligation of the Separation of Men and Women in the Islamic Life
• Looking at Women.
• It is Not Obligatory for the Muslim Woman to Cover her Face.
• Men and Women before the Sharee'ah Commandments
• The Activities of the Woman.
• The Islamic Community.
• Marriage.
• Women to Whom Marriage is Prohibited.
• Polygyny.
• The Prophet's (saw) Marriages
• Married Life.
• Coitus Interruptus (al-'Azl)
• Divorce.
• The Lineage (An-Nasab)
• The Imprecation (al-Li'aan)
• The Guardianship of the Father
• Custody of the Child.
• Maintaining Ties of Kinship.