Hundred Questions - Woman and Imamat
Woman and Imamat
Q97 Why can a woman not be the Imam?
A97 In connection with Hundred Questions we have been asked this question twice. Since this question is very interesting and fruitful, therefore, we will answer it twice also.
An `aziz has asked this question with very strange logic. God knows whether he has asked it deliberately or accidentally. For according to every wise person, there is ample difference between these two questions: "Why can a woman not be the Imam?" which means why cannot a woman, whether ordinary or from the elite, obtain the Imamat, and why is it always conferred upon men only? This implies that it is possible for every man to be the Imam, while in comparison to him all women are deprived of this exalted status, while it is not correct to pose the question in this way.
The other question is "Why can a daughter of the Imam not be the Imam?" Or, in other words, why can a woman from the family of Imamat not obtain Imamat? The question should be posed in this way, for the exalted office of Imamat is not such that everybody can achieve it. Rather it is in a chosen family, and that is only the Prophet's family.
Thus here we will answer the latter question from the two kinds of questions presented above:
- According to Qur'anic law, the son inherits two portions from his father and the daughter inherits one (see section (f) below). This shows that man is superior to woman and therefore only the son of the Imam inherits the throne of Imamat, not the daughter of the Imam.
- It is also one of the greatest miracles of God in proof of the veracity of the glory of Imamat that, in addition to the chapter "Kawthar", many other Qur'anic verses confirm that a son has to be born in the house of the Imams from the progeny of Muhammad (May Allah send blessings and peace through him and his progeny) to inherit the throne of Imamat. Thus it is absolutely impossible that in the presence of male issue of the true Imam, the Imamat be given to the daughter.
- The law of Imamat in many matters is like the law of prophethood. Thus, just as no lady among the ladies has become a prophet, no daughter of the Imam can be an Imam.
- Islam is the religion of nature and according to the law of nature, the woman in comparison to the man is weak and compelled in many respects, such as her menstrual cycle, pregnancy, maternity etc. These conditions are such that the scope of the woman's activities becomes very limited, and therefore, physically the woman cannot succeed to the office of Imamat.
- If there is a group of women and there is no man to lead them in shar`i namaz, in such a state, according to shari`at a capable woman should lead them in such a way that she should remain in the front line, but should not stand in front of them separately like a male pesh- namaz (a man who leads prayers). The ta'wili allusion of this is that, although the daughters of the family of prophethood and Imamat cannot succeed to the physical rank of prophethood and Imamat, in batin or spiritually they are linked with the centre of the light of guidance.
- Among men and women, all those who are followers of the Imam are like his daughters, for they receive only one portion of the inheritance of religion, to reach his light spiritually, being his spiritual children only. But the son of the Imam of the time who is going to inherit the Imamat is his son in every aspect. Therefore, he receives two portions of the inheritance of the religion. He inherits the light of the Imam externally as well as internally, for he is his son both physically and spiritually. So this is the reason that the imamat of a woman in shar`i namaz is hidden and confined in the (first) row and is not prominent like the imamat of a man standing in front of them. This is an allusion to the spiritual rank of the light of Imamat, which all the followers of the Imam can attain spiritually according to their capacity.
- It is said in verse (4:34): "Men are rulers of women, because God has made the one of them to excel the other". From this Qur'anic principle it is clear that physically it is impossible for a woman to become an Imam, for the Imam has to be the ruler and more excellent (afzal) and not a subject and less excellent (mafzul).
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