The Fiqhi Approach to Women's Participation in Socio-political Activities

Women’s participation in public activities (women’s incumbencies) and the clear role they play in managing the general affairs of society and holding high posts in government institutions has been the focus of attention of different societies in recent centuries, and it has become a fact in many countries. The question of the permissibility 0f the increasing level of women’s participation in political activities became a cause of concern in the early years after the Islamic Revolution in general and in the recent years in particular. This paper investigates this issue by resting on fiqhi foundations and evidence; and apart from exploring this issue in the framework of the teachings of the Qur’ān and the Sunnah, such things like Shari‘ah path, the widely accepted foundations of the wise and, last but not least, judgment of Islamic Law are among the evidence that have received special attention.But in case the evidence proving the permissibility or impermissibility of women's participation in public activities is open to doubt, the implications of practical principle is scrutinized. In the conclusion, though impermissibility of women’s broad participation has not been proved, the weightiness of the idea of permissibility has been established and so in case there is a necessity or worthy expedience, this question can be recommended in the form of a secondary judgment.