The natural and social status of women in Averroes’ thought

The critical study of previous philosophers’ attitudes towards women has increased. Studying the history of western and Islamic thought, Ibn Rushd’ attitude towards women is astonishingly shining. It includes such modern ideas as if they are the views of a contemporary thinker not a philosopher from the twelfth century. Studying his views on women seems necessary because , no Persian and special inquiry on it has been done yet. Therefore, in this essay, it has been tried to offer an overall description of his views on women. His reflections on women may be found in his Commentary on Plato’s Republic and Bidayat al-Mujtahid. In Commentary , he has asserted that women are equal to men intellectually. Therefore, equal rights must be shared between women and men. Moreover, he has added that any society ignores the capacities and capabilities of its women, will never acquire economic and social and flourishment. Thus, he has suggested that equal rights for women and men, have to be established, at least for the interest of the societies. In other words, even if societies don't care about women, they have to give the equal opportunities to women and men because of their own interest.