Women's Role in the Family Economy

A stable economy and a source of income for one’s livelihood are the most basic and essential issues affecting man’s life continuously and constituting his serious concern. The economic system dominating the family should be in a way such that it should be able to improve human life at any age and overcome difficulties and obstacles. In this connection, studying the family economy and management practices, explaining the economic fundamentals of the family and the role of each member of the family in its management are of special importance. Identifying the correct consumption pattern in the family and describing successful strategies in family business management with inspiration from the Quran and the seerah (lifestyle) of the Infallible (a.s) are very essential. Undoubtedly, every member of the family that makes recourse to proper arrangements plays a major role in the family's economic management. The women, keeping in view their status and responsibility, play a much more important role in this regard. Identifying and assessing the costs and managing the avenues in the home atmosphere, necessitate proper consumption and good use of all means which resultantly lead to a balance, removal of problems, reduction of stress and anxieties and prevalence of peace and calm in family atmosphere. Simplicity and staying away from pompousness, showing solidarity and intimacy, reducing wastefulness, creating a spirit of patience and perseverance and attention to the poor are some of the effects of proper economy in the family and Islamic society. These effects are visible in the words and sayings of the Infallibles (a.s.). Hence, this research highlights the way the families can be financially managed so that it would be able to do away, to some extent, with the economic problems existing in the families.