Assessing Women’s Right in Holding Public Positions; a Jurisprudence ‎Perspective

The dominant discourse on Iranian Women’s Rights is based upon a formal reading ‎of Islamic jurisprudence which gives priority to men over women and consequently ‎prevents them from being eligible for holding public offices due to its allegedly ‎required dominance on men. According to the constitution of Islamic Republic of ‎Iran (principle 4), all laws and regulations should be in conformity with Islamic ‎standards and principles. This necessity realizing through continuous Ijtehad of fully ‎qualified Islamic scholars, in virtue of the pre-mentioned dominance of the formal ‎reading of Islamic jurisprudence has granted the right’s eligibility criteria a male-‎oriented discriminatory attitude. In order to reach an ideal as well as practical ‎conclusion, the Islamic jurisprudential reasons and arguments of the opponents will ‎be analyzed in this essay. The author believe that there is no persuasive and decisive ‎reason against the women’s right to hold public office in the Islamic sources.‎