The Main Factors of Women’s Oppression in the Age of Ignorance
The main causes of women’s oppression can be summarized in two areas:
1. Realm of Power
Men who held authority and power in society abused their positions, restricting women’s lives in every way and denying them the opportunity to express themselves. Women were seen as oppressed and subjugated beings, unable to take a step toward expressing their talents in the fields of work and economics. Schools, universities, and scientific research centers were generally exclusive to boys and men. Women were not allowed to sit in front of professors and did not have the right to hold a pen. Their lives were spent under oppression, ignorance, and in isolation. If they were oppressed or raped, no court would listen to their testimonies, and no one would hear their voices, leaving them with no choice but to surrender.
2. The Realm of Culture
It should be noted that culture plays a significant role in shaping people’s thoughts and opinions. In fact, the cultures of nations serve as molds in which people’s ways of thinking, worldviews, and beliefs are formed and solidified.
From the beginning, a false cultural narrative developed in many societies asserting that women are second-class human beings, positioned at a lower level. The notion that a woman is unfaithful and the cause of evil and calamity was frequently repeated in poetry, prose, proverbs, anecdotes, and literature, becoming entrenched in the public’s consciousness. Unfortunately, even women internalized this belief, which diminished their confidence and self-esteem, leading to self-pity and acceptance of their fate.
What has been discussed up to this point reflects the sad and regrettable history of women during the period of ignorance before Islam. In the next section, Allah willing, we will explore the history of women after Islam, as well as their role as described in the Qur’an and Prophetic hadiths.
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