Qiwamah from a contemprary Islamic Perspective – Abida Al-Muayad Al-Azzm as a Model-

Abstract

         In contemprary Islamic discourse، the conceptual grounding of qiwamah (male guardianship) is often anchored in the verse: “Men are in charge of women (by right of) what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend (for maintenance) from their wealth” (An-Nisa: 34). The discourse frequently seeks to explore the notion of gender preference within the family structure through both scriptural and natural justifications. It has continued to address the issue of qiwamah through a single، traditional theoretical framework characterized by repetition and superficiality. Innovative and in-depth perspectives are rarely discernible، as the matter is more closely linked to the understanding of the dynamic nature of rapidly changing social reality. More importantly، it hinges on the extent to which science and knowledge are employed to comprehend the relationship between the scriptural text and lived reality، and the dialectical interaction between the two. Within this framework falls the present study، which examines qiwamah from a contemporary Islamic perspective، through the lens of a feminist model- Abida Al-Muayad Al-Azzm- who devoted significant attention to this issue. She sought objective justifications for the exclusive attribution of this role to men rather than women، within the bounds of the higher aims of Islamic law (maqasid al-shariah) and from a civilizational Islamic viewpoint.