Islam's Reformers .pdf

their happiness! Let them get used to living veiled. Living veiledwill protect them against so many inconveniences that... Oh, ifthey could only know the number of girls who have sobbed andcried on my shoulder. My ears are full with the very terrifyingand heartrending complaints of the beloved girls. Yes, it seemsas if it were very sweet to be able to enter a ball full of lights andflowers. But, what a grievous serpent is the jealousy that gnawsat the heart of the woman who has gone there with her husbandshe loves. Could you imagine it? Each of the balls, theatres andplaces for meeting is a cell of torment of ‘Saint office’, a hell fora man who is faithful to his wife or for a woman who loves herhusband. Inform your wives and sisters well about these facts!”There is a saying which is chewed like a gum in the mouths:“The advancement of women is necessary for the advancementof men, because a nation, one of whose two wings cannotfunction, cannot make progress. It can make progress onlytogether with the women.” Such complicated, vague wordsshow that those who cannot explain their purposes clearlyattempt to communicate them under helping words. Theadvancement of women means not to leave them ignorant, notto slight their morals and education. Islam says nothing againsthaving women do fine arts, which are suitable for their delicacy.It is permissible for women to do the fine works which mencannot do both in warfare and during peace and to learn themfrom other women. But, still they should stay away from mennot related to them.The strongest thing that attaches the Muslim Turks to theircountry is their religious and traditional pure life in the family.Among them, those who consider this life of women’s and nâmahram[1] men’s being away form one another as a duty areattached to their country with a most sensitive vein.Another powerful weapon which religion reformers use todefend that women should work among men is material andeconomic advantages. For example, “You open a shop and puta girl at the cashier or counter. The customers will increase withthe lustful gifts which the shop presents to the sense of sight,”they say. However, Muslim customers do not go to such shops[1] Men and women who are forbidden to show themselves to membersof other sex are called nâ-mahram. There is detailed informationon this subject in Endless Bliss, IV, 8.- 112 -