Every parent cherishes the hope of giving their children a better education than circumstances once allowed them, believing that knowledge can lift a family beyond limited means and open doors that were once closed. Islam places great value on learning. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared that seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim, male and female alike. The first revealed word of the Holy Quran was Iqra (read), and this divine command makes no distinction between men and women.
In the early days of Islam, women of learning stood among the foremost transmitters of knowledge. The Mother of the Believers, Hazrat Aisha (May Allah be pleased with her), was a scholar of profound insight whose counsel was sought by the Companions themselves. Yet in later centuries, many communities placed greater value on educating sons, while the education of daughters was often considered contrary to local customs and traditions. Many families saw a girl’s role as limited to the home and considered formal education unnecessary or even undesirable.
Girls Are Moving Forward
The present age, however, has witnessed steady progress in girls’ education, in keeping with the true spirit of the faith. Female literacy among those aged ten and above has risen to 54 per cent, according to the latest figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, while the long-standing gender gap has narrowed from nearly 23 percentage points a quarter-century ago to about 15 points. School attendance among females now stands at 57 per cent.
In examinations at every level, girls frequently secure higher positions than their male counterparts. Professional studies, including medicine, law, teaching and the sciences, also attract them in growing numbers. This progress is not merely a statistical achievement. It is the gradual fulfilment of an Islamic ideal that was long obscured by custom.
Education Opens New Doors
After completing their studies, most young women want to put their education to practical use, whether as physicians, teachers or professionals in other fields. Islam does not forbid a woman from earning an honest livelihood when necessity or the service of society requires it, provided her dignity remains intact.
Many enter paid work to meet household needs or ease financial pressures. Others choose occupations that allow them to balance professional and family responsibilities. Working women deserve genuine admiration for managing the demands of their jobs while also carrying responsibilities at home.
Female labour-force participation remains modest at roughly 28 per cent, yet those who enter employment often shoulder this double burden with quiet resolve and remarkable strength. Their contribution strengthens families and enriches society, provided the moral safeguards prescribed by faith are observed.
Respect at Work Matters
One of the most difficult parts of women’s professional lives is often the behaviour they encounter while working alongside men. Not all men behave alike. The majority treat their female colleagues with proper respect, and their conduct is worthy of praise.
Yet there are also those who look at working women with disdain or allow their eyes and words to cross the bounds of respect. The Holy Quran commands both believing men and women to lower their gaze and guard their modesty, for this protects purity of heart.
Women often recognise when a man’s gaze or behaviour is inappropriate. Those who are compelled by necessity to earn a livelihood can face a particularly difficult situation. The faith teaches that a woman’s honour is sacred and must never be violated. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned against even the lustful glance, describing it as one of the poisoned arrows of Satan.
Law Must Protect Women
There can be no doubt that the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act is now part of the law and is in force. A regular Ombudsperson has also been appointed to hear complaints.
In the year just past, the Federal Ombudsperson Secretariat received nearly 1,600 cases and resolved more than 1,100 of them. Still, as the proverb says, old habits are not easily abandoned.
There are still reports of older men who engage in improper looks and behaviour, even though they have sisters and daughters of a similar age in their own homes. Such conduct stands in clear opposition to Islamic teaching, which forbids lustful looks and requires every believer to protect the honour of others as they would protect their own.
Such behaviour should be firmly discouraged through both moral education and consistent enforcement of the law.
Dignity Must Remain Central
At the same time, women working in offices and other workplaces should uphold the values of haya, the sense of modesty and self-respect that is an important part of faith. They should also observe the rules of etiquette and maintain the modest conduct prescribed by religion, tradition and the example of the righteous.
Restraint in speech, dignity in manner and conduct that neither invites nor tolerates impropriety are important parts of a respectful workplace. The responsibility, however, rests on both men and women.
Only when both uphold principles of mutual respect, modesty and honour can the progress made in female education produce its full benefit. Education should allow an entire generation of women to use their talents for their families and society without facing unnecessary obstacles or indignity.
In this balance lies the true promise of educating daughters: greater opportunity, stronger families and a society guided by faith, learning and mutual respect.
