In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
It is permissible for a woman to be an authority and leader in any position for which she is qualified. However, some positions are specific only to men, such as the position of prayer leader and supreme commander of the armed forces.
It is incorrectly claimed by some people that women can have no authority in Islam because men have been given the responsibility to lead, defend, and maintain the livelihoods of women, their wives, and their children.
Allah said:
الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ
Men are guardians over women by what Allah has favored some over others and by what they spend of their wealth.
Surat al-Nisa’ 4:34
The ‘favor’ of men over women refers to the physical strength of men, which is, on average, much greater than that of women and which enables men to perform strenuous physical labor and military duties better. In return, women should obey their husbands if they fulfill their responsibilities of providing for them and protecting them.
Imam al-Qurtubi commented:
أَيْ يَقُومُونَ بِالنَّفَقَةِ عَلَيْهِنَّ وَالذَّبِّ عَنْهُنَّ وَأَيْضًا فَإِنَّ فِيهِمُ الْحُكَّامَ وَالْأُمَرَاءَ وَمَنْ يَغْزُو وَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ فِي النِّسَاءِ
It means men sustain women by spending upon them and defending them. Likewise, among men are rulers, commanders, and those who wage military campaigns; it is not like that among women.
Source: Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī 4:34
The physiological differences between men and women in this regard cannot be ignored, as even today, professional sports leagues are separated between men and women, and occupations like construction work and frontline combat duty are almost exclusively male.
Even though there are plenty of exceptions to this general observation, as some women can be much physically stronger than some men, it is true on the whole, and rules are formulated based upon the majority of cases and not exceptions.
In ancient societies, women were not typically qualified to lead the military because they generally lacked the physical strength necessary for military leadership.
It was in this context that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
لَنْ يُفْلِحَ قَوْمٌ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ امْرَأَةً
A people will not succeed who are commanded by a woman.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 4163, Grade: Sahih
Imam Ibn Hazm commented:
قُلْنَا إنَّمَا قَالَ ذَلِكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي الْأَمْرِ الْعَامِّ الَّذِي هُوَ الْخِلَافَةُ
We say the Messenger of Allah only said that regarding absolute command, which is the Caliphate.
Source: al-Muḥallá bil-Āthār 8/528
There surely have been successful female military leaders, but again, they are the exception.
That men have a degree of authority and responsibility does not mean women have no say in the matter. Part of Islamic chivalry is for a husband to consult his wife, or for men to consult women on pertinent issues, to benefit from their unique perspectives.
The Prophet ﷺ once consulted his wife Umm Salamah on a serious matter, and she provided him with a key insight into his problem.
Marwan reported: After the treaty of Hudabiyyah was concluded, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to his companions:
قُومُوا فَانْحَرُوا ثُمَّ احْلِقُوا
Get up and offer your sacrifices, then shave your hair.
None of them stood up, and the Prophet repeated his order three times. When none of them stood up, the Prophet left them and went to Umm Salamah, and he told her about their attitude. Umm Salamah said:
يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ أَتُحِبُّ ذَلِكَ اخْرُجْ ثُمَّ لاَ تُكَلِّمْ أَحَدًا مِنْهُمْ كَلِمَةً حَتَّى تَنْحَرَ بُدْنَكَ وَتَدْعُوَ حَالِقَكَ فَيَحْلِقَكَ
O prophet of Allah, would you like your order to be carried out? Go out and do not speak to them until you have offered your own sacrifice and have called the barber to shave your head.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2731, Grade: Sahih
The Prophet ﷺ followed the advice of his wife and made his preparations to end the pilgrimage. The companions would soon follow his lead.
In this example, it was his wife whose exceptional intelligence provided him with guidance and resolution. Intelligence is not simply a linear matter of more or less. There are varieties of intelligence, such as emotional and personal intelligence, which women can excel at and offer valuable insights to men.
Ibn Hajar writes:
وَجَوَازُ مُشَاوَرَةِ الْمَرْأَةِ الْفَاضِلَةِ وَفَضْلُ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ وَوُفُورُ عَقْلِهَا حَتَّى قَالَ إِمَامُ الْحَرَمَيْنِ لَا نَعْلَمُ امْرَأَةً أَشَارَتْ بِرَأْيٍ فَأَصَابَتْ إِلَّا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ
It is permissible to consult a meritorious woman, and the merit of Umm Salamah and her abundant intelligence were such that Imam al-Haramayn said: We do not know of a woman expressing her opinion and being correct as much as Umm Salamah.
Source: Fatḥ al-Bārī 5/347
A woman is allowed to disagree with her husband or male leaders, as long as both parties respect each other with good manners. Men, in return, ought to be humble enough to accept that they are wrong if a woman points it out.
Though some scholars did not allow it, others permitted women to serve as judges in various capacities for which she is qualified.
Imam Ibn Hajar writes:
وَخَالَفَ ابْنُ جَرِيرٍ الطَّبَرِيُّ فَقَالَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ تَقْضِيَ فِيمَا تُقْبَلُ شَهَادَتُهَا فِيهِ وَأَطْلَقَ بَعْضُ الْمَالِكِيَّةِ الْجَوَازَ
Ibn Jarir al-Tabari disagreed and he said it is permissible for a woman to be a judge over matters in which her testimony is accepted. Some of the Maliki scholars gave them unrestricted permission to do so.
Source: Fatḥ al-Bārī 13/56
Even so, a woman may assume any position of leadership as long as she is the most qualified person for the job. Samra bint Nahik, for example, was a woman in the time of the companions who was placed in charge of policing the marketplace.
Yahya ibn Abi Sulaym reported:
رَأَيْتُ سَمْرَاءَ بِنْتَ نَهِيكٍ وَكَانَتْ قَدْ أَدْرَكَتِ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهَا دِرْعٌ غَلِيظٌ وَخِمَارٌ غَلِيظٌ بِيَدِهَا سَوْطٌ تُؤَدِّبُ النَّاسَ وَتَأْمُرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ
I saw Samra’ bint Nahik, who had met the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. She was wearing a thick corset and veil, and she had a whip in her hand that she used to discipline people, enjoining good and forbidding evil.
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr lil-Ṭabarānī 24/311, Grade: Jayyid
Imam Ibn Hazm commented:
وَجَائِزٌ أَنْ تَلِيَ الْمَرْأَةُ الْحُكْمَ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ أَنَّهُ وَلَّى الشِّفَاءَ امْرَأَةً مِنْ قَوْمِهِ السُّوقَ
It is permissible to appoint a woman as a judge, which is the opinion of Abu Hanifa. It has been reported from Umar Ibn al-Khattab that he appointed a woman from his people to be in charge of the market.
Source: al-Muḥallá bil-Āthār 8/527
And Imam Ibn ‘Abdul Barr commented:
أدركت رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وكانت تمر فِي الأسواق وتأمر بالمعروف وتنهى عَنِ المنكر وتضرب الناس عَلَى ذلك بسوط كَانَ معها
She knew the Messenger of Allah during her lifetime. She would patrol the markets by enjoining good and forbidding evil. She would discipline people with her whip.
Source: al-Istī’āb fī Maʻrifat al-Aṣḥāb 4/1863
The purpose of the classical rules, then, was to facilitate men and women performing complementary, and flexible to an extent, gender roles. Because men and women have natural physiological differences, customary gender roles are reasonable and conducive to a functional society.
However, because there are always exceptions to general observations, a measure of adaptability to changing customs and circumstances is warranted; there are some potential cases when a woman is the most qualified to do what a man might customarily do in other times and places.
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
