The West has committed an “unforgivable sin” against women by defining them as merely objects of pleasure, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Iran’s National Women’s Day. The supreme leader claimed that Islam grants women equal rights and honor, while Western lifestyle degrades them. He also warned that irreparable damage to family values will lead to the West’s collapse, according to Fars News Agency.
In his May 1 speech, Khamenei argued that Western women have to serve men to further themselves in society. But Iranian women can participate in “politics, social and jihadi activities, helping people and the Revolution … while preserving her grace, dignity and Islamic hijab,” he claimed in an undated article on his office’s website. The following are excerpted remarks by Khamenei on women.
Women in the West
“The move that the West's materialistic civilization has done towards women is a big and unforgiveable sin, the consequences of which are absolutely irreparable… In the West, the human being is divided into two parts: men who are considered beneficiaries and women who are exploited and used…
Once the foundation of a family is shaken, the problems of that society will be internalized and the Western civilization with its vicious sexual laws is doomed to fail and collapse…” May 1, to poets on National Women’s Day
“The Western world and in the European world claim to be defending women rights – which is almost all a lie – but women did not have the right to vote, could not speak and choose, and did not have the right to possess property until the early decades of the twentieth century.” From an undated article on Khamenei’s website
Women in Sports
“An athlete promotes the values of a nation with good sportsmanship and piety. The fact that our woman athletes enter sports arenas with hijab (head covering) is very important…
“In a certain European country, some people dare to kill a woman because she is wearing hijab. And they do it in a court of law and in front of the judge. This is the case. They are not ashamed of it. Under a certain illegitimate law, they harass women who wear hijab in universities, stadiums, parks and on the streets. In such conditions, a woman who wears hijab stands on the medal platform in such countries makes everyone respect her. Is this a minor achievement? This is a very great achievement. Everybody should appreciate from the bottom of their heart the value of women athletes who participate in international arenas with hijab and modesty…” March 11, to veteran athletes and participants from the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics
Women in Iranian Society
“Today, the Iranian woman can enter the field of science… while preserving the religion, chastity, piety, dignity, grace, personality and reverence of a typical Muslim woman. There are, among you, many female students, professors and scholars. A woman might also enter the field of religious sciences and information without any obstacles. Among you, there are many seminarians, students, instructors and professors of religious sciences who deal with Islamic fiqh and religious insight. Our great Imam [Khomeini] also highly regarded this issue and gave an order to establish this institute of Qom. Today a woman in our country is able to participate in different activities including politics, social and jihadi activities, helping people and the Revolution and appear in different fields while preserving her grace, dignity and Islamic hijab…” From an undated article on Khamenei’s website
Women in Pre-Revolutionary Iran
“The woman in the society of the evil system of the kingdom was really an oppressive one… A Muslim woman could not easily survive at the universities and educational, scientific and cultural centers with hijab, grace and dignity. Was it possible? A woman could not walk in the streets of Tehran or some other cities with even a partial hijab... Education for women was almost impossible in this country. Of course, there were exceptions. Generally speaking, entering the field of science for women was almost impossible except by giving up hijab, piety and Islamic dignity!
The same problem was there in terms of political and social activities. Once a woman decided to have a social or political position in Iran, she had to give up hijab, chastity and the dignity of a Muslim woman. Of course, it depended on how her nature and potentialities were…” From an undated article on Khamenei’s website
Women in Islam
“In Islam, women have the right of allegiance, property possession while their presence in the social and political arenas is something fixed. Women used to come to the Prophet [Mohammad] to pledge their allegiance. The Prophet wanted both men and women to participate in decision-making. Women did not have to follow men. They participate in choosing their government and the social and political system. The Westerners are a 1300 years behind Muslims in this regard. The same is true about the right to have property and other social and political issues…” From an undated article on Khamenei’s website
Photo Credit: Khamenei.ir via Facebook