ENGLISH–WOMAN‘S SOCIAL MOBILITY IN ISLAM AND CONTEMPORARY PÂSHTÛN SOCIETY: A CASE STUDY OF DISTRICT BÂNNÛ AND LÂKKI MÂRWÂT

Abstract

Women were once considered second rate creatures were deprived of their basic human rights in the pre-Islamic Arabia, like rest of the civilizations in the world at that time. Islam lifted their status from the man-made discrimination and unjust dominance. Women were granted a just status in all spheres is life and their physical, psychological, financial and social needs were given due consideration. As a result, they were able to play an active and productive role in the uplifting and developing the newly-established Islamic State in Madinah by providing a range of different kinds of services to the community. The fundamental sources of Islam and literature review of Islamic historical texts illuminate their active social participation and mobility. Contrary to the teachings of Islam, the woman is often restricted and confined within the four walls of the house in contemporary Pashtun society even though she has the capacity and ability to play her due role in social welfare and development of society by participating along with the male counterparts as per their natural capacities and following the principles of moral conduct as laid down by Islam. An attempt has been made in this paper to study and explore the background, context and factors responsible for the restricted social mobility of women in District Bannu and Lakki Marwat and highlight the original teachings of Islam in this respect.