In the Name of Allāh,

the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful

Praise is due to Allāh, Lord of the worlds, may the blessings and peace be upon our master Muḥammad, the last of prophets, on his family, and all his companions.

Resolution No. 114 (8/12)

The Islamic Declaration on the Role of Women in the Development of Muslim Society

The Council of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, holding its 12th session in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on 25 Jumādā al-Ākhirah – 1 Rajab 1421h (23–28 September 2000),

Having reviewed the recommendations of the Expert Symposium on The Role of Women in the Development of Muslim Society held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran on 17–19 Dhū al-Qi’dah 1415h (17–19 April 1995), in imple- mentation of resolution no. (10/7) of the Seventh Islamic Summit, which the Iftā Division amended at the ninth and tenth sessions of the Academy,

Emphasizing the values that Islam has conferred on women, but violated by the international conferences, particularly those of Cairo, Beijing and others,

In light of the previous Islamic declarations against such abominable campaigns,

Resolves

First: One of the objectives of Islam is to build a society in which both man and woman have a vital role to play in the process of development and pros- perity. For this reason, Islam has given women their full rights that correspond to their character, abilities, needs, aspirations and essential role in life. In Islam, society is considered a unit within which the integral roles of man and woman are to be determined. The Holy Quran and the Sunnah also emphasize the unity of the Ummah as a whole, state the distinct characteristics of men and women, and specify the position of each in Muslim society.

Second: A family that is based on an Islamic marriage constitutes the cor- nerstone of a healthy society. Therefore, Islam prohibits any other form of con- stituting a family. It also prohibits any other alternative relationships that fall beyond Shariah boundaries. By virtue of motherhood and other characteristics, women play a vital role in the stability and prosperity of the family.

Third: Motherhood is one of the natural roles of the woman, which she can only fulfill properly and build up the generations to come if she obtains all the

rights given to her by Islam, which also help her fulfill her duties in her own areas of life.

Fourth: Women and men are equal in the sense that both enjoy the honor of belonging to humanity. Moreover, women have various rights and obliga- tions that correspond to their nature, abilities and character. Although men and women have different natural characteristics, their responsibilities are considered complementary in Shariah.

Fifth: Call on for the respect of women in all areas of life and rejects all of- fensive practices that she suffers from at the present times, such as domestic violence, sexual exploitation, licentious practices, prostitution, procurement and inducement of women to commit adultery. These practices are quite prev- alent in societies that degrade women and disregard their Islamic rights. Islam is sacrosanct from all these evil practices.

Sixth: Media should enhance the positive role of women in society and reject any form of exploitation of women, for example, by using them as a medium in the shameful commercial advertising presentations and thus abusing their character and dignity.

Seventh: Exert extensive effort to alleviate the sufferings of women, especially Muslim women who are victims of violent struggles, colonization, poverty and foreign economic pressures.

Eighth: Comprehensive and sustainable development can be achieved only on solid religious and moral grounds. This necessitates the rejection of all at- tempts to impose foreign cultural and social concepts on the society with the condemnation of the perpetual attacks against Shariah rulings related to women. Ninth: Denunciate some governments’ practices in preventing Muslim women from practicing their religion, observing its directives, and divine com-

mands concerning modesty as in the case of the observance of ḥijāb.

Tenth: Work on separating women’s educational institutions at all levels from those of men so that female students can practice their full rights under Shariah and adhere to their religious directives.

Eleventh: The original sources of Shariah shall be the only reference for the interpretation and elaboration of the clauses of this declaration.

Indeed, Allāh is All-Knowing.