AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Speaking at the Student Day ceremony held on Tuesday at the AhlulBayt (a.s.) International University, the university’s Deputy for Research and Technology, underscored that Imam Khomeini (r.a.), deeply influenced by the Fatimid tradition in both thought and practice, defined women’s role not at the margins but at the center of society, opening a new path for the scientific, social, and spiritual advancement of women in Iran.
Dr. Sareh Larijani, revisiting historical narratives, highlighted the position of women across various civilizations and noted that social studies reveal that women in many ancient societies faced entrenched inequality. In India, China, Greece, and Rome, women were regarded as inferior and often equated with slaves. In ancient Iran, she noted, the status of women experienced fluctuations: during the era of Zoroaster, women were addressed with dignity by the divine messenger, yet after Alexander’s invasion and the spread of rigid class traditions, their position became restricted.
Larijani said that in the distorted Abrahamic traditions, the woman was frequently placed in a secondary position. “In the Gospel,” she explained, “the relationship between man and woman is portrayed as one where the man holds authority over the woman, just as Christ is depicted as having authority over the Church.” In the pre-Islamic Age of Ignorance, conditions were even harsher, marked by the burial of infant girls, the inheritance of women, and the complete denial of property rights.
She added that in modern times, despite apparent progress, the capitalist obsession with the body and image of women has led to commodification, reducing women’s value to visual appeal through the beauty industry, commercial media, and entertainment economies. At the same time, she said, certain strands of feminism, by overemphasizing absolute individual autonomy, have weakened family bonds and contributed to the fragility of the household. “In the past, the very humanity of women was forgotten; today, the essence of womanhood and its natural responsibilities are at risk of being forgotten.”
Emphasizing that the emergence of Islam overturned the unjust paradigm toward women, Larijani stated that the Quran honors women, such as Lady Maryam (a.s.), alongside eminent men, and that the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) and the Infallible Imams (a.s.) regarded women as possessing inherent dignity and complete human status.
The Deputy for Research and Technology said that unless the comprehensive model of the Muslim woman, embodied in the personality of Lady Fatimah Zahra (a.s.), is properly presented, incomplete and harmful models will emerge, creating a vacuum that may cause cultural collapse.
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