Equality Issues: Role of Men and Women

Key Stage 3

Suggested Duration: 60 minutes

Learning Objectives

To know that Islam and citizenship insist on gender equality
To explore what Islam says about the rights and responsibilities of men and women in the modern world

Key Words

Gender, equality, role, rights, responsibilities

Islamic Values

Islam teaches us to treat all human beings, both men and women, with respect.

Citizenship Values

Men and women have equal treatment under British law.

Resources

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0801: Lesson Objectives

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0802: Gender Role Table

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0803: Family Roles and Responsibilities

Activities

Ask some quick questions to recap the last lesson.

Share the lesson objectives.

A Starter Activity

Ask pupils to complete the table in Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0802, identifying if each of the listed professions is for men, women or both. Occupations listed include teacher, doctor, solicitor, builder, fire-fighter, soldier, pilot, bus driver, cleaner, taxi driver, imam and cook.

Take feedback.

Ask pupils if there is a gender imbalance and, if so, what this might be.

Suggested answer: Culture/lifestyle/certain jobs only suited to either gender.

Invite selected pupils to comment on why certain jobs are seen as only for men or women. Stress that the tasks involved are equally as important and ensure the right balance in society.

B Development

Activity 1: Roles and Responsibilities

Give out Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0803.

Ask pupils to complete the chores that each person in their household is responsible for.

Example of chores/tasks include: ironing, cooking, going out to work, and so on.

Take feedback and ask pupils whether men and women should both be responsible for household chores.

How will the household run if any one of the family members does not do their task properly?

Take feedback and emphasise that Prophet Muhammad used to do household chores.

Activity 2: Islamic Guidance

Ask a pupil to recite the following verses. Explain the meaning.

إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْقَانِتَاتِ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالصَّادِقَاتِ وَالصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّابِرَاتِ وَالْخَاشِعِينَ وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَالصَّائِمِينَ وَالصَّائِمَاتِ وَالْحَافِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَالْحَافِظَاتِ وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

'Surely, Muslim men and Muslim women, believing men and believing women, devout men and devout women, truthful men and truthful women, patient men and patient women, humble men and humble women, and the men who give sadaqah (charity) and the women who give sadaqah, and the men who fast and the women who fast, and the men who guard their private parts (against evil acts) and the women who guard (theirs), and the men who remember God much and the women who remember (Him) – for them, God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.' (Surat al-Ahzab 33:35)

Question: Why did God constantly refer to both men and women in this verse?

Suggested answer: Men and women are seen as equal in their duties towards God.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ

'O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul...' (Surat al-Nisa 4:1)

Question: What does God mean by 'duty to your Lord' and creating us 'all from a single soul'?

Suggested answer: 'Duty to your Lord' means fulfilling his commandments, respecting His creation.

We have been created from a single soul and, therefore, we are all equal before our Creator and the best of us are those who are more righteous.

هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ

'...They (women) are garments for you (men) and you (men) are garments for them (women)...' (Surat al-Baqarah 2:187)

Question: Why do we wear clothes?

Suggested answer: Protection, warmth, comfort, beauty/fashion, looking good and modesty

Question: What does it mean to be each other's 'garments'?

Suggested answer: Men and women complement each other, help each other, comfort each other and are companions for each other.

Resources

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0804: Islamic Guidance

'Seeking knowledge is compulsory for all Muslims (male and female).' (Ibn Majah, Bayhaqi)

'Surely, human beings from the time of Adam up to now are the same as the teeth of a comb are, and there is no superiority for the Arab over a non-Arab or for the white race over the black race except for righteousness.' (Mustadrak al-Wasa'il)

C Plenary

Read the following statements and ask pupils whether they agree or disagree with them:

You should respect both male and female teachers.
Boys are cleverer than girls.
Only women should do the cleaning at home.
Girls and boys should have equal rights to education.
Boys and girls have equal responsibility towards their parents.
Women cannot join the armed forces.
Muslim women can get involved in politics.
Only men are allowed to go on Hajj.
It's mum's responsibility to cook.
Men are women are equal citizens and have the right to vote.

Sum up and stress that in Islam men are women are treated equally, but may have different roles/responsibilities.

Invite pupils to fill in Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0806.

Suggested Follow-up Work

Ask pupils to look up the five verses listed on Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0807, and write down the translations under the heading:

Men
Women
Both.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0801

Lesson Objectives

To know that Islam and citizenship insist on gender equality
To explore what Islam says about the rights and responsibilities of men and women in the modern world

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0802

Gender Roles Table

Choose which gender is normally associated with each occupation.

| Occupation | Women | Men | | ------------ | ----- | --- | | Teacher | | | | Doctor | | | | Solicitor | | | | Builder | | | | Fire-fighter | | | | Soldier | | | | Pilot | | | | Cleaner | | | | Taxi driver | | | | Imam | | | | Cook | | | | Bus driver | | |

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0803

Family Roles and Responsibilities

| Father | Mother | | ------- | --------- | | | | | Son(s) | Daughter(s) | | | |

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0804

Islamic Guidance

وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْقَانِتَاتِ وَالصَّادِقِينَ

وَالصَّادِقَاتِ وَالصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّابِرَاتِ

وَالْخَاشِعِينَ وَالْخَاشِعَاتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ

وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَاتِ وَالصَّائِمِينَ وَالصَّائِمَاتِ

وَالْحَافِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَالْحَافِظَاتِ وَالذَّاكِرِينَ

اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً

وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

'Surely, Muslim men and Muslim women, believing men and believing women, devout men and devout women, truthful men and truthful women, patient men and patient women, humble men and humble women, and the men who give sadaqah (charity) and the women who give sadaqah, and the men who fast and the women who fast, and the men who guard their private parts (against evil acts) and the women who guard (theirs), and the men who remember God much and the women who remember (Him) - for them, God has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.' (Surat al-Ahzab 33:35)

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم

مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ

'O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul...' (Surat al-Nisa 4:1)

هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ

'...They (women) are garments for you (men) and you (men) are garments for them (women)...' (Surat al-Baqarah 2:187)

'Seeking knowledge is compulsory for all Muslims (male and female).' (Ibn Majah, al-Baihaqi)

'Surely, human beings from the time of Adam up to now are the same as the teeth of a comb are, and there is no superiority for the Arab over a non-Arab or for the red race over the black race except for righteousness.' (Mustadrak al-Wasa'il)

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0805

True or False Statements

Write whether you agree or disagree at the end of each statement.

You should respect both male and female teachers.
Boys are cleverer than girls.
Only women should do the cleaning at home.
Girls and boys should have equal rights to education.
Boys and girls have equal responsibility towards their parents.
Women cannot join the armed forces.
Muslim women can get involved in politics.
Only men are allowed to go on Hajj.
It's mum's responsibility to cook.
Men are women are equal citizens and have the right to vote.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0806

Feedback

Lesson Title: Equality Issues: Role of Men and Women

Name:

Madrasah/Organisation:

Today I have learnt about:

As a result of this lesson I have learnt that a good Muslim should:

I am going to follow up this topic in my home/school/community by:

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0807

Follow up-Worksheet

Lesson Title: Equality Issues: Role of Men and Women

Name:

Madrasah/Organisation:

Task:

Look up the following verses in the Qur`an. Write down their translations in the relevant box, depending on who is being addressed, that is, men, women or both.

| Reference | Men | Women | Both | | ------------- | --- | ----- | ---- | | Surah No 9 Ayah No 71 | | | | | Surah No 9 Ayah No 72 | | | | | Surah No 4 Ayah No 1 | | | | | Surah No 4 Ayah No 36 | | | | | Surah No 4 Ayah No 123| | | |