The Grand Imam: "Islam is neither a male-biased nor a female-biased religion; it's a religion of real equality".
His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Prof Ahmed Aṭ-Ṭayyeb, has said that guardianship is mandate on the husband to ensure the stability of the family. No wise person can say that this is not the task of the husband. Regrettably, this issue is treated in the media in a way that ridicules religion or casts false concepts, and this is a lie about our true religion of Islam.
The Grand Imam has explained that some of the jurists have defined qiwāmah as ‘guardianship of discipline’. This latter term is not mentioned in the Qur᾿ān or in the Sunnah, but it originated in certain historical social atmospheres. He has added that, “Nowadays, the term of ‘guardianship of discipline’ is annoying and carries unpleasant connotation. In my opinion, we should call it ‘guardianship of reform’. Sometimes, when a husband sees his wife deviate rightward or leftward, he must reform her, and this is his duty so that the wife may never leave the path that ensures the stability of the family.”
In the twelfth episode of his Ramadan program on the Egyptian television, the Grand Imam has said that when we talk about the husband’s duty to reform his wife, in case she deviates from the family path, the first thing that comes to people's mind is intellectual deviation with its all possible meanings. In fact, the intended meaning is deviation from the family path and escaping from the rules set for the family.
He has denounced the popularization of some terms, expressions or jurist opinions which do not enjoy consensus, but which are now presented as if they represented the Islamic jurisprudence. This has led some people to unfairly describe this religion as a male-biased religion. This is a great mistake in every possible sense. The Grand Imam has also stressed that Islam is neither a male-biased nor a female-biased religion, but it is the religion of real equality. Moreover, he has explicated that equality, as an Islamic concept, is rule-governed and it has its limits. If these limits are avoided, it immediately turns into injustice.
The Grand Imam's program is broadcast at 6:15 pm daily, throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan. It discusses a number of Muslim family issues, the rights established in Islam for the husband and the wife, and how to preserve the family as a basis for a solid human community.