Should a Muslim woman's role be greater inside the household or outside? Discuss by referring to different points of view.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] 10 marks AO1 – Knowledge and understanding
2. [1] 15 marks AO2 – Analysis and evaluation
3. [1] Mark according to the levels of response marking grids for AO1 and AO2. Answers may refer to any Islamic religious theory or teaching. Candidates may propose, analyse and evaluate some of the following arguments. All relevant arguments must be credited.
4. [1] Women can play different roles in different spheres of life, wife and mother inside the house, teacher/preacher/career woman outside the house. A definition of what is understood by ‘household’ which can be diverse according to different societies can also be referred to, e.g. it could be understood as a whole village, or the house of 'Ali.
5. [1] Candidates could agree with the statement and say that Muslim women have a greater role to play inside the house, whether in the role as mother or wife and quote Qur’anic verses or Hadith to support this.
6. [1] The following verse shows the recommendation in Islam for women to stay in their house: ‘And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former times of Ignorance; and establish regular prayer, and give regular charity; and obey God and His Apostle. And God only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye Members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless.’ Qur’an 33.33.
7. [1] Qur’an 30.21 shows the role of women as wives, as companions of men, and satisfying their physical and emotional needs: ‘And among His Signs Is this, that He created for you mates from among Yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, And He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): Verily in that are signs for those who reflect.’
8. [1] The Prophet (pbuh) also stressed the role of women inside the house in the following Hadith: ‘Every one of you is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock… A woman is the guardian of her husband’s house and his children and she is responsible for them…’
9. [1] As a mother, a woman has the duty to nurture and raise the children and focus on their wellbeing. This can prove challenging if the woman is busy working outside the house.
10. [1] Women’s role is not limited to be inside the house in Islam and candidates can quote famous women in Islam to support their views.
11. [1] The idea that the woman is only to do the housework, raise the children, prepare the meals for her family is erroneous.
12. [1] There is no singular role or experience for women in Islam. Muslim women hold a variety of positions in society generally and take on different responsibilities.
13. [1] Women are allowed to be engaged in the society they live in, whether in social manner or professional.
14. [1] To show that Islam does not ask their seclusion, the Prophet (pbuh) has allowed them to attend the mosques. In a Hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) has said: ‘Do not prevent your women from going to the masjid even though their houses are better for them’. (Abu Dawood)
15. [1] From the women of the past, Aisha, the wife of the Prophet (pbuh) is the best example of a woman who was engaged in different spheres of life, whether inside the house as wife of the Prophet (pbuh) but also in the social and political spheres. She was a teacher, teaching the Companions what she learnt from the Prophet (pbuh) about Islam; she was a judge giving Islamic rulings (qadi), a nurse, she was also the advisor to the Caliphs and finally she was also the military leader in the battle of Siffin against Ali’s army.
16. [1] Another woman renowned for working outside the house is Khadija, a successful businesswoman when she proposed to the Prophet (pbuh). Even after their marriage, she maintained her business, and even used her earnings to support the Prophet (pbuh) and his cause, especially during the period of boycott. Had women not been allowed to have a role outside the house, the Prophet (pbuh) would have stopped her from working.
17. [1] There is evidence that some of the women companions were accompanying the men to the battlefield and would nurse the wounded. This is clear proof that women can have important roles outside of the house.
18. [1] A judgement should be made as to whether women has a greater role to play inside the house or outside or whether her roles are important both inside and outside.