Gender Roles in Islam and Confucianism

Emily Foley, Bert Shao and Eliza Abdu-Glass

Fall 2009 AP World History
A-Block
 Islam
• The word “Islam” translates to “submission” or
“surrender” (submission to God)
• Muslims worship the same God as Christians and
Jews, but God commonly referred to as Allah
• Islam is a “natural” religion, because anyone who
submits themselves to God’s will is a Muslim,
making Adam and Eve the first Muslims
•Islam is the “youngest” monotheist religion
(Muhammad was born 570 years after Jesus’s birth
• The Holy Book of Islam is the Qur’an, the word
of God as relayed to Muhammad
 Islam, con’t
• In the modern world, Islam has over 1.2 billion
followers, making it the world’s second-largest
religion (after Christianity)
• Islam is broken up into two major sects, Sunni
and Shiite
 Gender Roles in Islam (Women)
• When praying in mosques, men and women are separated to
eliminate distractions
• Women became forced into seclusion under Islamic law
(shari’a) and wore veils (only in some Islamic countries)
• Women wear the hijab or burqah to avoid being treated as sex
objects and so men will focus on their inner beauty and
intellect
• Respectable women did not pursue careers outside of the
household
 Gender Roles in Islam (Men)
• Men were permitted up to four wives (and
concubines)
• Some Muslim men cover their heads (they wear
turbans, fezzes, prayer caps, etc.), but it is more
about custom than religious necessity
• Some men wear beards though it is not usually a
necessity, but a preference to honor Muhammad
• Men often give their wife a gift (land, money) in
celebration of their union
 Confucianism
• Started by Confucius who lived between 551–
479 BC.
• Confucian ideas were written in a book called
the Analects
• Emphasizes filial piety which is respect for
ones elders in the form of the 5 relationships.
-Ruler to Subject
-Father to Son
-Husband to Wife
-Elder Brother to Younger Brother
-Friend to Friend
• Based on a system of ethics and morals
• Promoted by the Han dynasty because of its
Emphasis on political virtue and social order
•Later, Neo-Confucianism developed as a form
of Confucianism during the Song dynasty.
 Confucianism: Society/Religion (Women)
• Women were placed beneath men in the social
hierarchy
• Women's role is to be a good wife and a wise
mother
• Their role should be domestic, inside and backstage
• Denied formal education, and therefore considered
unqualified for public service
• Women had to obey the father before marriage, the
husband during marriage, and the son after the
death of her husband.
• Had to observe the 4 virtues: to be faithful,
diligent, cautious in speech, and modest in manner.
Confucianism: Society/Religion (Women), cont
• Mothers authority might be high especially in
the extended families of the upper class
• The birth of a daughter was not as happy an
event because females could not contribute to
the family as far as material resources, care for
the parents in old age or, most importantly,
could not continue the family name.
• Secluded in the innermost parts of the home
during marriage
• Could not inherit property, and married off by
parents
 Confucianism: Society/Religion (Men)
• Men considered to be superior
• Boys are the primary sources of support and care for
the elderly parents, “To raise a son is security for old
age.”
• During the Han Dynasty the relationship between
men and women developed into a superior-inferior
status. “The ruler is yang, the subject yin, the father
is yang the son yin, the husband is yang, the wife
yin.” (Dong Zhongshu)
• Men could have many wives
• The male role is public, “outside” and on stage
 Confucianism: Society/Religion (Men), cont
• Young men from rich families were often sent to
school, however, occasionally villagers would gather
the resources to send one of their smartest sons to
school.
• The oldest son of a family would inherit property
and position
• The title of emperor was also passed on to the oldest
son of the family.
• Only after the birth of a son, was a woman’s position
in a family secured.
 Confucianism Today
• Almost all of today’s followers live in mainland
China or Taiwan
• Today Confucianism is often founded
intermingled with Daoism and Buddhism.
• Commercialism and revolutions in China have
forced Confucianism to decline severely
• Confucianism is now separated from public
education
 Islam Today
• Today Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world; Muslims
make up about one forth of the population
• Many woman have a choice of whether or not they wear a hijab
(veil) when in public
• In Saudi Arabia Muslim women must be fully covered in public and
are sexually segregated; women cannot drive
• In Iran women must wear a scarf and a long coat (chador) in public
• In most Muslim countries today, women are allowed to work
• Many modern Islamic nations have outlawed polygamy (marriage to
more than one wife)
• In the present, many Muslims have a choice of which
customs they choose to follow, but many Islamic countries
have their own rules of what can and cannot be done/worn.
 Bibliography
• Adams, Paul V, et al. Experiencing World History. New York:
New York University Press, 2000. Print.
• “Confucian.” Eastern Philosophy. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2009.
<http://kengarman.tripod.com/‌easternphilosophy/‌id3.html>.
• Esposito, John L. What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam.
New York: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print.
• “Gender (Roles) in Islam.” Safra Project. N.p., 2001. Web. 19
Oct. 2009. <http:////www.safraproject.org/‌sgi-genderroles.htm>.
• “Islam Today.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2009.
<http:////www.pbs.org/‌empires/‌islam/‌faithtoday.html>.
• Kheirabadi, Masoud. Religions of the World: Islam.
Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2004. Print.