I am often dismayed when Islamic Republic’s apologists or genuinely unaware people nowadays compare Iranian women with their counterparts in the Muslim world - namely those Muslim countries where women are relatively more repressed.
Many comparisons (regarding dress or general women’s rights) point at Saudi Arabia, for example, hence, implying the “Liberal” and, perhaps, more acceptable nature of Mullahs in Iran. Others believe Iranian women, under the Islamic regime, must not only be emancipated but also liberated, since they are not required to cover their face in public.
The mentioned assumptions and statements cannot be further from the truth. Despite certain women occupying a few positions in the IR government (a contrived situation; these are diehard pro regime ’sisters’ who do not believe in emancipation nor liberation of women), women in Iran are treated as children and second class citizens, by law and in the society.
In fact, some of the reasons why Iranian women have resisted, under continuous pressure & extraordinary brutality by the Islamic regime, to wear the hejab, and incessantly strive for equal rights in the society and by law, have their roots in ancient and pre-Islam Iranian culture, religion and history. Pre-Islamic Iranian culture is still very much part of today’s “Islamic Iran” whether most are consciously aware and/or acknowledge this element or not - pre-Islamic Iranian culture is both strong and resilient.
While the Pahlavi Kings (1925 - 1979) - actively sought to revert the status of women in Iran to pre-Islamic times, the Mullahs in Iran threw obstacles on the path in order to exercise and maintain their control and power, often under the guise of “Islam respects women and family”. When women in Iran are savagely beaten and intimidated to cover up, and when adult women still require their husbands or fathers’ written permission to travel, or when the testimony of two women equals one man, I hardly think Islam or Islamic laws are set to “Respect Women”. Today, more than ever before, this type of propaganda by Mullahs and their “female lackeys” are fed to the public in Iran and indirectly to the West.
Women’s Rights in Zoroastrianism and Ancient Iran
Zoroastrian texts such as the Avesta clearly define the status of Persian women and reveal that at a time when many women in the world were deprived of their basic rights, Persian women enjoyed social and legal freedom and were treated with great respect.
Avestan texts mention both genders asking them to share responsibility and make decisions together. They are equally praised for their good deeds rather than their gender, wealth or power.
“Whoever, man or woman, does what Thou, O Ahura Mazda,
knowest to be the best in Life.
Whoever does right for the sake of Right;
Whoever in authority governs with the aid of the Good Mind,
I shall bring all these to join in songs of Thy Praise,
Forth, shall I with them cross the Bridge of Judgment.”
In ancient Persia, women could take the throne in case the king passed away and the crown prince was still a minor. One such woman was Pourandokht - (photo right) the first Persian queen regnant in Ctesiphon. Ancient scriptures describe her as a wise, just and good-natured woman who did her best to revive the Sassanid sovereignty.
Avestan texts address the issue of leadership and tell us that a ruler may be a woman as well as a man.
“May a good ruler, man or woman, reign in both the material and spiritual existences.” (Yasna 41/2)
Zoroastrian texts advise parents to encourage their offspring to tread the path of knowledge and explain that women have an equal responsibility in the dissemination of knowledge and science.
“Whatever a man or a woman knows that is good and right, not only should they practice, but inform others to perform accordingly”. (Yasna 41/2)
According to zoroastrian texts, female members of the Persian society were allowed to participate in religious ceremonies and sometimes even head the event as the priest. Persian women were free to choose their spouse and Zoroaster urged them to make their decision based on wisdom.
“May God grant you him who is steadfast in good mind and united with righteousness and with the Wise One. Therefore consult with your wisdom and decide in full tranquility.” (Yasna 53/3)
Regarding young couples, Zarathustra advises them to remain faithful, share their joy and sorrow, to adhere to the principles of good mind and love, and to try to surpass one another in truth and righteousness.
Reference has been made to the role of Persian women in society. According to Greek historian and biographer Plutarch, Persian women were active members of their society and good fighters. There were numerous female fighters among the ranks of the Sassanid army. They have been described as excellent and competent soldiers.
According to Pahlavi texts such as the Din-Kard, women could manage their property, represent their husbands at court, chair courtrooms and perform religious ceremonies.
Ancient documents found at Persepolis, Susa and other Mesopotamian cities show that both noble and common women enjoyed economic independence in Persia.
They owned property, were involved in managing their assets, had employment opportunities and earned wages.
Photo: Male & Female Sassanid Warriors
Although noble Persian women had to act within a defined framework set by the king, they also enjoyed economic independence and had control over their wealth.
Women were allowed to visit their estates and administer their assets individually or with the help of their husbands.
Ancient documents mention common women by the title bestowed upon them due to the nature of their work; the level of skill determined a female manager’s title.
The highest-ranking female workers were known as arashshara (great chief). They managed female and male workers and received the highest salary among their peers.
Historical documents show that male and female workers received equal pay and that there were an equal number of workers from both genders. - Source
More on Iranian Women, Islam and the Pahlavi Dynasty in Part Two.
Thank you for the article Plateau! Also, good to note, when talking about the role of women (and in particular Iranian women) in the history, we don’t need to go back very far!
The erudite and pure Tahirih (one of the 18 desciples of the Persian Prophet The Bab) in Iran in 1850 removed the veil from her face as a sign of the liberation of women and its break with the past. An act so powerful and against the traditions of the time that a few in that gathering of the most prominent believers in the Bab, found shocking beyond words, resulting even in one to cut his own throat and while bleeding to leave the scene. Even still now the mulla’s in Iran distort that historic event and refer to it as a flagrant act of indescency and immorality!
While women in the West at that time were still deprived of their rights, this fearless woman stood in the heartland of Shiite Islam and spoke for women’s rights and the dawn of a new Age. Her last memorable words before she was killed were: “You can kill me as soon as you like, but you cannot stop the emancipation of women.”
Mehyar,
I am very pleased by your knowledge. Thank you for reading and your input.
Hope to hear from you again. There is a second part to this series, hopefully, in the next few days when I get the time.
Iranian women are still free to choose their spouse, and they own their own property. Also, the practice of wearing a chador predates Islam and was practiced during Sassanid era. That’s why Xerxes’ wife refused to appear in public, and so Xerxes divorced her summarily and married Esther.
hass,
Culturally, since Islam , many MUSLIM families in Iran dictate the to-be-spouse of choice for their girls/daughters, especially in smaller cities/towns and mostly in villages, and particularly when they decide to marry off their child daughter, you know, the age of marriage for girls in Islamic Iran is once again 9 years old, not 18. But it also applies to many families in Tehran, especially from lower socio-economic backgrounds, who tend to be even more religious.
Some women own properties or even businesses, but it is much more the exception to the rule than the rule in today’s Iran.
“the practice of wearing a chador predates Islam and was practiced during Sassanid era. That’s why Xerxes’ wife refused to appear in public, and so Xerxes divorced her summarily and married Esther.”
Wearing “Chador” literally meaning “tent” in Persian predates Islam in Iran? Where on earth do you get your information?
Xerxes is not the most moral or ethical King of Iran, nor was he a true follower of Zoroastrianism, unlike his father and forefathers. Some Jews believe Xerxes actually had Vashti killed, but, it is “The book of Esther” only that says Xerxes banished Vashti because she disobeyed him [Vashti refused to obey the King's request that she "show off her beauty" [which is interpreted to "appear naked" or, "dance" in the banquet hall of the palace of "Shushan" i.e. she considered it offensive to a Queen to do so] not because she was wearing the chador! One did not have to wear the “chador” to maintain modesty & pride.
Chador, wearing BLACK, covering your entire body in a tent is an Islamic practice. Although, Jews and Muslim, particularly Orthodox Jews, have much in common so far as traditions, habits and rituals are concerned. Take for example not eating pork or pork products.
You have a fantasy about the past. Women in even non-Islamic Venice and Portugal wore veils. In Portugal, respectable women would not be seen in the street without one.
hass: In this post, we are talking about non-Islamic, Zoroastrian Iran, not Portugal or Venice.
But anyway, what is your point? Are you implying that Mullahs are doing the right thing by imposing the chador on women in Iran and beating them up if they don’t wear it, because a woman is only respectable if she wears a veil or chador?
The veil itself predates Islam by many centuries. In the Near East, Assyrian kings first introduced both the seclusion of women in the royal harem. Beyond the Near East, the practice of hiding one’s face and largely living in seclusion appeared in classical Greece, in the Byzantine Christian world, in Persia, and in India among upper caste women.
Even today, in many Christian countries, Catholic women wear a symbolic “hijab” (scarf over the hair) when they enter churches.
hass: Assyrian Kings were not Persians nor Zoroastrians (subject/topic of this post). They in parts actually were semitic, and the ancient people of Assyria spoke an Assyrian dialect of the Akkadian language, a branch of the Semitic languages.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyria
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyriology
I actually know a few Assyrians from my childhood in Iran. They belong to a Christian sect, similar to Armenians, and speak their own language, plus Farsi (only those in Iran).
Yes, I think most know that Catholic women wear a head scarf when they enter a church. And, yes I know how the nuns dress as well.
Actually, Zoroastrians wear a head scarf when they enter a fire temple or during a religious ceremony too, although it is not a strict requirement. But wearing a “Chador” or a “veil” is not and never was a religious requirement on a daily basis & in public for Persian/Zoroastrian women in Iran, unlike in Islam.
You also need to know that wearing a black chador as the Mullahs of Iran prefer is very much an Islamic tradition. The color BLACK is the color of Islam, it has never been a color for Zoroastrians to wear.
Again we are talking about Persians, Zoroastrians, not Europeans, Indians, or other Middle Eastern people, nor Abrahamic religions which include Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Thank you Plateau for the kind words, which has encouraged me to share another recent story of heroic women in Iran.
The “story” concerns 10 Baha’i women (aged between 17 and 57) who exactly 25 years ago (18th June 1983) after months of torture were hanged in Shiraz. The youngest of these martyrs was Mona Mahmudnizhad, a 17-year-old schoolgirl who was lashed on the soles of her feet with a cable and forced to walk on bleeding feet. Yet she never waivered in her faith, even to the point of kissing the hands of her executioner, and then the rope, before putting it around her own throat. She had asked to be the last to be executed so that she could pray for the others as they faced their execution, in the early morning hours of the day. And the reason for their execution, you might ask? Teaching religious classes to the Baha’i youth.
For the pictures of these precious souls who truly deserve the title of “martyr”, please see http://question.bahai.org/004_1.php
Another point to mention here is the arrest of 6 out of the 7 members of the national coordinating group of the Baha’is of Iran on 14th May this year. The 7th member was arrested earlier in March. Obeying the Iranian governments ban on Baha’i administration (democratically elected 9-member local and national bodies), this coordinating group had been for the past years representing the needs of the Iranian Baha’is to the authorities. Two members of this coordinating body are women and together with their colleagues are under arrest at secret locations, after dawn raids on their homes http://news.bahai.org/story/635
Well, plateau! Sorry for sharing these sad news with you but you’d asked for it when you wrote “Hope to hear from you again”! Thank you for giving this opportunity to write and with best wishes, Mehyar
Mehyar,
A very sad story you are telling, and a tragic situation for Bahai’s in Mullah ruled Iran. I have a few Bahai friends; it is shameful how they are treated by the Islamic government in Iran, especially as they are in fact Iranians and the largest religious minority currently in Iran.
Thanks again for your informative comments. Hope you’ll stay tuned for next Part(s) of this series, with more comments!
I had visited the Bahai website you’ve mentioned, actually visited a Bahai temple about 18 months ago in my part of the world to see one first hand.
“Although, Jews and Muslim, particularly Orthodox Jews, have much in common so far as traditions, habits and rituals are concerned. Take for example not eating pork or pork products.”
A friend reading this post and comments sent me an email, and said this in relation to part of the comment # 4, as quoted above:
” Having been to many Bar Mitvahs in my life, I can tell you that Orthodox Jews not only keep Kosher (halal)- which includes not eating pork - but also must cover their heads in temple - men & women - and most surprising to me when I was growing up and first experienced it- separate men from women in temple.
They are also instructed how to conduct themselves in all aspects of everyday life,(talmud & halakha) and the rabbi is there to answer questions to keep you on the straight & narrow, so to speak, which I’ve always assumed is where Muhammed got the idea from. “