Men obliged to support women financially: cleric

TEHRAN, Feb. 28 (MNA)-- Islam as a developed religion honors the dignity of women and it specifically respects equality of women and men.

The Holy Quran clearly stresses the equivalent nature of men and women in different verses, Hojjatoleslam Hasanreza Rezayee .

A-Nisa Sura of the Holy Quran says: “O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single Person, created, of like nature, His mate and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women”

Rezayee said Quran emphasizes that the heavenly award is presented based on the beliefs and good deeds of a person, either man or woman.

However, according to the verse no. 34 of A-Nisa Sura, Razyee said: “Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because God has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them guard.”

The Almighty has granted each gender different instincts and capabilities, therefore they are duty-bound to play different roles toward each other and take different responsibilities, stated Rezayee , the director of the Department of Quran and Hadith for Answering Ambiguities.

Since men are physically and logically stronger than women they are obliged to participate in wars, do judgment, and support family financially, Rezayee explained. “Women are more emotional and they are responsible to raise the next generation.”

Regardless of some exceptions, the cleric noted that Islam considers the majority of men stronger both physically and logically, and women more sensitive and emotional.

Men are considered as the head of the household, Rezayee pointed out, explaining that men are physically and rationally superior to women which enables them to safeguard their family while women are more touching.

According to Islamic law, men are responsible to support their family financially and they are duty-bound to take the responsibility of family, Rezayee, a seminary scholar and a university professor, added.

Based on the Holy Quran a man is responsible to support his wife financially and if it does not happen, wife is not obligated to obey him, he explained

According to the Holy Quran, if a man is able to fulfill his wife’s economic needs, he is considered superior in the family, Rezayee said, adding even if a woman is financially independent or she works outside and supports her family she is yet obligated to obey her husband.

Asked if a man takes advantage of his wife’s financial help, does he lose his authority as the superior person in the family, the cleric said: “the fact is that alimony is not paid to wife because she is unable to earn it herself or because she is poor; even if a woman is well-off and her husband’s income is not enough, yet the husband is responsible to provide financially for his wife.”

Based on Quran a woman is not obliged to contribute to family earnings in any situation, he said, adding if a woman contributes to family expenditures or works outside home, it is her own preference.

A husband is never allowed to have any control over his wife’s income or force her to work outside, he pointed out.

According to Islamic thoughts, a man is not permitted to force his wife to breastfeed her baby and wife is permitted to request her husband to pay her for breastfeeding, he noted.

Therefore, according to Islamic sharia man or woman is owner of his or her possessions and incomes yet woman is not obliged to spend her earnings for family, Rezayee said.

Husband is considered the only financial supporter of household, he concluded.