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The Civilised Family System
By Sayyid Qutb
If the family is the basis of the society, and the basis of the
family is the division of labour between husband and wife, and
the upbringing of children is the most important function of the
family, then such a society is indeed civilised. In the Islamic
system of life, this kind of a family provides the environment
under which human values and morals develop and grow in the new
generation; these values and morals cannot exist apart from the
family unit. If, on the other hand, free sexual relationship and
illegitimate children become the basis of a society, and if the
relationship between man and woman is based on lust, passion and
impulse, and the division of work is not based on family
responsibility and natural gifts; if the role of women is merely
to be attractive, sexy and flirtatious, and if women are freed
from their basic responsibility of bringing up children; and if,
on her own or under social demand, she prefers to become a
hostess or a stewardess in a hotel or ship or air company, thus
using her ability for material productivity rather than the
training of human beings, because material production is
considered to be more important, more valuable and more
honourable than the development of human character, then such a
civilisation is 'backward' from the human point of view, or 'jahili'
in Islamic terminology.
The family system and the relationship between the sexes
determine the whole character of a society and whether it is
backward or civilised, jahili or Islamic. Those societies which
give ascendance to physical desires and animalistic morals
cannot be considered civilised, no matter how much progress they
may make in industry or science. This is the only measure, which
does not err in guarding true human progress.
In all modern jahili societies, the meaning of 'morality' is
limited to such an extent that all those aspects, which
distinguish man from animal, are considered beyond its sphere.
In these societies, illegitimate sexual relationships even
homosexuality, are not considered immoral. The meaning of ethics
is limited to economic affairs or sometimes to political
affairs, which fall into the category of 'government interests'.
Among jahili societies, writers and journalists advise both
married and unmarried people that free sexual relationships are
not immoral. However, it is immoral if a boy uses his partner,
or a girl uses her partner, for sex, while feeling no love in
his or her heart. It is bad if a wife continues to guard her
chastity while her love for her husband has vanished; it is
admirable if she finds another lover...
From the point of view of 'human' progress, all such societies
are not civilised but are backward.
The line of human progress goes upward from animal desires
toward higher values. To control the animal desires, a
progressive society lays down the foundation of a family system
in which human desires find satisfaction, as well as providing
for the future generation to be brought up in such a manner that
it will continue the human civilisation, in which human
characteristics flower to their full bloom.
Obviously a society which intends to control the animal
characteristics, while providing full opportunities for the
development and perfection of human characteristics, requires
strong safeguards for the peace and stability of the family, so
that it may perform its basic task free from the influences of
impulsive passions. On the other hand, if in a society immoral
teachings and poisonous suggestions are rampant, and sexual
activity is considered outside the sphere of morality, then in
that society the humanity of man can hardly find a place to
develop.
Thus, only Islamic values and morals, Islamic teachings and
safeguards, are worthy of mankind, and form this unchanging and
true measure of human progress, Islam is the real civilisation
and Islamic society is truly civilised. |
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