The role of women in Jamaat-e-Islami Hind’s efforts towards establishing a just society is now widely recognised. Across India, the activities of the Women’s Wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Hindand its efforts for social reform are evident. Islamic awareness among women, their sense of rightful place in society, understanding of their rights as granted by Islam, the restoration of women’s true status in Islam’s design for life, and the resolve to build families and society on Islamic principles – all point to this progress. Familiarity with the true understanding of Islam has freed women from the restrictions imposed on them in the name of tradition.
From the very beginning, the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami, Maulana Syed Abul A’la Maududi, clarified that Islam is for all humanity. Anything that concerns humanity concerns Islam as well. Therefore, everyone – men and women, young and old, rural and urban, farmer and trader, literate and illiterate – can contribute, provided they consciously adopt Islamic beliefs. Those who take Islam’s mission as their own life goal and are ready to work toward it are welcomed. Consequently, like the early Islamic movements, Jamaat-e-Islami has focused on including women in its endeavours, guiding and training them.
Along with the founder, other senior leaders also gave attention to women’s participation. Muslim women faced more obstacles than men within the framework of Muslim society. While men were reminded of Islam’s forgotten mission and encouraged to strive on the Prophetic path, the condition of Muslim women was worse. The lifestyle outlined by Islam had been distorted by both rising indifference to Islamic teachings and blind imitation of alien practices. Traditional Muslim society had deprived women of their rights, weakening their decision-making power. Women were subjected to unnecessary restrictions in the name of religion, making them subordinate to men in social and domestic matters. In such circumstances, stepping out of the house for a greater cause, especially to discharge the duty of amrbilma’rufwanahianilmunkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil), was indeed an act of courage and determination.
At this crucial time, when even the concept of fulfilling the responsibility of Iqamat-e-Deenhad become alien to Muslims, JIH not only awakened the community but also encouraged men to include and empower women. Maulana Maududi’s vision for the revival of Islam included equal partnership for women. He recognised that progress in society requires harmony between men and women, just as a cart needs both wheels functioning. However, he also cautioned that women’s involvement in JIH activities is equally important but they muststay within the limits of Islamic teachings.
In those early days, three areas of focus emerged for women’s inclusion. First, men were encouraged to spread the correct understanding of Islam among their women and to positively influence them through their own character. These women would then help spread Islam in society. Secondly, educated women were directly engaged by the movement, and those who came forward contributed to the cause of Islam significantly. Thirdly, there was encouragement for women’s intellectual and academic development.
This initial framework eventually led to women’s involvement, though at a gradual pace. Work began in regions with relatively more educated women, such as Hyderabad and Bhopal. Hyderabad has the distinction of beginning this work with an educated woman, Aziz-un-Nisa Begum, known in Tehreeki circles as Begum Aziz Qureshi. She was not only highly educated but economically and socially strong as well.
By the 1960s, the early foundations of women’s work had started to emerge in several states. In 1969, JIH Kerala held its first state conference, in which thousands of women participated in an exclusive session for women. By the 1970s and 1980s, women’s circles had formed, and a wave of Islamic awareness spread among women in regions like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and parts of Karnataka. In 1981, a major gathering in Wadi-e-Huda, Hyderabad revitalised women’s circles, with over 20,000 women attending, including the Ikhwan leader Zainab Al-Ghazali, which accelerated the momentum. Women’s work expanded systematically in various states, and in the Kerala Conference, over 100,000 women participated, signalling that women had recognised the demands of the Islamic revivalist movement. The “Bint-e-Haram” Conference in Hyderabadin 2005further affirmed this.
In 2004, under the insightful leadership of Dr. Abdul Haq Ansari, JIH took steps to organise the women’s wing atthe all-India level.
The JIH has the distinction of organising women at both organisational and Tehreeki levels, paving the way for far-reaching change. The JIH has left no stone unturned in providing comprehensive training and intellectual growth opportunities for women. This journey, spanning over seven decades, is a valuable asset for the women involved in the Islamic movement. Looking back 70 years at the condition of the Muslim community, if we remove the presence of this movement, we find only darkness, especially concerning the situation of women.
The Women’s Wing of JIH is actively engaged on multiple fronts. Its endeavours include reforming the Muslim community, nurturing Muslim women according to Islamic principles, raising public awareness against social ills in Indian society, building rapport with women of different faiths, and participating in humanitarian services. To achieve these goals, it utilises all established means of outreach. Two e-magazines, Haadiya and Aura, are published in Urdu and English.