Summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah
Guardianship (Qawamah)
Allah Almighty has established for the man in his household guardianship over the woman.
And He, the Almighty, said:
“Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.” (4:34)
“Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.” (4:34)
And this guardianship does not entail the cancellation of the woman's personality in the home or in human society, as some believe,
out of their ignorance of what the Sharia intends from us.
Rather, it is a matter that has its reasons in creation and innate disposition.
For Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has made among the woman's functions pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and child-rearing.
And these are immense matters that require gentleness, compassion, quick action, and immediate responsiveness to the child's needs.
And all of this is among the characteristics of women that distinguish them from men.
So it is not just for the woman to be burdened, alongside these immense responsibilities,
with the responsibility of work, providing for the marital home, and managing its affairs,
matters that require characteristics she does not possess, but rather are among the characteristics of men,
such as comprehensiveness in thinking, studying matters from all their aspects, strength, and decisiveness in decisions.
Therefore, Allah has tasked them with all of that and made them the leaders and guardians in that regard,
so that they may be able to fulfill the function they are tasked with.
So if this balance is disrupted and the functions and tasks are exchanged,
or one party monopolizes all of them to the exclusion of the other,
discord will inevitably spread between the spouses,
and the home will be troubled and its problems will increase.
And Allah Almighty spoke the truth when He said:
“Should He not know what He created? And He is the Subtile, the Aware.” (67:14)
And guardianship is also a necessary matter,
because the home, like any institution, must have a single leader
who bears the responsibility for its management after consultation and understanding with its partners.
And his guardianship does not negate the existence of partners and workers in its functions, nor their personalities.
And guardianship is also a right for the man,
which is met by the obligation of providing for the household,
protecting it, and managing its affairs.
So, in short, it is a guardianship accompanied by compassion, care, and protection,
and good manners in conduct towards the wife and children.
And it is a relationship of complementarity between both the man and the woman.
So it is a misguidance to transform this relationship into one of opposition and contention.
Summary of the concepts of Ahl al-Sunnah