The Political Aspect
Any fair investigation of the teaching of Islam or into the history of the Islamic civilization will surely find a clear evidence of woman's equality with man in what we call today "political rights".
During the Caliphate of Omar Ibn al-Khattab, a woman argued with him in the mosque, proved her point, and caused him to declare in the presence of people: "A woman is right and Omar is wrong."
Although not mentioned in the Qur'an, one Hadeeth of the Prophet is interpreted to make woman inelligible for the position of head of state. The Hadeeth referred to is roughly translated: "A people will not prosper if they let a woman be their leader."
This limitation, however, has nothing to do with the dignity of woman or with her rights. It is rather related to the natural differences in the biological and psychological make-up of men and women. According to Islam, the head of the state is no mere figurehead. He leads people in the prayers, epecially on Fridays and festivities. He is continuosly engaged in the process of decision-making pertaining to the security and well-being of his people. This demanding position, or any similar one, such as the Commander of the Army, is generally inconsistent with the physiological and psychological make-up of a woman in general.
It is a medical fact that during their monthly periods and pregnancies, woman undergo various physiological and psychological changes. Such changes may occur during an emergency situation, thus affecting her decision. Moreover, some decisions require a maximum of rationality and a minimum of emotionality- a requirement which does not coincide with the instinctive nature of women.
Even in modern times, and in the most developed countries, it is rare to find a woman in the position of a head of state acting as more than a figurehead, a woman commander of the armed services, or even a proportionate number of women representatives in parliaments, or similar bodies. One can not possibly ascribe this to backwardness of various nations or to any constitutional limitation on woman's right. It is more logical to explain the present situation in terms of the nature and indisputable differences between man and woman, a difference which does not imply any "supremacy" of one over the other. The difference implies rather the "complementary" roles of both sexes in life.
-Nessa Rj, 17/05/2012
(source: The Status of Woman in Islam by Dr. Jamal A. Badawi, April 1980)