This morning, in a meeting with thousands of women from various walks of life, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution described Lady Fatimah Zahra (pbuh) as a heavenly human being adorned with the highest virtues in every dimension. He outlined Islam’s view of the dignity and rights of women both within the home and in society, and he explained the duties and boundaries that men must observe in their conduct toward their wives and toward women in various contexts.
Imam Khamenei then referred to the immeasurable virtues of Lady Fatimah Zahra (pbuh), including worship and devotion, sacrifice and selflessness toward the people, resilience in hardships and trials, courageous defense of the truth and of the oppressed, enlightening others and clarifying the truth, understanding and practicing political responsibility, excellence in managing the household, supporting her husband, and raising children, as well as her presence in the major events of early Islamic history.
He reminded the audience: “Praise be to God, Iranian women take guidance and inspiration from such a luminous figure, who according to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is the leader of all women of the world across all ages, and they strive to advance in accordance with her objectives.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the status of women in Islam as exceedingly high and noble, emphasizing that: "The expressions of the Quran regarding a woman’s identity and character are among the loftiest and most progressive.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution, referring to the verses of the Quran concerning “the equal role of women and men in the life and history of humanity and the equal potential of women and men to attain spiritual perfections and the highest ranks,” stated: “All of these truths stand in direct contradiction to the misunderstandings of those who claim to follow religion without truly understanding it, as well as those who reject religion altogether."
Imam Khamenei emphasized, explaining the logic of the Quran regarding women’s rights in society: “In Islam, in social activities, business, political engagement, attaining most governmental positions, and other fields, women have equal rights with men, and in spiritual growth and in both personal and collective endeavors, the path for their progress remains open.”
Referring to the fact that the degenerate Western and capitalist culture stands completely rejected in the view of Islam, he added: “In Islam, to preserve the dignity of women and to restrain very strong and dangerous sexual urges, there are regulations regarding ‘interaction between men and women, the dress of men and women, women’s hijab, and encouragement of marriage’ that are fully in accordance with a woman’s nature and with the real interests and needs of society; whereas in Western culture, the restraint of endless and destructive sexual impulses is completely ignored.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution characterized women and men in Islam as two harmoniously balanced elements, sharing numerous commonalities while exhibiting certain differences rooted in their physical and natural constitution, and stated: “These two complementary elements are instrumental in governing human society, ensuring the continuation of the human race, advancing civilization, fulfilling the needs of the community, and managing the affairs of daily life.”
In the course of this vital role, Imam Khamenei identified the establishment of the family as one of the most important responsibilities and added: “Unlike the neglect of the family unit in the misguided Western culture, Islam prescribes specific and reciprocal rights for the woman, the man, and the children as the foundational elements of the family.”
In another part of his remarks, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution identified "justice in social and familial conduct" as the foremost right of women and, emphasizing the duty of the government and all members of society to ensure this right, stated: "The preservation of security, dignity, and honor is also among the primary rights of women. Unlike Western capitalism, which crushes women’s dignity, Islam places full emphasis on respecting and upholding the honor of women."
Imam Khamenei cited the example of two believing women mentioned in the Quran, namely Holy Mary and Asiyah (the wife of Pharaoh), as a model for all believing men and women, highlighting the significance of a woman’s intellect and actions. He stated: “A woman’s social rights, such as equal pay with men for the same work, insurance for working women or women heading their households, special leave for women, and dozens of other matters, must be upheld without discrimination and fully preserved.”
He described a woman’s greatest right and need within the home as “the affection of her husband,” and added: “Another major right of women in the home is the rejection of any form of violence against them, and complete avoidance of the deviations that have become common in the West, such as the killing or beating of women by men and husbands.”
In explaining the contrast between the capitalist view of women and the Islamic perspective, Imam Khamenei stated: “In Islam, a woman possesses independence, capability, identity, and the potential for advancement, whereas the capitalist view imposes assimilation of a woman’s identity to a man, disregards her dignity and honor, and treats her as a material object and an instrument for lust and pleasure. The criminal gangs that have recently created a lot of commotion in the US are a result of such a view.”
Imam Khamenei identified “the destruction of the family unit,” the emergence of harms such as weakened family ties, networks that prey on young girls, and the growing promotion of sexual promiscuity under the name of freedom as among the grave sins of capitalist culture over the past two centuries. He added: “Western capitalism deceitfully labels this vast array of wrongful practices as 'freedom' and even uses this term to promote such behavior in our own country, while this is not freedom but enslavement.”
Imam Khamenei, referring to the West’s insistence on exporting its flawed culture to the rest of the world, added: “They claim that certain limitations prescribed for women, including hijab, hinder their progress. Yet the Islamic Republic invalidated this faulty logic and demonstrated that a Muslim woman committed to Islamic covering can advance and play influential roles in every field, even more than others.”
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution described the scientific, athletic, intellectual, academic, political, and social achievements of Iranian women, as well as their advancements in health and medicine, their increased life expectancy, and the selfless support and empowering presence of the wives of honored martyrs, as unprecedented accomplishments in the entire history of Iran, stating: “Never in its history has Iran possessed even one-hundredth of this number of women who are scholars, intellectuals, and women of insight and independent thought. It was the Islamic Republic that elevated women and enabled their advancement in every significant arena.”
