The Woman's Word: Educate Her... or Do Away with Her!

... There was a day when the pioneers of the renaissance, the likes of "Bahithat al-Badiya" and Qasim Amin, called for the education of the Eastern girl, since there is nothing like learning to lift from her eyes the veils of ignorance and darkness...

The call of those worthy pioneers to educate the girl caused no crisis worth mentioning within the ranks of society. All that happened was that they argued and debated over "what should the girl learn" and "where is it proper to stop and be content in her studies!" As for the principle of "education," no two people disagreed on it, and it began, with no dallying to speak of, to feel its way toward implementation...

No sooner had the first quarter of this century gathered up its train than the Arab woman — she who had won some share of culture — was seized by a feeling that it was not enough. It had become clear to her that Arab society, in every country, would never manage to rise from its stumble except on two wings of equal strength; and since "she" was one of its two wings, there was nothing for it but to return to this crippled wing, brace its sinews, and restore to it the resolve of life... Little by little, openings to light and freedom began to appear before woman: she demanded a right here and another right there, stood firm in the face of stubborn opposition, then returned to press her demand, until it became plain to every conscious citizen who understands the spirit of his age that "the woman's question" was no longer something that could be resisted, or even passed over in silence. The dams collapsed, or all but collapsed, as woman won more than one victory on the way to her absolute equality with man — culturally, socially, and politically.

It grieved woman, without a doubt, that Arab sisters of hers still remain in a truly primitive state, deprived of the simplest rights, and she took it upon herself to wake them from their long slumber. She took heart at what appeared in a report by al-Azhar's envoy to the Saudi Kingdom (1), to the effect that those in authority there had begun to sense the necessity of opening schools for girls... I said that woman rejoiced at this happy news — had it not been for another piece of news, which fell upon her like a thunderbolt: that a government decision had been taken to bar the girl — wherever she may be — from attending school and acquiring learning, and to visit the severest penalties upon her father should he violate the decision!!

Here I ask, if the report is true: what echo will this decision have in Arab circles of every kind? And what effect will it produce?? Can any power on earth turn humanity away from the light of knowledge? Why does this power not order the girl buried alive? Upon my life, burying her alive is a lesser evil than leaving her a beast among the beasts!... So retract this decision, for God's sake, O rulers, and do justice to your daughter, toward whom your true religion has been nothing but just. Open the doors of learning before her, if you wish permanence for your rule, and renaissance and flourishing for your nation.

(1) The Egyptian magazine Sawt al-Sharq — September 1954 issue