I stay at home, I don�t have children. And at the same time I am not a useless member of the community. I visit the sick, I help orphans, go shopping and do many things outside the home as well but with a Mahram (my husband, my brother or nephew) beside me or a Mahram to take me to my destination and pick me up later. Most importantly I saved my marriage.
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Then you aren't staying home, you are contributing. That's my whole point. There are places where women are expected to stay home and not even contribute by going out and visiting the sick and poor.
As for traveling with a Mahram...I will point out that traveling around with a Mahram is no safer than staying home without one. Both events are true stories.
I live in a good neighborhood. I have a small little house that doesn't scream (we have HD TV). I have nothing of value in my home and my cars are older and in moderate condition. However, one morning, shortly after my husband left for work, someone tried to break into the house while I was still in it. Luckily, my husband always locks the door behind him (leftovers from a bad neighborhood we once lived in) and so I was warned by the rattling of the door. I screamed that I was going to call the police and the man ran away.
Second story, true. I have a Muslimah friend who told me this one when I expressed my exasperation at this thread. She told me that when she was heavily pregnant with her third child she was a stay at home mother. She was alone with her daughter 8 year old daughter and 3 year old son. They lived in low income housing because her husband could not afford better. One day she found herself surrounded by gang members bent on mischeif. They were at both of the doors out of her apartment and at the window. She had no phone and no way out. She really lucked out. Her family could have been seriously hurt
In reality, you are no safer at home alone than you are in the grocery store. My point Alwardah is you cannot live life in fear. If you live in fear of the world, then you are not enjoying the life God granted you.
You think women leaving the home has caused men to go out of control. I say men have been out of control since Cain slew Abel. You look throughout the Bible and history and see nothing but men harming women. No matter what the social status of women is at the time. In the house or out of it. Romans, Chinese, Babylon, Egypt, India.
Men are the ones who need reigns, not women. A woman is faithful, loyal and dedicated naturally.
Now, as for Saudi Arabia. Do I believe that then giving women their rights is going to cause mass chaos? You know, honestly YES!
This is why, (sorry for another story). Growing up, I taught sunday school, had good parents and was a diligent student. Exactly the same for my best friend. However, there was one major difference between our parents. Trust. My parents trusted that I was taught well by them and that I would make the choices that were right. I was allowed to get my drivers license right away. I was allowed to go to social functions as long as I kept my parents appraised of where, when and who. Before I could go on my own, my father often chaperoned the functions I was at, but I was allowed to go. On the flip side, my friend wasn't allowed out of the house save horseback riding with me, and staying at my house on weekends. She never got to go to school functions, even if my dad was chaperoning...(mind you she stayed at my house ever other weekend since we were 8 years old). When she finally got her drivers license, she stuck out and did all sorts of things. Her family was far stricter in their control of her. So, she had boyfriends, drank, smoked and got into trouble. I went to the movies, sometimes friends homes and generally stayed out of trouble. I even went so far as to have my mother come get me from a birthday party when I found out there was alcohol brought by some of the guests.
Now, here's the moral of the story... I am happily married for 6.5 years. I don't drink, smoke or do drugs. My parents trusted me, because they taught me well and gave me the freedom to express those lessons. Her parents never trusted her, they kept a leash on her until she went to college. Then she really went wild. Now, she's unmarried, with a son, she's a borderline alcoholic and thinks her life is done.
I think that Saudi women will become like my friend. Why? Because their men have never trusted them. They have never trusted that they will make the right choice. Of course women will make the right choice...why do you think so many western women are converting to Islam? Because they want to do the right things by God. Meanwhile, I have personally witnessed girls from oppressive societies like India abandon all they were taught at the first sign of freedom. They suddenly have choices and no life lessons to know what is right and wrong. Then when they finally realize they've made the wrong choices, the unforgiving nature of their society tells them they are unclean and unforgivable.
Saudi society is not Islamic society. They would like to think that, but they aren't. True Islamic society is something like Spain during its Golden Era. Freedoms of Religion, learning and thought.
Also, in this time of the internet and communication I want to caution you on one other thing. Scholars should have a verifiable education at a trusted Islamic University. Anyone today can set up a website, claim to be a Sheik and start issuing fatwas based on their own interpretations. Sunni, Shia, Salafi sheiks often don't even label their sites one way or another.
The Quran is the road, the Hadith are the lines on the road that help you stay in your own lane. The Sheiks are sign posts. But signs can be wrong, confusing or broken. Stick to the road...use the signs, use the lines...but trust only the pavement.