Gender roles from early bedouin to later Islamic societies
Gender relations in Arabia changed throughout three main time periods; distinctions began during early Bedouin, pre-Islamic societies and extended through later Islamic societies, varying with class divisions and urban versus rural societies. Women went from a high, to a notably decreased status as time progressed. Bedouin, pre-Islamic society consisted of tribes and clans, with people of each gender contributing to the social and economic aspects. It is evident that women in Arabian bedouin culture enjoyed greater freedom and a higher status than those in other neighboring civilizations. Women played key economic roles, namely weaving cloth and raising children, to say the least. Many tribes were matrilineal, due to the fact that the men of the nomadic tribes were often on the move. As stability within towns increased, though, descent was traced through the males more often. Position of women varied with class. Upper class women had economic positions, more or less, while lower class women had virtually no rights. Sometimes, men and women alike were allowed multiple marriage partners. The man was required to pay a bride price to his fiancé’s family, preceding the marriage. Women in Arabia were not secluded, demonstrate . . .
There is little heard of veiled Arab women during this time, and it was more or less a continuation of previous Islamic norms. Despite many restrictions, the respects and rights of women were not completely taken away because they had been built into Islam. In urban environments, as opposed to rural, the rise of the “mercantile elite” seems to have set back the position of women. Careers, marriage rights, and inheritance were amongst many criteria for comparison. The way in which women were affected by these changes relied heavily on their social class and whether they lived in urban or rural societies. Veiling, seclusion, amongst other limitations, spread to the lower urban classes and rural areas, they were never as strictly observed as in urban, upper class households. Furthermore, she exhibits how women could pursue careers, on top of everything else. When the status of the women decreased, it was most evident in the urban upper class, although all women were obviously affected. Lower class urban women did not follow veiling and seclusion, and rural women continued to contribute to the economy. The Umayyad Empire and especially the Abbasid Empire brought about further, more dramatic changes in gender relations. From Persia and the Byzantine Empire came the practices of veiling and secluding women. Their rights decreased, but through all reforms, women continued to be educated because of their need to read the Quran. The bonds between husband and wife were strengthened by the example of Muhammad’s bond with his own wives. Muhammad’s teachings and the orders of the Quran stressed the moral and ethical perspectives on marriage. Their status actually varied between clans, due to customized ways and means.
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