THE PRINCIPLE OF BOSSISM
The Quran accepts ‘bossism’ as a principle of nature, it being present in every department of life. The Quran gives the example of the home in this regard. In the chapter An-Nisa’ (Women) the Quran says:
Men are the protectors (qawwam) of women, because God has made some of them excel others. (4:34)
Another Quranic verse gives further details:
Is it they who apportion the mercy of your Lord? ...We raise some of them above others in rank. (43:32)
For certain practical reasons, God Almighty created people with differences. No two men or women are equal by birth. In fact, every man and woman is like a special creation. Everyone has a unique capacity that others don’t have. Studies show that every man is Mr. Different and every woman is Ms. Different.
This difference is not accidental; it is directly in accordance with the creation plan of God. Equality, on the contrary, is not in accordance with it. There are many advantages of this inequality or difference. It is this difference that creates competition and challenges between persons and groups.
It is this difference that makes it possible to have an organized life. If everyone were entirely equal, organized life would not have been possible. Had everyone been born as Mr. Equal and Ms. Equal, it would have led to anarchy. No organization is possible in a group where everyone is Mr. Equal.
Human beings are evidently enjoined to live as part of an organization. But had everyone been equal in every respect, no organized life would have been possible in this world. Equals can only live in anarchy and not in an organization or with unity.
An organization requires a head, and equals cannot accept anyone as a head when everyone sees that everyone else is an equal. This does not mean that the Quran believes in discrimination. Discrimination is a great evil in the eyes of God.
No two men or women are equal by birth. In fact, every man and woman is like a special creation. Everyone has a unique capacity that others don’t have.
Man has accepted this law of nature in all of his social activities. According to the Quran, gender equality in the moral sense is right but not in the organizational sense. Everyone has the same status. Everyone is equally worthy of respect. But when it comes to organization, this principle cannot be applicable. Organization always requires an individual to serve as its head. Being the head does not mean that he is superior to others. He is an organizational head and not a moral head.
Then, what about the home? The home means a group consisting of husband and wife, their children and grandchildren. The home is thus a unit of society. So the home also needs to be organized under a head. In the general sense, a man is suitable to be appointed as head of this segment of society, but this is not an absolute principle. It is possible to arrange things in a different way, that is, a man can accept a woman as his boss. So, either a man or a woman may serve as a boss according to the situation, and depending upon acceptance by the other gender.
