Theoretically, most Arab governments, including those in the Gulf, grant women the right to participate in politics. However, women's political activities all over the world, including Arab countries, have been generally limited and restricted. It is said that the average membership of women in parliaments around the world does not exceed 15 percent. This average dwindles in the Arab countries where it does not exceed five percent. This is due to several factors, the most important of which are the political conditions which do not give women the opportunity to get involved in public affairs. Despite the growing global support for women's participation in politics, some traditions curtail the equality between both sexes. Most of the time these are used as pretexts to justify the inequality. For instance, some say, religious beliefs prohibit women from engaging in politics. Others say that it is important to differentiate the role of men and women in life. The role of women, they believe, is restricted to household chores and family care. Political affairs should, therefore, be left to men because they are more “capable and efficient” than women. Another justification is that in most countries, women do not have to serve in the military while men do because women are believed to be weaker. Therefore, men should be given the sole right to engage in politics. Finally, some suggest that giving women equal political rights with men might cause disputes in the family, whose members, male and female, have different political views, and may lead to family disintegration. Advocates of equal political rights reject these justifications and give their own justifications. They say no religion clearly bans women from engaging in political affairs. Furthermore, they point out that just because women do not have to do military service does not deprive them of their political rights. From the perspective of Islamic jurisprudence, there are similar differences among scholars. Muslim scholars have yet to reach a decisive and definitive decision on this thorny issue. In my humble opinion, the supreme judicial authority in the Islamic government should revise the decisions and policies issued by legislative and executive authorities in the government to keep them in line with Shariah. What implicitly and explicitly conforms with the Shariah is permissible, what does not is not. Anything that is in line with Shariah, but for which there are traditional reservations, should be discussed by concerned Muslim scholars. If the overwhelming majority unanimously approves it, it should become a law. If something is not in line with the Shariah, it should be undoubtedly banned. There is no need to ask scholars about it. We can take the issue of women driving as a self-explanatory quasi-political example. If women driving is permissible in the Shariah, the people or their representatives should be given the choice. If the majority agrees with it, then it should be approved. Conversely, if the majority rejects the issue for some valid reasons, the decision to allow women to drive should wait until these reasons become invalidated. By doing so, we will be in compliance with the Shariah and the principle of democracy (Shoura). Allah the Almighty knows best. Dr. Sadaka Y. Fadhel is a Member of the Shoura Council and Professor of Political Science Saudi Gazette __
