MEN are more violent and reckless than women; they violate laws more than women and that is why prisons are full of men. More men than women die every year and more use guns and drugs. The ratio of murders committed by men compared to women is 19 to 1. Because of excessive use of violence, for every one woman who dies before reaching her sixties, four men die. More men contract AIDS and syphilis than women because they have a higher tendency to cheat on their partners and are ready to engage in extramarital relationships. More men leave and desert their families than women. They are the main cause of the large number of widows and orphans. That is why I believe that the world would be a better and safer place if it were ruled by women. Women do not use violence to prove their points. They are wise, logical and patient in resolving global conflicts. A quick look at history will give us good examples of female rulers such as Bilquis who is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. It is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an: "She said, ‘O eminent ones, indeed, to me has been delivered a noble letter. Indeed, it is from Sulayman and indeed it reads "In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims]."'" (27:31) If she were a man, she would have been incensed and ordered her armies to prepare for war. But she was wise and asked her advisors to tell her what they thought about the letter. "She said, ‘O eminent ones, advise me in my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me.'" (27:32). Her advisors, who were men, were angry and said, "We are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command." (27:33) Because of her instincts as a woman, "She said, ‘Indeed kings, when they enter a city, they ruin it and render the honored of its people humbled. And thus do they do.'" (27:34) She decided not to use violence and succeeded in saving her people from going to war. Another example is Cleopatra whose shrewdness helped her save Egypt's throne. Empress Tomyris led her armies to defeat Cyrus the Great and she killed him in 530 BC. Then there was Queen Zenobia who lived in the third century and led a revolt against the Roman Empire and expanded her empire. In the Middle Ages, Isabella I expelled Muslims from Spain and married King Ferdinand to form today's Spain. She even financed the voyages of Columbus. Queen Elizabeth I refused to succumb to the Catholic Pope at the time and because of her courage, England became a great empire. Catherine the Great ruled Russia for a long time from 1762 to 1796 and played an important role in making Russia a superpower. Queen Victoria made England prosperous and her era was called the Victorian era. Examples from our modern era include Golda Meir who threatened Arab leaders in 1973 and said that she would drop nuclear bombs on their cities if they continued to support Egypt. Indira Gandhi played a major role in helping India develop nuclear power and defeat Pakistan. She ruled with an iron fist and at one point threatened Indian men with castration if the reproduction rate did not go down. Margret Thatcher, the Iron Woman, saved Britain from the unions and become a developing country. It is true that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "A nation that appoints a woman as their ruler will never be successful." He was, however, talking about the Persians who allowed a weak woman to lead them and run their affairs. A careful reading of the historical events at the time and the context in which the statement of the Prophet (pbuh) was made reveal that he did not say that women should not take over and be leaders. Caliph Omar Bin Al-Khattab understood the real meaning of the saying and appointed a woman to be in charge of monitoring Madinah's markets. Let us not forget that the Holy Qur'an speaks highly of the Queen of Sheba, Pharaoh's wife, Moses's mother and Maryam. History today continues to witness the achievements made by women, including Chancellor Angela Merkel.
