Is this right, the women and the girls to work in army with the men by force, by force of government? I mean, if it’s legally made incumbent upon every boy and girl to work together in the army, is that right, this is what you mean? Yes. By force from government. I know. Yes. But it all depends on what sort of work is taken and what precautions are also taken to safeguard the chastity of the ladies. If it is done, and also we don’t know the nature of the jobs, under circumnational compulsions it is possible.
But with certain modifications and qualifications, of course, not generally. But, Huzoor, there is no purdah in army. No, you have not heard me, or you have not, I have not been able to explain what I mean. Was there purdah in Jang-e-Uhud and Jang-e-Ahzab and some other battles of Islam, was there purdah observed by Muslim ladies? Tell me. Yes, Muslim ladies. I am speaking about Muslim constitution. I am also speaking of Muslim ladies of earlier times now. I am referring to certain battles in which our Huzoor, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, participated himself, also his holy wives participated, and there was no purdah observed.
The sort of purdah which you have in mind, I mean. Otherwise purdah in spirit was observed. So it all depends on the situation. If there is a compelling situation, which is the national question of do or die, then these injunctions, these parts of the teachings of Islam can be looked upon with some accommodation and with some laxity, of course. Cow is haram, for instance, totally, pig is haram, isn’t it? Yet you are permitted to eat with certain conditions for saving life. So when the national life is at stake, purdah is just a small consideration as compared to that.
And in the earlier times as well, Islam has looked at this with the same attitude. Why should not again the same attitude be adopted? But still I don’t condone every action of every government, whoever compels deities to do certain things, I am not condoning that. What I am telling you is that from different occasions, each order of a government would be considered on merit. Some may be right according to Islamic teachings, some may be wrong according to Islamic teachings. But you can’t treat them all with one yardstick.
From situation to situation the answer may be different. From order to order, the nature of order as it is, the answer may be different. So in principle I have told you that under certain compelling demanding situations it is possible to wave off the stickness of purdah as we observe in normal ordinary life.
