Family Leadership (Qawamah): An Obligation To Fulfill Not An Excuse To Abuse

Book Summary

In his latest important contribution to literature on family matters in Islam, Dr. Mohamed Rida Beshir addresses the challenging topic of Family Leadership (Qawamah) a concept which is often misunderstood and which is a source of much family strife. Dr. Beshir provides a two-pronged approach in dealing with the issue, first by providing academic explanations relating to it, and then by following with his trademark use of practical examples to illustrate the proper and improper use of this concept. Dr. Beshir starts by providing the meaning of Qawamah as described in various Arabic dictionaries, as well as the way the word is used within a Quranic context. Next, he offers a summary of the various translations of the famous Quranic verse referring to Qawamah, as well as thorough interpretations of the verse by the different Islamic scholars. Finally, he presents several key issues relating to the proper understanding of the concept of Qawamah, including Qawamah as an obligation and responsibility, being aware of Allah SWT in its application, and the difficult issue of domestic violence. The entire second half of the book is devoted to practical examples of both the proper and improper use of Qawamah, including the author s explanations of why a person s behavior in a particular situation is appropriate or inappropriate.

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