مشترکہ خاندانی نظام میں خواتین کی نجی زندگی کا تحفظ: اسلامی اخلاقیات کی روشنی میں ایک تحقیقی مطالعہ

Abstract

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتًا غَيْرَ بُيُوتِكُمْ حَتَّىٰ تَسْتَأْنِسُوا وَتُسَلِّمُوا عَلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا

"O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and give greetings to their occupants." [i]

Islam’s divine framework places a profound emphasis on human dignity. It draws clear boundaries to protect the sanctity of the domestic sphere. The Prophetic model consistently nurtured an environment where a woman’s psychological and spatial autonomy remained deeply secure. In many traditional South Asian societies, the joint family system is widely celebrated as a symbol of unity and shared economic strength. The complex dynamics of this structure, however, frequently overshadow the individual rights of married women. This study explores the silent erosion of female privacy within extended households. It views the dilemma entirely through the lens of Islamic ethical jurisprudence. Rather than relying on modern liberal frameworks, the research qualitatively examines classical Islamic texts, Qur'anic injunctions on Istidh'an, and severe Prophetic warnings regarding non-mahram relatives like the brother-in-law (Al-Hamwu al-Mawt). Women in these dense domestic setups regularly face invasive surveillance. They suffer from a severe lack of personal space and carry the heavy emotional burden of navigating poorly defined relational boundaries. These daily intrusions trigger deep psychological distress. They quietly destroy marital harmony. The findings reflect a pressing need to revive the true Islamic ethos of mutual respect and the provision of separate Sukna. Restoring a woman's right to an independent living space is not a rebellion against family ties. It is a necessary step to prevent the collapse of the marital bond. Providing a secure, private domain ultimately strengthens the extended family by replacing friction with genuine empathy and justice.

[i] Al-Ahzab, 24:27