As women performed their role without going outdoors, there is a general misconception that Islam has restricted women’s workplaces to performing only domestic chores. But this is not the truth. First of all, Islam encouraged them to receive education, and then enthused them with a new zeal. Subsequently, they went out to impart this learning to the next generation. Let us take the instance of the Prophet’s wives, held up as role models for women in Islam. Preserving their femininity, they participated in all kinds of religious and worldly activities. For instance, the Prophet’s wife Aisha, having gained full knowledge of Islam from the Prophet, was able, after the death of the Prophet, to perform the task of teacher and guide to the Muslim community for about fifty years. Abdullah ibn Abbas, a Companion of great stature, and one of the best commentators of the Quran, was one of Aisha’s pupils.

As modern-day research tells us women are better with words than men. It is perhaps this reason that they can run educational institutions successfully. Besides this, there may be many such workplaces where women can exploit their full potential. Since the earliest days of Islam, we find Muslim women working outdoors. Umm Dahdah, wife of a Companion of the Prophet worked in her orchard. Khadija, Prophet’s wife conducted business, to cite only a few of such examples. However, Islam sets great value on the proper management of the home. It is because the home is the most important unit of any society. Home is the centre of preparing succeeding generations. Thus, neglecting the home front will amount to neglecting the next generation which in turn will result in a great national loss.

Source: The True Face of Islam