Qawwamiat or ‘Bossism’

used by the Quran is ‘Qawwam,’ and it has the same connotation as the word ‘boss’ used today. The word ‘boss’ seemingly appears to convey that one is the ruler, and the other is ruled. But Qawwam has a different meaning. Qawwam refers to administration rather than ‘ruling’ or being ‘superior’ to a woman. Today, the concept of ‘boss’ or ‘bossism’ is widely known. We can understand the concept of Qawwamiat with this example. Qawwamiat means that a man is the head of the family, just as there is a head in an institution or a company. This ‘head’ or ‘boss’ runs the company’s administration, but this does not mean he ‘rules’ it. The common adage goes, “The Boss is always right.” This does not mean that the Boss is superior, but that for an organisation to function successfully, someone with authority and responsibility is needed at its helm. The Quran gives an example of the Queen of Sheba, who ruled over men (27:23) without disapproving of her rule. This shows that rulership or ‘Qawwamiyat’ is not man’s monopoly. A woman can be a ruler over men if she has the capabilities to do so, and the Quran has