Conclusion: Muslim women in the economy: Looking towards the future

Abstract

Women's role in development has evolved from discourses dominated mostly by Western secular contexts. Glimpses into the history of Islam and Muslim societies, at different times, show that although their roles have been determined through scriptural interpretations and the rulings that have evolved around these, Muslim women have always been a part of economic affairs. Within Islamic cultures, men and boys are conditioned into having the primary responsibility of financial provision for their households as well as in major decision-making, and women are socialised as young girls into primarily caregiving and nurturing roles for the family. Muslim women's roles as income earners have traditionally been influenced by state-implemented development policies. The prevailing discourses in the West tend to see women’s workplace participation in relation to secular orientations, and anything related to faith is outside the realm of the existing structures of Western workplaces and how they are organised. This equally applies to all religions.