Hawzah News Agency- In this "Third Model," a woman is neither house-bound nor house-averse. Her identity is simultaneously familial and social. Alongside her roles as a wife and mother, she is an active agent in cultural, scientific, and social arenas.
This is more than theoretical discourse; it has the potential to become a policy blueprint for women and family affairs—provided its components are meticulously extracted, formulated, and tested in practice. Seminary-educated women can serve as the "middle ring of explanation," first by living this model authentically and then by transforming experience and knowledge into a discourse, from research and writing to media, university, and social circles. If translated into a contemporary language and made visible in daily life, this model could become an influential, even inspirational, discourse beyond Iran’s borders.
Dr. Razieh Zarei, a faculty member at Allameh Askari International University and a professor at the Women’s Islamic Seminary, discussed the role of women in society and the requirements for their social impact, drawing on the life and words of the Supreme Leader. The full interview follows.
Q: Given Iranian martyred leader’s perspective on women and family, and the "Third Model of Womanhood" he proposed years ago, what discourse has he introduced into the country’s ongoing discussions on these issues?
Regarding the "Third Model of Womanhood" raised by Ayatollah Khamenei, we are confronted with two pre-existing intellectual models. One is the Western model, which places immense value on a woman’s freedom, defining her solely within social interactions. In this model, she is house-averse; her identity is defined only by her individual talents. The other is the traditional model, which defines a woman entirely inside the home—somewhat home-bound—where her identity only finds meaning as a mother or a wife.
The third model proposed by our martyred leader, gradually evolving into a full-fledged theory to underpin the Islamic Republic’s policymaking, is neither Eastern nor Western. When we say East and West, we don't mean geography, but two intellectual frameworks that can exist in any geography. The Third Model seeks to define a new paradigm where a woman is neither house-bound nor house-averse, but rather finds her identity in both the social sphere and the home.
Gender Justice: Balancing Commonalities and Differences
One core discussion here is gender justice. This term is also emphasized by feminists, but within the Third Model, it means attending to gender justice while preserving the commonalities between men and women, alongside their differences. Our divergence from feminist theories lies in their tendency to ignore differences and emphasize only commonalities when discussing gender justice. The traditional model, conversely, overemphasizes differences. The Third Model, however, recognizes both the shared humanity of men and women and their distinct natures. This is a key characteristic.
Theoretical Foundation: Redefining Womanhood on Firm Religious Principles
Another hallmark is that the model rests on the "firm principles" of religion. In some modernist and religious-modernist views, religious rulings are reinterpreted so fluidly that everything becomes relative and handed over to convention. But this model, based on the words of our martyred leader, affirms the firm principles of faith. These are not to be dragged into a circle of relativism; rather, a new model is defined upon them.
The Woman of Islamic Civilization: Familial Identity, Social Responsibility
Family relationships in this model are based on mutual agreement, and a woman holds a core identity within the home. Simultaneously, she has rights and duties in social relationships. The woman that an Islamic civilization requires is one who also heeds her social duties. She is not just a mother or wife; she has talents that must flourish for this civilization to reach its zenith. She must be present in society and bear responsibilities there. Should a conflict arise between family and society, the emphasis is on resolving it to the greatest possible extent.
This model values a woman’s independence, her personal freedom, and her social presence, yet it speaks of a veiled, chaste, and family-oriented woman. It prioritizes marriage—unlike the Western feminist view that considers marriage and motherhood a form of enslavement. It prioritizes motherhood and a woman’s presence in the home but does not see these as justification for limiting her role exclusively to them.
From Home to the Streets: The Emergence of the Active Woman
If a woman has talents beyond the familial sphere, they must also flourish, and she has social responsibilities. This woman is a political and social being. Fundamentally, the Islamic Revolution brought women from the home into the streets for the first time. Political protests turned the street into an arena for women's presence, giving it a political dimension and pulling women out of passivity. We see this today: the street is a political space where men, women, and children spend many nights, transforming it into a site of activism. The woman of the Third Model is precisely this woman—one who fulfills all her roles concurrently.
Hijab and Meritocracy: Two Key Pillars
Emphasis is placed on the hijab; our ideal woman must be veiled and chaste. On the other hand, meritocracy is crucial, both in society and at home. It is not a matter of saying that being a woman disqualifies one from certain positions, nor should we neglect meritocracy within the household.
Confronting Domestic Injustice, Reviving the Home
Another point, highly stressed by the Leader, is the need to eliminate domestic injustice against women. In many homes, the family has become a place of oppression, and he stressed that even lawmakers must codify legal remedies. The home itself must be "revived." By revival, we mean active female agency within the home. In Western models, the home is essentially eliminated. In the traditional model, it is highly important, but a modern woman might seek to discard it to achieve her freedoms. In the Third Model, we stress that the home should not be eliminated, but revived in a way that aligns with the model’s principles and allows women’s talents and conditions to flourish.
Q: A key theme in the martyred leader's statements is a family-centered lifestyle. In the West, the family foundation is deeply shaken, and we see the social and cultural consequences. This danger might also gradually threaten our society. How can we use media's capacity to promote a family-centered lifestyle?
Media is extraordinarily effective because it represents reality, and people live through its concepts, often accepting them as truth. We must consider all media dimensions: state broadcasting, home entertainment networks, cinema, and cyberspace. My own recent research has focused on home entertainment networks, where we can observe media's influence in real-time.
The Absence of the Third Model on Screen
Media presents images of the family. The discourses that exist are re-presented: the modernized family discourse and the traditional family discourse. Another, which depicts a fluid, postmodern family, is an extension of the modernist one. What is notably absent is the family based on Islamic views, or the Third Model of Womanhood. Consequently, audiences mistake the traditional model for Islam, and our media then heavily critiques that very traditional model. For a time, media emphasized the modernist model, unconsciously pulling the audience toward it. Now, unfortunately, it has moved past even that into a postmodern model.
Fluid Love and the Power to Seduce
We see "fluid love" and relationships based on postmodern epistemology entering our series. In the past, love depicted in media during the modern era was at least a romantic, modern love. Now we encounter a kind of fluid love where, for example, a woman is shown to be in love with two men simultaneously. This fluidity and fragility are postmodern traits contrary to innate human dignity. Media is representing a lifestyle in a way that, even unintentionally, draws the audience in.
Q: Managing consumption is another frequent theme in the Leader's statements. A woman, at the heart of the family, has a significant influence on this, especially regarding children. How can this lifestyle be reformed with women at the center?
A woman, as the internal manager of the family, has a duty to manage its economy and consumption. A woman who has a sense of identity and seeks perfection will not fall into the trap of one-upmanship and consumerism. But if a woman's identity is defined by showing off to others and is consumed by social media instead of seeking self-perfection, she will unconsciously be trapped by consumerism. Islamic jurisprudence heavily emphasizes moderation, even in matters like alimony. Women are pivotal here as the managers of a household’s consumption and economy. By proper management, a woman can aid both her family's and the nation’s economy. Our traditional women used to bake bread and produce many goods at home to reduce costs. Unfortunately, the modern woman has often abandoned these economic management roles while simultaneously falling into severe consumerism. Managing this is one of a woman's primary duties within the family.
Q: What is the mission of seminary-educated women in explaining these concepts, especially to those still unfamiliar with the Leader’s complete vision?
The most crucial duty is to embody this lifestyle—to be committed to it and implement it in their own lives. A female scholar who values her family and her child's upbringing while simultaneously insisting on her own personal growth and social engagement, who is veiled and chaste yet dedicated to her development, is herself a living model.
These women can also play a role through "middle rings"—the networks between the government and the people, like mosques, Basij bases, and the political space of the street itself. Their very active presence in social spheres is a form of propagation. Beyond this, many are preachers and can engage in dialogue to explain this vision. Some are researchers who must expand their work on the Third Model across political, social, familial, and media dimensions. The model is still a "raw" theory and hasn't yet become a dominant discourse capable of competing globally. It is the duty of female scholars to work on this discourse, extract its indicators, write books, participate in national and international conferences, and play a role in teaching, research, and preaching. They are profoundly effective in establishing and deepening this model so it can stand as a rival to the Western model of womanhood.
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