Let Bilquis Have Another Try at It [Archives:1999/29/Focus]

Common Sense
By: Hassan Al-Haifi
“That Soudy* Qat will do it to you every time,” remarked Sallam sarcastically at the latest of Hamid’s qat session bombshell topics, continuing, “The Presidency of Yemen is hard enough for men to wrestle with, yet our Ahnoumy friend here has the audacity to think that the weaker gender should have a go at it!”
Hamid had known well that his suggestion would not fail to stir up the qat session of his six friends that he had joined half an hour before. Hamid also liked Soudy Qat, when it was in season, usually after the spring and autumn rains. He responded: “Soudy Qat or no Soudy Qat, my nomination for President still stands. I really believe that if we let Bilquis rule Yemen before, why not give her another chance?”
The host of the qat session, known as the “Teacher,” for his scholarly eminence and high degree of literacy, was glad to see a lively debate brewing up at today’s qat session. Hamid was among the regulars to attend his daily sessions, and it is regarded as one of the most interesting qat sessions in Sana’a. The number of those attending ranges from 4 to 20. He had a knack for throwing in controversial or provocative topics that stimulated an enjoyable free-for-all debate. He commented: “Hamid have you lost hope in your own gender? You don’t believe that there is a man suitable enough to take on the responsibility of the leadership of the country?”
Hamid answered: I look at it this way; if all the men we have had as kings and presidents have found it so difficult to bring peace and stability to the country, even for just a little while, so that we can catch our breath and orient the country and its people towards progress and prosperity, then let us try the next possible leadership alternative, let ‘Bilquis’ have another try at it.
The Teacher spoke: “Hamid, what about the rejection this would encounter, in view of the social framework and traditions of the society. This is surely a man’s world, and a woman would have a hard time in a male-chauvinist environment.””It seems to me that it is the men who seem to have a hard time getting us anywhere, except in reverse gear,” responded Hamid to the host.
Faris, another Soudy Qat chewer wanted first to set Sallam straight on Soudy Qat: Look, Sallam, Soudy Qat rivals your best quality qat, when it is in season; besides, it is a good opportunity to economize on the qat habit, by enjoying relatively good qat at relatively low prices. I know some rich people who enjoy this variety, when in season, because of its high potency. Now, back to Hamid’s suggestion, I agree with our Professor here that you will have men beating their heads against the wall rather than succumbing to the dictates of a woman. What about our bearded friends over there (pointing at the two Moslem activists of different persuasions that were sitting in front of him). They would probably burn their beards in protest, at the idea. What do you say Haroun?”
Haroun, a loyal activist of the “Road to Heaven Party,” although not a qat chewer, attends qat sessions in the hope of finding potential recruits for his party and to keep in tune with the local grapevine, especially on the political issues of the day. He answered Faris: “Islam has clearly defined women’s place in society. Moreover, this would certainly conflict with our traditional values.
Ali, another Moslem activist, of a slightly different conviction that seems to have a wider dimension, had a different view than Haroun’s: “There is no specific legal text or provision in Islamic Jurisprudence, which forbids women from being engaged in any vocation. In fact, of all of Yemen’s rulers, only a woman ruler – Bilquis, the famous Sabean queen – got honorary mention in the Koran and was blessed with the marriage to King Solomon – a Prophet of God – in his own right, who never condemned her for being a ruling queen, nor did he admonish Yemenis for letting a woman hold the reigns of power.”
Haroun was always ready with his answers: “Ali, may God enlighten your path, you seemed to have forgotten – that was before Islam.”
Ali, was not so easily to be outdone: “As proponents and strong advocates of our religion, as you make yourselves out to be, you people seem to have a naive understanding of the historical and political manifestations that our great religion really portrays. Islam was not a doctrine of sudden spontaneous birth, that began with Mohammed, then took a nap for a over a thousand years, until you guys came along to supposedly give it back its glory! Read the Koran meditatively. Noah, Ibrahim, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus Christ, may Allah bestow all of them with His blessings, and all the other prophets and messengers of God who came before Mohammed, were all propagators of Islam, the only religion and way of life ordained by God for Mankind since time immemorial. Mohammed was only the crowning missionary of a long series of deliveries from heaven, by men and women, who were entrusted with revealing the truth to mankind over the ages and delivering their people, and eventually all of mankind, by Mohammed’s crowning spiritual mission, from ignorance into true spiritual and mundane enlightenment combined. Thus, the light of Islam has been shining throughout the Universe over the ages. Therefore, if you are going to be an advocate of Islam, you must be conceptually well informed of it first.”Faris quickly entered back into the discussion: “Haroun, take your views from Ali there. He seems to make a lot of sense to me. Also, a little Soudy Qat will open up vast horizons for your mind – even for the cause, which you uphold. Back to Hamid’s astonishing idea, I am just worried that if a woman becomes President of the Republic, she is going to decree that the job descriptions for men and women be exchanged. Thus the woman will wear the jambiyas and the men will wear the aprons. The women will be the head of the households and the men will wash the dishes, cook and all perform all the other tasks that have been generally confined to the tender gender since time immemorial.”The host saw no problem in that: Faris, just enroll in a speedy home economics course and you will be able to put on your apron in no time at all. Pretty soon, you will get to have onion tears running down your cheek without having to worry about your make-up getting smudgy, or do you plan to put on make up?”Sallam picked up on the mood for hilarity: “If this means giving up our asib** – jambiyah belt – to my wife, I would think she would have to get a highly uplifting bra to prevent her breasts from getting sores from too much friction with the dagger handle.”Everyone cracked up in laughter.
Murad, a university professor returned to the serious matter at hand: Look, you guys, Yemen has known prosperity under two women leaders, the Queen of Sheba – reputably said to be Bilquis – and Queen Arwa, who ruled when the 300 year Suleihi dynasty was at its peak after Mohammed, Peace of Allah be upon him. There were no qualms about this being against values or traditions. On the other hand, if a woman were to become President, security expenditures would be vastly reduced, as our woman President would not have to worry about being assassinated, since it is against the Yemeni honor code to kill women and children.”
Sallam pointed out some other worries that were bothering him: “If a woman ruled this country, she would not find enough time to look after the affairs of state, considering her busy social schedule, with women’s social occasions as extended as they are in this country.”
The host had reassurances, in that respect: “Look, Sallam, we have to be fair when evaluating women, in general, and those of our country, in particular. I do not think anyone here could bear the burdens of pregnancy and the pains of child delivery. Nor is there anyone of us with the patience for caring for the kids, doing the chores, cooking our meals – which most of us want ‘baladi’ or traditionally prepared and fresh, etc. On top of that, women carry out a lot of chores in the farms. They also manage the households when the men are either working overseas or in the cities, or when they are at war with each other. The social preoccupations that Sallam mentions are usually the excessive practices of the affluent spoiled urban women, which are mostly irrational and unjustifiable, when viewed in the context of the original reasons for which such practices were instituted. We would hope that the woman President who Hamid has in mind does not come from this lot.
“I would think that the first woman President would come out with the ruling that only Soudy Qat is chewed. This will be in an effort to help balance the family budget as a prelude to balancing the budget of the government!,” said Hamid as he gathered his things to leave.
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* Qat of a commercial variety, grown in the Al-Ahnoum area of Hashid, in the northern highlands of Yemen.
** Dagger belt

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