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In a November 7, 2025 lecture at the Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview, Illinois, its principal imam and director, Jamal Said, stated that men are perfect, while women are governed by emotions and hormones. He said that it is wrong for a man to treat his wife as an equal and that women who demand equality with men are mistaken. Imam Said further explained that women cannot make their own decisions regarding marriage and must have a male guardian who can marry them off to a suitor. He advised Muslim women not to question Allah’s decree by asking why their 18-year-old brother can be their guardian while they are 30 years old and hold a PhD.
Jamal Said: “Generally speaking, men are more mentally complete. The Prophet Muhammad said… Scientists today say – and there are doctors present and they can weigh in – that women’s brains are smaller than those of men. Therefore, her obligations are not the same as those of men. One needs to take into account women’s emotions, unlike with men.
“They were created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is its uppermost. If you attempt to straighten it, you will break it. So leave it as it is. Enjoy it the way it is. This is because of women’s emotions, because of their hormones, because of the ‘monthly visitor’ that comes and totally messes them up, because of old age, because of breastfeeding, because of pregnancy… There are many causes that need to be considered.
“So men are perfect, and if a man lowers himself from this perfection, and treats his wife as an equal, saying to her: ‘you and I are equal’ – well, he is wrong. And if a woman demands to be equal to the man, she is making a big mistake. You are not like him, and you do not have equal authority. The authority lies with the man.
[…]
“All jurisprudents agree that as a woman, you cannot just decide to get married. There has to be a male relative who will act as a guardian, and marry you off to a suitor who comes to ask for your hand in marriage.
“You just can’t do that. And do not argue and say: ‘What do you mean? My 18-year-old brother is supposed to be my guardian, even though I am 30 years old, I am smart, and I have a PhD?’ This is Allah’s decree.”
Jamal Said: “Generally speaking, men are more mentally complete. The Prophet Muhammad said… Scientists today say – and there are doctors present and they can weigh in – that women’s brains are smaller than those of men. Therefore, her obligations are not the same as those of men. One needs to take into account women’s emotions, unlike with men.
“They were created from a rib, and the most crooked part of the rib is its uppermost. If you attempt to straighten it, you will break it. So leave it as it is. Enjoy it the way it is. This is because of women’s emotions, because of their hormones, because of the ‘monthly visitor’ that comes and totally messes them up, because of old age, because of breastfeeding, because of pregnancy… There are many causes that need to be considered.
“So men are perfect, and if a man lowers himself from this perfection, and treats his wife as an equal, saying to her: ‘you and I are equal’ – well, he is wrong. And if a woman demands to be equal to the man, she is making a big mistake. You are not like him, and you do not have equal authority. The authority lies with the man.
[…]
“All jurisprudents agree that as a woman, you cannot just decide to get married. There has to be a male relative who will act as a guardian, and marry you off to a suitor who comes to ask for your hand in marriage.
“You just can’t do that. And do not argue and say: ‘What do you mean? My 18-year-old brother is supposed to be my guardian, even though I am 30 years old, I am smart, and I have a PhD?’ This is Allah’s decree.”
