The role of women in the 14th century society of Dar al Islam is limited to very few tasks. Under the guise of the patriarchal society, the males do not feel that the women can manage work, marriage, free choice and the right to make independent decisions. The women are domestic workers preparing food for many men to eat, preparing rooms for these men to meet in and sleep in, raising children and fulfilling men's desires. Many of the women are slaves and do many menial tasks. They do not seem to have any free time nor do they seem to be able to further their education.

Ibn Battuta observes different customs as to the treatment of women. He did not agree with many of the local practices concerning women. He thought they were inconsistent with Islamic rectitude. In many cases he is very critical of women having a high status or being able to meet socially with men. He is also cri

In Utopia, on the other hand, everyone is treated as an equal. The only exception is to the priest. They have a basic democratic system in which people are elected to offices. Men and women both work at special trades. Families are the most important aspect of the Utopian life. Free time is given to everyone throughout the workday. Marriages are seen as a sacred bond that is not to be broken. Adultery is considered a crime and slavery is the sentence to anyone found guilty.

tical of women who in his view are not modest in dress, going "topless", and not having their faces covered. He praises women who cover up and are thereby "modest". Ibn is extremely strict, as a Muslim qadi would be about adultery and prostitution.

The sexual freedom of these people were also different. The women do not travel with their husbands. The family of the wife, who wanted to travel with her husband, would stop her. Both the men and women had friends and companions outside their families, and either one would not disapprove of that conduct. Ibn Battuta had encountered a few circumstances of men and women together who were not married. He witnessed the wife of a man of the Massufa and her male companion conversing on a bed while her husband was sitting on a mat. He asked the husband about the situation and about the relationship that the man was to his wife. The husband answered that the male was her companion, and Ibn Battuta asked him if he accepted this after living in his country and knowing of the "divine law." The husband replied,"Women's companionship with men in our country is honourable and takes place in a good way. There is no suspicion about it. They are not like the women in your country"(Battuta, 39). Ibn Battuta never went back to visit at this man's house though he was invited several times.

Families are the most important aspect of Utopia. They consist of a wife, husband, and children. "For the women, when they are married at a lawful age, go into their husbands' houses" (More, 90). The family is ruled by the eldest male. A family may consist of up to three generations. Meals consist of families eating together. In the towns, the families eat in community centers with several other families. The males sit on one side of the table while the females sit on the other side of the table and the ages of the families are intermixed. As with the daily activities the men and women work together and they eat together.

There are some similarities of the roles of women in 14th century society of Dar -al-Islam and the roles of women in Thomas Mores' Utopia. Both women did many of the same tasks. They took care of children, prepared food, and kept house. The males were still considered the head of the families or households.

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Approximate Word count = 2164
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)