Western Family System and Islamic Family System: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Family is an integral part of a society. A society cannot stable without a strong and healthy family system. Faintness in a family system results in weakness of a social life. Family and society both are backbone of each other. This academic paper illustrates two different types of family systems exist in the world that’s Islamic and western family system. It is a comparative study of both systems illustrating distinguish features of Islamic and western family system. Moreover, the reasons behind the decline of western family system are explained. An analytical and comparative methodology is applied for this study. This paper concludes that Islam is the religion which gives strong ideological foundations for a healthy family system. Islamic family system based on moral, ethical values. Each family member within the system has his own obligations, duties and status. Man and women have equal rights and respect. Performance of duties is regarded as worthy of rewards by Almighty Allah. Whereas, In contrary to this western family system is demolishing with the passage of time due to materialistic, unethical and un married sexual relations which totally break down the family system and spread various diseases in men and women. The voices of freedom of women socially and economically increase the divorce rate and demolish women reverence in society. This alarming situation gives the signals to think about how to improve family system. The western perspective should need to change and implement the ideological and ethical based values with in family system so that a strong and healthy society exists.