The question/claim: "A woman working, going out, or her voice being heard by non-mahram is forbidden; her place is the home." Is this a Qur'anic ruling, or a cultural notion?
What does the Qur'an say? — women's social presence
The Qur'an naturally depicts women working, ruling and speaking in public:
"(Moses) when he came to the water of Madyan… found, apart from them, two women holding back (their flocks). He said, 'What is your circumstance?'…" (28:23) — the women are working and speaking.
"(The hoopoe:) 'I found a woman ruling them, given of all things, and she has a great throne.'" (27:23) — the Queen of Sheba: a woman ruling a state.
"Whoever does righteousness, male or female, while a believer — We will surely give them a good life…" (16:97) — deeds and reward are independent of sex.
Is "a woman's voice is ʿawra" in the Qur'an?
- This phrase is not in the Qur'an. The one related verse is a special standard for the Prophet's wives:
"O wives of the Prophet!… do not be soft in speech (in an enticing way), lest one in whose heart is disease should covet; but speak with appropriate (maʿrūf) words." (33:32)
- The verse forbids not speaking but an enticing manner; indeed by saying "speak appropriate words" it affirms speech.
An honest limit
- In the text: women in the Qur'an work, rule and speak; their deeds earn reward equal to men's.
- Interpretation/opinion: some scholars set limits citing fitna/propriety — this is ijtihād, not a ruling that "the voice is absolutely forbidden."
- Cultural: "a woman's place is the home, even her voice is forbidden" is largely custom/tradition, not the wording of the text.
Conclusion: a woman working, being visible in society and speaking does not contradict the Qur'an; "her voice is ʿawra" is not in the text. Views that restrict the matter are at the level of ijtihād; the absolute ban is a cultural assumption.
Source: Qur'anic verses (M. Okuyan meal). Built on the fact that "a woman's voice is ʿawra" is not in the Qur'an, while women's social presence is established in the verses; not a fiqh fatwa.