Woman in Islam

By Ustadz Haron

MagadapaCebu Daily News First Posted 07:39:00 06/06/2010 Filed Under:
In the midst of the darkness that engulfed the world, the divine revelation echoed in the wide desert of Arabia with a fresh, noble universal massage to humanity: O mankind, keep your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it created its mates (of same kind). From their twain has spread a multitude of men and women (al – Qur'an, 4:1).The spiritual aspect, The Qur'an provides clear-cut evidence that women are completely equal with men in the sight of God in terms of rights and responsibilities.The Qur'an states:“Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.” (al – Qur'an, 74:38).“Whoever works righteous, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him we give a new life that is good and pure, and we will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions. (al – Qur'an ,16:97) see also (4:124).In terms of religious obligations, such as daily prayers, fasting, and pilgrimage, women are no different from man. In some cases, indeed women have an advantage over man. For example, the woman is exempted from daily prayers and fasting during her menstrual period and 40 days after childbirth. She is also exempted from fasting during pregnancy and when she is nursing her baby. If there is any threat to her health or her baby, she could make up for the missed fasting and prayers later. Women used to go to the mosque during the days the prophet and thereafter attendance at the Friday congregational prayers is optional for them while it is mandatory for men. As a child and adolescent, the right of females to seek knowledge is no different from that of males.Prophet Muhammad ( peace be upon him) said: “seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim” (al – Bayhagi).For a wife, the Qur'an indicates that marriage is sharing between the two halves, for the society’s wellbeing and spiritual harmony beside perpetuating human life aside from emotional wellbeing and spiritual harmony. Its bases are love and mercy. Ibn ‘Abbas’ reported that a girl came to the messenger of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him) and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without her consent. The messenger of God gave her the choice between accepting the marriage or invalidating it. (Ibn hanbal No. 2469). In another version, the girl said: “ actually I accept this marriage but I wanted to let women know that parents have no right (to force a husband on them), (Ibn Majah, No. 1873). Woman has full right to her Mah'r “Dowry”, a marriage gift, including nuptial contract. That ownership doesn't transfer to her father or husband.Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said:The best of you is the best to his family and I am the best among you to my family.The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and the best of you are those who are best to their wives.As the woman's right to decide about her marriage is recognized so also to seek an end to an unsuccessful marriage is recognized. A waiting period is a step to protect her from a hasty decision, by way of emotional stress and as such should be brought to a (Shariah law) judge.Islam considered kindness to parents next to the worship of God and has special recommendation for the good treatment of mothers.In the economic aspect, Islam decreed the right of woman to her money. The right undergoes no change whether she is single or married. She retains her full rights to buy, sell mortgage or lease any or all her properties. It is also note worthy that such right applies to her properties before marriage as well as to whatever she acquires after. However no decree in Islam forbids a woman from seeking employment whenever there is neeed for it, especially in a position which fits here nature and in which society/community needs her most. An example of this is professions for nursing, and teaching especially for children and medicine more so. There is no restriction on benefiting from women’s exceptional talent in any field even in the position of a judge. Islam also restored to women the right of inheritance in some cultures. Man in Islam is fully responsible for the sustainance/maintenance of his wife, children, and in some cases of his needy relatives, especially the females. This responsibility is neither waived nor reduced because of his wife's wealth or because of her access to any personal income gained from work rent, profit or any other lawful/ legal means. A woman is more secure financially and is less burdened with any claims on her possessions.For the political aspect, based on the teaching of Islam or the history of Islamic a civilization, one will surely find clear of evidence of women’s equality with men in what we call today’s political rights.”This includes the right to be elected as well as nomination to political office. It also includes woman's right to participate in public affairs. Both the Holy Qur'an and Islamic history has examples of women who participated in serious discussions and agreements even with the prophet (peace be upon him) himself (see Qur'an 58:1) and (60:10-12).According to Islam, the head of state is no mere figure head. He leads people in the prayers,especially or Fridays and festivities, he is continuously engaged in the process of the decision making pertaining to the security and well being of his people.According to (Hadith) Tradition of prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him referred to as head of state . A people will not prosper if they let a woman be their leader. This limitation, however has nothing to do with the dignity of woman or with her rights. Its is rather, related to the natural differences in the biological and psychological makeup of men and women.


Blogger Comment:
The irony is the thing that the west used against prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is his multiple marriages which in fact make Muslims very sure that it is a miracle that he had these multiple marriages. These marriages started after he was about 52 years old prior to that he was widowed from his wife who was 15 years older than him and died about 3 years or so before he married again. When he married to these wives it was ordered by God as mentioned in the Quran we "ordered to you". Most of the marriages where more of political and social in reasons. The challenge to us all how he can keep peace with all of them and non of them denounced he is a prophet. In fact they were very pious women and their love for his God and his Quran exceeded their love of any thing in the world. The only time they stood one hand against him when they found out their lives were tough in respect to finances, not because of him being a false prophet or had bad morals or anything else.
God talked to them in the Quran that their marriages are not regular ones but a divine blessing, honour than anything else. They became patient and no one of them left him though he gave them the option. If you read the biography of the prophet you find that they are mostly involved with the message of Islam and not their own interest in most part. Aisha one of the wives were the best in remembering the sayings of the prophet and Hafza another wife was entrusted to keep the documented verses of the Quran in her place.
If you look at the lives of many prophets you find most of them had wives and more than one and few of them had no wives or even sexual relations. At the time of the prophet whenMuslims died as martyrs their wives and children could not be left alone as a struggling and isolated or begging people in the streets. In a culture where men are the bread winners they would have to be under the care of new husbands. In Islam which many times is different from the Arab culture, for a wife to marry after the death of her husband is a natural thing, in some of the Arab cultures they would consider it not right.
When you go to Islam in every minor thing you will find a wisdom. Would as Muslims prefer that Muhammad had one wife only, yes so the west will be happy, do they will be really happy and embrace Islam not really they will find something else. So as Muslims we have to embrace our great religion and our great prophet. God gave us great path of living in this life and claiming our afterlife. I am a convert to Islam myself, actually the first convert is the prophet himself. He was astonished that there is a creator to this large universe wen the Angel contacted him and astonished to be chosen for to be the conduit to humans. Muslims themselves are daily converts to Islam, sometime I try to rethink my religion to find myself converting again to Islam. The evidences are just overwhelming, read the Quran to yourself and do not listen to the people who would give you their opinion what Islam is without even explore it themselves.
Nothing more overwhelming than to find that there is an eternity that is waiting for us and dependent in most part in reading the Quran. If you are able to deny it strongly, you made your case and you do not have to listen to me, if you are not willing to explore it and think you do not need to do that, I will be your adversary in the day of judgment since I was calling you for years to read it. My blog give you all the evidences of the Quran. The tyrants who oppressed me for few years so you do not know about me, the hell is waiting for them in the day of judgment.