Women In Islam

Peace of God and His mercy to you.

A reminder, please:

Many people confuse culture with religion, many others do not know what their religious books are saying, and many others do not even care.

A new Website about women in Islam: Islam's Women

From the Website:

At a time when the rest of the world, from Greece and Rome to India and China, considered women as no better than children or even slaves, with no rights whatsoever, Islam acknowledged women's equality with men in a great many respects. The Quran states:

"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest and peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Certainly, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." [Noble Quran 30:21]

Prophet Muhammad said:

"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]

Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both were equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and Allah forgave both. Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the fact that the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah, the wife of Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His favorite wife after Khadijah's death, Ayshah, became renowned as a scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of the female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential scholars and jurists.

We might also mention that while many in the West criticize Islam with regard to the treatment of women, in fact a number of Muslim countries have had women rulers and presidents. To name a few: Turkey; Bangladesh and Pakistan.

With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:

"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah]

This implies men and women.

A woman is to be treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as to be treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage. She has the right to be educated and to work outside the home if she so chooses. She has the right to inherit from her father, mother, and husband. A very interesting point to note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of women.

A Muslim woman also has obligations. All the laws and regulations pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc., apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with female physiology.

Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage. The groom gives a marriage dowry to the bride for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.

Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been there for 1,400 years, while virtually all other major civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change their negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to do so.

The Responsibilty Of Sons And Daughters Towards Their Parents

Peace of God and His mercy to you.

Today's Friday Prayer's sermon was about the responsibility and relationship of the sons and daughters towards and between their parents. In a previous blog entry, I talked about the importance of parents in the Muslim community and their role in raising their children in the correct way.

Respecting The Parents
The parents are the important part of every family. They are the leaders and teachers. They are responsible to raise their children in the correct way. The mother conceived the children and she endured all the pain. The father works hard to ensure a good living for his family. The sons and daughters have to be grateful for them, they have not seen their mother enduring all the pain of pregnancy for 9 months and the father helping her in doing chores. They must be rewarded for their patience and for all the time they spent raising their children and helping them live life in the right course. God the Almighty says in the Holy Quran:

Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. (23) And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little. (24) Al Israa 17:23-24

And He also says:

And We have commended unto man kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance, and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attaineth full strength and reacheth forty years, he saith: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto Thee. And be gracious unto me in the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned unto Thee repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (unto Thee). (15) Those are they from whom We accept the best of what they do, and overlook their evil deeds. (They are) among the owners of the Garden. This is the true promise which they were promised (in the world). (16) Al Ahqaf 46:15-16

The sons and daughters are requested to respect their parents, before and after their death, by praying to God to forgive them and to pray for any thing good for them all. The sons and daughters must not say bad words to their parents, even the shortest word of uneasiness and disapproval: fie. And they also must not raise hands in the face of their parents when angry trying to hit them, even if it is meant as a threat. And do not hate them. Does anyone of us want to make our parents feel sad or ashamed because of us?!

The mother's role in raising her children is the greatest. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:

A person came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said: Who among the people is most deserving my companionship (of a kind treatment from me?) He said: Your mother. He, again, said: Then who (is the next one)? He said: It is your mother (who deserves the best treatment from you). He said: Then who (is the next one)? He (the Holy Prophet) said: It is your mother. He (again) said: Then who? Thereupon he (The Prophet (peace be upon him)) said: It is your father. Source: al-islam

It is forbidden in Islam to claim that you are not related to your father when you know he is really your father. Do not let your anger bring calamity upon you! Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:

Allah's Messenger (may peace and blessings be upon him) observed: Do not detest your fathers; he who detests his father commits infidelity. Source: al-islam

And do not badmouth other's parents! You are badmouthing your own parents! 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-'As, may Allah be pleased with them, reported:

Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) observed: Abusing one's parents is one of the major sins. They (the hearers) asked: Messenger of Allah, does a man abuse his parents? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Yes, one abuses the father of another man, who in turn abuses his father. One abuses his mother and he in turn abuses his (the former's) mother. Source: al-islam

We have to treat our parents well, even if they are not Muslims. Asma', may Allah be pleased with her, reported:

I asked: Messenger of Allah, my mother, who wants my company or who hates Islam, has come to me, should I (even in her position of being opposed to Islam) treat her well? He said: Yes. Source: al-islam

Kindness to parents is one of the best deeds. It is narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, who observed:

I asked Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) which deed was the best. He (the Holy Prophet) replied: The Prayer at its appointed hour. I (again) asked: Then what? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: Kindness to the parents. I (again) asked: Then what? He replied: Earnest struggle (Jihad) in the cause of Allah. I refrained from asking any more questions for fear of annoying him. Source: al-islam

And it is a sin to disobey the parents, excluding the things they ask their sons and daughters to do which make the God angry at the people, such as drinking alcohol, gambling, or talking bad about others. Anas, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:

Regarding the major sins, the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him) observed: Associating anything with Allah, disobedience to parents, killing a person and false utterance. Source: al-islam

If one of our parents died, we can give charity on behalf of him/her. 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated:

A person came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: My mother died suddenly without having made any will. I think she would have definitely given Charity if she had been able to speak. Would she have a reward if I gave Charity on her behalf? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes. Source: al-islam

And if one of them died and did not fast some days of Ramadan, we can fast on behalf of them. Allah is fair! Ibn 'Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, reported:

A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) and said: My mother has died, and she had not observed one month fast. Thereupon he asked: Do you not see that if debt was due from her, would you not pay it off? She said: Yes (I would pay it off on her behalf). Thereupon he said: The debt of Allah should be repaid (before that of anyone else). Source: al-islam

And if they died or they were too old to perform the pilgrimage, we can perform it on behalf of them. Allah is merciful! Al-Fadl, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:

A woman of the Banu Khath'am said: Messenger of Allah, my father is very old. There is an obligation of Hajj upon him from Allah, but he is not capable of sitting on the back of the camel. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Perform Hajj on his behalf. Source: al-islam

God ordered us to be good companions to our parents. He the Greatest says:

Say: Come, I will recite unto you that which your Lord hath forbidden to you: that ye ascribe no thing as partner unto Him and that ye do good to parents, and that ye slay not your children because of penury - We provide for you and for them - and that ye draw not nigh to lewd things whether open or concealed. And that ye slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred, save in the course of justice. This He hath command you, in order that ye may discern. (151) Al Anaam 6:151

Would not you treat your parents well when God asked you to do so?!

In the end...
Be good friends to your parents. Make them happy and proud of you before and after their death :)