| [h=1]Raising your Child to be a Muslim[/h] |
| It is true that the first learning center for a child is the mothers lap. The mannerisms of the parents are reflected in the children. The story of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah have mercy on him) is famous: When he was traveling with a caravan, a gang of dacoits raided the caravan. When they came to check Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani (May Allah have mercy on him), an eighteen year old young man, the dacoits inquired if he had any valuables. He told them about the gold coins which had been stitched into his clothes by his mother. The dacoits asked him why he let them know of the hidden money, to which he replied that his mother had advised him to never lie. Upon this the dacoits become ashamed and repented to Allah. It is the duty of parents to be an example to their children and advise them. Allah (the Supreme) tells us of the advice that Syedna Luqman gave to his son:- And remember when Luqman said to his son, and he used to advise him, O my son! Never ascribe anything as a partner to Allah; indeed ascribing partners to Him is a tremendous injustice. [Luqman 31:13] Then after some verses, the advice continues:- O my son! If the evil deed is equal to the weight of a mustard-seed, and even if it is in a rock, or in the heavens, or wherever in the earth, Allah will bring it forth; indeed Allah knows all the minutest things, the All Aware. O my son! Keep the prayer established, and enjoin goodness and forbid from evil, and be patient upon the calamity that befalls you; indeed these are acts of great courage. And do not contort your cheek while talking to anyone, nor boastfully walk upon the earth; indeed Allah does not like any boastful, haughty person. And walk moderately and soften your voice; indeed the worst voice is the voice of the donkey. [Luqman 31:16-19] We can recall not too long ago in our Muslim culture that all grown-ups in the community would take the role of guides for the youth. No child dared to misbehave in front of elders in any gathering. All the elders held enough authority that they could discipline the child without having to face the wrath of the parents as is the case today. As a result, children tend to misbehave and disrespect elders because they no longer fear being disciplined by anyone besides their parents, and that too is seen little. Parents realize it too late - that what they thought was giving freedom to their children was in fact destroying them. Being affectionate to your children is one thing but to let them to do anything as they wish, is not affection - rather it is harmful for the child. This is the result of the parents forgetting their duty of teaching the child. More often the television takes the place of the parent and it is from here the child gains much of his/her ill-mannerisms. Let these words be a reminder and a word of caution. When children are able to speak a little, teach them the name of Allah. Before, mothers would put their children to sleep by chanting Allah Allah, but now it is by shamefully playing the music on the radio! When children are mature do not do anything in front them which will ruin their mannerisms because they tend to copy these acts. They do whatever they see their parents doing. Never argue with your spouse in front of them because this puts a lot of stress on children and causes them to think that they are the cause of the argument. Never curse your children. Offer the Prayers in front of them, recite Quran, take them to the mosque with you, and tell them stories of our pious predecessors as they like to listen to stories very much. Hearing stories with lessons and morals will increase their good habits. When they are a little older, teach them the Five Declarations (Kalemat), Concise Faith (Imane Mujmal), Detailed faith (Imane Mufassal), and then teach them how to offer Prayers (Salah). Put them under the guidance of an Allah-fearing, pious scholar (Aalim) or Quran Memorizer (Hafiz) definitely holding right beliefs & from creed of Ahle Sunnah - to acquire the knowledge of Islam & the Holy Quran so they can know more of the beautiful religion to which they belong. Teach them the rules & practices of bathing, ablution & prayer. If Allah gives you proper guidance, try to make your children Islamic Scholars or Memorizers of the Holy Quran. A Memorizer (Hafiz) will get three generations forgiven and a Scholar (Aalim) will get seven generations forgiven (on the Day of Judgment). It is baseless to think that a scholar has no source of livelihood. Know that one does not earn more than what is destined by acquiring worldly knowledge; one will get only what the Almighty Provider (Razzaq) has written for him. Teach your children simplicity and do not expose them to materialism. Teach them the value of doing their own work. Send them to college, make them judges, make them doctors or to adopt any successful and halal career in this world - but make them such that they carry on these professions as honest Muslims who know their religion. |
Raising your Child to be a Muslim
- Thread starter Syed Attique Shah
- Start date
Syed Attique Shah
Banned
short and simple introduction of Islamic beliefs
According to Islam every new born child is innocent. So there is no concept of original sin. People remain guiltless until they commit a sin on their own will. Islam is neither an ethnocentric nor a sacramental religion. The followers of this religion observe no sacraments.
Anyone can convert to Islam by his/her own discretion. There has to be no need of any ceremony, involvement of sermonizer or any other thing. It is purely a matter between God and man. What a person needs to do is to accept that there is no God but Allah and prophet (PBUH) is the last Messenger of God and establish a firm belief in Holy Quran, Angels and the Day of Judgment.
Every Muslim should accept the following doctrines of Islam:
Oneness of God:
Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion. The followers of Islam believe that there is no other God than Allah.
Existence of Angels: The throne of God is surrounded by Angels. They serve as His messenger to people. The most important of all angels is Gabriel. Iblis is a fallen angel, he is also referred to as the Satan or Devil. He has authority over the djinns who are male and female demons.
Holy Books:
The Muslims believe in the sacred books which include the Torah, the Gospel of Jesus, the Psalms, and the Quran. The followers of Islam believe that Quran is the only book which is completely error free. Those who memorize the whole book by heart and the deed of Quran Recitation are highly honored in Islam
Prophets:
According to the teachings of Islam, there are many people who are considered to be prophets. Among them are Abraham, Ishmael, Moses, Noah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Mohammed. Mohammed is considered to be last prophet. His proclamations completed the message sent by God to people.
Day of Judgment:
Muslims believe that there will be a day of final judgment. At that time, the non-believers will be sentenced to the burning fires of hell, while the believers will enter heaven. However, the pleasures of heaven will be given to the believers according to the degree of faith and morality they displayed in their lifetime.
According to Islam every new born child is innocent. So there is no concept of original sin. People remain guiltless until they commit a sin on their own will. Islam is neither an ethnocentric nor a sacramental religion. The followers of this religion observe no sacraments.
Anyone can convert to Islam by his/her own discretion. There has to be no need of any ceremony, involvement of sermonizer or any other thing. It is purely a matter between God and man. What a person needs to do is to accept that there is no God but Allah and prophet (PBUH) is the last Messenger of God and establish a firm belief in Holy Quran, Angels and the Day of Judgment.
Every Muslim should accept the following doctrines of Islam:
Oneness of God:
Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion. The followers of Islam believe that there is no other God than Allah.
Existence of Angels: The throne of God is surrounded by Angels. They serve as His messenger to people. The most important of all angels is Gabriel. Iblis is a fallen angel, he is also referred to as the Satan or Devil. He has authority over the djinns who are male and female demons.
Holy Books:
The Muslims believe in the sacred books which include the Torah, the Gospel of Jesus, the Psalms, and the Quran. The followers of Islam believe that Quran is the only book which is completely error free. Those who memorize the whole book by heart and the deed of Quran Recitation are highly honored in Islam
According to the teachings of Islam, there are many people who are considered to be prophets. Among them are Abraham, Ishmael, Moses, Noah, John the Baptist, Jesus, and Mohammed. Mohammed is considered to be last prophet. His proclamations completed the message sent by God to people.
Day of Judgment:
Muslims believe that there will be a day of final judgment. At that time, the non-believers will be sentenced to the burning fires of hell, while the believers will enter heaven. However, the pleasures of heaven will be given to the believers according to the degree of faith and morality they displayed in their lifetime.
PAKISTAN12
Banned
Canadian Girl Converts to Islam
Syed Attique Shah
Banned
Concept of GOD
| [h=1]Concept of GOD[/h] |
| The question of God's existence has preoccupied men's minds for many centuries. Those who believe in God seem to agree that the limited finite human intelligence cannot prove the existence of the infinite boundless God. It can only illustrate or demonstrate his existence to the satisfaction of the curious human mind. Those who deny God claim to rely on science, philosophy, or special theories of knowledge. Their arguments are sometimes inapplicable, sometimes irrelevant, always complex, and often incomprehensible. However, the developed mind will find its way to Allah. Failure to find the way does not mean that there is no way. Denial of reality does not make it unreal. As we look around in our environments, we see that every family has a head: every school has a principal, every city or town has a mayor; every province or state has a premier/governor; and every nation has a head of state. Moreover, we know beyond doubt that every beautiful art is the creation of some great artist. All this is obvious, yet it does not satisfy the hunger for knowledge and the curiosity of man about the great things in the world. One often wonders at the beauties of nature with its scenic charm and marvels; the almost endless horizons in the sky and their far-reaching expansions; the ceaseless succession of day and night in the most orderly manner; the course of the sun, the moon, and the great stars; the world of animate and inanimate objects, the continuous process and evolution of man, generation after generation. One often wonders because one would like to know the maker and maintainer of all these things with which we live and which we immensely enjoy. Can we find an explanation of the great universe? Is there any convincing interpretation of the secret of existence? We realise that no family can function properly without a responsible head, that no city can prosperously exist without sound administration, and that no state can survive without a chief of some kind. We also realise that nothing comes into being on its own. Moreover we observe that the universe exists and functions in the most orderly manner, and that it has survived for hundreds of thousands of years. Can we, then, say that all this is accidental and haphazard? Or can we attribute the existence of man and the whole world to mere chance? If man were to come into being by accident or by sheer chance, his entire life would be based on chance, and his whole existence would be meaningless, and no rational being would leave his existence at the mercy of fluctuating chance. Every reasonable human being tries to make his life as meaningful as possible and set for himself a model of conduct according to some design. Individuals, groups and nations do plan their course of action. And every careful plan produces some desired effects. The fact of the matter is that man does engage in planning of one sort or another, and can appreciate the merits of good planning. Yet man represents only a very small portion of the great universe. And if he can make plans and appreciate the merits of planning, then his own existence and the survival of the universe must also be based on a planned policy. This means that there is a Designing Will behind our material existence, and that there is a Unique Mind in the world to bring things into being and keep them moving in order. The marvellous wonders of our world and the secrets of life are too great to be the product of random accident or mere chance. In the world, then there must be a Great Force in action to keep everything in order. In the beautiful nature there must be a Great Artist who creates the most charming pieces of art and produces everything for a special purpose in life. This Force is the strongest of all forces, and this Artist is the greatest of all artists. The true believers and deeply enlightened people recognise this Artist and call Him Allah ( His True and Real Name ) or God. They call Him God because He is the Creator and the Chief Architect of the world, the Originator of life and the Provider of all things in existence. He is not a man because no man can create or make another man. He is not an animal, nor is He a plant. He is neither an idol nor is He a statue of any kind because none of these things can make itself or create anything else. He is not a machine. He is neither the sun nor is He the moon or any other star, because these things are controlled by a great system, and are themselves made by someone else. He is different from all these things, because He is the Maker and Keeper of them all. The maker of anything must be different from and greater than the thing which he makes. We also know that nothing can come to life on its own, and that the marvellous world did not create itself or come into existence by accident. The continuous changes in the world prove that it is made and everything which is made must have a maker of some sort. The Maker and Sustainer of the world, the Creator of and Provider for man, the Active Force and Effective Power in nature are all one and the same, and that is known to be Allah or God. This is the secret of all secrets and the Most Supreme of all beings. The Holy Qu'ran, the True Book of God say's: "Belief in God and His great power alone can provide mankind with the best Possible explanation of many mysterious things in life. This is the safest way to true knowledge and spiritual insight, the right path to good behaviour and sound morals, the surest guide to happiness and prosperity. Once man believes that God exists he must know His attributes and names. Generally speaking every perfection and absolute goodness belong to Him, and no defect or wrong applies to Him. In specific terms, one should know and believe the following: 1. God is only One, has no partner or son, and neither gives birth, nor is He born. He is eternally besought by all and has no beginning or end, and none is equal to Him ( Holy Qu'ran ) 2. He is the Merciful and the Compassionate, the Guardian and the True Guide, the Just and the Supreme Lord, the Creator and the Watchful, the First and the Last, the knowing and the Wise, the Hearing, and the Aware, the Witness and the Glorious, the Able and ' the Powerful. ( Holy Qu'ran example ) 3. He is the Loving and the Provider, the Generous and the Benevolent, the Rich and the Independent, the Forgiving and the Clement, the Patient and the Appreciative, the unique and the Protector, the Judge and the Peace. ( Holy Qu'ran example ) Each one of these names and attributes of God is mentioned in various places in the Holy Qu'ran. We all enjoy the care and mercy of God Who is so Loving and Kind to His creation. If we try to count His favours upon us, we cannot, because they are countless ( Holy Qu'ran ) God is High and Supreme, but he is very near to the pious thoughtful people; He answers their prayers and helps them. He loves the people who love Him and forgives their sins. He gives them peace and happiness, knowledge and success, life and protection. He welcomes all those who want to be at peace with Him and never rejects any of them. He teaches man to be good, to do the right and to keep away from the wrong. Because He is so Good and Loving. He recommends and accepts only the good and right things. The door of His mercy is always open to any who sincerely seek His support and protection. ( Holy Qu'ran ) The Love of God for His creatures is immense and beyond human imagination. We cannot measure or count His favours. He creates us and takes good care of us, not only from the time of our birth onward, but even long before that. He makes us in the best form of creation and gives us all the senses and faculties that we need for our growth. He helps us when we cannot help ourselves, and provides for us and for our dependents. He creates in man the mind to understand, the soul and conscience to be good and righteous, the feelings and sentiments to be kind and humane. By His mercy we gain true knowledge and see the real light. Because He is Merciful He creates us in the most beautiful shape and provides us with the sun and the moon, the land and the sea, the earth and the skies, the plants and the animals. He is the Creator of all these things and many others for our benefit and use. He makes things that are of service to us in this life, and gives man dignity and intelligence, honour and respect, because man is the best of all created things and is God's viceroy on earth. The mercy O god gives us hope and peace, courage and confidence. It enables us to remedy our griefs and sorrows, to overcome our difficulties and obtain success and happiness. Indeed, the mercy of God relieves the distressed, cheers the afflicted, consoles the sick, strengthens the desperate, and comforts the needy. In short, the mercy of God is active everywhere all the time in every aspect of our lives. Some people may fail to recognise it only because they take it for granted. But it is real and we can feel it with our hearts and appreciate it with our minds. The Loving Merciful God never forgets us or lets us down or ignores our sincere calls upon Him. By His Mercy and Love He has shown us the Right Way and sent to us messengers and teachers, books and revelations - all are meant for our help and guidance. The last Messenger from God is Muhammad ( SAW ), and the most genuine existing book of Allah is the Qu'ran. From the traditions of Muhammad ( SAW ) and the teachings of the Qu'ran, we learn about the Forgiving God. If a person commits a sin or does something wrong, then he is violating the law of God, committing a grave offence against God and abusing his own dignity and existence. But if he is sincere and wishes to repent, regrets his wrong deeds and wants to return to God, faithfully seeks pardon from God and honestly approaches him, then God will certainly accept him and forgive him. Even those who reject God or his Oneness are assured of forgiveness, should they realise there erroneous attitude and resolve to come back to God. In this connection the Qu'ran say's: "God forgives not that partnership should be setup with him; but He forgives anything else, to whom he pleases and; to setup partners with God is to devise a sin most heinous indeed. ( Qu'ran ) "Say oh my servants who have transgressed against their souls! despair not the mercy of God: for God forgives all sins: for he is most forgiving, most merciful. Turn to your Lord ( in repentance ) and submit to him, before the penalty comes on you; after that you shall not be helped. And follow the best of the courses revealed to you from your Lord, before the penalty comes on you on a sudden while you perceive not !" ( Qu'ran ) In return for all these great favours and kindness God does not need anything from us, because He is the needless and the independent. He does not ask us to pay him back, for we cannot reward him or value his immeasurable favours and mercy. What He commands us to do, however, is only to be good, to be thankful and to be appreciative, to follow his recommendations and in force his law, to be the proper manifestation of his goodness and excellent attributes, to be his honest agents and true representatives on earth. He does not want to enslave us because he is the One who grants us dignity and honour. He does not wish to subjugate us, because He is One who is emancipates us from fear and superstitions. He does not desire to humiliate us because He is the One who creates us and exalts our ranks above all other beings. So whatever rules and prescriptions He passes unto us are designed for our own benefit and good. They are meant to help us enjoy our lives with one another in Peace and Kindness, in brotherhood and co-operation. They are destined to make us attain his most pleasant company and adopt the surest approach to Eternal Happiness in life after death. There are various ways to know God and there are many things to tell about him. The Great wonders and impressive marvels of the world are like open books in which we can read about God. Besides, God Himself comes to our Aid through the many messengers and revelations He has sent down to man. These messengers and revelations tell us everything we need to know about God. So by reflecting on nature, by hearing the words of the messengers, and by reading the Divine revelations we can gain most convincing knowledge about God and find the Straight Path to Him |
Syed Attique Shah
Banned
Tariq bin Ziyad
[h=1]Tariq bin Ziyad[/h] Jul 19th, 2009 by Ahmed.
Tariq ibn Ziyad was sent by Musa ibn Nusayr in the year 711 AD as a chief commander to conquer Andalus. His men numbered 12000-17000. On his journey he decided to take some rest and sleep. It is said whilst sailing across the sea, which separates Africa from Andalus, he saw in his dream the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) surrounded by arabs of the Muhajiruun and Ansaars, who with unsheathed swords and bended bows stood by him. They also heard the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say take courage, O Tariq! and accomplish what you are destined to perform. On hearing this, he looked around him and saw the messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions entering Andalus. Tariq immediately awoke from his sleep with a smile, and from that moment on he never doubted victory. Tariq advanced towards a small mountain in the sea which later became known as Jabal Tariq (Mount Tariq) derived from which is the modern name: Gibraltar. Here Tariq and his army disembarked into the darkness of the night. He then set fire to his fleet and in his determination to conquer Andalus he told his army I have now burnt the ships, and now there is no return for us and here we will conquer or die fighting.
The king of the time, King Roderick, heard about the seizure and immediately prepared his army which numbered 100,000. King Roderick set off with confidence that they will make each and every Arab his prisoner. Roderick took his army to Cordova to attack Tariq and his armies.
Before the battle, Tariq gave a speech which portrayed his valiance, determination and ideology regarding the life after death. In this speech he also mentioned his desire to kill King Roderick with his own hands. After his influential speech, Tariq and his army with their white turbans and spears in their hands proceeded towards the battlefield. When Tariq reached the battlefield he saw his ambition and aimed his arrow towards him and killed him. He had now fulfilled his long felt desire and gained victory for the Muslims. It is said in the confusion that followed the defeated Christian soldiers fled for their lives, the body of King Roderick had also disappeared. The Muslims had a zeal for knowledge, they were advanced in architecure and were masters in science.
When Tariq and his army conquered a large portion of Spain in 711-718 AD, which mainly consisted of the Moors who were a Muslim tribe from North Africa, they immediately implemented Islamic law ( Shariah ) with Caliphates. the muslim ruled with islamic law for over 800 years. However when the Muslim government of Spain collapsed during the early 1000s due to the fighting amongst the groups of Moors, the country split into many small Moorish states and independent cities. This was not the only reason for the downfall of a nation which ruled for many centuries. This was due to the fact that the leaders did not rule according to the Islamic law and chose an un-islamic life.
Below is an extract from the hadith. Abdullah ibn Umar narrates ; The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to us and said O muhajiruun, you may be afflicted by five things, may Allah forbid you live to see them, if leaders do not govern according to the book of Allah, you should realize this will not happen without Allah making them into groups and making them fight another. ( Ibn Majah, Kitab al Fitan, 4019,2/1332 ) you can see from this small extract how the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had advanced knowledge of the future and how correct his prophecies were to be.
Inter-islam
[h=1]Tariq bin Ziyad[/h] Jul 19th, 2009 by Ahmed.
Tariq ibn Ziyad was sent by Musa ibn Nusayr in the year 711 AD as a chief commander to conquer Andalus. His men numbered 12000-17000. On his journey he decided to take some rest and sleep. It is said whilst sailing across the sea, which separates Africa from Andalus, he saw in his dream the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) surrounded by arabs of the Muhajiruun and Ansaars, who with unsheathed swords and bended bows stood by him. They also heard the prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say take courage, O Tariq! and accomplish what you are destined to perform. On hearing this, he looked around him and saw the messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) and his companions entering Andalus. Tariq immediately awoke from his sleep with a smile, and from that moment on he never doubted victory. Tariq advanced towards a small mountain in the sea which later became known as Jabal Tariq (Mount Tariq) derived from which is the modern name: Gibraltar. Here Tariq and his army disembarked into the darkness of the night. He then set fire to his fleet and in his determination to conquer Andalus he told his army I have now burnt the ships, and now there is no return for us and here we will conquer or die fighting.
The king of the time, King Roderick, heard about the seizure and immediately prepared his army which numbered 100,000. King Roderick set off with confidence that they will make each and every Arab his prisoner. Roderick took his army to Cordova to attack Tariq and his armies.
Before the battle, Tariq gave a speech which portrayed his valiance, determination and ideology regarding the life after death. In this speech he also mentioned his desire to kill King Roderick with his own hands. After his influential speech, Tariq and his army with their white turbans and spears in their hands proceeded towards the battlefield. When Tariq reached the battlefield he saw his ambition and aimed his arrow towards him and killed him. He had now fulfilled his long felt desire and gained victory for the Muslims. It is said in the confusion that followed the defeated Christian soldiers fled for their lives, the body of King Roderick had also disappeared. The Muslims had a zeal for knowledge, they were advanced in architecure and were masters in science.
When Tariq and his army conquered a large portion of Spain in 711-718 AD, which mainly consisted of the Moors who were a Muslim tribe from North Africa, they immediately implemented Islamic law ( Shariah ) with Caliphates. the muslim ruled with islamic law for over 800 years. However when the Muslim government of Spain collapsed during the early 1000s due to the fighting amongst the groups of Moors, the country split into many small Moorish states and independent cities. This was not the only reason for the downfall of a nation which ruled for many centuries. This was due to the fact that the leaders did not rule according to the Islamic law and chose an un-islamic life.
Below is an extract from the hadith. Abdullah ibn Umar narrates ; The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) came to us and said O muhajiruun, you may be afflicted by five things, may Allah forbid you live to see them, if leaders do not govern according to the book of Allah, you should realize this will not happen without Allah making them into groups and making them fight another. ( Ibn Majah, Kitab al Fitan, 4019,2/1332 ) you can see from this small extract how the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had advanced knowledge of the future and how correct his prophecies were to be.
Inter-islam
Syed Attique Shah
Banned
Status Of Women In Islam
Status Of Women In Islam
For women, Islam is a special blessing; and the Prophet of Islam is indeed the greatest single benefactor of womenfolk. In Arabia, before the advent of Islam, the birth of a female child was regarded as a great misfortune and a shame, and cruel fathers buried them alive: "When news is brought to one of them of (the birth) of a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inner grief. With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had. Shall he retain it on sufferance and contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! What an evil choice they decide on." (The Qur`an: 16:58-59). Islam made this primal injustice a case for the highest court
when on the Day of Judgment "the female (infant) buried alive, will be asked for what crime she was killed." (The Qur`an: 81:8-9).
"Prior to Islam," write the authors of Cultural Atlas of Islam, "a woman was regarded by her parents as a threat to family honor and hence worthy of burial alive at infancy. As an adult, she was a sex object that could be bought, sold and inherited. From this position of inferiority and legal incapacity, Islam raised women to a position of influence and prestige in family and society." Islam gave this oppressed section of humanity, as it did to all other classes and groups, their legitimate place in life. In a world where woman was no more than an object of sexual gratification for men, and at a time when the religious circles argued over whether woman was human or not, with a soul of her own, Islam proclaimed, "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female." (The Qur`an 49:13).
"O Mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person, created of like nature his mate, from them scattered countless men and women. Fear Allah, through whom you demand your mutual rights and reverence the wombs (that bore you), for Allah ever watches over you." (The Qur`an 4:1). men and women are of the same family, and as such have similar rights and duties, and their Lord promises them "Never will I waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female, the one of you being from the other." (The Qur`an 3:195).
Islam removed some of the false notions about woman. It for instance refuted the idea that Eve tempted Adam to disobey God, and thus caused his downfall. The Qur`an explicitly says that they both disobeyed and negates the idea that the woman is a source of evil. The Qur`an mentions some of the women with great respect, ea. the wives of Adam, Abraham, the mothers of Moses and Jesus. Some of them (Mary and Sarah, for instance) were visited by angels and they talked to them. This clearly puts woman on a pedestal of personal and social respectability they never enjoyed before.
Status Of Women In Islam
For women, Islam is a special blessing; and the Prophet of Islam is indeed the greatest single benefactor of womenfolk. In Arabia, before the advent of Islam, the birth of a female child was regarded as a great misfortune and a shame, and cruel fathers buried them alive: "When news is brought to one of them of (the birth) of a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inner grief. With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had. Shall he retain it on sufferance and contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! What an evil choice they decide on." (The Qur`an: 16:58-59). Islam made this primal injustice a case for the highest court
when on the Day of Judgment "the female (infant) buried alive, will be asked for what crime she was killed." (The Qur`an: 81:8-9).
"Prior to Islam," write the authors of Cultural Atlas of Islam, "a woman was regarded by her parents as a threat to family honor and hence worthy of burial alive at infancy. As an adult, she was a sex object that could be bought, sold and inherited. From this position of inferiority and legal incapacity, Islam raised women to a position of influence and prestige in family and society." Islam gave this oppressed section of humanity, as it did to all other classes and groups, their legitimate place in life. In a world where woman was no more than an object of sexual gratification for men, and at a time when the religious circles argued over whether woman was human or not, with a soul of her own, Islam proclaimed, "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female." (The Qur`an 49:13).
"O Mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person, created of like nature his mate, from them scattered countless men and women. Fear Allah, through whom you demand your mutual rights and reverence the wombs (that bore you), for Allah ever watches over you." (The Qur`an 4:1). men and women are of the same family, and as such have similar rights and duties, and their Lord promises them "Never will I waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female, the one of you being from the other." (The Qur`an 3:195).
Islam removed some of the false notions about woman. It for instance refuted the idea that Eve tempted Adam to disobey God, and thus caused his downfall. The Qur`an explicitly says that they both disobeyed and negates the idea that the woman is a source of evil. The Qur`an mentions some of the women with great respect, ea. the wives of Adam, Abraham, the mothers of Moses and Jesus. Some of them (Mary and Sarah, for instance) were visited by angels and they talked to them. This clearly puts woman on a pedestal of personal and social respectability they never enjoyed before.
Ek Pakistani
Citizen
Re: Concept of GOD
good share... jazakAllah
good share... jazakAllah
Syed Attique Shah
Banned
Rights of women in Islam
| |
Syed Attique Shah
Banned
Status and role of women in Islam
Muslim Women`s League
I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in My way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other (3:195)
Spiritual equality, responsibility and accountability for both men and women is a well developed theme in the Quran. Understanding the spiritual equality of women in Islam is to understand that equality between men and women in the sight of God is not limited to purely spiritual, religious issues, but is the basis for equality in all temporal aspects of human life.
Gender Equality in the Qur`an
The concept of gender equality is best exemplified in the Quranic rendition of Adam and Eve. The Bible explains that "the Lord God said: `it is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a suitable partner for him`... then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man."1 In contrast, the Quran states that both sexes were deliberate and independent and there is no mention of Eve being created out of Adam`s rib or anything else. Even the issue of which sex was created first is not specified, implying that for our purposes here on earth it may not matter.
O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity (nafs), and out of it created its mate (zawj), and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand your rights from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you! (4:1)
Quranic translators disagree on the meaning of nafs in the above verse which Muhammad Asad translates here as "living entity." He states that "out of the many meanings attributable to the term nafssoul...most of the classical commentators chose `human being`, and assume that it refers here to Adam."2 Sayyid Abul A`la Mawdudi is one such commentator who ascribes that "the creation of the human species began with the creation of one individual...from whom the human race spread in the world."3 Yusef Ali translates nafs as "person," and that God created a single person first, Adam, then his mate, Eve.4 But Asad disagrees with the literal one-person origination and quotes the words of an eminent 19th century scholar: "Muhammad Abduh, however, rejects this interpretation (Manar IV, 323 ff.) and gives, instead, his preference to `humankind` inasmuch as this term stresses the common origin and brotherhood of the human race....The literal translation of minha as `out of it` clearly alludes, in conformity with the text, to the biological fact that both sexes have originated from `one living entity`."5 According to this verse, God created humankind and its sexual counterpart out of its own kind. The Arabic word referring to mate (zawj) in the above Quranic verse is grammatically neutral and can be applied both to male and female interchangeably.6 So it is not clear, nor should we conjecture, that Adam was created first, Eve was created out of Adam, or that Eve/woman is innately subservient to Adam/man. The fact that the Quran does not specify one specific sex over the other is proof of gender non-bias and equality.
Putting aside the scholarly discourse, does it really matter who was created first or is this just an issue of semantics? Unfortunately, this issue is often brought up in discussions about gender equality. It is commonly argued that Adam was created first, and that by this gesture God finds the male dominant and superior to the female; however, the wording of the Quran in the above verse (4:1) does not support this claim. So one can`t help wonder why some have such determination to prove that Adam came first, other than this point would support a sexist agenda. Interestingly, this point is indeed supported in 1 Timothy of the Bible as a letter of Paul: "A woman must listen in silence and be completely submissive. I do not permit a woman to act as teacher, or in any way to have authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was created first, Eve afterward."7 And in 1 Peter, women are referred to as the "weaker sex" and are told to be submissive to their husbands.8
The comparison to Biblical beliefs is important because according to modern scholar Leila Ahmed in Women and Gender in Islam: "converts [to Islam] brought traditions of thought and custom with them. For instance (to give just one example of how easily and invisibly scriptural assimilation could occur), in its account of the creation of humankind the Quran gives no indication of the order in which the first couple was created, nor does it say that Eve was created from Adam`s rib." Ahmed goes on to argue that "in Islamic traditionist literature, however, which was inscribed in the period following the Muslim conquests, Eve, sure enough, is referred to as created from a rib."9
It is also frequently argued in Muslim circles that because a womans menstruation prevents her from fulfilling her religious duties at all times (such as prayer, fasting) she consequently cannot achieve the same level of faith as men. Therefore, it is argued that she is inferior to men. For a thorough analysis of how a hadith of the Prophet was misunderstood to further this point, please read the chapter on "Sexuality."
Accountability, Independence, and Freedom of Choice
The Quran describes how Adam and Eve were told to avoid a specific tree, which they both approached. For this act of disobedience to God, they were consequently banished from the garden; however, later both repented and were forgiven by God. The Quran does not allude to Eves tempting Adam to eat from the tree and being responsible for their downfall, as is described as the "original sin" of the Bible: "it was not Adam who was deceived but the woman. It was she who was led astray and fell into sin."11 In the Quranic version, both were held accountable and both paid the price for their choices, proving that gender equality is an intrinsic part of Islamic belief. (See Quran 2:30-37)
Women are independent individuals, as exemplified by the fact that all human beings will be accountable for their own intentions and deeds on the Day of Judgment when no human being shall be of the least avail to another human being (82:19). If men were ultimately responsible for women (fathers for their daughters, husbands for their wives, etc.), then this accountability would be solely on men`s shoulders to bear all the way until the Day of Judgment. But this is not the case:
And whatever wrong any human being commits rests upon himself alone; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another`s burden... For, He it is who has made you inherit the earth, and has raised some of you by degrees above others, so that He might try you by means of what he bestowed upon you (6:164-165)
(In this verse, reference to "degrees" is to individual talents and capabilities, and not gender, race or social status)
Consequently, we cannot be judged according to our own deeds unless we have the freedom of choice to do so. This free choice carries with it the responsibility to make the right choices or paying the consequence for wrong ones, best exemplified by Adam and Eve.
Restrictions on Women
History is replete with examples of traditional societies where women have typically been subject to more restrictions than men, exemplified by lack of opportunities (being able to work or vote) or immobility (needing permission from a male relative to travel or not being able to drive), etc. Although it is mistakingly argued Islam has played a strong role in restricting the freedom of women in Muslim societies, these restrictions are not inherent in the religion of Islam, but rather stem from cultural interpretations. Trying to incorporate 9th century Arab customs to 20th century populations is often inappropriate despite intentions to have a pure society. When looking to Islam for guidance, its important to separate what is cultural from the essence of the religious perogative. If an authoritative ruling from Saudi Arabia states that women cannot drive because it would increase possible contact to freely mix with men which can lead to sins, this logic must be judged against Islam and history. It is a fact that the Quran emphasizes modesty for both men and women in order so that we conduct ourselves respectfully. (See "Social Interaction") It is also a fact that men and women in the time of the Prophet did interact, so the justification of this law on Islam is bogus. It is unduly harsh and anti-Islamic. It should not serve as an example of how Islam restricts women, as much as it should serve an example of how illogical it is to cut off ones nose to spite ones face.
Essentially, the rationale for restricting women is that these restrictions will force them to behave purely, and in order to have a pure society one must put up with fewer civil liberties. The problem with this rationale is that it it pre-empts ones intentions and actions because it punishes the women who would have followed Gods commands anyway, it doesnt allow women the opportunity to make choices that God has willed for them to be judged by, and above all, it places the burden of societys morality on women. Men are not held accountable to the same standards. Eve was not restricted from the tree in order to follow Gods commands by default. She was tested, chose to disobey God and went to the tree on her own free will. She also paid the price. There is nothing wrong with making a wrong decision, for it is better to learn, repent and be stronger for it than never to be challenged at all and remain meek all our lives.
Role as Vicegerents
As equal, independent creations of God, the ultimate role of men and women is to serve as vicegerents on earth, to worship God and follow His commands so that we may return to Him. Both men and women share this responsibility, which constitutes our basic role in life. The Quran outlines the attributes believing men and women should try to live by, but in no specific way are we told in what capacity each individual man and woman should practice these: Say: Behold, my prayer, and all my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for God alone (6:163). This verse which was addressed to the Prophet but serves as an inspiration to all, reveals that our vicegerency is not only spiritual, but must be consolidated with actual service.
Is vicegerency defined as childbearing for women?
The Quran does not distinguish between a man and a woman`s vicegerency. Each sex has the ability to contribute to successive generations, as implied by the term khalifa in the Quran (vicegerent). But that doesnt limit a woman`s vicegerency solely to bear or rear children. There is no judgment made in the Quran against a barren woman, a woman who chooses not to have children, or a young woman who dies before childbearing with one that has many children. Only two of the Prophet`s wives even bore children with him, Khadija and Mariya. Other wives such as Hafsa, Aisha and Zaynab did not bear any children, and there is no evidence that they were discounted for this.
In many Muslim cultures today, however, a woman`s role and status are often defined and affected by her decision to delay childbearing, the number and sex of the children, or the inability or desire to have children at all. If childbearing is indeed the only role for women, then such cultural preoccupations are understandable; but Islamic teachings always have a way of putting things in balance, reinforcing the significance of motherhood, but not defining roles completely by biology. (See chapters on "Social Interaction" and "Sexuality.")
Equality in Practice
In the Quran, reference to men and women is through attributes and deeds, by which we will be judged. The most pious of us, or those who follow God`s commands, are referred to as believers or mu`mineen (pl.) in the Quran. In many references, in fact, the Quran resonates this equality by eloquently repeating "men and women" with ethical and practical qualities throughout the verses, and even emphasizes this 10 times in the following verse:
Verily, for all men and women who have surrendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves before God, and all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women, and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity, and all men and women who remember God unceasingly: for all of them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward. (33:35)
Its paramount to understand that the Quran equates being a mu`min (sing.) with actual practice, so that it is not enough to just have faith in principle; we must put our faith into practice. The same applies to our belief in the equality of men and women; this principle that`s outlined in the Quran must also be put into practice. In reference to the above verse, a modern scholar says that "the implications are far-reaching. Ethical qualities, including those invoked here--charity, chastity, truthfulness, patience, piety - also have political and social dimensions."12
Equality and Feminism
The feminist movement of the 60s did much to gain recognition for womens rights in the United States, and made many strides in womens leadership and political clout. But what it failed to do was recognize that men and women are different and women shouldnt be exactly like men because they arent men. Islam recognizes this major point, but what many Muslims fail to understand is that just because men and women are different, this doesnt mean that men are made to do only "A", and women are made to do only "B". There is more overlap in our roles and contributions to society than there is clear-cut specialization. Clearly a stand somewhere between political feminism and specialization of the sexes is a balanced one that considers the natural roles between the sexes and individual talents.
Examples of Women in the Qur`an
The Quran refers to several specific women who triumphed spiritually despite worldly trials: Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, who was thought to be the same woman who saved of the life of infant Moses; and Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus.
And for those who have attained to faith God has propounded a parable in the story of Pharaohs wife as she prayed, "O my Sustainer! Built You for me a mansion in the paradise that is with You, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from all evildoing folk!" And Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, whereupon We breathed of Our spirit into that which was in her womb, and who accepted the truth of her Sustainer`s words - and thus, of His revelations - and was one of the truly devout. (66:11-12)
Queen Sheba`s Example of Spirituality and Leadership
The Queen of Sheba is also mentioned in the Qur`an as a model of wisdom and leadership (27:23-44). The Queen (unnamed in the Quran, but whom historians believe is named Balqis) is described as a prudent and loyal ruler of sun-worshippers who valued material wealth and their own achievements, yet lacked spiritual values. After King Soloman convinces her of their misguided ways, Queen Balqis declares her devotion to God and gladly gives up her material throne for a more valuable spiritual gain: O my Sustainer! I have been sinning against myself by worshipping aught but Thee: but now I have surrendered myself, with Solomon, unto the Sustainer of all the worlds! (27:44)
Simply put, there is no Quranic injunction limiting women in leadership roles. As described in the Quran, the Queen of Sheba was praised for her prudent leadership; she and her people were criticized on the grounds of lacking spiritual guidance, which she later conceded. This constitutes her noteworthy mention in the Quran, that she was able to see beyond her political power and believe in something that may have been "politically incorrect." The Quran did not comment on how the leading of her people was compromised due to her gender or that their lack of spirituality was the fault of a woman. The silence of the Quran on this gender-specific point is an important editorial on its lack of relevance to the issue at hand.
Despite her clear example in the Quran, however, there have been no shortage of scholarly opinions to minimize her significance or to question her role as a leader. "What is most fascinating about the story of Balqis, however, is that it prompted the commentators to get involved in a long, tangled, oversubtle exegesis of the problems which seemed to torture them personally and which the Koran superbly ignored."13 The well-known Islamic historian of the 10th century, Muhammed Al-Tabari, diminished the importance of her throne even though the Quran refers to it as a "mighty" or "magnificent" throne as it is most commonly translated (27:23); other experts questioned the marital status of the Queen and whether or not she married Solomon; the 10th century historian Mas`udi questioned her origin and wrote that she was born from a human father and a jinn (supernatural) mother; scholars in the Encyclopedia of Islam even question the historical existence of the rule of queens in her land at all.14 Even if she was legendary, it`s important to know that "the Qur`an often employs such legends as a vehicle for allegories expressing certain universal ethical truths....Within the context of the Qur`an, the only thing that is relevant in this respect is the spiritual truth underlying each one of these legends."15
What may be the most troubling of all these analyses is the fact that they miss the point entirely about the mention of Balqis in the Quran. Whether she was legendary or real, married or not, of whatever origin, this does not affect the example of her leadership and spirituality the Quran so eloquently presents. "Despite everything, Balqis has held her own in the face of the historians` attempts to reduce or humiliate her."16
For more discussion on the leadership roles of women before, during and after the advent of Islam, see chapter on "Women in Politics."
Women as Leaders of Prayer
A discourse on whether or not women could lead prayer arose in the early years of Islam. It is known that some of the early Khawarij party of "dissidents" who vied for power after the Prophet`s death, had women leaders who were also known for leading prayer for them. Ghazala, who led the Khawarij army and defeated the Iraqi tyrant Al-Hajjaj during the Omayyid dynasty, was known to have led prayer. (Leila Ahmed, p. 71) Well-respected scholars such as Muhammad al-Tabari (10th century) and Abi Thawr (what century and full name?) had taught in their schools of thought early on that women could lead a mixed congregation in prayer; they just disagreed on where she should stand. (Need references for both scholars and the point of views on their disagreement of a women`s stand in prayer-Dr Osman ecommended Ibn Rushds Bidayat al-Mujtahid, but I couldnt find the reference there. Need to check elsewhere.) What is often used to substantiate this opinion is when the Prophet told a woman, Um Waraqa, that she could lead her household in prayer (which included a muezzin, a man who called prayer.) The major schools of jurisprudence agree on the authenticity of this story, but the argument against it is whether it was an exception only for Um Waraqa or a generality applied to all women. Because Um Waraqa was allowed to lead prayer for Ahlu Dariha ("people of their home"), it is unclear whether the word dar in Arabic implied location in general or only her specific household. Abi Thawr`s argument for women leading prayer also includes hadith about the one who is the most knowledgeable on the Quran should lead prayer, and this may not be limited to only men. Also, after the Prophet`s death, Aisha and Um Salama have been known to act as imams (spiritual leaders) for other women in prayer.17 It is generally understood by most, if not all, Muslim scholars that any acts that are not categorically prohibited in Islam, are actually allowed. The point to be made is not that women should suddenly start taking over leading prayers in mosques around the world, but to show that women were involved in all aspects of practical and religious Muslim life, even possibly leading prayer.
Women`s Role in Religious Activities and Friday Prayer
Islam is not a passive, private world of ascetics, but a religion that prides itself on its active community practices, from daily congregational prayers to annual pilgrimages. And community activities in Islam are not by any means exclusively male-oriented. "Women of the first Muslim community attended mosque, took part in religious services on feast days, and listened to Muhammad`s discourses. Nor were they passive, docile followers but were active interlocutors in the domain of faith as they were in other matters."18 The Prophet was attentive to requests of the women believers. When some of his female followers complained that they needed more of Mu hammad`s time in instruction in the Quran, he agreed to set aside more time for them. To be assured of their equality in the eyes of God, women (and specifically, the Prophet`s wife, Umm Salama) had asked Muhammad why they were not mentioned in the Quran. Soon revelations were revealed discussing the equality of men and women, as well as an entire chapter, surat al-Nisa` ("The Women," chapter 4) devoted to new laws affecting the rights of women and surat al-Ahzab ("The Confederates," chapter 33) which dealt with many personal rules of behavior and relationship between the Prophet and his family, as well as many other verses throughout the Quran.
Attendance at Friday congregational prayer is as much a woman`s obligation as it is a man`s. Here, again, there is no distinction drawn in the Quran. Of course, women who are exempt from prayer entirely, such as during their menstruation, are exempt from the service. However, this is not a general rule that a woman cannot attend Friday prayer services at all. (For more discussion on women and menstruation, see chapter on Sexuality.) Those who quote a hadith that the best prayer for a woman is in her home, are ignoring the stronger one that instructed men to not prevent women from attending mosques. In addition, if there are restrictions about women attending congregational prayer among men, as some may wrongly contend, then there would not have been clear provisions from a hadith that it is best for men to pray in the front rows and best for women to pray in the last rows, to protect her privacy.
Equality of Women in Combat
"War was one activity in which women of pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabia participated fully. They were present on the battlefield principally to tend the wounded and to encourage the men, often with song and verse... Some women also fought. In the Muslim battles of Muhammad`s lifetime, women functioned in all three roles, on both sides -- even Muhammad`s wives."19 During the Battle of Uhud, women constituted the entire medical corps and tended to the injured. Um Umara was well known for having fought by the Prophet`s side and shielded him from enemies. "Her courage and her effectiveness with weapons led Muhammad to observe that she had acquitted herself better than many men." 20 Um Saleem carried a dagger to fight in al-Khondaq; Nusaiba bint Ka`b fought and wounded 12 at Uhud and the Prophet praised her fighting by saying "Never did I look right or left but she was there defending me and fighting before me." 21 Nusaiba also fought in the war of apostasy under Abu Bakr. 22 Um Al Dhouhha bint Mas`ud attended the battle of the Kheiber and the Prophet gave her an equal share of the spoils to the men`s; After the death of the Prophet, Um Hakim "single-handedly disposed of seven Byzantine soldiers at the battle of Marj al-Saffar, as well as groups, even battalions, of women participating in the fighting." 23
These examples prove that the Prophet did not restrict women to merely wait at home for their men to return, but encouraged anyone willing to fight and work for Islam to do so. His army was an army of believers, both men and women. Clearly if women as a whole were not equal or as competent as their male counterparts, they wouldnt have been given the opportunity to protect the security of their community and the life of the Prophet. Despite the clear examples during the life of the Prophet, soon after his death, women`s role in the domain of warfare, was challenged. Many women among the Khawarij (the political "dissident" movement arising in the mid-seventh century) "won renown for their prowess in battle, among them Ghazala, who defeated al-Hajjaj in a duel."24 (Al-Hajjaj was a tyrannical Iraqi ruler during the Ommayyid dynasty.) This renown was soon overtaken by retreat from warfare after orthodox leaders, who opposed women`s participation in battle, "killed and exposed naked the women captured in their battles with the Kharijis [sing. form of Khawarij]--conduct suggesting an attitude toward women on the battlefield far different from that of the first Muslim community. The strategy was effective in leading Khariji women eventually to withdrawing from the theater of war." 25
Such misguided beliefs, among many, have unfortunately come to shroud the courageous and active participation of women in the early years of Islam, and have contributed to a misunderstanding of our role and status in the Muslim community today.
Notes:
bullet The New American Bible (New York: P. J. Kenedy & Sons, 1970), Genesis 2:18, 22
bullet Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Quran (Gibraltar: Dar al-Andalus, 1980), p. 100
bullet Sayyid Abul A`la Mawdudi, Towards Understanding the Qur`an, Vol. II (London: The Islamic Foundation, 1989), p. 5
bullet The Holy Qur`an, trans. A. Yusuf Ali (American Trust Publications), p. 178
bullet Asad, The Message of the Quran, p. 100
bullet Ibid
bullet The New American Bible, 1 Timothy 2:11, 12
bullet The New American Bible, 1 Peter 3:7
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, Historical Roots of a Modern Debate (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992), p. 4-5
bullet The New American Bible, 1 Timothy 2:14
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, p. 65
bullet Mernissi, Fatima, The Forgotton Queens of Islam (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1993), p. 142
bullet Mernissi, Fatima, The Forgotton Queens of Islam, p. 142-144
bullet Asad, The Message of the Quran, p. 576
bullet Mernissi, Fatima, The Forgotton Queens of Islam, p. 142-144
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, p. 61
bullet Ibid, p. 72
bullet Ibid, p. 69-70
bullet Ibid, p. 70
bullet In Fraternity, p. 73-74
bullet Ibid, p. 73
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, p. 70
bullet Ibid, p. 71
bullet Ibid, p. 71
Muslim Women`s League
I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in My way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other (3:195)
Spiritual equality, responsibility and accountability for both men and women is a well developed theme in the Quran. Understanding the spiritual equality of women in Islam is to understand that equality between men and women in the sight of God is not limited to purely spiritual, religious issues, but is the basis for equality in all temporal aspects of human life.
Gender Equality in the Qur`an
The concept of gender equality is best exemplified in the Quranic rendition of Adam and Eve. The Bible explains that "the Lord God said: `it is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a suitable partner for him`... then built up into a woman the rib that he had taken from the man."1 In contrast, the Quran states that both sexes were deliberate and independent and there is no mention of Eve being created out of Adam`s rib or anything else. Even the issue of which sex was created first is not specified, implying that for our purposes here on earth it may not matter.
O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity (nafs), and out of it created its mate (zawj), and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand your rights from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you! (4:1)
Quranic translators disagree on the meaning of nafs in the above verse which Muhammad Asad translates here as "living entity." He states that "out of the many meanings attributable to the term nafssoul...most of the classical commentators chose `human being`, and assume that it refers here to Adam."2 Sayyid Abul A`la Mawdudi is one such commentator who ascribes that "the creation of the human species began with the creation of one individual...from whom the human race spread in the world."3 Yusef Ali translates nafs as "person," and that God created a single person first, Adam, then his mate, Eve.4 But Asad disagrees with the literal one-person origination and quotes the words of an eminent 19th century scholar: "Muhammad Abduh, however, rejects this interpretation (Manar IV, 323 ff.) and gives, instead, his preference to `humankind` inasmuch as this term stresses the common origin and brotherhood of the human race....The literal translation of minha as `out of it` clearly alludes, in conformity with the text, to the biological fact that both sexes have originated from `one living entity`."5 According to this verse, God created humankind and its sexual counterpart out of its own kind. The Arabic word referring to mate (zawj) in the above Quranic verse is grammatically neutral and can be applied both to male and female interchangeably.6 So it is not clear, nor should we conjecture, that Adam was created first, Eve was created out of Adam, or that Eve/woman is innately subservient to Adam/man. The fact that the Quran does not specify one specific sex over the other is proof of gender non-bias and equality.
Putting aside the scholarly discourse, does it really matter who was created first or is this just an issue of semantics? Unfortunately, this issue is often brought up in discussions about gender equality. It is commonly argued that Adam was created first, and that by this gesture God finds the male dominant and superior to the female; however, the wording of the Quran in the above verse (4:1) does not support this claim. So one can`t help wonder why some have such determination to prove that Adam came first, other than this point would support a sexist agenda. Interestingly, this point is indeed supported in 1 Timothy of the Bible as a letter of Paul: "A woman must listen in silence and be completely submissive. I do not permit a woman to act as teacher, or in any way to have authority over a man; she must be quiet. For Adam was created first, Eve afterward."7 And in 1 Peter, women are referred to as the "weaker sex" and are told to be submissive to their husbands.8
The comparison to Biblical beliefs is important because according to modern scholar Leila Ahmed in Women and Gender in Islam: "converts [to Islam] brought traditions of thought and custom with them. For instance (to give just one example of how easily and invisibly scriptural assimilation could occur), in its account of the creation of humankind the Quran gives no indication of the order in which the first couple was created, nor does it say that Eve was created from Adam`s rib." Ahmed goes on to argue that "in Islamic traditionist literature, however, which was inscribed in the period following the Muslim conquests, Eve, sure enough, is referred to as created from a rib."9
It is also frequently argued in Muslim circles that because a womans menstruation prevents her from fulfilling her religious duties at all times (such as prayer, fasting) she consequently cannot achieve the same level of faith as men. Therefore, it is argued that she is inferior to men. For a thorough analysis of how a hadith of the Prophet was misunderstood to further this point, please read the chapter on "Sexuality."
Accountability, Independence, and Freedom of Choice
The Quran describes how Adam and Eve were told to avoid a specific tree, which they both approached. For this act of disobedience to God, they were consequently banished from the garden; however, later both repented and were forgiven by God. The Quran does not allude to Eves tempting Adam to eat from the tree and being responsible for their downfall, as is described as the "original sin" of the Bible: "it was not Adam who was deceived but the woman. It was she who was led astray and fell into sin."11 In the Quranic version, both were held accountable and both paid the price for their choices, proving that gender equality is an intrinsic part of Islamic belief. (See Quran 2:30-37)
Women are independent individuals, as exemplified by the fact that all human beings will be accountable for their own intentions and deeds on the Day of Judgment when no human being shall be of the least avail to another human being (82:19). If men were ultimately responsible for women (fathers for their daughters, husbands for their wives, etc.), then this accountability would be solely on men`s shoulders to bear all the way until the Day of Judgment. But this is not the case:
And whatever wrong any human being commits rests upon himself alone; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another`s burden... For, He it is who has made you inherit the earth, and has raised some of you by degrees above others, so that He might try you by means of what he bestowed upon you (6:164-165)
(In this verse, reference to "degrees" is to individual talents and capabilities, and not gender, race or social status)
Consequently, we cannot be judged according to our own deeds unless we have the freedom of choice to do so. This free choice carries with it the responsibility to make the right choices or paying the consequence for wrong ones, best exemplified by Adam and Eve.
Restrictions on Women
History is replete with examples of traditional societies where women have typically been subject to more restrictions than men, exemplified by lack of opportunities (being able to work or vote) or immobility (needing permission from a male relative to travel or not being able to drive), etc. Although it is mistakingly argued Islam has played a strong role in restricting the freedom of women in Muslim societies, these restrictions are not inherent in the religion of Islam, but rather stem from cultural interpretations. Trying to incorporate 9th century Arab customs to 20th century populations is often inappropriate despite intentions to have a pure society. When looking to Islam for guidance, its important to separate what is cultural from the essence of the religious perogative. If an authoritative ruling from Saudi Arabia states that women cannot drive because it would increase possible contact to freely mix with men which can lead to sins, this logic must be judged against Islam and history. It is a fact that the Quran emphasizes modesty for both men and women in order so that we conduct ourselves respectfully. (See "Social Interaction") It is also a fact that men and women in the time of the Prophet did interact, so the justification of this law on Islam is bogus. It is unduly harsh and anti-Islamic. It should not serve as an example of how Islam restricts women, as much as it should serve an example of how illogical it is to cut off ones nose to spite ones face.
Essentially, the rationale for restricting women is that these restrictions will force them to behave purely, and in order to have a pure society one must put up with fewer civil liberties. The problem with this rationale is that it it pre-empts ones intentions and actions because it punishes the women who would have followed Gods commands anyway, it doesnt allow women the opportunity to make choices that God has willed for them to be judged by, and above all, it places the burden of societys morality on women. Men are not held accountable to the same standards. Eve was not restricted from the tree in order to follow Gods commands by default. She was tested, chose to disobey God and went to the tree on her own free will. She also paid the price. There is nothing wrong with making a wrong decision, for it is better to learn, repent and be stronger for it than never to be challenged at all and remain meek all our lives.
Role as Vicegerents
As equal, independent creations of God, the ultimate role of men and women is to serve as vicegerents on earth, to worship God and follow His commands so that we may return to Him. Both men and women share this responsibility, which constitutes our basic role in life. The Quran outlines the attributes believing men and women should try to live by, but in no specific way are we told in what capacity each individual man and woman should practice these: Say: Behold, my prayer, and all my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for God alone (6:163). This verse which was addressed to the Prophet but serves as an inspiration to all, reveals that our vicegerency is not only spiritual, but must be consolidated with actual service.
Is vicegerency defined as childbearing for women?
The Quran does not distinguish between a man and a woman`s vicegerency. Each sex has the ability to contribute to successive generations, as implied by the term khalifa in the Quran (vicegerent). But that doesnt limit a woman`s vicegerency solely to bear or rear children. There is no judgment made in the Quran against a barren woman, a woman who chooses not to have children, or a young woman who dies before childbearing with one that has many children. Only two of the Prophet`s wives even bore children with him, Khadija and Mariya. Other wives such as Hafsa, Aisha and Zaynab did not bear any children, and there is no evidence that they were discounted for this.
In many Muslim cultures today, however, a woman`s role and status are often defined and affected by her decision to delay childbearing, the number and sex of the children, or the inability or desire to have children at all. If childbearing is indeed the only role for women, then such cultural preoccupations are understandable; but Islamic teachings always have a way of putting things in balance, reinforcing the significance of motherhood, but not defining roles completely by biology. (See chapters on "Social Interaction" and "Sexuality.")
Equality in Practice
In the Quran, reference to men and women is through attributes and deeds, by which we will be judged. The most pious of us, or those who follow God`s commands, are referred to as believers or mu`mineen (pl.) in the Quran. In many references, in fact, the Quran resonates this equality by eloquently repeating "men and women" with ethical and practical qualities throughout the verses, and even emphasizes this 10 times in the following verse:
Verily, for all men and women who have surrendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves before God, and all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women, and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity, and all men and women who remember God unceasingly: for all of them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward. (33:35)
Its paramount to understand that the Quran equates being a mu`min (sing.) with actual practice, so that it is not enough to just have faith in principle; we must put our faith into practice. The same applies to our belief in the equality of men and women; this principle that`s outlined in the Quran must also be put into practice. In reference to the above verse, a modern scholar says that "the implications are far-reaching. Ethical qualities, including those invoked here--charity, chastity, truthfulness, patience, piety - also have political and social dimensions."12
Equality and Feminism
The feminist movement of the 60s did much to gain recognition for womens rights in the United States, and made many strides in womens leadership and political clout. But what it failed to do was recognize that men and women are different and women shouldnt be exactly like men because they arent men. Islam recognizes this major point, but what many Muslims fail to understand is that just because men and women are different, this doesnt mean that men are made to do only "A", and women are made to do only "B". There is more overlap in our roles and contributions to society than there is clear-cut specialization. Clearly a stand somewhere between political feminism and specialization of the sexes is a balanced one that considers the natural roles between the sexes and individual talents.
Examples of Women in the Qur`an
The Quran refers to several specific women who triumphed spiritually despite worldly trials: Asiya, the wife of Pharaoh, who was thought to be the same woman who saved of the life of infant Moses; and Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus.
And for those who have attained to faith God has propounded a parable in the story of Pharaohs wife as she prayed, "O my Sustainer! Built You for me a mansion in the paradise that is with You, and save me from Pharaoh and his doings, and save me from all evildoing folk!" And Mary the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, whereupon We breathed of Our spirit into that which was in her womb, and who accepted the truth of her Sustainer`s words - and thus, of His revelations - and was one of the truly devout. (66:11-12)
Queen Sheba`s Example of Spirituality and Leadership
The Queen of Sheba is also mentioned in the Qur`an as a model of wisdom and leadership (27:23-44). The Queen (unnamed in the Quran, but whom historians believe is named Balqis) is described as a prudent and loyal ruler of sun-worshippers who valued material wealth and their own achievements, yet lacked spiritual values. After King Soloman convinces her of their misguided ways, Queen Balqis declares her devotion to God and gladly gives up her material throne for a more valuable spiritual gain: O my Sustainer! I have been sinning against myself by worshipping aught but Thee: but now I have surrendered myself, with Solomon, unto the Sustainer of all the worlds! (27:44)
Simply put, there is no Quranic injunction limiting women in leadership roles. As described in the Quran, the Queen of Sheba was praised for her prudent leadership; she and her people were criticized on the grounds of lacking spiritual guidance, which she later conceded. This constitutes her noteworthy mention in the Quran, that she was able to see beyond her political power and believe in something that may have been "politically incorrect." The Quran did not comment on how the leading of her people was compromised due to her gender or that their lack of spirituality was the fault of a woman. The silence of the Quran on this gender-specific point is an important editorial on its lack of relevance to the issue at hand.
Despite her clear example in the Quran, however, there have been no shortage of scholarly opinions to minimize her significance or to question her role as a leader. "What is most fascinating about the story of Balqis, however, is that it prompted the commentators to get involved in a long, tangled, oversubtle exegesis of the problems which seemed to torture them personally and which the Koran superbly ignored."13 The well-known Islamic historian of the 10th century, Muhammed Al-Tabari, diminished the importance of her throne even though the Quran refers to it as a "mighty" or "magnificent" throne as it is most commonly translated (27:23); other experts questioned the marital status of the Queen and whether or not she married Solomon; the 10th century historian Mas`udi questioned her origin and wrote that she was born from a human father and a jinn (supernatural) mother; scholars in the Encyclopedia of Islam even question the historical existence of the rule of queens in her land at all.14 Even if she was legendary, it`s important to know that "the Qur`an often employs such legends as a vehicle for allegories expressing certain universal ethical truths....Within the context of the Qur`an, the only thing that is relevant in this respect is the spiritual truth underlying each one of these legends."15
What may be the most troubling of all these analyses is the fact that they miss the point entirely about the mention of Balqis in the Quran. Whether she was legendary or real, married or not, of whatever origin, this does not affect the example of her leadership and spirituality the Quran so eloquently presents. "Despite everything, Balqis has held her own in the face of the historians` attempts to reduce or humiliate her."16
For more discussion on the leadership roles of women before, during and after the advent of Islam, see chapter on "Women in Politics."
Women as Leaders of Prayer
A discourse on whether or not women could lead prayer arose in the early years of Islam. It is known that some of the early Khawarij party of "dissidents" who vied for power after the Prophet`s death, had women leaders who were also known for leading prayer for them. Ghazala, who led the Khawarij army and defeated the Iraqi tyrant Al-Hajjaj during the Omayyid dynasty, was known to have led prayer. (Leila Ahmed, p. 71) Well-respected scholars such as Muhammad al-Tabari (10th century) and Abi Thawr (what century and full name?) had taught in their schools of thought early on that women could lead a mixed congregation in prayer; they just disagreed on where she should stand. (Need references for both scholars and the point of views on their disagreement of a women`s stand in prayer-Dr Osman ecommended Ibn Rushds Bidayat al-Mujtahid, but I couldnt find the reference there. Need to check elsewhere.) What is often used to substantiate this opinion is when the Prophet told a woman, Um Waraqa, that she could lead her household in prayer (which included a muezzin, a man who called prayer.) The major schools of jurisprudence agree on the authenticity of this story, but the argument against it is whether it was an exception only for Um Waraqa or a generality applied to all women. Because Um Waraqa was allowed to lead prayer for Ahlu Dariha ("people of their home"), it is unclear whether the word dar in Arabic implied location in general or only her specific household. Abi Thawr`s argument for women leading prayer also includes hadith about the one who is the most knowledgeable on the Quran should lead prayer, and this may not be limited to only men. Also, after the Prophet`s death, Aisha and Um Salama have been known to act as imams (spiritual leaders) for other women in prayer.17 It is generally understood by most, if not all, Muslim scholars that any acts that are not categorically prohibited in Islam, are actually allowed. The point to be made is not that women should suddenly start taking over leading prayers in mosques around the world, but to show that women were involved in all aspects of practical and religious Muslim life, even possibly leading prayer.
Women`s Role in Religious Activities and Friday Prayer
Islam is not a passive, private world of ascetics, but a religion that prides itself on its active community practices, from daily congregational prayers to annual pilgrimages. And community activities in Islam are not by any means exclusively male-oriented. "Women of the first Muslim community attended mosque, took part in religious services on feast days, and listened to Muhammad`s discourses. Nor were they passive, docile followers but were active interlocutors in the domain of faith as they were in other matters."18 The Prophet was attentive to requests of the women believers. When some of his female followers complained that they needed more of Mu hammad`s time in instruction in the Quran, he agreed to set aside more time for them. To be assured of their equality in the eyes of God, women (and specifically, the Prophet`s wife, Umm Salama) had asked Muhammad why they were not mentioned in the Quran. Soon revelations were revealed discussing the equality of men and women, as well as an entire chapter, surat al-Nisa` ("The Women," chapter 4) devoted to new laws affecting the rights of women and surat al-Ahzab ("The Confederates," chapter 33) which dealt with many personal rules of behavior and relationship between the Prophet and his family, as well as many other verses throughout the Quran.
Attendance at Friday congregational prayer is as much a woman`s obligation as it is a man`s. Here, again, there is no distinction drawn in the Quran. Of course, women who are exempt from prayer entirely, such as during their menstruation, are exempt from the service. However, this is not a general rule that a woman cannot attend Friday prayer services at all. (For more discussion on women and menstruation, see chapter on Sexuality.) Those who quote a hadith that the best prayer for a woman is in her home, are ignoring the stronger one that instructed men to not prevent women from attending mosques. In addition, if there are restrictions about women attending congregational prayer among men, as some may wrongly contend, then there would not have been clear provisions from a hadith that it is best for men to pray in the front rows and best for women to pray in the last rows, to protect her privacy.
Equality of Women in Combat
"War was one activity in which women of pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabia participated fully. They were present on the battlefield principally to tend the wounded and to encourage the men, often with song and verse... Some women also fought. In the Muslim battles of Muhammad`s lifetime, women functioned in all three roles, on both sides -- even Muhammad`s wives."19 During the Battle of Uhud, women constituted the entire medical corps and tended to the injured. Um Umara was well known for having fought by the Prophet`s side and shielded him from enemies. "Her courage and her effectiveness with weapons led Muhammad to observe that she had acquitted herself better than many men." 20 Um Saleem carried a dagger to fight in al-Khondaq; Nusaiba bint Ka`b fought and wounded 12 at Uhud and the Prophet praised her fighting by saying "Never did I look right or left but she was there defending me and fighting before me." 21 Nusaiba also fought in the war of apostasy under Abu Bakr. 22 Um Al Dhouhha bint Mas`ud attended the battle of the Kheiber and the Prophet gave her an equal share of the spoils to the men`s; After the death of the Prophet, Um Hakim "single-handedly disposed of seven Byzantine soldiers at the battle of Marj al-Saffar, as well as groups, even battalions, of women participating in the fighting." 23
These examples prove that the Prophet did not restrict women to merely wait at home for their men to return, but encouraged anyone willing to fight and work for Islam to do so. His army was an army of believers, both men and women. Clearly if women as a whole were not equal or as competent as their male counterparts, they wouldnt have been given the opportunity to protect the security of their community and the life of the Prophet. Despite the clear examples during the life of the Prophet, soon after his death, women`s role in the domain of warfare, was challenged. Many women among the Khawarij (the political "dissident" movement arising in the mid-seventh century) "won renown for their prowess in battle, among them Ghazala, who defeated al-Hajjaj in a duel."24 (Al-Hajjaj was a tyrannical Iraqi ruler during the Ommayyid dynasty.) This renown was soon overtaken by retreat from warfare after orthodox leaders, who opposed women`s participation in battle, "killed and exposed naked the women captured in their battles with the Kharijis [sing. form of Khawarij]--conduct suggesting an attitude toward women on the battlefield far different from that of the first Muslim community. The strategy was effective in leading Khariji women eventually to withdrawing from the theater of war." 25
Such misguided beliefs, among many, have unfortunately come to shroud the courageous and active participation of women in the early years of Islam, and have contributed to a misunderstanding of our role and status in the Muslim community today.
Notes:
bullet The New American Bible (New York: P. J. Kenedy & Sons, 1970), Genesis 2:18, 22
bullet Muhammad Asad, The Message of the Quran (Gibraltar: Dar al-Andalus, 1980), p. 100
bullet Sayyid Abul A`la Mawdudi, Towards Understanding the Qur`an, Vol. II (London: The Islamic Foundation, 1989), p. 5
bullet The Holy Qur`an, trans. A. Yusuf Ali (American Trust Publications), p. 178
bullet Asad, The Message of the Quran, p. 100
bullet Ibid
bullet The New American Bible, 1 Timothy 2:11, 12
bullet The New American Bible, 1 Peter 3:7
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, Historical Roots of a Modern Debate (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1992), p. 4-5
bullet The New American Bible, 1 Timothy 2:14
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, p. 65
bullet Mernissi, Fatima, The Forgotton Queens of Islam (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1993), p. 142
bullet Mernissi, Fatima, The Forgotton Queens of Islam, p. 142-144
bullet Asad, The Message of the Quran, p. 576
bullet Mernissi, Fatima, The Forgotton Queens of Islam, p. 142-144
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, p. 61
bullet Ibid, p. 72
bullet Ibid, p. 69-70
bullet Ibid, p. 70
bullet In Fraternity, p. 73-74
bullet Ibid, p. 73
bullet Ahmed, Laila, Women and Gender in Islam, p. 70
bullet Ibid, p. 71
bullet Ibid, p. 71
