| Home | About Me | Articles | Blog | Contact Me | Downloads | Library | Links | Message Board Posts | Photo Gallery | Privacy Policy | The Holy Qur'an | Site Map | Sunnah & Hadith | Yahoo! Group |
| © Copyright 2007-2008 The Straight Path |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
 |
From: "Karen A." <purplebaby_19@yahoo.com>
Salma A.: I chose to write about the rights of women in Islam because I believe it is not given enough attention. Quite a number of men and
women, Muslim and non-Muslim are not aware of the rights of women in this deen, in fact some do not know that they have rights.
The state of women before the coming of the Prophet Muhammad (sws) was reduced to a piece of property or a play thing. They had no rights of
any sort. They were not allowed to own property, inherit, be party to a marriage contract and take part in public matters.
From Eve till then, women were seen as omens, burdens and the cause of men's sins. It was Islam that lifted the blame of original sin placed on
Eve. Allah (swt) condemned both Adam and Eve for their transgression. The Qur'an states:
In this case the words "them" and "both" are seen which indicates that both Adam and Eve were at fault and not just Eve.
The very first right of a women is at her birth where she was granted the right to live. It was common practice among the Arabs in the times
before Islam to murder infant girls. This was because daughters were seen as a burden and a liability on the family and it was a sad occasion when
a girl was born. Allah (swt) revealed in The Qur'an:
The Prophet (sws) was reported to have said this about the matter: "God has forbidden you to be disobedient to mothers and to bury daughters
alive." (al-Bukhari). It is evident then, that it is indeed a sin to be rid of a child because it is female and it is Islam that stopped this abhorrent
tradition.
Now that the daughter has the right to live, she is given rights as a daughter and a sister. Sons obviously held a higher status in the family and
were favoured among daughters. Islam did not agree with the unfair treatment of daughters and stood firm on fair treatment of both. The
Prophet Muhammad (sws) encouraged parents not to take preference of the son over the daughter and was reported to have said; "If a daughter is
born to a man and he brings her up
affectionately, shows her no disrespect and treats her in the same manner as he treats his sons, the Lord will reward him with paradise." (Bukhari)
The Prophet (sws) himself loved his daughters a great deal and was very affectionate with them. He remained close to them even after they were
married and continued to look after their well-being.
As a daughter and a woman she also maintains the right to marry whom she approves of. She cannot be forced into a marriage and strong arming
any woman into marriage results in an invalid union. It was reported by Ibn Abbas that when Khansa's father, Khaddam made her marry a man
she did not like; she complained to the Prophet (sws) and he ended it. The woman as a sister also holds status in her family and must be treated
kindly and with respect. The Prophet Muhammad (sws) said; "He is not of me who severs or breaks the ties of kinship." (Bukhari) The sister
therefore must be recognized for her special place in this case and be given consideration.
When a Muslim woman becomes a wife she gains a new position and also new rights. (This is something that can be talked about at length). One of
the most interesting things that I discovered is that she does not have to take her husband's name. She can therefore maintain her identity and
individuality and if she happens to divorce her husband there is no long process of changing back her name. Another right which a wife has- and
which great emphasis is placed on is how she is to be treated. The Qur'an clearly states;
The Prophet (sws) advocated this and practiced it with his wives. He was reported to have said; "The best of you are they who behave best to
their wives." (Bukahri) This also proves that in Islam the wife is to be regarded as a person to be respected, cared for and to be treated with
kindness. The Prophet (sws) was also very receptive of his wives' opinions and consulted them on many matters. She also has the right to be
satisfied sexually. This is something that most man are either unaware of, or overlook. They believe that the wife is there for the husband's
pleasure and hers is unimportant. The Prophet (sws) said with regard to this matter; "It is a vice in a man to assault his unprepared wife, seeking
to satisfy his own lust and leaving her before she could achieve her own fulfillment." (Bukhari)
The last right I will briefly mention with respect to the wife is her right to keep her dowry if she and her husband are divorced. The Qur'an makes
this abundantly clear when it says;
There are certain things that are woman in Islam is entitled to at any stage in her life. These being: - The right to an education.
- The right to go to mosque.
- The right to inheritance.
- The right to respect.
- The right to participation in public matters.
- The right to independent ownership.
The Muslim woman is permitted to seek knowledge both academic and religious. The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said; "The acquisition of
knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim man, woman and child." (Bukhari)
The Qur'an (20: 114) tells us to say;
The Prophet (sws) even took it upon himself and willfully taught a group of women as narrated by Abu Said;
A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Men (only) benefit by your teachings, so please devote to us from (some of) your
time, a day on which we may come to you so that you may teach us of what Allah has taught you." Allah's Apostle said, "Gather on such-and-such
a day at such-and-such a place." They gathered and Allah's Apostle came to them and taught them of what Allah had taught him. (Bukhari)
This proves that in Islam, the woman should not be restricted from acquiring knowledge and the men in her life i.e. husband, brother, son, father
should encourage her to do so. If she seeks interest in a particular topic and especially if it has to do with her religion and they do not think they
can sufficiently educate her- then they should accompany her in learning as well. Aisha, one of the wives of the Prophet (sws) was an extremely
intelligent and learned woman who taught others, and people went to her seeking advice in legal, political and religious matters when her
husband was unavailable.
One right that seems to creeping its way into controversy (thankfully not here in Trinidad) is that of the right of the woman to attend the mosque.
It was narrated by Ibn Umar: The Prophet (sws) said, "Allow women to go to the Mosques at night." (Bukhari) Another Hadith states;
Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (sws) said: Do not deprive women of their share of the mosques, when they seek permission from
you. Bilal said: By Allah, we would certainly prevent them. 'Abdullah said: I say that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said it and
you say: We would certainly prevent them! (Sahih Muslim)
It is not fair of the Muslim man to prevent any female from entering a mosque for the purpose of worshipping Allah (swt).
The other right is that of inheritance. The Qur'an states:
This clearly reveals that one cannot take away what is legally given to a woman and that both men and women are entitled to inheritance. While it
is also true that a son may get twice as much as the daughters if their father dies, the fact still remains that the daughter is entitled to something.
The reason the male gets more is because he has duties to provide for his family and as such requires more wealth.
The right to respect is another that a woman in Islam possesses. Women are seen as "equal to men as human beings" and "as half of the society"
that "should be treated with care, tenderness and affection." (Haifaa A. Jawad) The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said; "The more civil and
kind a Muslim is to his woman whether wife, daughter or sister the more perfect in faith he is." (Bukhari) and warned against "Fearing Allah
regarding women…" in his speech on the Mount of Mercy at Arafat.
One right which is seriously underappreciated is that of participation on public affairs. At the time of the Prophet (sws) women were encouraged
to make their voices heard in public and political matters and their opinions were highly regarded. Two wives of the Prophet (sws) in particular,
Aisha and Umm Salama are
exemplars of this. They were both actively involved in their communities' politics and public affairs and did such things as condemn the policies of
rulers and lead opposition groups.
Finally, there is the right to independent ownership. This means that the woman is well within her rights to possess her own wealth and property.
She can also set up her own business, sign legal documents and donate her money as she sees fit. The Holy Qur'an states;
Her status as wife or being single does not change this right. For example, when she is married she has a right to her dowry which cannot be taken
away from her even after divorce.
To conclude; women are indeed blessed by Allah (swt) with these rights. Unfortunately, with the death of Prophet Muhammad (sws) and as time
passed, these rights were gradually overlooked and taken away. Muslim women all over the world now suffer at the hands of tyrannical,
oppressive men who have twisted the words of Allah (swt) and his messenger and lock their women in the houses, prevent her from stating her
opinion, developing her intellect and from going to the mosques. "Gradually the bright picture of the free, courageous, independent, self-
respecting and respected Muslim woman was replaced with that of secluded, lazy, ignorant and passive women who had no role or impact on her
own affairs let alone on society as a whole" (Jawad) Women in Islam need to take a stand and affirm their status as persons who are to be
respected, treated fairly and be permitted to exercise their rights and in doing so they shall break away from the stereotypical view of the
oppressed woman in Islam.
Quotes taken from :-
Sahih al-Bukhari
The Holy Qu'ran
Jawad, Haifaa A. The Rights of Women in Islam. MacMillan Press Ltd,
Great Britan: 1998
Salma A.: I chose to write about the rights of women in Islam because I believe it is not given enough attention. Quite a number of men and
women, Muslim and non-Muslim are not aware of the rights of women in this deen, in fact some do not know that they have rights.
The state of women before the coming of the Prophet Muhammad (sws) was reduced to a piece of property or a play thing. They had no rights of
any sort. They were not allowed to own property, inherit, be party to a marriage contract and take part in public matters.
From Eve till then, women were seen as omens, burdens and the cause of men's sins. It was Islam that lifted the blame of original sin placed on
Eve. Allah (swt) condemned both Adam and Eve for their transgression. The Qur'an states:
- "To Adam He said: Dwell with your wife in Paradise, and eat from whatever you please; but never approach this tree or you shall both
become transgressors. But the devil tempted them, so that he might reveal to them that which had been hidden from them of their shame." (2:
35-36)
In this case the words "them" and "both" are seen which indicates that both Adam and Eve were at fault and not just Eve.
The very first right of a women is at her birth where she was granted the right to live. It was common practice among the Arabs in the times
before Islam to murder infant girls. This was because daughters were seen as a burden and a liability on the family and it was a sad occasion when
a girl was born. Allah (swt) revealed in The Qur'an:
- "When the news is brought to one of them, of (the birth/ Of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward 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?" (16:58-59)
The Prophet (sws) was reported to have said this about the matter: "God has forbidden you to be disobedient to mothers and to bury daughters
alive." (al-Bukhari). It is evident then, that it is indeed a sin to be rid of a child because it is female and it is Islam that stopped this abhorrent
tradition.
Now that the daughter has the right to live, she is given rights as a daughter and a sister. Sons obviously held a higher status in the family and
were favoured among daughters. Islam did not agree with the unfair treatment of daughters and stood firm on fair treatment of both. The
Prophet Muhammad (sws) encouraged parents not to take preference of the son over the daughter and was reported to have said; "If a daughter is
born to a man and he brings her up
affectionately, shows her no disrespect and treats her in the same manner as he treats his sons, the Lord will reward him with paradise." (Bukhari)
The Prophet (sws) himself loved his daughters a great deal and was very affectionate with them. He remained close to them even after they were
married and continued to look after their well-being.
As a daughter and a woman she also maintains the right to marry whom she approves of. She cannot be forced into a marriage and strong arming
any woman into marriage results in an invalid union. It was reported by Ibn Abbas that when Khansa's father, Khaddam made her marry a man
she did not like; she complained to the Prophet (sws) and he ended it. The woman as a sister also holds status in her family and must be treated
kindly and with respect. The Prophet Muhammad (sws) said; "He is not of me who severs or breaks the ties of kinship." (Bukhari) The sister
therefore must be recognized for her special place in this case and be given consideration.
When a Muslim woman becomes a wife she gains a new position and also new rights. (This is something that can be talked about at length). One of
the most interesting things that I discovered is that she does not have to take her husband's name. She can therefore maintain her identity and
individuality and if she happens to divorce her husband there is no long process of changing back her name. Another right which a wife has- and
which great emphasis is placed on is how she is to be treated. The Qur'an clearly states;
- "O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may Take away
part of the dower ye have given them,-except where they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of
kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good." (4:
109)
The Prophet (sws) advocated this and practiced it with his wives. He was reported to have said; "The best of you are they who behave best to
their wives." (Bukahri) This also proves that in Islam the wife is to be regarded as a person to be respected, cared for and to be treated with
kindness. The Prophet (sws) was also very receptive of his wives' opinions and consulted them on many matters. She also has the right to be
satisfied sexually. This is something that most man are either unaware of, or overlook. They believe that the wife is there for the husband's
pleasure and hers is unimportant. The Prophet (sws) said with regard to this matter; "It is a vice in a man to assault his unprepared wife, seeking
to satisfy his own lust and leaving her before she could achieve her own fulfillment." (Bukhari)
The last right I will briefly mention with respect to the wife is her right to keep her dowry if she and her husband are divorced. The Qur'an makes
this abundantly clear when it says;
- "It is not lawful for you (Men) to take back any of your gifts (from your wives) except when both parties fear that they would be unable to
keep the limits ordained by Allah" (2: 229)
There are certain things that are woman in Islam is entitled to at any stage in her life. These being: - The right to an education.
- The right to go to mosque.
- The right to inheritance.
- The right to respect.
- The right to participation in public matters.
- The right to independent ownership.
The Muslim woman is permitted to seek knowledge both academic and religious. The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said; "The acquisition of
knowledge is incumbent on every Muslim man, woman and child." (Bukhari)
The Qur'an (20: 114) tells us to say;
- "Say: Lord, increase me in knowledge." This phrase is not restricted to the brothers alone, but includes all as the Prophet (sws) said "every
Muslim man, woman and child."
The Prophet (sws) even took it upon himself and willfully taught a group of women as narrated by Abu Said;
A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Men (only) benefit by your teachings, so please devote to us from (some of) your
time, a day on which we may come to you so that you may teach us of what Allah has taught you." Allah's Apostle said, "Gather on such-and-such
a day at such-and-such a place." They gathered and Allah's Apostle came to them and taught them of what Allah had taught him. (Bukhari)
This proves that in Islam, the woman should not be restricted from acquiring knowledge and the men in her life i.e. husband, brother, son, father
should encourage her to do so. If she seeks interest in a particular topic and especially if it has to do with her religion and they do not think they
can sufficiently educate her- then they should accompany her in learning as well. Aisha, one of the wives of the Prophet (sws) was an extremely
intelligent and learned woman who taught others, and people went to her seeking advice in legal, political and religious matters when her
husband was unavailable.
One right that seems to creeping its way into controversy (thankfully not here in Trinidad) is that of the right of the woman to attend the mosque.
It was narrated by Ibn Umar: The Prophet (sws) said, "Allow women to go to the Mosques at night." (Bukhari) Another Hadith states;
Ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (sws) said: Do not deprive women of their share of the mosques, when they seek permission from
you. Bilal said: By Allah, we would certainly prevent them. 'Abdullah said: I say that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said it and
you say: We would certainly prevent them! (Sahih Muslim)
It is not fair of the Muslim man to prevent any female from entering a mosque for the purpose of worshipping Allah (swt).
The other right is that of inheritance. The Qur'an states:
- "Men shall have a share in what their parents and kinsmen leave; women shall have a share in what their parents and kinsmen leave;
whether it be little or much, it is legally theirs" (Qur'an 4:7)
This clearly reveals that one cannot take away what is legally given to a woman and that both men and women are entitled to inheritance. While it
is also true that a son may get twice as much as the daughters if their father dies, the fact still remains that the daughter is entitled to something.
The reason the male gets more is because he has duties to provide for his family and as such requires more wealth.
The right to respect is another that a woman in Islam possesses. Women are seen as "equal to men as human beings" and "as half of the society"
that "should be treated with care, tenderness and affection." (Haifaa A. Jawad) The Prophet (sws) is reported to have said; "The more civil and
kind a Muslim is to his woman whether wife, daughter or sister the more perfect in faith he is." (Bukhari) and warned against "Fearing Allah
regarding women…" in his speech on the Mount of Mercy at Arafat.
One right which is seriously underappreciated is that of participation on public affairs. At the time of the Prophet (sws) women were encouraged
to make their voices heard in public and political matters and their opinions were highly regarded. Two wives of the Prophet (sws) in particular,
Aisha and Umm Salama are
exemplars of this. They were both actively involved in their communities' politics and public affairs and did such things as condemn the policies of
rulers and lead opposition groups.
Finally, there is the right to independent ownership. This means that the woman is well within her rights to possess her own wealth and property.
She can also set up her own business, sign legal documents and donate her money as she sees fit. The Holy Qur'an states;
- "For men is a portion of what they earn and for women is a portion of what they earn," (4:31).
Her status as wife or being single does not change this right. For example, when she is married she has a right to her dowry which cannot be taken
away from her even after divorce.
To conclude; women are indeed blessed by Allah (swt) with these rights. Unfortunately, with the death of Prophet Muhammad (sws) and as time
passed, these rights were gradually overlooked and taken away. Muslim women all over the world now suffer at the hands of tyrannical,
oppressive men who have twisted the words of Allah (swt) and his messenger and lock their women in the houses, prevent her from stating her
opinion, developing her intellect and from going to the mosques. "Gradually the bright picture of the free, courageous, independent, self-
respecting and respected Muslim woman was replaced with that of secluded, lazy, ignorant and passive women who had no role or impact on her
own affairs let alone on society as a whole" (Jawad) Women in Islam need to take a stand and affirm their status as persons who are to be
respected, treated fairly and be permitted to exercise their rights and in doing so they shall break away from the stereotypical view of the
oppressed woman in Islam.
Quotes taken from :-
Sahih al-Bukhari
The Holy Qu'ran
Jawad, Haifaa A. The Rights of Women in Islam. MacMillan Press Ltd,
Great Britan: 1998