إدريس عبدالله
_13 _December _2014هـ الموافق 13-12-2014م, 04:14 PM
In the name of Allah the beneficent the merciful
In the beginning when Allah created {Adam AS}, He created a mate for him that is Hawa. Allah said in the Qur'an
ﭧ ﭨ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭽ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭼ النساء: ١
Thus a mate Hawa was created in view of the role she is to play in the life of Adam {AS}.
These roles are what make a woman unique because Allah has specifically designed her for such roles.
These roles involved duties to her creator as a slave of Allah, duties to the husband as a wife and to the children as a mother. We will now examine these roles one after the other for us to appreciate the value of a woman in the society.
· A woman as a servant of Allah
Weather married or not, she is a servant of Allah. Allah said ﭽ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭼ الذاريات: ٥٦
"He has not created jin and man except that they should worship him"
So the essence of life itself is for worship of Almighty Allah.
A true believing woman is devoted to her religion, understanding the reason behind her creation- to worship Allah- does away from the alluring adornments of life and faces preparations for the hereafter. She is often eager on the effective use of her time on what will benefit her existence in this world and the hereafter, always hastening to do righteous deeds surrendering before Allah in fasting, praying, reading the Quran etc. all these she does with the constant fear of the day of standing before her lord without a barrier nor a helper except her piety. Allah said
يا عبادي إنما هي أعمالُكم أُحْصِيها عليكم ثم أُوَفِّيكم إيَّاها فمن وجد خيرًا
فليحمَدِ اللهَ ومن وجد غيرَ ذلك فلا يلومَنَّ إلا نفسَه ) أخرجه مسلم
“O my servants it is your deeds that I am recording for you then I will reward you for them. Hence, whoever finds good let him be grateful to Allah and whoever finds other than that, he should not blame anyone but himself.”
· A woman as a daughter
After the rights of Allah, the next rights upon a woman are the rights that her parents have over her.
True believing women are tolerant, kind hearted and soft towards their parents. Allah says;
ﭧ ﭨ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭽ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﭼ الإسراء: ٢٣ - ٢٤
“And your lord has decreed that you worship none but him. And that you be dutiful to your parents, if one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them in terms of honour. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy and say “my lord! Bestow upon them your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young” [Al- isra’I 17:23-24]
ﭧ ﭨ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭽ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﭼ الأحقاف: ١٥
So, respect your parent particularly your mothers and your fathers too. Provide for them, do not annoy them or curse them.
· A woman as a wife
A believing woman obeys her husband, submit to him, giving him satisfaction and keeping away from his anger. She knows neither pride nor raising her voice before him and thus does not underrate him. She is always bashful with her husband, overlooks his fault and shortcomings but always willingly obeying his orders, this is part of what earns her paradise according to the prophet’s statements:
“if a woman observes her five daily prayers, protects her chastity and obeys her husband, she will enter paradise from any of its gate she wishes” {Ibn hibban}
“Any woman who dies and her husband is pleased with her will enter paradise” [Ibn majah]
"Were I to command anyone to prostrate to another, I would have ordered the wife to prostrate to her husband" [Trimithi]
· A woman as a mother
The rights of your children over you include good seed meaning choosing the right partner with whom you want to share the job of parenting with. The prophet said
"make a good choice for your sperm(offspring) marry worthy women and marry your daughters to them (worthy men)".
Indeed children are favour from Allah with which he benefits man. A believing woman breeds her children based on the lessons from the Qur'an and sunnah, keeping them away from prohibitions and implanting in them good aqeedah [believe] about Allah, his messenger, and the religion of Islam. In other words she transfers her piety to them. With this she can be rewarded even after her death because of the statement of the prophet:
“when the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things, out of which is his good child who prays for him’ {Baihaki and Ahmad}
· A woman as a member of the society
A true believing woman studies Islam to be able to put it into practice and as well calls others to it. Women have the ability to learn and excel in various disciplines and to use this knowledge for the benefit of the Ummah. The Ummah is particularly in need of female Islamic scholars who can help to guide the women and the nation as a whole. The finest example of the scholarship of the Muslim women is of course Aisha bint Abubakar [r a]
There is wisdom in the young age at which she married the prophet [SAW] that is often overlooked; for she lived almost fifty years after his death. During her time with the prophet she learned and acquired knowledge from the two most important sources of Allah’s guidance, the Qur'an and Sunnah of the prophet [SAW]. After his death she spent those fifty years teaching, narrating, advising, and assisting others. Aisha is one of the four persons who transmitted more than two thousand sayings of the prophet.
Many companions of the prophet benefited from her knowledge such that Abu Musa Al ash’ari said “when we the companions of the prophet [SAW] encountered any difficulty in the matter of any hadiths, we referred it to Aisha and found that she had definite knowledge about it” she was one of the earliest jurist of Islam and was one of the three wives of the prophet who had memorized the complete Qur'an.
She was a scholar of law and medicine, an educator and an orator. In general she played a critical role in preserving and transmitting both the Qur'an and the Sunnah to the next generations, along with a wealth of other knowledge. She provides a magnificent example of the achievements and contributions that a muslim woman can make for the benefit of the Ummah. We need to encourage our young women to become the Aishas of today and tomorrow.
· A woman as a generous giver
Many women have the financial capability to advance the Ummah in numerous ways as evidenced by examples of our predecessors. Throughout history, women have used their resources for the cause of Islam and for the benefit of the Muslim Ummah. Khadijat bint Khuwaylid was the finest example of this generosity. She was the wife of the prophet and a wealthy businesswoman. Her support of the prophet (SAW) was evident in many ways, including financial, as she gave a large portion of her wealth for his mission.
The prophet said regarding Khadijah
"she believed in me when the people rejected me, and she held me to be honest when the people said I was a liar. And she supported me with her wealth when the people withheld from me" (Bukhari and Muslim)
The Ummah is in need of schools, masjids, social service centers, and so forth, Muslim girls need to be taught the value of money from a young age as well as the importance of donating their wealth for the sake of Allah. We need to encourage our young women to become the khadijahs of today and tomorrow.
Muslim women are indeed a societal fortune and have played significant role in the society throughout Islamic history. They have been Doctors and social workers, scholars and Educators, benefactors and administrators. They have helped shaped the Islamic landscape and contributed substantially to the prominence of Islamic civilization. They have done all these while maintaining the Islamic principles of modesty, dignity, and honour. Muslim women have an amazing potential. It is time to fulfil those possibilities and assist in returning Islam to its rightful place.
May Allah assist us
In the beginning when Allah created {Adam AS}, He created a mate for him that is Hawa. Allah said in the Qur'an
ﭧ ﭨ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭽ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔ ﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚ ﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟ ﭠ ﭡﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭼ النساء: ١
Thus a mate Hawa was created in view of the role she is to play in the life of Adam {AS}.
These roles are what make a woman unique because Allah has specifically designed her for such roles.
These roles involved duties to her creator as a slave of Allah, duties to the husband as a wife and to the children as a mother. We will now examine these roles one after the other for us to appreciate the value of a woman in the society.
· A woman as a servant of Allah
Weather married or not, she is a servant of Allah. Allah said ﭽ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭼ الذاريات: ٥٦
"He has not created jin and man except that they should worship him"
So the essence of life itself is for worship of Almighty Allah.
A true believing woman is devoted to her religion, understanding the reason behind her creation- to worship Allah- does away from the alluring adornments of life and faces preparations for the hereafter. She is often eager on the effective use of her time on what will benefit her existence in this world and the hereafter, always hastening to do righteous deeds surrendering before Allah in fasting, praying, reading the Quran etc. all these she does with the constant fear of the day of standing before her lord without a barrier nor a helper except her piety. Allah said
يا عبادي إنما هي أعمالُكم أُحْصِيها عليكم ثم أُوَفِّيكم إيَّاها فمن وجد خيرًا
فليحمَدِ اللهَ ومن وجد غيرَ ذلك فلا يلومَنَّ إلا نفسَه ) أخرجه مسلم
“O my servants it is your deeds that I am recording for you then I will reward you for them. Hence, whoever finds good let him be grateful to Allah and whoever finds other than that, he should not blame anyone but himself.”
· A woman as a daughter
After the rights of Allah, the next rights upon a woman are the rights that her parents have over her.
True believing women are tolerant, kind hearted and soft towards their parents. Allah says;
ﭧ ﭨ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭽ ﮖ ﮗ ﮘ ﮙ ﮚ ﮛ ﮜ ﮝ ﮞﮟ ﮠ ﮡ ﮢ ﮣ ﮤ ﮥ ﮦ ﮧ ﮨ ﮩ ﮪ ﮫ ﮬ ﮭ ﮮ ﮯ ﮰ ﮱ ﯓ ﯔ ﯕ ﯖ ﯗ ﯘ ﯙ ﯚ ﯛ ﯜ ﯝ ﯞ ﯟ ﭼ الإسراء: ٢٣ - ٢٤
“And your lord has decreed that you worship none but him. And that you be dutiful to your parents, if one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them in terms of honour. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy and say “my lord! Bestow upon them your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young” [Al- isra’I 17:23-24]
ﭧ ﭨ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺ ﭻ ﭽ ﭑ ﭒ ﭓ ﭔﭕ ﭖ ﭗ ﭘ ﭙ ﭚﭛ ﭜ ﭝ ﭞ ﭟﭠ ﭡ ﭢ ﭣ ﭤ ﭥ ﭦ ﭧ ﭨ ﭩ ﭪ ﭫ ﭬ ﭭ ﭮ ﭯ ﭰ ﭱ ﭲ ﭳ ﭴ ﭵ ﭶ ﭷ ﭸ ﭹ ﭺﭻ ﭼ ﭽ ﭾ ﭿ ﮀ ﮁ ﮂ ﭼ الأحقاف: ١٥
So, respect your parent particularly your mothers and your fathers too. Provide for them, do not annoy them or curse them.
· A woman as a wife
A believing woman obeys her husband, submit to him, giving him satisfaction and keeping away from his anger. She knows neither pride nor raising her voice before him and thus does not underrate him. She is always bashful with her husband, overlooks his fault and shortcomings but always willingly obeying his orders, this is part of what earns her paradise according to the prophet’s statements:
“if a woman observes her five daily prayers, protects her chastity and obeys her husband, she will enter paradise from any of its gate she wishes” {Ibn hibban}
“Any woman who dies and her husband is pleased with her will enter paradise” [Ibn majah]
"Were I to command anyone to prostrate to another, I would have ordered the wife to prostrate to her husband" [Trimithi]
· A woman as a mother
The rights of your children over you include good seed meaning choosing the right partner with whom you want to share the job of parenting with. The prophet said
"make a good choice for your sperm(offspring) marry worthy women and marry your daughters to them (worthy men)".
Indeed children are favour from Allah with which he benefits man. A believing woman breeds her children based on the lessons from the Qur'an and sunnah, keeping them away from prohibitions and implanting in them good aqeedah [believe] about Allah, his messenger, and the religion of Islam. In other words she transfers her piety to them. With this she can be rewarded even after her death because of the statement of the prophet:
“when the son of Adam dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things, out of which is his good child who prays for him’ {Baihaki and Ahmad}
· A woman as a member of the society
A true believing woman studies Islam to be able to put it into practice and as well calls others to it. Women have the ability to learn and excel in various disciplines and to use this knowledge for the benefit of the Ummah. The Ummah is particularly in need of female Islamic scholars who can help to guide the women and the nation as a whole. The finest example of the scholarship of the Muslim women is of course Aisha bint Abubakar [r a]
There is wisdom in the young age at which she married the prophet [SAW] that is often overlooked; for she lived almost fifty years after his death. During her time with the prophet she learned and acquired knowledge from the two most important sources of Allah’s guidance, the Qur'an and Sunnah of the prophet [SAW]. After his death she spent those fifty years teaching, narrating, advising, and assisting others. Aisha is one of the four persons who transmitted more than two thousand sayings of the prophet.
Many companions of the prophet benefited from her knowledge such that Abu Musa Al ash’ari said “when we the companions of the prophet [SAW] encountered any difficulty in the matter of any hadiths, we referred it to Aisha and found that she had definite knowledge about it” she was one of the earliest jurist of Islam and was one of the three wives of the prophet who had memorized the complete Qur'an.
She was a scholar of law and medicine, an educator and an orator. In general she played a critical role in preserving and transmitting both the Qur'an and the Sunnah to the next generations, along with a wealth of other knowledge. She provides a magnificent example of the achievements and contributions that a muslim woman can make for the benefit of the Ummah. We need to encourage our young women to become the Aishas of today and tomorrow.
· A woman as a generous giver
Many women have the financial capability to advance the Ummah in numerous ways as evidenced by examples of our predecessors. Throughout history, women have used their resources for the cause of Islam and for the benefit of the Muslim Ummah. Khadijat bint Khuwaylid was the finest example of this generosity. She was the wife of the prophet and a wealthy businesswoman. Her support of the prophet (SAW) was evident in many ways, including financial, as she gave a large portion of her wealth for his mission.
The prophet said regarding Khadijah
"she believed in me when the people rejected me, and she held me to be honest when the people said I was a liar. And she supported me with her wealth when the people withheld from me" (Bukhari and Muslim)
The Ummah is in need of schools, masjids, social service centers, and so forth, Muslim girls need to be taught the value of money from a young age as well as the importance of donating their wealth for the sake of Allah. We need to encourage our young women to become the khadijahs of today and tomorrow.
Muslim women are indeed a societal fortune and have played significant role in the society throughout Islamic history. They have been Doctors and social workers, scholars and Educators, benefactors and administrators. They have helped shaped the Islamic landscape and contributed substantially to the prominence of Islamic civilization. They have done all these while maintaining the Islamic principles of modesty, dignity, and honour. Muslim women have an amazing potential. It is time to fulfil those possibilities and assist in returning Islam to its rightful place.
May Allah assist us