Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam - Islam for Muslims - Nairaland
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| Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 8:20am On Nov 12, 2014 |
Oppressed, inferior, and unequal – for many people, these are the first words that come to mind when thinking about women in Islam. These stereotypes confuse Islam with cultural practices and fail to recognize that Islam has empowered women with the most progressive rights since the 7th century. In Islam, women are not inferior or unequal to men. This presents the actual teachings of Islam regarding the rights, roles, and responsibilities of women, with a special focus on gender equality in Islam. At a time when female children were buried alive in Arabia and women were considered transferable property, Islam honored women in society by elevating them and protecting them with unprecedented rights. Islam gave women the right to education, to marry someone of their choice, to retain their identity after marriage, to divorce, to work, to own and sell property, to seek protection by the law, to vote, and to participate in civic and political engagement. In 610 C.E., God began to reveal the message of Islam to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (pbuh), in Mecca. Muhammad (pbuh) called people towards the belief in one God and encouraged them to be just and merciful to one another. In reforming the pagan Arab society, he particularly transformed their mindset regarding the treatment of women. Islam abolished the practice of killing female children and raised the statue of women in society to one of dignity, esteem, and privilege. God devotes an entire chapter of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, to women. In addition, God directly addresses women repeatedly throughout the Quran. Islam proclaims that all human beings, men and women, are born in a pure state. The goal of every Muslim is to preserve this purity by shunning evil tendencies and beautifying their inner being with virtuous traits. 3 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 8:24am On Nov 12, 2014 |
Islam further confirms that both men and women are equal in the sight of God. In the Quran, God declares, “…Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you…” (49:13) At another place in the Quran, God clearly states that all humans are equal: “To whoever, male or female, does good deeds and has faith, We shall give a good life and reward them according to the best of their actions.” (16:97) While Islam clearly establishes that men and women are equal, it does recognize that they are not identical. God created men and women with unique physiological and psychological attributes. In Islam, these differences are embraced as vital components to a healthy family and community structure with each individual contributing their own distinctive talents to society. Hence, God’s rules apply to both genders, but in diverse ways. For example, God commanded women to cover certain parts of their body, including their hair, to preserve their modesty. Men are also required to cover parts of their body out of modesty, but not in the same way as women. Therefore, God commanded both men and women to be modest; yet, the manner in which they observe it is different. Similarly, the rights, roles, and responsibilities of women are evenly balanced with those of men but are not necessarily the same. As Islam has granted individual identities to men and women, a constant comparison between the two is futile. Each plays a unique role to mutually uphold social morality and societal balance. Education Back in the 7th century, Muhammad (pbuh) declared that the pursuit of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim – male and female. This declaration was very clear and was largely implemented by Muslims throughout history. One of the most influential scholars of Islam was Muhammad’s wife, Aisha. After his death, men and women would travel to learn from her because she was considered a great scholar of Islam. The recognition of female scholarship and women’s participation in academia has been encouraged and practiced throughout the majority of Islamic history. For instance, al-Qarawiyin Mosque and University, the oldest running university, was funded by a woman, Fatima al-Fihri, inMorocco in 859 C.E. Motherhood In Islam, God clearly gives mothers a high status and elevates their position in the family. In the Quran, God mentions all the sacrifices mothers make in bearing children to remind people to treat their mothers with love, respect, and care. Emphasizing the importance of mothers, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Heaven lies under the feet of your mother.” On another occasion, a man repeatedly asked Muhammad (pbuh), “Who amongst the people is the most worthy of my good companionship?” Each time, the Prophet (pbuh) replied, “Your mother.” When the man asked for the fourth time, he replied, “Your father.” Politics and Social Services Among the early Muslims, women were active participants in the cohesive functioning of the society. Women expressed their opinions freely and their advice was actively sought. Women nursed the wounded during battles, and some even participated on the battlefield. Women traded openly in the marketplace, so much so that the second caliph, Umar, appointed a woman, Shaffa bint Abdullah, as the supervisor of the bazaar. In Islamic history, women participated in government, public affairs, lawmaking, scholarship, and teaching. To continue to uphold this tradition, women are encouraged to actively participate in improving, serving, and leading the different aspects of the community. Inheritance Before Islam, women all across the globe were deprived of inheritance and were themselves considered property to be inherited by men. Islam gave women the right to own property and inherit from relatives, which was a revolutionary concept in the seventh century. Whether a woman is a wife, mother, sister, or daughter, she receives a certain share of her deceased relative’s property. This share depends on her degree of relationship to the deceased and the number of heirs. While many societies around the world denied women inheritance, Islam assured women this right, illustrating the universal justice of Islam’s divine law. 2 Likes |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 8:27am On Nov 12, 2014 |
Financial Responsibilities In Islam, women are not obligated to earn or spend any money on housing, food, or general expenses. If a woman is married, her husband must fully support her financially and if she’s not married, that responsibility belongs to her closest male relative (father, brother, uncle, etc). She also has the right to work and spend the money she earns as she wishes. She has no obligation to share her money with her husband or any other family members, although she may choose to do so out of good will. For instance, Khadija, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), was one of the most successful businesswomen ofMecca, and she freely spent from her wealth to support her husband and the cause of Islam. At the time of marriage, a woman is entitled to a financial gift (dowry) from her husband. This dowry is legally owned by her and cannot be used by anyone else. In the case of divorce, she has the right to keep whatever she owned before the divorce and anything she personally earned after marriage. The former husband has no right whatsoever to any of her belongings. This ensures a woman’s financial security and independence, allowing her to support herself in the case of divorce. Marriage A woman has the right to accept or reject marriage proposals and her approval is required to complete the marriage contract. She cannot be forced to marry someone against her will and if this occurs for cultural reasons, it is in direct opposition of Islam. By the same principle, women also have the right to seek divorce if they are dissatisfied with their marriage. In Islam, marriage is based on mutual peace, love, and compassion. God says about Himself, “And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy…” (Quran 30:21) Muhammad (pbuh) embodied the best character and is a role model for all Muslims. His example of being helpful around the household and treating his family with compassion and love is a tradition that Muslims strive to implement in their daily lives. Muhammad (pbuh) treated his wives with the utmost respect and honor and was never abusive towards them. One of his traditions clearly states, “The best of you are those who are best to their wives.” Dignity and Protection from Harm Any form of emotional, physical, or psychological abuse is prohibited in Islam and the improper treatment of women is no exception to this rule. Indeed, there is no teaching in Islam, when studied in its complete context, which condones any kind of domestic violence. Islam clearly disallows any form of oppression or abuse, according to Dr. Zainab Alwani, a leading female Muslim scholar. It cannot be stated enough times that anyone who exercises unjust authority in the name of Islam is actually doing so to uphold their own cultural influences or personal interests. All of God’s creation is dignified and protected under Islamic law. Modesty In an environment which constantly emphasizes the physical form through various media, women are constantly faced with an unattainable standard of beauty. Although Muslim women are falsely classified as oppressed based on their modest dress, they are in fact liberated from such objectification by the society around them. This modest appearance, which includes veiling, highlights a woman’s personality and character instead of her physical figure and promotes a deeper appreciation for who she is as a person. In this regard, Muslim women identify with Mary, the mother of Jesus (pbuh), who is known for her piety and modesty. *** In conclusion, Islam has an extensive tradition of protecting the civil liberties of women based on the guidelines set forth by God and His Prophet. Women are empowered with many rights and protections under Islamic law and are honored with a dignified stature in society. http://www.whyislam.org/on-faith/status-of-women/ 3 Likes |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Sissie(f): 9:53am On Nov 12, 2014 |
Some times I read comments about Muslim women and just laugh, the ignorance is just soo hilarious, recently I read a post about how we all get married in droves like cattles, and get divorced easily it makes me laugh. Maybe we should start a thread about Muslim females on NL and our lives, like the real us and not the propaganda. Behind the hijab. 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 10:01am On Nov 12, 2014 |
Sissie:Yes sissie. ... Maybe we should People need to see the real women Muslim world unlike what they read on the Internet or what they feel |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 10:33am On Nov 12, 2014 |
Sissie:Lol. Laf ke?? It hurts me  |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 10:46am On Nov 12, 2014 |
JackBizzle:I sincerely wish I can see your point Even the Bible commands the Christians not to be yoked with 'unbelievers' And I thought I answered your question about males been able to marry someone from the other religion except if the person is willing to be rightly guided.... And religion apart, I wouldn't want to raise my kids in a divided home where they will always be in the middle based on religious beliefs....A home where the method of prayer differs cuz I believe that a family that prays together stays together I hope I have been able to answer your question # muslim women aren't opressed 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by maryam6(f): 4:44am On Nov 14, 2014 |
Honestly, there is a beauty in being a muslim woman.ALHAMDULILAH we r jst lucky. 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by usermane(m): 10:26am On Nov 14, 2014 |
PIPE BOMB! Shalom! Article Review and Rating The OP 's article thrives on the ignorance the of common reader. It will not interest the advanced reader. It has been repeated too often by orthodox muslims, it has become a clichè that orthodox Islam does empower women. If so, how come muslim states are the most repressive and backward in women affairs? Let s' take Islamic Republic of Iran as case study; Before the Iranian revolution, under the secular state, Iranian women had handsome rights. Women could vote, could work and earn in most fields, the marriage age for women was 18, their family right were increased, extra-judicial divorce by men was scrapped. After the revolution in 1979, a Sharia theocratic state based on "Islamic" teachings was established by Ayatollah Khomeini. Within months, women were stripped off most of their rights and reduced to weaklings. Extra-judicial divorce by men was restored, [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%27s_Family_Protection_Law]family protection laws in favor of women[/url] were repealed, hijab(abaya) was enforced. Women were barred from several Jobs they were entitled to in the past(e.g Judge), marriage age for females was reduced to 9 and the participation in societal sphere was markedly reduced. Of course, the women tried to protest but it was too late. You can't eat your cake and have it. The funny thing is that these women heavily supported the revolution, little did they know what Khomeini and his circle of Mullahs were up to. Today women in Iran long for the secular laws before the revolution. They are evidence that Sharia or orthodox Islam doesn't empower women. 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by usermane(m): 10:27am On Nov 14, 2014 |
The writer did not spare us the details but went ahead enumerating rights that Islam supposedly bestowed on Women. But many of these rights existed before Islam. Besides most of them were repealed by Muslims after Muhammad 's death via fabricated and authenticated Ahadith. For instance the writer boast of the right of women to work and earn without the obligation of spending on the family. But this was common even before Islam where in most cultures, only men were obligated to spend on the family and besides, this right is diminished by the fact that, in orthodox Islam, a man have so much authority over his wife that he can decide to forbid her from working and that is flat. This happen in many cases. If we go through orthodox Islamic texts today, we 'll find teachings that impede many of these rights. I 'll give just 3 examples. JackBizzle has given us one. 2 Likes |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 10:47am On Nov 14, 2014 |
usermane:Mr usermane....replying your epistle will be like a waste of time to us all You can't use Islamic states to judge the way of Islam, this people have cultural rules they follow so you can't ascribe their actions to be that of Islamic preaching A muslim woman is allowed all of the things I listed above under Islamic rulings except you have a quranic verse or hadith to back up your claim 3 Likes |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 9:03am On Nov 15, 2014 |
2. Abu Dawood (2226)I guess you are just hell bent on making a pointless point, did you miss the part of the Hadith you quoted where it is written that without a due cause? 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 9:11am On Nov 15, 2014 |
3. Al-Bukhaari (5273) narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the wife of Thaabit ibn Qays came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, I do not find any fault with Thaabit ibn Qays in his character or his religious commitment, but I do not want to commit any act of kufr after becoming a Muslim.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to her, “Will you give back his garden?” Because he had given her a garden as her mahr. She said, “Yes.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to Thaabit: “Take back your garden, and divorce her" Shot yourself in the foot yet again, she decided to divorce him and wasn't kept against her will, she had the freewill or freedom to leave..how is that tantamount to oppression. Your claim of oppression would have held ground if the Prophet said she can't divorce her husband until he is done with her He married her and he should have a say, even in the liberal law that you so much want to believe is unbiased, both parties will be asked if they still want to be together 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 9:19am On Nov 15, 2014 |
2. ON TESTIMONYHow is anything you wrote up here related to oppression In the first part, he admonished them to give alms to save them from hell fire because they curse and are ungrateful to their husbands You should know better that in every part of the world, the feminine power can't be underestimated. You have yet again succeeded in saying nothing about oppression. 3. ON SEX Your point here is that? |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 9:34am On Nov 15, 2014 |
Usermane You have asked me to give you proof from Qur'an or Hadith. Be informed, the Qur'an empowers women. But Orthodox Islam isn't really based on Qur'anic teachings. It is based on Hadith and Fiqh Not really based on Qur'anic teachings you say? And what is not based on Qur'anic teachings is your yardstick for deciding the true meaning of the Deen. Please do us all a favour and read well, digest properly and check for loopholes before you come out. Salaam. 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by usermane(m): 10:27am On Nov 15, 2014 |
AdeSuave: don't be ridiculous, if the hadith were to be just, the ruling would have been gender neutral as in 'anyone who divorce his/her spouse for no reason'. The fact that it addresses women specifically is unjust. Also, what count as a genuine cause? What count as genuine reason for the Woman may be ingenuine to the Judge and he might refuse the divorce. This is where oppression set in. On the flipside, men don't have to face this hurdle if they seek divorce. 2 Likes |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by ayinba1(f): 10:39pm On Nov 15, 2014 |
AdeSuave:Dear sister, This is one of the characters you will try to ignore. Imagine people having a goal of ensuring the following 1. No useful Islamic knowledge is to be disseminated on this subforum 2. Insisting that Islam is what "muslims" do wrong, not Quran, not Hadith 3. Promoting bad acts committed by some muslims as justified by some obscure Hadiths or what some Sheikhs said while turning attention away from the Quran 4. I think the last one is called derailing or trolling. They will find you examples and before you know what is happening, your page 2, 3, 4, 5 have no relationship to the topic. Be aware of them. If you venture to agree with them for the sake of progress, they grab another bite to chew on! May Allah safeguard us., Amin 4 Likes 2 Shares |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by Nobody: 8:32am On Nov 16, 2014 |
ayinba1: Ameen Thanks for the heads up sis....I will keep it in mind to avoid such 1 Like |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by usermane(m): 5:10pm On Nov 29, 2014 |
Jami` at-Tirmidhi » The Book on Divorce and Li'anhttp://sunnah.com/tirmidhi/13 During my suspension, i also found that in Orthodox Islam Books of tradition(Hadith). Confirm and think about its implication. |
| Re: Muslim Women Discuss Their Status In Islam by greetings(f): 12:48pm On Dec 01, 2014 |
Sometimes i wonder, i mean,i just wonder why people come here with half baked info and decide to use such info to argue BLINDLY. Generally speaking, if you are reading this and you wanna learn about islam sincerely, start with the quran itself. Pick a good transliterated quran (not online o) and read. If it is the life of a muslim around that intrests you get closer to the person and ask question,go to reputable imams and ask questions. Stop antagonizing. |
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