Woman in light of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) teachings
ALLAH created all creatures in pairs – Male and Female. Both genders in any species have significance. This significance is indeed much greater in human beings. Men cannot exist without women and women cannot survive without men.
In the absence of any one of them, we cannot think of a family, society, or a nation. However, women are treated as weaker than men. Physically and emotionally, they are not considered as brave as men are. Nowhere in the world are women and men sharing equal powers.
And in most countries, women have accepted this as the norm and live their life accordingly. But, despite that, they continue to face discrimination of various kinds, cruelty, and violence.
Globally, women are suffering. In many places, patriarchy is turning out to be a bane for them. It has produced a sense of fear and insecurity among them all over the world.
Such happenings in any part of the world bring the men’s conscience into question. However, in Muslim-dominated regions like ours, these deplorable acts expose our claims of being believers and followers of Islam.
The recurrence of these atrocious episodes indicates that we have abandoned the Holy Quran and teachings of the Last Prophet (M-SAWW). Because all this barbarism is in complete contradiction to Islamic principles.
According to Islam, men and women have the same spiritual human nature. Both genders are dignified, are trustees of the Allah Almighty on earth, have the same religious and moral duties, and even have equal rights. In this world, a woman performs multiple roles.
She serves as mother, daughter, sister and wife and the Last Prophet (M-SAWW), being the Islam’s founder, preacher, teacher and our role model has directed the man to respect woman.
Messenger of Mercy (SAWW) said; The best of you are those who are best to the women (Mustadrak). Many Hadith are testimony to the honour of mother.
Abu Hurayrah narrated; a man once came to Allah’s Messenger and asked; ‘O Messenger of Allah! Who has most right over me from all of the people? Prophet said: your mother’. The man asked; who is next? Prophet said; your mother.
The man asked again; who is next and Prophet repeated; your mother. As the man asked for the fourth time’ who is next? Prophet responded; your father. From this hadith, it can be safely inferred that the mother’s rank is three ranks higher than the father’s status.
In the eyes of Islam, a daughter is a great bounty. Prophet (pbuh) said: “He who raises two daughters until their puberty will be with me in Paradise like these two’’ (And He joined his two blessed fingers) – (Muslim).
Merciful Prophet (pbuh) also said; ‘whoever has three daughters and is patient with them, gives them food and drink. In addition, clothes them from his wealth then they will be his shield from the Hellfire on the day of resurrection – (Ibn’I Majah).
The Last Prophet (M-SAWW) set the precedent in loving her daughter. The Prophet’s fondness for his daughter Fatima has no peer. Though it can be viewed as the distinctive recognition of Fatima, it bears a lesson for us.
The Last Prophet (M-SAWW) used to spread his mantle for Fatima, would stand up for her, and make her sit at His place. The Last Prophet (M-SAWW) cared for her daughter to the extent that He declared; Fatima is part of me, so whoever angers her angers me (Bukhari).
Together with daughters, the Last Prophet (M-SAWW) gave glad tidings for empathizing with sisters as; ‘Whoever has three daughters or three sisters or two daughters, or two sisters and he keeps good company with them and fears Allah regarding them, the Paradise is for him (Tirmidhi).
Another beautiful role that a woman plays is of the ‘Wife’. And the conduct of the Last Prophet (M-SAWW) towards his wives is worthy of note.
He always treated them with love, helped them in household chores and would always be in their service. According to Al-Aswad, I asked Aisha: what would the Last Prophet (M-SAWW) do at his home.
She replied,’ He would be in the service of his family, and when the time for prayers began, he would go out to attend prayers’ (Bukhari). The Last Prophet (M-SAWW) would play with wives and used to have a race with Aisha (Abu Daud).
He encouraged it and stated ‘Everything that does not involve the remembrance of Allah is an idle play save four things’ and the first thing mentioned is ‘playing with wife’ (Al-Nasai). He would respect the friends of his departed wife – Khadija and whenever a goat was slaughtered, he would send some meat to them as a present (Bukhari).
From this cursory discussion, it is easy to deduce that Islam and its founder (SAWW) granted women an honour, regarded them as a blessing, and a means for men to enter paradise. Islam holds women in high regard and reveres all its natural positions in the world.
The men need to understand the truthful message of Islam and follow the merciful the Last Prophet (M-SAWW), so that women are not forced to blame Islam, to come out on roads to demand rights, to knock on the court doors to seek justice, and to commit suicide.
In addition, Muslim clerics need to replace their controversial speeches with reformative ones and press for the prevention of evils, particularly gender-based discrimination.
Muslim intellectuals, teachers, and responsible personalities need to play their role to represent Islam in its true form and clear doubts about it.
—The writer is contributing columnist.
