Islam and women: religious traditions and contemporary issues

Islam and Women

Not a few Muslims have carelessly accepted and adopted the Judeo-Christian view or assumption on woman's natural weakness and inclination to error for seducing Adam to disobey God's order into eating the forbidden fruit in Paradise (al-Qaradawi). They fault her for the disgrace and the expulsion of Adam with her out of Paradise and thereon assume that she is the weaker and faultier sex and deserves her inferior status. Those who openly or secretly ascribe the total responsibility of the fall from grace to Eve or woman do not have solid ground to stand on because the prejudice is nothing more than a Biblical myth and a baseless prejudice. Allah clearly states in the Qur'an that Adam's decision was entirely his and Eve's was entirely hers as well in verse 20:121-122: "In result, they both ate of the tree... thus did Adam disobey His Lord and fell into error. But his Lord chose for him. He turned to him, and gave him guidance."

But ignorance, carelessness or gross misinterpretation has allowed this ignoble notion to spread against hadiths and transmitted even by many so-called scholars and imams (al-Qaradawi). These "scholars" and "imams and those who accept their bigotry believe that the Muslim woman must behave as man's inferior, such as by lowering her voice to a whisper or even remain quiet, except when she speaks with her husband, guardian or other females. These bigots assume that a woman's communication is alluring to the male and must be suppressed, considering that it is her nature to tempt him. On the contrary, the Islamic law declares that woman is equal to the man and as liable for her actions as the man to his. The courts accept her testimony when demanded and her opinion is solicited and heard. Prejudiced minds think along the line of consulting a woman and then doing otherwise because her opinion is unreliable and undignified. The fact is that the Prophet Muhammad himself consulted with his wife, Um Salama and expressed not only trust in woman but also her necessity to the man and pronounced that "the woman is all evil, and the greatest evil about her is that man cannot do without her (al-Qaradawi).

A woman's rights and conditions under the Qur'an and in the lifetime of the Prophet were far better than, and vastly improved from, those before Islamic times in Arabia (Godlas 2004). These improved rights and conditions, however, reverted to the previously low level when the Prophet died. But the formation of the women's movement in the West in the 20th century fueled an equivalent in the Muslim world, although to a lesser level and extent. Until the 80s, Muslim feminists belonged to the upper classes, taking after Western models. But in the 20th century, socio-political models in the Muslim world began departing from Western colonial patterns of society and government. So did modern feminism among Muslim women and other women in the Third World. This reflected and still reflects the resistance shown by Third-World women towards cultural imperialism even if they share common values and struggle with counterparts in Europe and the United States. Third-World women, such as Muslim women, wanted and have been developing their own and distinctively Islamic form of feminism. One way of expressing their distinction in the external world is the continued wearing of the hijab or the veil to cover the hair. Western feminists feel that the practice is oppressive or a symbol of gender oppression and subjection to men. Yet modern Muslim feminists persist to wear the veil and even proudly as a symbol of their Islamic identity and separateness or freedom from colonial domination of the West (Godlas).

Through many ayat and sahih hadith, Islam clearly outlines how the nature and behavior of a Muslim woman or the ideal Muslimah in all the aspects of her life (al-Hashimi 1998). It presents a balanced and precise way of life and the proper dealings with her parents, relatives, husband, children, neighbors, friends, strangers and sisters in Islam. She is not expected only to stay at home, rear children and take care of the house. The modern Muslimah, as a matter of fact, has been evolving into a new and heroic form of generation of woman who has an active and significant role in da'wah by contributing to all the areas of life and by working alongside the men for the common good.

Islam teaches that the Muslimah is pure, constructive, productive, alert, aware, educated and refined in manners (al-Hashimi 1998). She is well are aware of her responsibilities towards Allah, to herself, her parents, her husband and children, her relatives, her community and society as a whole in all her dealings and transactions she makes each day of her life. She believes in and worships Allah, obeys His commands and avoids His prohibitions, accepts His will, seeks His protection and forgiveness when she violates His laws. She bases her day-to-day decisions on the reality of the Last Day and prudently watches that she does not fall for the snares of Shaytan and the trials of this world, especially in these times. She also recognizes and accepts what it means to be a true servant to Allah, supports the true religion of Islam and, in practical life, does what is good and avoids what is evil, as far as she can (al-Hashimi).

She is aware of her composite nature as body, mind and soul, each element with its own requirements, and strikes the proper balance between and among these elements that make her up, rather than over-emphasize one at the expense of the other elements (al-Hashimi 1998). The Qur'an, the Sunnah and the example of the righteous salaf who obeyed the Prophet are her guides to a balanced personality. She does not indulge in extremes in any aspect, such as in taking care of her external appearance, clothing and manners. In all circumstances, she remains aware and gives priority to her nature and meaning to Allah and His purposes in her life. She respects herself with the nature invested in her as Allah has so honored her as to make angels kneel before her and put all of the heaven and the earth at her feet. Constantly living in this image and being true to it, the Muslimah develops a balanced and likable personality that makes her attractive both physically, mentally, socially and morally in private and in public. Her external affairs do not distract or obstruct her spiritual concerns, rather she gives proper attention and energy to her inner and spiritual development and strengthens her spirit by worship, dhikr and reading the Qur'an in a consolidated effort at living a balanced, worthwhile life.

She respects and is kind to her parents, does her duties to them and takes caution not to disobey or bring them pain (al-Hashimi 1998). She takes all necessary measures to treat them uprightly and with every care and honor. The married Muslimah, on the other hand, is an ideal wife to her husband: she is intelligent, respectful, obedient, enduring, loving and always eager to please him. She respects and honors him and his family, keeps is confidence and supports him in righteousness to fear Allah and to do what is good. She is his inspiration. She brings happiness to his heart and fills him with peace that is already in her. She is also a loving and compassionate mother to her children, well aware of her role in shaping their personalities by cultivating the best morals, attitudes and a preference for the finest and the purest.

The ideal Muslimah is kind, just and wise towards her daughter-in-law and sons-in-law, to whom she offers sincere and proper advice (al-Hashimi 1998) without interfering in their private affairs or rights. Rather, she does her side in strengthening their relationships and solving or preventing discord among them. She also nourishes her bond with her relatives, keeps in touch with them and treats them well. She observes Islamic teaching about maintaining kinship with love. She patterns her regard for her relatives after the Prophet's own reaction to his relatives and sincerely likes them as she likes herself. This means that she respects their feelings, puts up with their mistakes and insults, and continues treating them well.

The ideal Muslimah is identified in social circles of women as one who builds relationships on the basis of her love for Allah. Because of this, she enters only relationships or friendships that thrive on His love and are thus pure and without perverse motives and habits. She is sincere and shows tolerance out of love towards her sisters and exerts efforts to maintain her ties with them. Unlike other women who are devout followers and lovers of Allah, she does not gossip about them, degrade or bear grudges against them. She is always open and cheerful towards them, no matter how hostile they may be towards her.

The ideal Muslimah is her best in her overall relationship with society. Armed with Islamic wisdom, she conducts herself with the uprightness, refinement, justice and harmony in outside activities and pursuits (al-Hashimi 1998). She is warm and straightforward, considerate and humble. She is not a hypocrite or a cheat, does not speak falsely and offers good advice in a prudent way and for the general welfare. She has a word and keeps it. She is modest in appearance and in manners. She respects others as she respects herself and keeps out of matters where she is not part of. She does not sow dissension or seek out hidden faults. No matter how achieved or excellent she may feel, she does not show off. She is not oppressive, but is, instead, fair and generous. She does not delight in the misfortune of another person but endeavors to help overcome it.

The bigots who put her down have ironically benefited the ideal Muslimah. They believe that the Muslim woman or any woman should keep her mouth shut as a result of her "original sin" in leading the first man to fall from Allah's grace (al-Hashimi 1998). Islam directs the Muslimah to keep out of malicious gossips, cursing and obscene language and talk. She takes no pleasure in demoralizing or degrading another person, rather, takes the side of the oppressed and shows them compassion. Then she forgets about her generosity. She is easy to be with, not imposing or dominant, nor dependent and bothersome. She is keen about Muslim concerns and proud about these concerns. In fact, she uses only the greeting taught by Islam and always ascertains her acts according to Islamic standards, no less. She is not conceited, chooses do to work that is suitable to her gender, not trying to be like a man. She does not enter another house without the occupant's permission.

The ideal Muslimah is a truth-seeker and truth-lover and leads others to be the same (al-Hashimi 1998). She can be expected to do what is good and right and avoid what is evil and wrong. She is gracious and grateful towards favors. She contributes towards rebuilding destroyed but proper relationships. She visits the sick and impoverished but does not attend funerals. With this collection of traits and patterns of behavior, the Muslim woman or ideal Muslimah is the finest realization of womanhood in human society (al-Hashimi 1998). This ideal possesses wisdom, spiritual purity and a high level of spirituality, a stable and realistic life view, and a working awareness and appreciation of her person and role in society. With this high-level of intellectual, psychological, spiritual and moral development, the Muslimah can only be an extraordinary or exceptional blessing in the world. It is, in fact, the goal of every life, more than just a cultural achievement. This ideal Muslimah personality is the rule for the Muslim woman and Islam treats these traits as givens rather than goals in every sincere follower of Allah.

It is quite easy to enumerate the ideal qualities of an ideal Muslimah, but it is quite difficult to confront the stark reality that resists the ideal. In many parts of the Muslim world, women suffer from backwardness and fail to attain the standards set by the Islamic faith (al-Hashimi 1998). Many who claim to be servants of Allah have actually deviated from the stated path and pure source of Islam and are now lost in false and corrupt jahiliyyah or intellectual and psychological traps that depend on others. Every Muslim, especially every Muslim woman, would have kept right and self-sufficient if the Muslims maintained and followed only their pure Islamic traditions, which alone can afford them immunity, originality and distinction.

Great efforts have been exerted towards Westernizing the Muslim woman by diverse feminist societies, organizations and movements (al-Hashimi 1998). Although some gave in, there was a consequent wave of re-awakening among educated Muslim women who kept within the Islamic path or experience new fervor for it. Those who fell were restored to the path upon realizing the depth of the Muslim woman's belief, the originality of her faith and its power in shaping her thoughts and feelings. With a new or more vigorous awareness and commitment to her original faith, the Muslim woman experiences a stronger sense of identity and genuineness as a creature and follower of Allah. It also contributes to reviving the ummah where she belongs and the country of her origin.

The Muslim woman had and has a historical public life. The Qur'an distinctively mentions that those who wish to ask about something from the Prophet's wives could do so by "addressing them from behind a screen (33:53). The Mother of all Believers provided quizzers with fatwas and narrated hadiths to those transmitting them. Moreover, women were used to posing questions with the Prophet even when men were present. Those women did not show embarrassment when they asked him questions and neither did the Prophet forbid or discourage them from doing so (al-Qaradawi). Omar was challenged by a woman during his khutba and he took the challenge, even admitting that the woman was right and he was wrong. One more illustration was that of a daughter of Shaykh in Qur'an 28:23 where she spoke in public. The holy book also narrates the conversation between Sulayman and the Queen of Sheba and between her and her subjects. These are records that the Muslim woman's speech and communication should be severely restricted in public. The only documented restriction is the flirtatious kind of talk that tends to incite or tempt a corrupt man. Silencing the woman is only one of the injustices inflicted upon women by false scholars and imams who ground their prejudice with the hadiths narrated by Bukhri about the Prophet's saying that he had not left a greater harm to men than women. They interpret the saying to mean that women are an evil curse that must be tamed and viewed her in the same level as poverty, famine, disease, fear and death. They miss the true meaning of the saying that a person is most tried by his misfortunes than by his fortunes. A woman may be a source of joy and peace to her husband but the blessings may distract or detract a man from his duty towards Allah and these blessings turn into a curse. A man may use his wife as an excuse not to perform or participate in a jihad or avoid sacrifices by storing wealth. These experiences serve as warnings from Allah: "Truly among your wives and children are enemies for you (64:14). It is the same warning made about wealth and many children (63:9). The sahih hadith portends: "By Allah I don't fear poverty for you, but I fear that the world would be abundant for you as it has been for those before you so you compete for it as they have competed for it, so it destroys you as it has destroyed them." This does not mean that the Prophet favored or encouraged poverty, as poverty itself is a curse from which he sought refuge from Allah. Neither does it mean that Allah wants His people to be impoverished. What Allah warns against is greed and the love of material wealth for its own sake. The ideal Muslimah is a gift for the pious man and Allah intends that the pious man and pious woman should be an encouragement and a blessing to each other (al-Qaradawi).

Since the early days of Islam, Muslim women have taken active and prominent part in preserving and cultivating of hadith (Siddiqi 1993), a collection of Muhammad's sayings and actions, which serve as the tradition and standard way of life for Muslims. Respected women-traditionists lived through the ages. They were the medium for the evolution of many traditions that began during the time of the Prophet and the transmission of these traditions through their brothers and sisters of the same faith. Many of the Prophet's wives, called Companions, functioned as keepers of knowledge they acquired from the Prophet himself and they were consulted for it. Among these Companions were Hafsa, Umm Habiba, Maymuna, Umm Salama and a'isha. The last one stands out as a radiant figure in the entire history of hadith literature as one of the earliest reporters of the largest volume of traditions but also one of the most careful interpreters of these.