It seems that I write one of these most every Saturday in response to the questions of the week; I hope y'all enjoy reading them. Question of the week is: Does Islam oppress women?
Equality of Women
Men and women are equals in Islam. Both men and women are entrusted with rights and responsibilities that are in accordance with their physical differences and abilities. Although responsibilities are different by gender, rewards and punishments in the hereafter are identical. (As a sidenote, this is why I reject the "70 virgins" hadith, in addition to the fact that it was written about 200 years after the death of Muhammad saws, and its chain of narration is weak. Rather, I believe that the "spouses" they will be with in paradise [3:15] are the righteous partners they had in their lives on earth. Returning to my topic...) The Quran says [16:97] "Anyone who works righteousness, male or female, while believing, we will surely grant them a happy life in this world, and we will surely pay them their full recompense (on the Day of Judgment) for their righteous works." And: [33:35] "The submitting men, the submitting women, the believing men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the truthful women, the steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the reverent women, the charitable men, the charitable women, the fasting men, the fasting women, the chaste men, the chaste women, and the men who commemorate GOD frequently, and the commemorating women; GOD has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense." The Quran gives the only distinction between people: their piety. [49:13] "O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant." This message is repeated in the last sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (saws).
Rights of Women
Islam gave women rights and freedoms long before the European world, and continues to be ahead of its time in terms of equality of men and women. It is puzzling when many Westerners say that Islam oppresses women. Here, in life order, are some of the protections afforded women in Islam before they were offered in other cultures.
At Birth
In much of the east, it has long been common to favor having male children to continue the family name. Female infants were often killed at birth, and are now frequently aborted in China and India. Islam forbids female infanticide: And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked for what sin she was killed and when the pages are made public and when the sky is stripped away and when Hellfire is set ablaze and when Paradise is brought near, a soul will [then] know what it has brought [with it]." [81:8-14] Those responsible for burying a girl child will be brought to task for their sins.
In Childhood
The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, God will enter him into Paradise." Islam supports the equal education of girls and boys: "Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every Muslim". (AlBayhaqi). Muslim here includes both males and females.
In Marriage
Islam does not allow parents to force their children into marriage against their will. Ibn Abbas reported that a girl came to the Prophet Muhammad, and she reported that her father had forced her to marry without her consent. The Messenger of God gave her the choice between accepting the marriage or invalidating it. (Ibn Hanbal No. 2469). The girl said: "Actually I accept this marriage but I wanted to let women know that parents have no right (to force a husband on them)" (Ibn Maja, No. 1873).
Islam also forbids consummation of marriage before puberty, and should a woman be married before puberty she may complain to the courts and have her marriage invalidated. Islam prohibits violence against wives; the Prophet himself never raised a hand against his wives. The Prophet said: "The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and best of you are those who are best to their wives." (Ibn-Hanbal, No. 7396)
As a Mother
The Prophet many times relates the high status of the mother in Islam: A man once came to Muhammad and asked, "O Messenger of God, who among the people is the most worthy of my good company?" The Prophet (saws) said, Your mother. The man said, "Then who else?": The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man asked, "Then who else?" Only then did the Prophet say, "Your father." (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). The Prophet Muhammad also said, "Paradise is at the feet of mothers." (In Al'Nisa'I, Ibn Majah, Ahmad).
In Muslim History
Women have been given equal esteem in the carrying on of Islamic traditions since the beginning of the Prophet's ministry. Khadija (ra) was the first person to accept Muhammad as the Messenger of God, and Aisha was among the greatest narrators of hadiths. Muhammad's daughter Fatima was the only child of his to outlive him, and was influential in the history of Islam. An entire surah of the Qur'an is named after a woman (Surah Maryam). Hagar is famous in Islamic history for her piety, even when she was thrown out of her home.
In Secular History
Muslim women have been very influential not only in Muslim history but in secular history as well. Samira Musa and Khawla el-Krai (sp) were female Muslim scientists. Al-Ador Alkareemah bin Salah is an example of a Muslim Queen.
Responsibilities of Women
Women in Islam have responsibilities, just as men do. Women are not prohibited from having their own jobs, but are encouraged to first ensure the Islamic upbringing of their children. Women are responsible to follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad just as men are. Women are responsible to pray, to fast, and to do what is right, just as men. The only major difference is that a woman is not required to perform prayer or fast when she is having her regular cycle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB_lLb2JsvI
how is it that you have interpreted;
ReplyDelete"men are a degree above"
as;
"Men and women are equals in Islam"
please see explanation below :-)
Deletedon't take things out of context please
if I say Julie slept with michael one night and dave the next night, what would you think? then if I tell you she's 6 years old, what would you think? then if I tell that Michael and Dave are teddy bears, then it's a completely different opinion right?
Therefore, please read the rest of the story before judging. May our creator guide us all.
That's great
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeletethe verse: And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise (2:228).
In other words, Allah :
(1) gave men and women similar rights; then
(2) He gave the men a greater degree of responsibility over the women than that of women over men. It follows that the rights owned to the wife are unnegotiable, whereas the husband has to give up certain rights. This is not a feminist reading but the actual explanation of Ibn `Abbas (companion of the prophet) according to al-Tabari in his Tafsir, and the latter preferred it over all other commentaries of that verse (Al-Tabari said the best explanation is that of Ibn `Abbas).
Al-Tabari in his Tafsir narrated from Ibn `Abbas: "The daraja mentioned by Allah Most High here is the *forfeiting, on the man's part, of some his wife's obligations towards him* and his indulgence towards her, while he is *fully obligated to fulfill all his obligations towards her*, because the verse came right after { And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them in kindness} . Hence Ibn `Abbas said: 'I would not like to obtain all (astanzif) of my right from her because Allah Most High said { and men are a degree above them} .'"
(Source: fatwa by Sheikh G.F. Haddad at livingislam.com)
Careful reading of the verse in Arabic, and in the context of other verses, does not imply inequality. Rather, {And they [the women] have [rights] like [the obligations] they are under with beneficence} , as well as other verses, emphasizes the equality of man and woman in rights and obligations, in nature and mental characteristics, in responsibility and accountability towards Allah ( but Allah swt gave the men a greater degree of responsibility over the women than that of women over men.) His Message. For example, the Qur’an says what means:
ReplyDeleteThen their Lord responded to them, “I do not waste the deed of any doer among you, any male or female. The one of you is as the other (Aal `Imran 3:195)
Surely the male donors and the female donors and [those] who lend to Allah a fair loan, it will be doubled for them, and they will have an honorable reward (Al-Hadid 57:18)
Surely [for] male Muslims and female Muslims, and male believers and female believers, and devout males and devout females and sincere males and sincere females, and patient males and patient females, and submissive males and submissive females, and male donators and female donators, and fasting males and fasting females, and males who preserve their private parts and females who preserve their private parts, and males who are much mindful of Allah and females who are much mindful of Allah – for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a magnificent reward. (Al-Ahzab 33: 35)
We should understand that equality is something different from sameness. Actually it is the latter that the feminist movement nowadays call for, while Islam and sound intellect totally reject it. Men and women are different emotionally as well as in physical characteristics and endurance. Hence they were naturally created for two different, but complementary, functions and roles. This has been demonstrated by the variance of roles of men and women in all ages, civilizations, and cultures. The long history of humanity did not witness women prophets. It would be absurd to ascribe this to male self-imposed supremacy or coercion. Rather one should ask: Why did Allah exclusively send His messages through men, unless this is His will and the norms of His creation.
The emotional character of women, their motherly instinct, and their basically tender, compassionate nature qualify them for their vital roles as careful mothers, affectionate wives, daughters, and sisters. Such roles are essential to form happy households, to raise healthy generations, and to create a closely-knit society.
ReplyDeleteEqually, men bear the major responsibility of earning for a living, harnessing and developing the resources of the earth, facing life hardships, and defending his family and the community against dangers. A man is responsible to financially support his wife (even if she is rich), his daughters until they are married, his sons until they are able to support themselves, his needy parents, as well as other blood relatives. To fulfill these major responsibilities, he should assume the role of Protector/ Guardian/ Leader, and this is what is meant by “a degree above them.” (in Islam men have a greater degree of responsibility over the women than that of women over men. It follows that the rights owned to the wife are unnegotiable, whereas the husband has to give up certain rights – like Ibn Abbas explainedin the hadith )
Thus, leadership (and the role of protector/guardian) does not thus imply any sort of inequality or dictatorship, also it implies no superiority or advantage before the law, since men are obligated to give their wives ‘kind treatment and companionship (this right of the wife is strongly emphasized by the Qur'an the Prophet ).
The Qur'an 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 [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage contract] 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 God brings about through it a great deal of good. ( Qu’ran An-nisa 19)
Prophet Muhammad. (saw) said:
The best of you is the best to his family and I am the best among you to my family. [Ibn Hibban]
The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and best of you are those who are best to their wives. (Ibn-Hanbal, No. 7396)
Islam further emphasizes the importance of taking counsel and mutual agreement in family decisions. The Qur'an gives us an example: "...If they (husband wife) desire to wean the child by mutual consent and (after) consultation, there is no blame on them..." (Qur'an 2: 233).
Men should remember that they are obligated to be just and fair to their wives ( in this way they must exercise their role as protector/leader/guardian):
"Allah commands justice, the doing Of good, and liberality to kith And kin, and He forbids All shameful deeds, and injustice And rebellion: He instructs you, That ye may receive admonition. (The Noble Quran, 16:90)"
Tafsir Ibn Kathir on this verse:
ReplyDeleteThe Command to be Fair and Kind
Allah tells us that He commands His servant to be just, i.e., fair and moderate, and that He encourages kindness and good treatment.
Source: www.tafsir.com and check chapter sixteen verse 90.
How do you explain the two male witness or one male and two female witnesses bit? Just curious.
ReplyDelete