WOMEN IN ISLAM

SPIRITUAL EQUALITY OFTHE SEXES

In many otherreligions,women have had to fight for their rights and dues, and their struggle,in many cases, is still ongoing. Christian women, for example, have hadto struggle to make their voices heard, and have gone to the extreme ofchanging the text of the Bible to make it less “sexist” and more”acceptable”to women. Islam, on the other hand, has justly granted women theirrightswithout them having to ask, let alone demand and fight.For Muslim menand womenfor believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men andwomen, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men andwomenwho humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for menandwomen who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard theirchastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s praise – forthem has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward. [al-Ahzab33:35] A number of Islamicvirtuesare mentioned here, but the primary message of this ayah isthatthese virtues are applicable to both, women as well as men. Both sexeshave human rights and duties to an equal degree, and the rewards of theHereafter are available to men and women alike. Each individual will bejudged according to his or her deeds. Gender is simply not an issue inthis matter.And their Lordhas acceptedof them, and answered them: Never shall I suffer to be lost the work ofany of you, be he male or female: you are members, one of another… [AI’Imran 3:195] Allah has grantedthe prayersof the Believers, and has told us that He will not let the labour ofanyindividual go to waste. Everyone will reap the reward of his or herefforts.A woman may achieve this just as a man may. Man and woman alike aremembersof the human race, created from the same source and joined by Islam aspartners in life and in reward.Whoever worksrighteousness,man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life,andlife that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their rewardaccordingto the best of their action. [al-Natal16: 97] The spiritualequality ofwomen to men in Islam is abundantly clear, so nobody should fall fortheprejudiced view propagated by the Islamaphobes in the Western media.From the time achild isconceived, Islam gives glad tidings to a woman regardless of the genderof the foetus. The pregnant woman is held in the highest esteem, andherpatience in bearing the discomforts of pregnancy is regarded as an actof virtue which brings her closer to Paradise. If the baby is a girl,thisopens up further opportunities for the parents to attain Paradise. Instarkcontrast to the attitude of the pagan Arabian society which buriedfemalebabies alive (and the modern jahiliyyah in which manysocietiesviews the birth of a girl as bad news), the Prophet gave the gladtidingsof Paradise as the reward for the one who welcomes a daughter, bringsherup properly, provides a sound education and arranges a good marriageforher. In another hadith, it is stated that the fire of Hellwillnot be permitted to touch one who goes through trials and tribulationsbecause of a daughter, but still does not hate her, and treats her well.The Qur’anexpressively forbidskilling babies, whether by infanticide or abortion, for fear of povertyor losing face in the community:Say: Come, Iwill rehearsewhat Allah has (really) prohibited you from: join not anything as equalwith Him; be good to your parents; kill not your children on a plea ofwant – We provide sustenance for you and for them – come not nigh toshamefuldeeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which Allah has madesacred,except by way of justice and law: thus does He command you, that youmaylearn wisdom. [al-an‘am 6:151] The Qur’an alsotells usthat the innocent girls who were slain for no other reason than thattheywere female, will be asked on the Day of Judgement for what sin theywereslain:When the female(infant)buried alive, is questioned – for what crime she was killed [al-Takwir81:8-9] The crime is thatof theparents, not of the child. Parents should not think that they are atlibertyto do whatever they like with regard to their children. It is almostbeyondbelief that in the modern world the practice of infanticide, in theepithetof abortion, can be allowed to exist. China is currently experiencinganepidemic of this barbarism, under its strict population control laws;familiesare allowed only one child, and most parents want sons, so girls areabandonedand allowed to die, or are killed, so that the parents may have anotherchild, hopefully a boy. The Western nations, which are so quick tocondemnChina, are not so far behind in savagery, except they have sanitisedinfanticidein the guise of abortion.Not only does theQur’anprotect the female infant from being murdered by ignorant parents, butit describes her birth as good news, and grants her the right ofinheritancefrom her father, husband and brother, and gives her the right to ownpropertyand conduct business transactions independently and in her own right.When news isbrought toone of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens andheis filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from hispeople,because of the news that he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferanceand ) contempt, or bury it in the dusts Ah! What an evil (choice) theydecide on. [al-Natal16.58-59] This ayah referstothe period of Jahillyyah, just before the advent of Islam,whenit was the custom of the pagan Arabs to bury female infants alive.Islamtotally forbids such crimes, but sadly this evil practice is stillcontinuingin many communities, where women are not valued and are seen as aburden.At the very least, the birth of a girl is resented and she may beneglectedwhilst the best food and education is given to her brothers; at theworst,modern technology is exploited so that if a female foetus is detectedviaan ultrasound scan, it may be aborted, whilst a male foetus will becarriedto full term.The spiritualequality ofthe sexes in Islam extends to the worldly plane, and education isrequiredboth for male and female. The Prophet said: “Seeking knowledge is adutyfor every Muslim male and female”. He also urged Muslims to “Seekknowledgefrom the cradle to the grave”.The importance ofseekingknowledge cannot be over-emphasised. All Muslims are urged to educatethemselves,to act upon their knowledge, and to convey it to others…. Those trulyfear Allah,among His Servants, who have knowledge. [Fatir35.28] It is only thosewith knowledgeand understanding who will be truly conscious of the glory andtranscendencyof Allah. They will understand the transience of the present world andthe permanence of the Hereafter, and thus they will be concerned abouttheir future and will strive to attain knowledge of the Divine guidance.Islam promotes theeducationof both sexes. Islamic history, from the very beginning, records thenamesof numerous female scholars, foremost among whom is ‘A’ishah , who wasone of the greatest narrators of ahadith. Not only was sheresponsiblefor conveying over two thousand ahadith, but the great men ofhertime used to consult with her on matters of fiqh (jurisprudence).MARRIAGEThere is nocelibacy in Islam.Islam considers sexuality to be a natural part of life, which is to bechanneled into a healthy marriage life; sinful fulfillment of thesexualurge and exploitation of women through prostitution, pornography andrapeare utterly forbidden.The Prophet 14advised Muslims:”Whoever is able to marry, should marry, for that will help him lowerhisgaze and guard his modesty”. As well as providing a legitimate channelfor sexual energy which will keep a person away from sin – marriageprovidescomfort, security, solace and companionship. Islam not only regardsmarriageas necessary, but has raised it to the level of being a positivevirtue,whereby those who marry will be rewarded for doing so, as for any othergood deed. The Prophet As emphasised the importance of marriage when hedescribed it as being half of faith.An importantcondition ofmarriage is that this union should be by the consent of both partners;neither male nor female should be forced into a marriage. In particular- as a warning against the oppression of women – Islam clearly statesthata marriage contracted without the free consent of the woman is null andvoid. The Prophet said: “No widow should be married without consultingher, and no virgin should be married without her consent..”.”Prospectivemarriage partnersare encouraged to see one another before they agree to marry. Jabirreportedthat the Messenger ofAllah said, “Whenone ofyou seeks to marry a woman, if he is able to have a look at the one hedesires to marry, let him do so”.Above all, marriagein Islamis a contract between two equal parties.As an equalpartner, theMuslim woman may stipulate conditions in the marriage. In contrast toBritishwomen, who even now do not have the right to draw up a contract orstipulateconditions, Muslim women were given this right fourteen hundred yearsago.The woman may stipulate, prior to marriage, conditions, including thetransferof divorce power to herself, restricting the husband to one wife only,and clearly defining the conditions of maintenance.Marriage in Islamis muchmore than a means of satisfying sexual desires; it is a social contractof co habitation through which both partners may find companionship anda refuge from the trials and tribulations of life. In Islam, a woman isnot seen as an object for male gratification or a workhorse who isexpectedto cater to every need and whim of the male. She is a spiritual andmoralbeing who is brought into union with a man on the basis of a solemnpledgewhich Allah is called upon to witness. The Prophet 914 is reported tohavesaid, “You have seen nothing like marriage for increasing the love oftwopeople”.Today in the West,marriedwomen who retain their maiden names are viewed as feminists orunusuallyself assertive. Muslim women, however, have always been allowed andexpectedto keep their maiden names after marriage. This right to maintain theirown identity was given to women in Islam when elsewhere in the worldwomenwere seen as being barely human and debates raged as to whether theyevenpossessed a soul, let alone be given independence.The Qur’andescribes marriagein the most moving and eloquent terms:. They [wives]are yourgarments and you [husbands] are their garments…. [al-Baqarah2.187] And among HisSigns isthis, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you maydwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy betweenyour (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect. [al-Rum30:21] It is He Whocreated youfrom a single person, and made his mate of like nature, in order thathemight dwell with her (in love).. [al-A’raf7.189] (He is) theCreator ofthe heavens and the earth: He has made for you pairs from amongyourselves.. [alShura 42:11] In Islam, there isno notionof woman being responsible for the “Fall” or of being the first sinnerand therefore responsible for all of the mankind’s woes. There is noideaof man being created out of superior material and woman out of basematter.Woman is made equal, both men and women are the progeny of Adam, sobothhave similar souls.mankind!Reverence yourGuardian – Lord Who created you from a single Person, created, of likenature, his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countlessmen and women – fear Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual(rights). [al-Nisa’4:1] And Allah hasmade foryou mates (and companions) of your own nature, and made for you, out ofthem, sons and daughters and grandchildren. And provided for yousustenanceof the best: will they then believe in vain things, and be ungratefulforAllah’s favours? [al-Natal16:72] Islam does not viewwomanas the instrument of the devil, as is asserted by Christian teachings.The Qur’an describes woman as muhsanah, a fortress againstevil,because a good woman helps her husband maintain the path ofrighteousness.Muslim men arecontinuallyadmonished to treat their wives kindly. To those men who oppress theirwives:O you whobelieve! Youare forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treatthem with harshness, that you may take away part of the dower you havegiven them – except when they have been guilty of open lewdness; on thecontrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If youtakea dislike to them it may be that you dislike a thing, and Allah bringsabout through it a great deal of good. [al-Nisa’4:19] Men are commandedby Allahto consort with women amicably and honourably. They should refrain fromharshness in speaking to and dealing with them. Behaviour that goesagainststandards of morality and common courtesy is prohibited. Such wickedandbrutal conduct is the sign of ignorance (jahidyyah) which Islam came toabolish.Muslims areadmonished totreat women equitably. The Qur’an forbids them to inherit women andabusethem, sexually or otherwise, as was the custom prior to the advent ofIslamand as is still practiced in many societies where the rich and strongtakeadvantage of the poor and weak in this way. This Islamic rule appliesnotonly to the Arabs of the seventh century CE, but to all subsequentgenerationsof Islam. Men are forbidden to abuse women, and are commanded to liveamicablywith their marriage partners. The command of Allah to do so isreinforcedby the comment that while a man may find some trait or aspect of hiswife’sbehaviour that he dislikes, it may be that Allah will bring aboutsomethinggood if he tolerates it graciously and accepts his wife for what sheis.In all of this there is benefit for the man.The Prophetenhanced thismessage of equality and fair treatment of women by setting the supremeexample for mankind to observe and emulate. He demonstrated theimportanceof taking care of oneself and one’s daily needs, instead of imposing onone’s wife. Accounts of his life give numerous examples which “modernmen”may learn from. He attended to his own personal needs, he helped hiswivesin the house, and he even stitched and mended his own clothes. Hedemonstratedthat a man is never too great to clean and look after himself, and heimpartedthe following advice:”The best amongyou isthe one who is best to his family, and I am the best among you to hisfamily””The mostperfect believersare the best in conduct and the best of you are those who are best totheirwives””Many women havecometo the family of Muhammad complaining about their husbands… Thosehusbandsare not the best of you”3 “By assisting your wives in their householdduties,you will receive the reward of sadaqah (charity)”‘A believer mustnot hatea believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he shouldbe pleased with another””When a womanbreast feeds,for every gulp of milk she will receive a reward as if she had grantedlife to being, and when she weans her child, the angels pat her on thehack saying, ‘Congratulations! All your past sins have been forgiven,nowstart all over again”:”O women!Remember thatthe pious among you will enter Jannah before the pious men””Duringpregnancy untilthe time of childbirth, and until the end of the suckling period, awomanearns reward similar to that of the person who is guarding the bordersof Islam”In his famousspeech givenduring his Farewell Pilgrimage, in which he reiterated the mostimportantpoints of Islamic teaching, the Prophet reminded the Muslims of theimportanceof treating women equitably: “O people, fear Allah with regard towomen..”.Once again, men are reminded to remember Allah and fear Hisretribution,for Allah is aware of everything that passes between them.’A’ishah reportedthat whenthe Prophet was home, he would help with the household chores, treathisfamily amicably, and maintain a pleasant atmosphere in the home.Islamic teachingsare verystrict when it comes to the fair treatment of others and in the case ofphysical superiority Islam clearly states the responsibilities of thestrongerparty. As women are physically weaker, they are entitled to protection,and men are answerable for any misuse of their physical strengthagainstwomen. All kinds of physical abuse are forbidden in Islam, which alsoprohibitspsychological abuse such as seclusion and unnecessary restriction ofmovementand travel. A husband is also forbidden to disclose his wife’s secrets,as the Prophet said: “the worst of all people is the one who approacheshis wife, enjoys her company, then divulges her secrets”.”Marriage is inaccordancewith the teachings of Islam, so whatever permissible deeds are donewithinthe context of marriage including sex are regarded as virtues. TheProphet14 once said, “A man will be rewarded for his physical relations withhiswife”. His listeners, somewhat surprised, asked, “Will a person berewardedfor satisfying his passions?” The Prophet replied, “Do you not see thatif he were to satisfy his passions in a forbidden manner he would becommittinga sin? So if he satisfies himself in a lawful manner, he will berewarded”.The importance ofthe physicalside of marriage is also referred to in a hadith narrated byImamal Bukhari. The Prophet is reported to have upbraided one of hisCompanions,who was going to extremes in his devotion to worship: “O Abdullah, haveI not been informed that you fast all day and stand in prayer allnight?”Abdullah said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah”. He said, “Do not do that.Observethe fast at some times and refrain from fasting at others. Stand inprayerat night, then sleep. Your body has a right over you, your eyes have aright over you and your wife has a right over you”.Islam regards menand womenas equal partners who should cooperate in making the home, communityandsociety at large harmonious, happy and successful. The partners shouldbe loyal, considerate and dependent upon one another. They should worktogether to overcome any problems and obstacles. They should be jointlyconcerned with their children’s upbringing and education, and worktogetherto meet their children’s needs. They should work together to overcometheshortcomings of each partner, and present a united front to the outsideworld. They should also provide companionship and comfort to oneanother.Certain Qur’anicreferenceshave given rise to much debate concerning women’s role, rights andduties…. And womenshall haverights similar to the rights against them, according to what isequitable;but men have a degree (of advantage) over them. [al-Baqarah2:228] There are variouspointsof view as to the significance of the phrase “a degree (of advantage)”.Some suggest that it means the qualities of leadership, surveillanceandmaintenance that are given to men. Others favour the idea that itrefersto the tolerance which is expected of men even when their wives are inan extremely bad mood. Another opinion is that it is man’s naturalgift,bestowed by Allah, for judging family matters and managing problemsthatmay arise. However, the consensus of most scholars is that, this”degree”refers to the principle of guardianship, and nothing more. In another ayah,theQur’an says:Men are theprotectorsand maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more(strength)than the other, and because they support them from their means… [al-Nisa’4.34] Commenting on thisverse,Yusuf Ali states that the difference in economic position between thesexesmakes the man’s rights and liabilities a little greater than thewoman’s.This verse refers to the duty of the man to maintain the woman, and toa certain difference in the nature of the two genders. However, the twosexes are seen as being on equal terms in law, and in certain mattersthe”weaker sex” (the female) is entitled to special protections It shouldbe borne in mind that the Qur’an offers guidance for all humansocietiesat all periods of history. So Islam seeks to maximise the benefit ofallwomen, worldwide.Abdullah ibn Abbas, a companionof the Prophet ah, mentioned, with reference to the ayah quotedabove, that as men have been granted such a noble position by Allah,theyshould exercise greater patience. If there is some deficiency on awife’spart, then the husband’s position demands that he should accommodateherweaknesses, maintain a patient attitude, and establish consistency inthefulfillment of his rights. In short, marriage is intended to bringmutualbenefits to both partners.A renowned Asianscholar,Hazrat Hakim Akhtar saheb states: “the rights of women have beenmentionedbefore those of men in this verse because man, due to his inherentpowerand strength, easily obtains his rights from the woman. Thus Allahplacedmore emphasis upon the rights of women who cannot forcibly obtain theirrights”. The second point that may be noted from this ayah isthatthe man should take the initiative in fulfilling his responsibilities,because the Qur’an has mentioned women’s rights first.The “degree above”cannot,and must not, be taken to imply male superiority of worth. What it doesimply is a greater liability and responsibility, which means that menwillbe subjected to greater questioning in the Hereafter regarding thetreatmentof their wives and families. This is hardly what could be described asan enviable position, and some may even consider it “inferior”! Thedegreein question is nothing more than a means of assuring the maintenance ofwomen, as and when it is necessary.Islam clearlyrecognisesthe equal potential and ability of the sexes, but Allah has createdhumanbeings in a manner whereby men and women are better suited fordifferingbut complementary, tasks. Just because the male may be better at agiventask than the female, it does not mean that he is inherently superior.This is an error made by many feminists, who assume that liberation maybe achieved by adopting a male role. Instead of recognising andcherishingtheir femininity, they seek to ape men, to the detriment of women andhumansociety in general. By aspiring to male traits, values and behaviour,theyhave further diminished the female whilst elevating the male. Byequatingfinancial earnings and following a career with prestige and status, thefeminine pursuits of motherhood, household work and the raising of afamilyhave become valueless and are seen as degrading. Because unpaid work isseen as worthless, household work is viewed as demeaning drudgery. Incontrast,Islam emphasises harmony and mutual dependency, so a woman’s work incaringfor the home and raising the family is seen as being as essential andimportantas a man’s work in earning money for the financial support of thefamily.Mankind has beeninfectedwith the capitalist bug, where any type of work not providing afinancialincome is considered oppressive. The simple truths, taught by Islam,havebecome too difficult to accept. Humanity should not allow itself to bedazzled by the West and fooled into denigrating women’s valuable work.In Islam, the woman’s role is very important, perhaps even moreimportantthan that of a man. As we have seen, the acts of childbearing andsuckling- roles which are open only to women – bring immense rewards. Althoughthese abilities are a gift granted by the Creator, the woman exercisesan element of choice whether to breast feed as a means of earning thisreward. Moreover, as her share of the childrearing burden is greater,fromthe moment of conception onwards, Allah the All-Merciful and All-Wisehasmade the woman a means by which any individual may attain Paradise, inthat Paradise is described as lying at the feet of mothers (see alsothe ahadith on the virtues of mothers, below). The hardshipsandtribulations sufferedby women during pregnancy, birth, suckling and childrearing, are notwasted.They bring the promise of compensation, reward and a higher status inthisworld and the next.MOTHERHOODThe Prophetindicated thata woman’s status is further enhanced when she becomes a mother. A manonceasked him, “Who deserves the best care from me?” He replied, “Yourmother”.The man asked, “Then who?” He replied, “Your mother”. The man asked,”Thenwho?” He replied, “Your mother”. The man asked, “Then who?” He replied,”Then your father”.Islam has taught usthe preciousnessof the female at every stage of her life. A believing Muslim’s, duty isto live his life in accordance with Islamic teachings, as to please theCreator. If He is pleased with you, then you will benefit, in this lifeand certainly in the life to come. In order to please Allah, Muslimsmustfollow His commandments. His orders are to be kind and just to women,asdaughters, sisters, wives and mothers. Muslim who seek to make theirwomenfolkhappy may expect to earn the pleasure of Allah, and pleasing Allah isthekey to Paradise.And We haveenjoined onman (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his motherbear him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), ‘Showgratitude to Me and to your parents: to Me is (your final) Goal. [Luqman31:14] Although Islamtells us torespect both parents, the mother is given precedence. For months shebearsthe burden in her womb, sufferings the trials of pregnancy. After theexertionof labour, she suckles the baby for up to two years. She sacrifices herown comforts for the sake of her child. So a man has to recognise,first,the rights that Allah has over him, and then the rights of his parents,especially the mother; he must worship Allah, and occupy himself inobeyingand serving his parents to the best of his ability, so long as there isno disobedience to Allah, because Allah’s rights are paramount.Everyonemust answer to Him, so men and women alike must think of how they willanswer to Him for their deeds.Miqdam reportedthat theProphet said: “O people, listen: Allah the Most High commands you totreatyour mothers well. Allah the Most High commands you to be good to yourmothers, and thereafter to your fathers”. Anas reported that theProphetsaid: “Paradise lies at the feet of mothers”. What is meant by this isthat a believer may attain the pleasure of Allah, and hence Paradise,bypleasing his mother and attending to her needs. Even if one’s mother isnot a Muslim, one is obliged to treat her well and take care of her, solong as this does not entail any disobedience to Allah.POLYGYNYThe fact that Islampermitsa man to have more than one wife (polygyny) has been the cause of muchridicule and misinformation on the part of those who are shallowminded,prejudiced and inimical towards Islam. They have misled many bypublishingand promoting distorted facts and advocating practices that have nobasisin the true teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.As we have seen inChapterI, prior to the advent of Islam, women were treated as chattels andobjectsfor the gratification of men. Girls, women and widows were at the mercyof male whims. In pre-Islamic Arabia, a man could take as many wives ashe wanted and treat them as he pleased. In the modern world, thispracticecontinues under the guise of frequent divorces, affairs, mistresses andprostitution. Women are left alone to fend for themselves and theirchildren,whilst divorce is so common that there now exist groups such as “SingleAgain”, which cater for people who have been divorced for the second(orsubsequent) time.Islam did notabolish polygyny,as it recognised that in some cases, polygyny would be necessary andevenpreferable to the alternatives. However, it strictly limited it, to amaximumof four wives at any one time; there are also stringent conditions tobemet by a man who wishes to take a second wife.The initialintention ofthis law was to bring some order to the people of Arabia andneighbouringsocieties, who had been accustomed to unlimited numbers of wives, andtoinaugurate a System that would take care of the needs of women, who hadbeen regarded as goods and chattels to be acquired with no regard fortheirown human feelings. Polygyny also sought to solve the problem of theexistenceof large numbers of widows and orphans who were left to fend for them.If you fear thatyou willnot be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of yourchoice,two, or three, or four; but if you fear that you will not be able todealjustly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that your right handspossess. That will be more suitable, to prevent you from doinginjustice. [al-Nisa’4:3] The circumstancesin whichthis ayah was revealed illustrate the sincere teachings ofIslamregarding polygyny. It was revealed after the battle of Uhud, in whicha significant number of Muslim men were martyred and as a consequence,many women were widowed and their children orphaned. To safeguard thenewMuslim community, this just and compassionate law was revealed, and itremains in effect until the end of time. Islam requires men to takefullcare of the orphan’s interests and property, but if they felt that theycould not do justice to them as custodians, then they were advised tomarryother women, up to a maximum of four.Any man who wishesto takea second wife also has to meet the important condition of fairtreatmentof all his wives. The arch quoted above includes the command to treatwivesequally, and anyone who is unable to do so should marry only one wife.Equal treatment includes all social, economical and physical needs. Itis very difficult for human beings to be completely fair, a fact whichis recognised by the Qur’an:You are neverable tobe fair and just as between women, even if it is your ardent desire:butturn not away (from a woman) altogether, so as to leave her (as itwere)hanging (in the air)… [al-Nisa’4.129] Shaikh ul Islam ofPakistan,Allamah Usmani suggests that as equality in all aspects of one’sdealingswith women is impossible, a man should do justice as much as is humanlypossible. He should not be excessively inclined towards one wife anddisinclinedtowards the other and leave her as if she were in suspension. Such anattitudeis cruelty on the part of the husband.The Prophet urgedfair treatmentsof co wives when he said: “A man who marries more than one woman andthendoes not deal justly with them will be resurrected with half hisfacultiesparalysed”.’It is worth notingthat someMuslim “modernists” have linked the two ayahs quoted above anddrawnthe conclusion that Islam effectively allows only one wife, because al-Nisa’4:129 states that it is not possible to treat two women equally, andthereforemen who marry more than one woman are put in an impossible position andare acting against Islamic teachings. What the modernists fail torecogniseis that the equal treatment referred to is only that which is humanlypossible.A man may be more fond of one wife than another, but he is not allowedto make this fact obvious, and he must always ensure that the”less-favoured”wife is taken care of properly. On no occasion did the Prophet everforbidhis Companions to take second or subsequent wives. In the case of menwhohad more than four wives when they embraced Islam, such as Ghaylan ibnUmayyah al-Thaqafi, the Prophet asked them to keep four wives and toreleasethe others. The “modernists” have played into the hands of the enemiesof Islam by trying to appease non Muslims and present far fetchedinterpretations.Polygyny in Islamis restrictedand may be practiced only when certain strict conditions are met. It isalso the exception rather than the norm in Muslim societies throughoutthe World. A World Health Organisation census has shown that less than5% of Muslim men practice polygyny. This is in contrast to other groupsin countries such as India, where 15.25% of men from tribal religiousgroupspractise polygyny; 7.97% of Buddhists, 6.72% of Jains and 5.8% ofHincushave plural marriages. The percentage of polygynous marriages in Indiais lowest among Muslims, at 5.7%.The figures give anindicationof the level of misinformation and stereotyping perpetrated by theWesternmedia. Not only have Westerners coloured themselves with this jaundicedview, but some Muslims are also questioning the teachings of their ownreligion. It is very important for scholars to educate the people andprovidethem with correct information, to counteract the false picture of Islamand Muslims given by the Western media, and to enable them tounderstandtheir own faith more fully.It is very sad tosee the”modernists” propagating monogamy and seeking to change the teachingsofthe Holy Qur’an by suggesting that polygyny was intended to bepracticedonly in the case of war and the like. These people come up with suchpatheticexcuses in an attempt to appease the enemies of Islam to no avail.The topic ofpolygyny cannotbe considered complete without some discussion on the Prophet’s Idpracticeand the historical context in which he and his wives lived. This is atopicwhich has received much attention from the West, and about which manyMuslimsare confused. It is a subject which is worthy of an entire book initselfHere the topic will be covered briefly.It should be notedthat inseventh-century Arabia, adultery, rape and fornication were the norm.Mencould have as many wives as they wanted, with no obligation to care forthem or attend to their needs as human beings. In this environment, theProphet remained chaste from the beginning. At the age of 25, hemarriedKhadijah , who was a widow 40 years of age and was thus his senior by15years. Their marriage was a happy and harmonious one, and remained sountilKhadijah passed away some 25 years later. By this time the Prophet was50 years of age and bearing the great responsibility of Prophethood.The Prophet’ssecond wifewas Sawdah. She and her husband had been among the earliest converts toIslam. They suffered great hardship at the hands of Quraysh(inhabitantsof Mecca), so the Prophet had instructed them to migrate to Abyssinia(Ethiopia).There, her husband passed away, and Sawdah suffered much hardship as awidow in a foreign land. The Prophet He knew that he was responsibleforthe welfare of his followers, so he proposed marriage to Sawdah. Thismarriagebrought relief, respect and status to her, and provided the Prophetwithcompanionship and assistance in raising his children from his marriageto Khadijah. At the time of her marriage to the Pronhet, Sawdah wasaround55 vears old.In order to createbloodties and to show his love and respect to his closest Companions who hadgiven up this world for the sake of Islam, the Prophet gave two of hisdaughters in marriage to Ali and ‘Uthman’; he also accepted in marriage’A’ishah and Hafsah , the daughters of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar ,respectively.His marriage to these two noble women not only enhanced his close tieswith his Companions, but these women were later to offer deep insightintothe Prophet’s life. They were responsible for narrating over half ofthe ahadith which now form the basis of the Islamic code ofconduct.’A’ishah aloneis known to have narrated over two thousand ahadith.Zaynab was a cousinof theProphet. She had previously been married to Zayd , the freed slave andadopted son of the Prophet Hi. This marriage had been arranged by theProphet, but the couple were never happy in their marriage and it becameapparentthat they were not compatible. At the Prophet’s insistence, they hadstayedtogether for several years, but in the end Zayd could not tolerate itanylonger, and decided to set Zaynab free from the marriage contract. Thefact that an enslave had divorced a woman of the noble Quraysh tribebecamethe subject of much gossip among the pagans and the weaker members oftheMuslim community. Not surprisingly, Zaynab confined herself to herquartersand it fell to the Prophet to relieve her of her misery. He marriedher,and she was around 38 years of age at the time. This action achievedtwoends. One was to demonstrate that Islam makes no distinction betweenclass,race or status, as the Qur’an teaches that the noblest person in thesightof Allah is the one who is most pious. The second was to indicate thatadopted sons were not to be counted as blood relatives, as hadpreviouslybeen the custom in Arabia…. Nor has He[Allah]made your adopted sons your sons. Such is (only) your (manner of)speechby your mouths. But Allah tells (you) the Truth and He shows the(right)Way. [al-Ahzab33:4] In order to unitethe tribesof Arabia under Islam, it was deemed necessary to have a blood tie withthem, which could be accomplished through marriage. Hence some of theProphet’smarriages were arranged to establish inter-tribal ties and to furtherthecause of unity. The Prophet’s %46 marriage to Juwayriyah led to hertribeof Banu Mustaliq, who had been among the fiercest enemies of Islam,freeingall their Muslim prisoners. The whole tribe later entered into Islam.Maymunahcame from the tribe of Najd, who had murdered the emissaries sent tothemby the Prophet. After his marriage to Maymunah, however, their attitudechanged and Najd became favourable towards Islam.In all, the Prophethad elevenwives, of whom two – Khadijah and Zaynab – passed away in his ownlifetime.After the ayah restricting the number of wives to four was revealed, hecontracted no further marriages, but his nine remaining wives wereregardedas “mothers of the faithful” and as no other man would be permitted tomarry them if he divorced them he kept all his wives on the grounds ofcompassion.With the exceptionof ‘A’ishah,all of his wives were widows or divorcees. His marriages were all forpoliticalreasons or were contracted in order to set an example of compassion, asin the cases of Zaynab and Sawdah. His polygynous marriage all tookplacerather late in his life, from the age of 55; taking into account thefactthat the responsibility of conveying the message of Islam to the wholeof mankind was his to bear, these marriages show the extent of hiscompassionateand caring nature. He was in a position of great political power, andcouldhave had all the worldly comforts and carnal pleasures had he desiredthese.However, he chose to marry widows and older women – a sure indicationofhis upright moral character and desire to set the highest example tohisfollowers.DIVORCEThe Prophet said:”Divorceis the most hateful of all lawful things in the sight of Allah”.Although Islamemphasisesthe importance of marriage, it is a humane and practical religion whichrecognises the fact that there may be situations in which dissolvingthemarriage bond may be in the better interests of the individualsconcernedand of society at large. Divorce is allowed as a last resort, rather asamputation or major surgery may be the unpleasant but a necessary stepneeded to save a person’s life. If divorce were forbidden, thenanimosityand adultery may become rampant. To save individuals and society fromthegreater evils, divorce has been permitted. However, it is not a step tobe taken lightly or hastily. Sincere attempts at reconciliation are tobe made first and – as in the case of marriage – the rights and welfareof women are to be upheld.Imam al Ghazzali(b.1058CE) who is honoured with the title of Hujjat al Islam ‘The Proof ofIslam’states, the greatest care should be taken to avoid divorce, for, thoughdivorce is permitted, yet Allah disapproves of it. If divorce becomesessentialthen the woman should be divorced kindly, not through anger orcontempt,and not without a valid reason. After divorce a man should give hisformerwife a present and not announce to others any of her shortcomings.The Qur’an advisesa couplewho are facing difficulties in their marriage to appoint arbiters:If you fear abreach betweenthem twain, appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family and the otherfromhers; if they wish for peace, Allah will cause their reconciliation… [al-Nisa’4:35] But if the attemptsat reconciliationfail, then the couple is permitted to separate, But if theydisagree (andmust part), Allah will provide abundance for all from His All-Reachingbounty… [al-Nisa’4.130] In order todissolve a marriage,it is essential to pronounce a declaration of talaq. There arethreetypes of talaq (divorce) that are practiced among Muslims.Talaqahsan -(the preferable type of divorce): After issuing one pronouncementofdivorce, the couple wait for the ‘iddah (waiting period, whichconsistsof three menstrual cycles of the wife, usually three months). Duringthistime, all possible attempts at reconciliation should be made. Thehusbandmay take his wife back at any time during the ‘iddah period.Duringthe period of iddah the man must oblige to either keep thewomanin the same home or at least furnish her with a comfortable apartment,which is easily accessible to him. Further, the man must provide forheras if no divorce has taken place. At the end of the iddah orwaitingperiod if reconciliation has failed then the marriage is broken.Talaq hasan – is adivorce where a man pronounces talaq to his wife in threeconsecutivestate of purity.Talaqid’i- (bid’ior innovative divorce) is talaq where the husband issues threepronouncementsof divorce at one time. According to the majority of jurists, this talaqisvalid but it is against the spirit of the Shari’ah and so the man is anoffender in the eyes of the law.Talaq bid’i isconsidered aserious act against the Islamic teachings. Hazrat Umar, a closecompanionof the Prophet and the second Calipha of Islam, used to whip thehusbandwho pronounced divorce thrice at one and the same sitting.When you divorcewomen,and they fulfil the term of their (‘Iddah), either take them back onequitableterms or set them free on equitable terms; but do not take them back toinjure them, (or) to take undue advantage; if any one does that, hewrongshis own soul. Do not treat Allah’s Signs as a jest, but solemnlyrehearseAllah’s favours on you, and the fact that He sent down to you the Bookand Wisdom, for your instruction. And fear Allah, and know that Allahiswell-acquainted with all things. [al.Baqarah2.231] During the ‘iddah period,the couple should stay together, which gives greater opportunity forreconciliation.The woman cannot be evicted from the marital home unless she hascommittedan indecent act, such as adultery…. And fearAllah, yourLord: and turn them not out of their houses, nor shall they(themselves)leave, except in case they are guilty of some open lewdness, those arelimits set by Allah: and any who transgresses the limits of Allah, doesverily wrong his (own) soul: you know not if perchance Allah will bringabout thereafter some new situation. [al-Talaq65:1] When it comes todivorce,Islam treads the middle ground, and safeguards the rights of women. Itneither prohibits divorce, thereby imprisoning women as is the case inHinduism and historical Christianity; neither does it regard divorce asinsignificant, as in pre Islamic Arabia and in the present time.The right todivorce is notrestricted to the husband. The woman may also seek a dissolution of themarriage by means of a process known as faskh, whereby sheappliesto the Qadi (Judge) for an annulment of the marriage. The wifemayseek faskh in several cases, including: apostasy (renunciationofIslam) by the husband; lack of equality of status (kafi’ah); lackof compatibility; spoiling of marriage (fasad); incurableimpotenceon the part of the husband and if the husband ill treats the woman (nushuz).Theabove cases present valid grounds for a woman to seek divorce from herhusband. If the couple come to a mutual agreement for separation andgetdivorced then this is called khul.If the wifefears crueltyor desertion on her husband’s part, there is no blame on them if theyarrangean amicable settlement between themselves; and such settlement isbest…. [al-Nisa’4:128] Islam has decreedjusticeforboth sexes in the case of divorce. Although the act of divorce isdisliked,it is permitted for the sake of weak human souls who cannot always findcomfort and solace in the marriage relationship. This is mainly due tolower tolerance levels, high expectations in others and needlessdesires.MODESTYAs alreadyindicated, Islamis a complete way of life, and it has not left out any aspect of humanlife in its prescription for living. It is to this religion’s creditthatnot only does it point out the dangers of life, but it offers practicalsolutions to them. One such area is that of modesty, which in thebroadestsense means humility, restraint in manner and conduct, avoiding excessand presenting an unpretentious appearance. This is the way of lifetaughtby the Qur’an and exemplified by the Prophet.In humanity, theworst crimeafter murder is zina (adultery), and the punishment dictatedbyIslam for adultery is equal to that meted out for murder. Thisindicatesthe enormity of illicit sexual conduct and the disgust with which Islamviews this crime.’Abdullah ibnMas’ud reported,”1 asked the Messenger of Allah , ‘What is the greatest sin?’ Hereplied,’To set up rivals with Allah by worshipping others although He alonehascreated you’. 1 asked, ‘What next?’ He said, ‘To kill your child lestitshould share your food’. 1 asked, ‘What next?’ He said, ‘To commitadulterywith the wife of your neighbour’.”The reason behindthe prohibitionof zina is not to “spoil the fun” for people, but because zinais the cause of much social chaos, upheaval and suffering forindividuals,families, societies and nations. Zina destroys the moral fibreofa person, creates an atmosphere of mistrust and deceit, and leads tothebirth of illegitimate children who must bear the stigma of their birth.Pornography, prostitution, rape, abortions, divorce and single-parentfamiliesare the by products of zina, as is now all too evident inBritainand other Western societies. Families are torn apart, diseases arespreadand people’s characters become twisted and distorted. The Qur’an warnsus:Nor come nigh toadultery:for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to otherevils). [al-Isra’17:32] To protect themoral well-beingof mankind, Islam lays down laws which restrict, if not stop, thethingsthat may lead to zina.Say to thebelieving menthat they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that willmakefor greater purity for (Amongst) them: and Allah is well acquaintedwithall that they do.And say to thebelievingwomen that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; thattheyshould not display their beauty and ornaments… [al-Nur24.30-31] The first step onthe roadto zina is sight. It is only after a person has had a glancethathis desire are inflamed. As men are generally more aggressive in thisway,the Qur’an addresses the command of lowering the gaze to the malefirst.The believing men and women are restricted from gazing at one another,as this is the gateway to greater sin. The Prophet said:”the zina of thelegsis walking towards an unlawful act, the zina of the hands istouchingand patting, and the zina of the eyes is casting passionate”lancesat those who are forbidden to you”Being a practicalreligion,Islam recognises the fact that a person has to look around to be awareof his or her environment and to see where he or she is going, in whichcase there is no sin if a person’s glance happens to fall upon a personof the opposite sex. It is the second glance which is punishable. TheProphetIn advised Ali,”O Ali, do notallow yourfirst glance to be followed bye second, because the first glance ispermittedfor you but the second is not”.In other ahadith, theProphet warned Muslims against putting themselves into situations wheretemptation may overwhelm them the potential for sin is increased: “Let no malestrangersit in privacy with a female stranger, for the third among them isSatan”‘”Do not go to the houses of women whose husbands are ahsent”.There areexceptions to thisprohibition on looking at members of the opposite sex. In the case ofmedicalexaminations or treatment, deciding on a marriage partner, recordingevidenceor carrying out criminal investigations, the rulings are relaxedsomewhat,but proper conduct and modesty must still be adhered to.The free mixing ofmen andwomen from the time they become sexually aware to the time they are nolonger sexually active is prohibited. On the face of it, this mayappearrather harsh, but if we examine the effects of unrestricted contactbetweenthe sexes, the person who is blessed with understanding and insightwillsoon see the wisdom behind this restriction. Today, in the Westernworld,every type of crime that results from free mixing of the sexes is ontheincrease, as we have seen in Chapter II.Islamic modestyencompassesnot only behaviour, but also dress. It is well-known that appearancescount,and that clothes can make a “statement” about the person. Muslims arerequiredto dress modestly and conceal their private parts. The Qur’an remindsusthat after the error committed by Adam and Eve, they became aware oftheirnakedness and shame, so clothing was given as a means of concealing thebody:O children ofAdam! Wehave bestowed raiment upon you to cover your shame, as well as to be anadornment to you. But the raiment of righteousness -that is the best.Suchare among the Signs of Allah, that they may receive admonition!  [al-A’raf7:26] A prominentcommentator,from Asia, on the Holy Qur’an, Hazrat Shah Saheb interprets this ayahasmeaning that the enemy (i.e., Satan) stripped them of their’Paradisian’garments, then Allah taught them the art of dressing, so thathenceforththey should wear only the garments of piety.Allamah Usmanipoints outthat Allah has bestowed many natural resources for human use. He hascreatedcotton, wool, feathers and other materials which man utilises and makesinto clothing and other items. When we reflect upon these bounties ofAllah,we will easily recognise Allah’s favours and become thankful to Him.Moreover,the dress of piety will help us to regain the long-lost Paradisiandress.Muslims arecommanded tocover the ‘awrah, which in the case of men extends from thenavelto the knee, and in the case of women includes the whole body excepttheface, hands and (according to some Hanafi scholars) feet. Muslimsshouldwear clothes that are loose fitting, thick (non-transparent) and simple(not ostentatious or gaudy).Although the man’s ‘awrahis from the navel to the knee, the sunnah (practice) oftheProphet He is to wear clothes that cover the body from the shoulders tojust above the ankles. The ‘awrah is the minimum area to becoveredin cases where a person may be too poor to afford more extensivegarments.The guidelinesregardingwomen’s dress come straight from the Qur’an:And say to thebelievingwomen that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; thattheyshould not display their beauty and ornaments except what (mustordinarily)appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms andnot display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, theirhusbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers ortheir brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or theslaveswhom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physicalneeds,or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex; and that theyshould not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hiddenornaments. And O Believers! Turn all together towards Allah, that youmayattain Bliss. [alNur 24:31] O Prophet! Tellyour wivesand daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast theiroutergarments over their persons (when abroad): that is most convenient,thatthey should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is OftForgiving,Most Merciful. [al-Ahzab33.59] The outer garment (jilbab)is one which covers a person from head to foot. A well-known hadithfurtherdescribes the dress of the Muslim woman: “When a woman reaches the ageof maturity, it is not lawful for her to uncover any part of her bodyexceptthe face and this -” and he (the Prophet) put his hand on his wristjointso as to leave only a little space between the place he gripped and thepalm.Not only do womenhave tocover themselves in front of men who are strangers to them, but theyarealso required to lower their gaze. Umm Salamah reported that she andMaymunah(who were both wives of the Prophet ) were with the Prophet when thesonof Umm Maktum, who was blind, came to speak with him. The Prophet toldhis wives to observe hijab in front of the visitor Umm Salamahsaid,”O Messenger of Allah, he is a blind man and will not see us”. TheProphetsaid, “He may be blind but you are not, and do you not see him”?The main aim of hijabis to restrain individuals of the opposite sex frombeing undulyattractedto one another. However, hijab has numerous secondaryadvantagesthat bring benefits to women. It gives women their own identity andtheirown sphere, which exists parallel to that of men. Women are thus freedfrom the strain of Western-style social pressure in which women areexpectedto look impeccable and sexually attractive at all times, and they arerelievedof the “necessity” of spending large amounts of time and money invisitingbeauty parlours and applying chemicals, lotions, potions and scents totheir bodies for the purposes of gratifying men. Above all, it allowsMuslimwomen to have an identity, an ability to express their personality andintellect of their own, independently of men’s whims and desires.The Prophet issueda warningwhich offers food for thought for all of us:”Those women whoappearnaked even though they are wearing clothes, who allure and are alluredby others, and who walk in a provocative manner, will never enterParadise,or even smell its fragrance”.ECONOMICSAnd in no waycovet thosethings in which Allah has bestowed His gifts more freely on some of youthan on others: to men is allotted what they earn and to women whattheyearn: but ask Allah of His bounty. For Allah has full knowledge of allthings. [alNisa’ 4:32] Through Islam,women gainedeconomic liberation and independence frown their menfolk. For the firsttime in human history, Islam bestowed upon women a legal economicentity.A woman could now own, manage, inherit, distribute and sell her ownpropertyas she wished and in her own right. Her assets remained hers, andmarriageor divorce did not alter the fact. The Islamic ruling and practice withregard to women’s economic rights was light-years ahead of any Westernequal rights manifesto. Islam brought these rights to women fourteenhundredyears ago, long before equal rights were thought of or campaigned forinother lands.In the West,women’s emergenceinto the economic arena only took hold during the two World wars when,with most men conscripted for the war effort, the need for labour wassoacute that there was no other option but to bring women out of thehome.However, it has taken much heartache and a great deal of struggle andstrivingto bring women anywhere near a position of equal economic status. Eventoday, the Western woman is economically bound to her husband, who candemand a share from her earnings for ongoing domestic expenses and, inthe case of divorce, can claim a share of her savings. In contrast, theMuslim wife is entitled to be supported by her husband, no matter howrichshe may be in her own right; whilst she is a child, she is entitled tobe supported by her father and in old age she is entitled to besupportedby her children. The Muslim woman is relieved of the burden of havingtoearn a living, and she is allowed to dispose of her earnings inwhatevermanner she chooses.In the case ofinheritance,the Muslim woman is allotted a share equal to half of that given to hermale counterpart. This is often cited as an example of Islam’sunfairnessto women, but the facts warrant closer examination. In many societies,including pre-Islamic Arabia, wealth that was to be inherited wasdistributedby means of a written will which in many cases deprived women and thosein a weak position of their share; this is still the case in some partsof the world. Islam offers, as it were, a “ready-made will”: the Qur’anspells out the Islamic injunctions regarding inheritance, and giveswomenthe right to inherit from husbands, fathers and brothers:From what isleft by parentsand those nearest related there is a share for men and a share forwomen,whether the property be small or large -a determinate share. [al-Nisa’4:7] The reason for menbeinggiven a portion twice as much as that given to women is that men areresponsiblefor taking care of their womenfolk: A man may be required to spend onhismother, sisters or other female relatives. A woman is entitled todisposeof her share of the inheritance as she wishes, and is under noobligationto support anyone, even herself. When these facts are borne in mind,thejust and equitable position of Islam is vindicated.Islam has givenrights towomen in all aspects of life, including some where women in othercultureshave no rights even today. Many of the instances which critics point toas being unfair to women are, upon closer inspection, found to befavourableto women and may even be seen as giving them preferential treatment.