Women in Islam and their Rights!

[Alsunna Teacher]

Bismillah, wal-Hamdulillah, Wa Sallallahu ^ala Rasulillah

It was said:

Status and the rights of women in Islam

• The Muslim woman's femininity would NEVER stop her from acquiring knowledge or teaching it. Muslim women are seen at schools, in the factory, in the field, in the shop, in the house, and in hospitals.

• The Muslim woman is NOT a neglected object neither a degraded entity. Islam gave the woman her right and proper status: The son respects his mother, kisses her hand, and is obedient to her. The daughter is usually her mother's 'right hand'.

2- Inheritance

To explain the facts about inheritance, Allah the Almighty said in the Qur'an :وللذكر مثل حظ الانثيين

This verse means:  "To the male the equivalent of the portion of two females".

This is quite fair and justified, because men are naturally obliged to shoulder all the financial burden in a family. The woman is under no such obligation to spend her money on anyone else other than to share with her brothers and sisters in supporting her poor parents.

3- Hijab

Hijab is the covering of the head and parts of the woman's body. One of the main reasons for Muslim women to cover their heads as ordained upon them in Islam is for preventative measures; to protect them, to uphold their rights, and to honor their status. The Hijab worn with modest clothing is a shield against any form of sexual exploitation. Wearing the Hijab does not stop women from feeling comfortable and beautiful. It does not stop them from achieving highly in academia nor restrict them from enjoying full freedom. It is not a sign of oppression NOR is it worn as a symbol of defiance as some wrongly believe.

4- The so called honour killing

Honour killing is referred to by the media as "...murder by their family for sexual misconduct". In fact, honour killing is not allowed in Islam because it is a crime. These types of murders that are committed mainly in remote villages in some countries are a cultural and not a religious practice.

5- Clitoridectomy

Clitoridectomy is the total removal of the clitoris. It is not an Islamic practice. Where it exists, it is merely because of a cultural practice and mainly performed in some African countries. Female circumcision which is a pre-Islamic practice is still the norm in these countries and when it is malpracticed it leads to mutilation or clitoridectomy.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) clitoridectomy is a Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and is performed "in cultures where it is an accepted norm, female genital mutilation is practiced by followers of all religious beliefs as well as animists and non believers..... The practice, however, predates Islam".

6- Arranged Marriage

The common belief amongst non Muslim is that arranged marriage amongst Muslims is about parents choosing partners for their sons and daughters without consulting with them. Others also believe that parents pre-select the partners of their sons and daughters from their childhood years and force them to marry these chosen partners without their consent. Again, this is NOT an Islamic practice. It is merely a cultural practice.

We conclude that the Woman in Islam is not as many non Muslim people imagine her to be, nor as some ignorant lay Muslims may propagate. She is not a slave in her own home nor is she an instrument for the husband to use as he wishes. By God, these misconceptions do not exist in Islam.

[Alsunna Teacher]

Was polygamy only known in the days of Prophet Muhammad?



Answer

The Islamic law allows men to marry up to four wives, but it is not a customary practice unless the man fulfills his obligation of treating all four wives equally, which is not an easy task.
While polygamy is considered a 'taboo' in some societies nowadays, it was a well known practice at the time proceeding Muhammad (peace & belssings be upon him). The Christian Bible mentioned that Esua the son of Isaac had three wives, Judith the daughter of Beeri, the Hittite'. Genesis, chapter 28, verse 9: ' so Esua went to Ishmael and took Mahalata the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to his wife in addition to the wives he had".

The same book mentioned that Jacob (peace be upon him) the son of Isaac had more than one wife. In Genesis, chapter 29, verse 23: "then she gave him Billah her maid as wife saw she stopped bearing children she took Zilpah her maid and gave her to Jacob as wife ". Genesis, chapter 30 verses 4 & 9. So Jacob had four wives.

In addition to that, history has narrated that past kings of England had more than one wife.

In this day and age many people have multiple sexual partners before marrying and it is not uncommon for some married couples to have extra marital affairs. Astonishingly they call this malpractice normal and they condemn the society who encourages marriage and the family were married parties have to take full responsibility for the outcomes of their relationships through healthy and clean marriage.

[Sayfullah]

The hadith is:
روى ابن حبان عن أبي هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: "إذا صلت المرأة خَمسها، وصامت شهرها، وحصنت فرجها، وأطاعت بعلها دخلت من أي أبواب الجنة شاءت".
Ibn Hibban related from Abu Hurayrah that the messenger of Allah (Sallallahu ^Alayhi wa Sallam) said:

"If the woman prayed her five, and fasted her month, and preserved her private part, and obeyed her husband, she will enter from any of the doors of Paradise"