THE MUSLIM WOMAN
Her
Status in the Ummah
By the noble Scholar Shaykh
'Abdul-'Azeez bin Baaz[1]
The status of the Muslim woman in Islaam is a
very noble and lofty one, and her effect is very great in the life of every
Muslim. Indeed, the Muslim woman is the initial teacher in the building of a
righteous society, providing she follows the guidance from the Book of Allaah
and the Sunnah of His Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam. Since
adherence to the Qur'aan and the Sunnah distances every Muslim male or female
from being misguided in any matter. The misguidance that the various nations
suffer from, the path of Allaah the Most Perfect, the Most High, and from what
His Prophets and Messengers, may Allaah's peace and prayers be upon them all,
came with. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
"I am leaving behind two matters,
you will not go astray as long as you cling to them both, the Book of Allaah
and my Sunnah."
The great importance of the Muslim woman's role
- whether as wife, sister or daughter, and the rights that are due to her and
the obligations due from her have been explained in the noble Qur'aan, and
further details of this have been explained in the purified Sunnah.
The secret of her importance lies in the
tremendous burden and responsibility that is placed upon her, and the
difficulties that she has to shoulder. In terms of responsibilities, some of
which not even a man can bear. This is why from the most important obligations
upon a person is to show gratitude to the mother, and kindness and good
companionship with her. And in this matter, she is to be given precedence over
and above the father. Allaah the Most High, says:
"And We
have enjoined upon man to be dutiful and good to his parents. His mother bore
him in weakness upon weakness and hardship upon hardship, and his weaning is in
two years. Show gratitude and thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the
final destination." [Al-Qur'aan 31:14]
Allah the Most High, said:
"And We
have enjoined upon man to be dutiful and kind to his parents. His mother bears
him with hardship, and she brings him forth with hardship. And the bearing and
the weaning of him is thirty months." [Al-Qur'aan
41:15].
A man came to
Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said:
O Messenger of
Allaah! Who from amongst mankind warrants the best companionship from me. He
replied: "Your mother." The man asked: Then who? So he replied:
"Your mother." The man asked: Then who? So the Prophet replied again:
"Your mother." The man then asked: Then who? So he replied:
"Then your father." So this necessitates that the mother is given
three times the likes of kindness and good treatment than the father.
As regards the
wife, then her effect in making the soul tranquil and serene, has been clearly
shown in the noble aayah (verse), in His - the Most High's - saying:
"And from
amongst His Signs is this: That He created for you wives from amongst
yourselves, so that you may find serenity and tranquility in them, And He has
put between you love and compassion. Indeed, in this are signs for those who
reflect." [Al-Qur'aan 30:21]
Al-Haafidh Ibn
Katheer (d.774H) - rahimahullaah - said, whilst explaining the terms mawaddah
and rahmah which occur in the above verse. "Al-mawaddah
means love and affection, and ar-rahmah means compassion and pity, since
a man takes the hand of a woman either due to his love for her, or because of
compassion and pity for her; by giving to her a child from himself..."
And the unique
stance that the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam's wife Khadeejah -
radiallaahu 'anhaa - took, had a huge effect in calming and reassuring
Allaah's Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, when the angel Jibreel
- 'alayhis-salaam - first came to him in the cave of Hiraa. The Prophet sallallaahu
'alayi wa sallam returned to Khadeejah with the first Revelation and with
his heart trembling and beating severely, saying to her, "Cover me!
Cover me!" So she covered him until his fear was over, after which he
told Khadeejah - radiallaahu 'anhaa - everything that had happened, and
said: "I fear that something may happen to me." She said to
him: "Never! By Allaah! Allaah will never disgrace you. You keep
good ties with relations, you help the poor and the destitute, you serve
your guests generously and assist those who have been affected with calamities."
And do not
forget about 'Aaishah - radiallaahu 'anhaa - and her immense
contribution. Even the eminent Sahaabah (Companions) used to take
knowledge of Hadeeth from her, and many of the Sahaabiyaat
(female Companions) learnt the various rulings pertaining to women's issues
from her.
And I have no
doubt that my mother (may Allaah shower His mercy upon her) had a tremendous
effect upon me, and has a great excellence over me, in encouraging me to study,
and she assisted me in it. May Allaah greatly increase her reward and reward
her with the best of rewards for what she did for me. And there is no doubt
also, that the house in which there is kindness, gentleness, love and care,
with the correct Islaamic tarbiyah (education and cultivation) will greatly
affect the man. So he will become, if Allaah wills, successful in his affairs
and in any matter whether it be seeking knowledge, trading, earning a living,
etc. So it is Allaah alone that I ask to grant us all success and to guide us
all to that which He loves and is pleased with. And may the prayers and peace
of Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his Family, his Companions and
his followers.
[1] He is the exemplary Scholar: Abu
'Abdullaah, 'Abdul-'Azeez bin 'Abdullaah bin Baaz. He was born in the city of
Riyaadh (Sa'udi Arabiah) on the 12th Dhul-Hijjah in the year 1330H. He began
seeking knowledge by first memorising the Qur'aan before reaching the age of
maturity. He then went on to study the various Islaamic sciences, such as 'Aqeedah
(Beliefs), Fiqh (Jurisprudence), Usoolul-Fiqh (Fundamentals of
Jurisprudence), Hadeeth (Prophetic Narrations), Faraa'id (Laws of
Inheritance), Nahw (Grammar) and Sarf (Morphology) - even though
the Shaykh became permanently blind at the age of seventeen. He studied these
sciences under some of the most prominent Scholars of Riyaadh and Makkah of his
time, including Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Lateef ibn Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Hasan
and also the former grand-muftee and noble scholar, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem
- whom he studied under for ten years. He is eighty-six years old, mild,
generous and forbearing in nature, whilst firm, yet wise, when speaking the
truth. He is a zaahid (one who abstains) with respect to this world and
is one of the foremost Scholars of Ahlul-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'at in this
present age. The noble Shaykh has - by Allaah's grace - devoted his whole life
to the cause of Islaam and its people, authoring many books and booklets,
teaching and serving the masses, along with being very active in the field of da'wah.
May Allaah protect our noble father and Shaykh, and may He continue to benefit
the Ummah with him.
This small article was a response to a particular question concerning the
position and status of Muslim women, and has been taken from his Majmoo'
Fataawaa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawwi'ah (3/348-350).
2. Hasan:
Related by Maalik in al-Muwatta (2/899) and al-Haakim (1/93), from Ibn 'Abbaas radiallaahu
'anhu. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no.1871).
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no. 5971) and Muslim (7/2), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu
'anhu.
4. Tafseer Qur'aanul-'Adheem (3/439) of Ibn Katheer.
5. Related by al-Bukhaaree (1/22) and Muslim (1/139), from the lengthy
narration of 'Aa'eshah radiallaahu 'anhaa.