The Woman Before and after Islam
26-08-2008
Introduction
Praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds and prayers and greetings be upon His
honest messenger.
Dear brothers and sisters, this study has taken me a great deal of time, and I
wish it gets your appreciation by reading it. I hope also to spread it around
for the overall benefit while getting God's generous reward.
Facts
Indeed, women suffered immensely; they were the victims of every regiment, and
the regret of all times, represented by many pages of deprivation, springs of
sadness, they were deeply wronged, profoundly exploited in an unprecedented
manner.
Chapters of Shame:
It is shameful that humanity was not treating women as human beings. All past
civilizations exercised various types of torture, injustice, defeat and
oppression unto her.
Greeks described her as the poisoning tree, and that she is filth made of from
the Satan's work, and that she is sold as a commodity.
Romans said she has no soul and, as a sort of torture they poured hot oil over
her, and she was dragged down to death by horses.
Chinese described her as the painful water which takes away happiness, and that
a Chinese has the right to bury his wife alive and, if he dies his family will
be entitled to inherit her.
Indians described her as worse than death, hell, poison, snakes, and fire. The
woman has no right to live after her husband's death and that she should be
burned with him.
Persians permitted the marriage of the unmarriageable with no exception), and it
became allowed for a Persian to sentence his wife to death!
Jews described her as a curse because she is the reason of seduction, and that
she is dirty when in menstruation, and they permitted her father to sell her.
In Christianity: The French held a conference in 586 AD to determine if the
woman can be considered as a human or not, does she have a soul or not? If yes,
is it a human or an animal soul? If it is a human soul, is it on the same level
or on a lower level to that of the man? They finally decided that she is a
human, but she is created only to service the man. The English parliament issued
a decree during Henry the 8th rein, the English King, which banned women from
reading the new testament (the falsified Bible) because they are sullied
(dirty).
Before Islam, Arabs used to hate her like death. She used to be buried alive, or
thrown into a well in a very brutal manner.
Women's liberation
Allah sent Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), the mercy for all mankind. His attributes
changed the face of the ugly history and shaped a new and an unprecedented life
in humanity and in the entire civilization.
Islam came and ruled out: " … And they (women) have
rights similar to those (of men) in kindness" 2.228
Islam says: "….But consort with them in kindness"
4.19
Islam says: "… place not difficulties in the way of
their marrying their husbands if it is agreed between them in kindness"
2.232
Islam says: "…Provide for them, the rich according to
his means, and the straitened according to his means" 2.236
Islam says: "… Lodge them where ye dwell, according to
your wealth" 65.6
Islam says: "…and harass them not so as to annoy them"
65.6
Islam says: "…and give women a share from what the two
parents and the relatives left" 4.7
Islam says: "…seek them with your wealth in honest
wedlock, not debauchery" 4.24
Islam says: " .. and unto women a fortune from that
which they have earned" 4.32
Islam says: "… and bestow upon them of the wealth of
Allah which He hath bestowed upon you" 24.33
Islam says: "…They are raiment for you and ye are
raiment for them" 2.187
Islam says: "…O my people! Here are my daughters! They
are purer for you" 11.78
Islam says: "…then if they obey you , seek not a way
against them " 4.34
Islam says: "…It is not lawful for you forcibly to
inherit the women of your deceased kinsmen" 4.19
Islam says: " … nor you should put constraint upon them
that ye may take away a part of that which ye have given the" 4.19
Islam says: " …Divorce must be pronounced twice and then (
a woman ) must be retained in honor or released in kindness" 2.229
The noble messenger came and showed us the woman status; he was asked once "who
is the most preferable person to you? He answered: Aisha"
He used to bring gifts and presents and says:" you deliver it to so and so, she
was a friend of Khadija (RAA) ".
He (peace be upon him) says: I urge you to do women well
He also says: A believing man should not detest a believing woman. If he hated
an attitude from her he may like another.
He says "Women are sisters of men"
He says "The best of you is he who does best for his family"
He says: Your duty towards them is to provide their means of living and to cloth
them from good money.
He says "the best Dinar is that you spend on your family"
He says " A righteous woman is a man's happiness" .
In the Prophetic Sunnah, Aisha (RAA) quoted: " Allah's apostle and I used to
bathe from the same container"
He also says: "...What ever you spend is counted as alms, even what you feed
into your wife's mouth is considered alms too."
It was quoted from the light of his biography that a woman went to him) and said
" please Apostle of Allah ask Allah to pray on me and on my husband, and he did
May Allah's peace be upon you and your husbands (Peace be upon him) .
There are numerous proofs that Islam is the true liberator of women slavery.
To clarify further, I will shortly explain how a woman's rights in the Islam
were maintained (protected) from cradle to grave.
Verses and Declarations:
1. Islam safeguarded a woman's right when she was a helpless fetus in her
mother's abdomen : if the mother gets divorced when she is pregnant , Islam
enjoined on the father that he spends on the mother during the carrying period
by it " … and if were pregnant then you should spent on
them until they deliver their babies" 65.6
2. Islam safeguarded a woman's right ruling out that a baby's mother is not
punished or penalized while carrying him so that the baby does not get affected
. In Sunnah it was narrated that a Lady from Ghamid came to the prophet to apply
punishment on her and said " O the messenger of Allah purify me of my sins, but
he then said to her: no, not until you have delivered your baby"
3.Islam safeguarded a woman's right even when she was still suckling infant. It
was narrated that after the Lady from Ghamid delivered her baby, she went to the
prophet and requested the application of the penalty but he said (Peace be upon
him) "go breast feed him until he is weaned).
4. Islam safeguarded a woman's right after birth with regards to clothing and
means of living: "… The duty of feeding and clothing
nursing mothers in a seemly manner is upon the father of the child"
2.233
5. Islam safeguarded a woman's rights during the period of incubation and
bringing up, which extends to a few number of years. It enjoined on the father
to expend on her during this period which is a natural extension of expending on
children in general.
6. Islam safeguarded a woman's inheritance rights, in general be it during
childhood or adolescence. Allah says: "…and if there be
women more than two , then theirs is two-thirds of the inheritance , and if
there be one ( only ) then the half" 4.11
7. Islam protected a woman's right in choosing a suitable husband, where she has
the right of the acceptance or the response if she was previously married. The
Prophet (Peace be upon him) says: " …Do not wed the widower or the unmarried
until she is empowered "
8. Islam protected a woman's right when she weds. The prophet says: "Do not wed
the virgin until she is asked".
9. Islam protected the woman's right and enjoined dowry for marrying her. Allah
says "… And those, of whom ye seek content by marrying
them, give unto them their portions as a duty. And there is no sin for you in
what ye do by mutual agreement". 4.24
10. Islam protected the woman's right if she gets disunited: a woman can get
disunited of her husband if she detests or does not desire living with him by
giving away a sacrifice for redemption. Prophet was quoted saying "accept the
garden and divorce her ".
11. Islam protected the woman's right when divorced, for divorced women a
provision in kindness: a duty for those who ward off (evil). 2.241
12. Islam protected the woman's right as a widow, and made her entitled to
inherit her husband. Allah says: "…But if they have a
child then unto you the fourth of that which they leave, after any legacy they
may have bequeathed, or debt (they may have contracted, hath been paid"
4.12
13. Islam protected the woman's right when in divorce and before the
consummation of marriage and that is represented in a non waiting period. Allah
says: "…O ye who believe! If ye wed believing women and
divorce them before ye have touched them, then there is no period that ye should
reckon. But content them and release them peacefully" 33.49.
14. Islam protected the woman's right as an orphan, and specified her a share of
any gains. Allah says: And know that whatever ye take
as spoils of war , lo! a fifth thereof is for Allah , and for the messenger and
for the kinsmen ( who hath need ) and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer.
8.41.
Islam specified her share of almsgiving House. Allah says:
" …that which Allah gives and bestows unto His messenger from the people of the
townships, it is for Allah and His messenger and for the near of kin and the
orphans and the needy and the wayfarer." 59.7.
15. Islam protected the woman's rights in social life and ensured the peace of
her heart while keeping in good terms with her relatives. It prohibited marrying
the wife's sister, her aunts while. This was mentioned by successive narrators
of Hadith and in Qura'an too. Allah says: "… And it is
forbidden unto you that ye should have two sisters together, except what hath
already happened in the past. Lo! Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful"
4.23
16. Islam protected the woman's rights by the maintenance of her honor, and it
prohibited looking at her. Quraan says: "… Tell the
believing men to lower their gaze and be modest" 24.30
17. Islam protected the woman's right in punishing who accuses her of the
atrocity, without a proof by lashing. Allah says: "…
And those who accuse honorable women but bring not four witnesses, scourge them
(with) eighty stripes and never (afterward) accept their testimony. They indeed
are evil doers" 24.4
18. Islam protected the woman's rights as a mother. It enjoined benevolence and
good treatment to her. It also warned against saying words expressing nuisance.
Allah says: say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them,
but speak unto them a gracious word" 17.23
19. Islam protected the woman's rights as a wet-nurse and entitled her for a
wage, and made it a common right between the suckling and the wet-nurse. Allah
says: "… then if they suckled you then gave them their
wage" 65.6
20. Islam protected woman's rights when at pregnancy and made it a common right
shared with her child. Allah says: "and if they were
carrying women, then you expend on them until they put their carrying - deliver"
65.6
21. Islam protected the woman's rights in dwelling. Allah says:
"… Lodge them where ye dwell, according to your wealth, and harass them not so
as to worsen life for them" 65.6
22. Islam protected the woman's rights in health and dropped her fasting if she
was wet-nurse or pregnant.
23. Islam protected the woman rights in will writing. Islam enabled her to
advise to whom inheritance goes to after her death. Allah says:
" …. but if ye have a child then the eighth of that
which ye leave, after any legacy ye may have bequeathed, or debt (ye may have
contracted, hath been paid" 4.12
24. Islam protected the woman's right in preserving her body after her death.
Prophet Mohamed (Peace be upon him) says
"Breaking a dead person's bones is equivalent to breaking the bones of a live
person"
25. Islam protected the woman's rights even when she gets buried in grave. The
prophet (Peace be upon him) says: "It is better for a person to sit over a
burning stone to the degree of burning his clothes and his flesh than sitting on
a dead person's grave"
The Western Civilization
The question here is to what virtue human civilizations called for today? What
are the rights it preserved for women?
1. In summary: the western civilization endeavored to kill the woman's identity
as well as violate her simple rights.
2. A western woman, ever since her childhood, sees the future as a scaring ghost
whom she is incapable of wrestling. When she reaches 16 she gets dismissed from
her parents' house, she then starts yielding her femininity to the claws of
tyrannical desires, and abusing exploitations of men.
3. As soon as she starts thinking of civilization illusions, men eyes chase her
with looks that would impregnate any virgin.
4. Arrows of bad words head towards her like fatal punches, apathy of shyness
encompassed her and deprived her of the dearest attribute that Allah
distinguished her with: the delicacy and gentleness of femininity; the most
expressive characteristic and symbol of a woman's identity.
5. Men often push her to do every vice, exploiting her financial burdens and
hardships to the extent that she's become like a commodity traded and circulated
in the hands of ethics merchants at the cheapest prices. If she loses her honor,
and gets accustomed to committing sins, then sins become easy to recommit
shamelessly.
6. Today, the western moral system creates poisonous fruits to all means of
subsistence. It accelerates the execution and suicide of women's identity at the
gates of desires of the liberal, democratic, and the capitalist worlds.
7. The woman is in a worst position than before. Before they used kill her, but
today she is lead or pushed to kill herself.
Western testimonies
The west confessed the corruption of their approach and method..
Hilisyan Stansiri says: "prevent mixing, restrict girls' freedom, and return to
the veil age, this is better for you than the impudence and lewd of Europe and
America
Beret French, said while addressing Muslim girls "do not take the European
families as your example, because they are bad ideals to follow"
Famous actress Marilyn Monroe, who wrote an advice to fellow women just before
her suicide, says:
"Beware of glory … bewares of those who deceive you with stardom … I am the most
miserable woman on earth… I could not be a mother … I am a woman who prefers the
house and the honourable family life above everything else. Honourable Family
life is the true happiness of an woman, this type of life is the symbol of
humanity .. I was oppressed and wronged by all…Cinema life makes a trivial cheap
commodity of the woman however glory and the false fame she might have
attained".
Lady Cook says: "men are accustomed to mixing which made women seek behaviours
that disagree with their nature. The more the mixing the greater is the number
of the illegitimate children. The consequences are clear to all. So fathers, do
not get tempted by money and stop sending your daughters to work at laboratories
and teach them to stay away from men. Statistical data shows that adultery
becomes higher and is aggravated where the mixture between the men and the women
increases.
Can't you realize that the majority of illegitimate children are to women who
work in laboratories or who work as house maids where they are exposed to men's
gazes? Had there been no doctors to administer abortion pills and medicines,
there would have seen quadruples of these figures. It has become sordid to see
men in our country refuse to marry the inexperienced girls; meaning those girls
who have children from adultery so that they can benefit from them. How much
this woman suffered from the bitterness of the life!!"
British writer Annie Rode says:" if our girls work in houses as servants or
maids then it is better than working at laboratories where the girl becomes
pollutant by tubercles that take the splendour of her life forever. I wish our
country were like Muslims countries; where decency, Chastity and purity are the
dress of servants and slaves while enjoying the most luxurious living and a good
treatment by the house masters'. A good treatment similar to that they apply to
their own children with no harm. ... Yes it is a shame on the British countries
that they let their girls becomes symbols of vice by leaving them mix with men.
Why are we careless in seeking what makes the girl agrees with her natural being
as ordered in the divine religion while abandoning the works the conforms with
men to men in a attempt to protect her safety and honour!
Egyptian newspaper 'Al Akhbar ' published in its 20/10/1972 issue the following:
"This week, the annual party of Miss Year was held and a great number of ladies
from all walks of life attended .The celebration speech was made in Queen Anne's
presence and it centered around women Freedom and Requests ...The winner was a
17 years old girl who was unanimously selected. The girl expressed her absolute
refusal to the feminine liberation movement and she said that she'd rather keep
her femininity and that she does not want to wear trousers to challenge men. She
wants to be a woman and her husband to be a man. Everybody applauded to her
inclusive of Queen Anne. (Source: The contemporary Arab woman - to where? P.
50).
Dr. John Kishlr one of the American psychologists announced in Chicago that 90 %
of the American women are frigid and that 40 % of men are barren. He further
added that advertisements that depend on the pictures of the naked girls are the
reason in the descent of the sexual level of the American people. ( For more
details refer to the American congressional committee Report about the
investigation in youth crimes in America titled: "the collapsed American society
manners - The naked society in documents and numbers, p. is 11) .
The above data shows that those who call for the women's liberation of Islamic
teachings are divided into three categories:
1-They are either the enemies of the Islam and its people; they did not believe
in this great religion and they preferred atheism. These can not be blamed.
2- Those that are named Muslims but are hypocrites and the secular. They trade
in religion, and observe no fear of god and no conscience while dealing with
people.
3- Muslims who are ignorant of Islam teachings and rulings. They do not
understand the meaning of contemporary civilization and are thus perplexed.
How can we then explain to Muslim women that atheist women of the west do envy
them for the boon and blessing of Islam? Muslim women have to know that their
counterparts in the west lost the treasures of life, the secret of happiness and
the mercy of the delight when they abandoned the teachings of Islam.
Who can convince Muslim women today that the Western civilization accelerates
the execution or suicide on the Muslim woman identity?
Submitted by a Mujahid