Women's Freedom In Islam

(Sumaiya Khalid, )

Women’s freedom in Islam is one of the most vulnerable targets for attackers of Islam. The conflict is not because the Islamic concept of women’s freedom has any weakness, because Allah’s laws are perfect in every way. The weakness is rather in lack of knowledge and research in Islamic academics and ignorance of Muslims in general regarding this topic.

Since God is the absolute and the sole master of men and the universe, He is the sovereign Lord, the Sustainer and Nourisher, the Merciful, Whose mercy enshrines all beings; and since He has given each man human dignity and honour, and breathed into him of His own spirit, it follows that, united in Him and through Him, and apart from their other human attributes, men are substantially the same and no tangible and actual distinction can be made among them, on account of their accidental differences such as nationality, color or race.

Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the women's liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the women's liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by God (s.w.t.) to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him), who is known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Qur'an and the Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from which every Muslim woman derives her rights and duties.

Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God (s.w.t.) in glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity with men. In the Qur'an, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women," God (s.w.t.) says,

"O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it its mate and from them both have spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and towards the wombs (that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you."

Islam has allocated the management of the house as a woman’s basic role, in which she takes care of her family, raises and educates her children, and caters for the needs and desires of her husband. Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said:

“A woman is the guardian of her husband’s house and is responsible for it.” (Al-Bukhari 893).

Despite the noble position bestowed upon her in the home, Islam does not discourages the concept of working women. A woman has been afforded the right go buy and sell while entrusting others to do her bidding.

The Messenger of Allah (S) has stated:

“Worship has seventy elements; the noblest of which is endeavoring to gain legitimate income.”

The noble Musa ibn Ja‘far (‘a) has declared:

“Surely Allah, the Honored, the Glorified, disfavors languid and idle servants.”

However, taking heed of the special physical and spiritual genesis of women, not all lines of work are consistent with their eminence or abilities and other members of the society. Women are exquisite, sensitive, and beautiful beings. Because of this exquisiteness and beauty, they have much allure and influence with men.

Thus, they must endeavor to choose professions that can keep their spiritual and physical beauty impeccable for their husbands.

Like men, women are completely free in marriage and choosing their spouse. A mature woman may not be married without her consent and such a marriage is void. No one has the right to force a woman to marry or to choose a specific husband for her, even one’s father, mother, sibling, or grandparents. Imam Sadiq (‘a) has stated:

“Women must be asked permission for their marriage, virgin or otherwise, and marriage is not correct without the woman’s behest.”

Islam has given rights and freedom to women in seeking knowledge as well.

The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every Muslim (male and female)." This includes knowledge of the Qur'an and the Hadith as well as other knowledge.

Unmarried women may freely endeavor to acquire knowledge and no one has the right to prevent them from learning. However, a married woman must observe the rights of her spouse and children and must confer with her husband on this issue in order to reach a consensus.

One of the most important right given to Muslim women by God (s.w.t.) 1400 years ago is the right to vote. On any public matter, a woman may voice her opinion and participate in politics. One example, narrated in the Qur'an (60:12), is that Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is told that when the believing women come to him and swear their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their oath. This established the right of women to select their leader and publicly declare so. Finally, Islam does not forbid a woman from holding important positions in government. Abdur-Rahman Ibn Auf consulted many women before he recommended Uthman Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.

To sum up the whole, it is Islam the only religion that has made women rights equal to men rights and has provided all the due rights that no any other religion has granted so far. Women in Islam are considered precious & valuable and have been granted recognition, protection, respect, modesty and are honored with integrity, prosperity and due rights in all code of life. In Islam, there is no single aspect of life, where women’s rights are subjugated and thus has proved to be the right and true religion and revealed by God, which besides other religious aspects has bestowed women with their due rights.

Submitted by:

SUMAIYA KHALID.

Sumaiya Khalid
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