Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
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The Holy Prophet of Islam ﷺ told the world that God had
especially entrusted to him the task of safeguarding the rights of women. Islam
gave women rights that the non-Islamic world has given to women only within the
past 200 years: the right to inherit property (from their husbands, their
parents, their next of kin), the right to own, keep, and manage their own
property, the right to ask and get a divorce in case of ill treatment or
abandonment from the husband, the right to remarry, the right to obtain an
education. The responsibility for the maintenance of the wife and children was
placed on the husband (only recently have child support laws been made and enforced
in this country). Remember that Islam was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(saw) by God 1500 years ago. In the United Kingdom, it was only in late 1882
that the first Married Women's Property Act was passed by Parliament, and
before that, a woman could not hold property on her own, independently of her
husband, and in Italy as late as 1919. Misconduct was accepted in English law
as cause for divorce only in 1923. Abandonment was accepted as cause for
divorce in New Zealand only in 1912. In Tasmania, 1919, in Victoria, 1923, in
Cuba, 1918, in Mexico, 1917, in Portugal, 1915, in Norway, 1909, in Sweden,
1920, in Switzerland, 1912, divorced was allowed for various forms of
mistreatment. But Islam had proclaimed and enforced the rights of women since
approximately the year 600 only through revelation from God, not as a result of
women having to fight for their rights. As American Justice Pierre Craibites
had rightly observed:
Muhammad (saw), 1300 years ago assured to the mothers, wives, and
daughters of Islam a rank and dignity not yet generally assured to women by the
laws of the West.
A principle of change which has been discovered recently is that
change in organisations takes place effectively only when the change is
directed at the entire organisation rather than at individuals. Islam takes
this very view. The dictates of Islam that have to do with men and women and
children will change the entire society, not just the individual. You will
agree that it is better to raise a good child in a good neighbourhood, isn't
it? Would any of you want to spend a lot of time raising your child and then
would you go and live in a gang-infested environment? Of course not!
Another paradigm which I ask you to lay aside at this time is that,
as a society, you have all the answers. The society in which we live presently,
with increasing number of broken homes, single parent homes, drugs, murder,
illegitimate births, child abuse, general lack of morality, certainly lack of
spirituality, should be a source of shock to all of us. Is this the ideal
society? Is this the environment in which we want to leave our future
generations? Are conditions improving or getting worse? If indeed we believe in
God and an afterlife, is the society around us conducive to the achievement of
this goal? If what you have is not so great, stop hanging on to the belief that
you are the only one who can find solutions. Now, let's stop putting money into
government funded programmes to prevent child abuse, use of drugs, unwanted
pregnancies, murders. These programmes do not work. Listen to a different
alternative, one that works.
Islam's approach is proactive (not waiting for problems to occur
then trying to find solutions). Islam's approach is positive. There are more
than 700 commandments of positive things to do in the Holy Qur'an and a few
things not to do. Islam's approach is systematic. It addresses change in the
entire society, not just in the individual. These three conditions make Islam
educationally sound. Islam gives a system for producing maintaining a social
climate in a society that is conducive to allowing human beings to achieve the
real goal of their creation which is the worship of God (Allah is the same God
that people of all faith understand to be the Creator and Supreme Being):
O ye men! worship your Lord Who created you and those who were
before you, that you may guard against evil. (Ch. 2, v. 22)
The dictates of Islam create a good moral individual but in
addition, Islam which is from God Who, of course, understands the nature of the
humanity He has created, realises that this good individual must be placed in a
very moral society so that his energies are not spent fighting off evil, but
instead, are spent in progressing in nearness and communion to God in
preparation of the life to come. If you believe in God and in an afterlife,
then a great portion of your time should be spent in preparation for that next
life. When you want to prepare for a race or a championship fight or for an
exam or for getting a job, you spend years, hours in preparation, don't you? I
asked someone at work what she did to prepare for the next life. She answered
'I go to church on Sunday.' Is it really enough?
For the individual, Islam prescribes a minimum of five daily
prayers which progressively bring human beings closer and closer to God, and a
recipe of spiritual foods contained in the Holy Qur'an. When you do weight
lifting, don't you follow a strict programme of regular exercise coupled with a
diet rich in nourishing foods? Islam then tells human beings how to regulate
their relationships with one another within the content of the family, the
society, and humanity.
The great and noble quest that, we as human beings undertake in
this life in search of our Creator, must approach it as brothers.
Surely, all believers are brothers.
Human society must provide internal support for its individual
members:
And help one another in righteousness and piety; but help not one
another in sin and transgression... (Ch. 5, v. 6)
We are all in this together, all of humanity! God, in His Infinite
Wisdom, has created humanity in a wonderfully, diverse and complementary
manner. Men and women are diverse in their respective faculties and capacities.
Our Lord is He Who has endowed everything with its appropriate
faculties and then guided it to their proper use. (Ch. 20, v. 51)
God has fashioned mankind according to the nature designed by Him,
there is no altering the creation of Allah. (Ch. 30, v. 31)
Men and women are equal in the sight of God, but in view of the
differences in their nature, they have been assigned different roles for the
smooth functioning of the human society. Women have the unique ability to bear
children and to nurture them. Men are physically stronger. Look at the cover of
the latest Newsweek magazine. This article discusses brain wave research which
shows how differently men and women think and feel and how different parts of
the brain are affected differentially for the same mental function. Women are
one segment of humanity. In an Islamic society, women can occupy three
positions.
First as a daughter, her importance is such that the Holy Prophet
of Islam (saw) tells us: 'He who brings up his daughters well, and makes no
distinction between them and his sons, will be close to me in Paradise.'
Secondly, a woman can be a wife. The character of men in an Islamic
society is established in relationship to their treatment of women. 'The best
from among you is one who behaves best towards his wife.' (Hadith)
Thirdly, in her role as a mother, Islam has placed women at a
higher status than men. 'Paradise is at the feet of the mother.' Islam
recognizes the great role that women play in upbringing of the children and
that the future of mankind and of societies depends on mothers. The paradise
mentioned by the Holy Prophet (saw) refers to both the social paradise that can
be achieved in Islam and the heavenly paradise. Therefore, mothers have been
placed at a position of the highest respect. As a covert, I can testify to the
profound respect (almost unimaginable if you are not a Muslim) which is
accorded to mothers in Islamic homes.
People who sell or teach, people who aim to effect behaviour
changes in others, need to fulfill three conditions in order to be effective.
First they must sell themselves, that is gain trust and credibility; for
example real estate sales people are told that it is not the house that they
must sell to their customers, it is themselves. Secondly, they must constantly
model the behaviour which they want others to adopt. As a teacher trainer, I constantly
tell my staff that they must 'walk the talk'. The third and most vital
condition is that the teacher must have high expectations of the learners.
Therefore, in order for mothers to effectively mould humankind in the highest
mould of excellence required by God, they must share the high expectations of
that God has for his creation:
Verily, We have created man in the best make. (Ch. 95, v. 5)
And they must become those fortunate beings under who feet paradise
can be earned.
If an organisation such as an university entrusts the training of
students to teachers, would you not expect that organisation to also provide
adequate training for the teachers, good schools or places for the training to
take place, and also, good job opportunities after the training is complete?
You would expect nothing less from God, the Almighty Creator. The
dictates of Islam that have to do with behaviour of women are the training of
this crew of teachers of mankind. The family unit provides the setting for this
teaching to take place, but the society which is the workforce of life where
the teaching is practiced must also be regulated and maintained in the best of
ways.
Teaching is not effective unless the teacher has credibility and
respect. Both need to be earned. Can you respect someone who does not behave in
a respectable fashion? Can a child behave well unless you accompany your
teachings with good modelling? Of course not. Therefore, the high respect which
God commands us to hold for women in Islam also dictates that women have to
behave with utmost dignity and piety in order to become the most respected and
honoured segment of our society. It is sort of the 'Noblesse Oblige' concept of
the French. Those of higher nobility are under constant obligation to behave in
the best of ways.
Ask yourselves this question. 'Why did nuns used to dress very
modestly and cover their heads?' Because they were supposed to be very noble
and very pure. In both the Old Testament and the Bible, a head covering is
prescribed for chaste women (Genesis: 24:64, 65; 1 Corinthians 11:5, 6). A
paradigm which comes from misinterpretation of the Bible is that Eve was
responsible to make Adam sin, therefore there is an implication in Christianity
that women are impure and that association with them diminishes a man. That is
why priest and nuns were told not to marry if they wanted to be close to God.
Islam denies the theory of the original sin, and rejects monasticism as a human
invention. God tells us in the Holy Qur'an that all human beings are created pure
and that both men and women are capable of achieving the highest degree of
spirituality (high expectations).
Going back to the question of modest dressing, nuns dressed
modestly because they did not intend to marry therefore did not want to attract
the attention of members of the opposite sex. But Islam wants all women to be
pure, and all men also, no double standards in Islam. What you wear affects
both how you feel about yourself and how others view you. For example, at my
school, which is not air conditioned, the principal always wears a suit, no
matter how hot it is. Teachers and parents know that well dressed children feel
good about themselves, and teachers subconsciously view them as well cared for
and treat them better. Well dressed children do better in school. Many public
schools are now adopting uniform policies for the students because wearing a
uniform puts the student in a learning mood and makes the teachers view them as
potential learners. This affects both the student and the teacher's behaviour
so that the entire atmosphere becomes conducive to learning. Also, even in my
childhood, women used to wear veils when they entered the church which points
to the relationship between dress and attitude.
Islam prescribes modesty for both men and women in order to
maintain a pure Islamic society. As a matter of fact, the responsibility to
create and maintain this society starts with men:
Be chaste and your women will be chaste (Hadith).
It is a society in which the institution of marriage plays a vital
part. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (saw) says, `Marriage is my way.' The Holy
Qur'an describes the relationship between husband and wife in a beautiful
manner:
They are a sort of garment for you and you are a sort of garment
for them.
A garment embellishes, protects, safeguards, gives dignity and
honour. It's a beautiful relationship based on love and respect and
characterised by grace:
Consort with them graciously... (Ch. 4, v. 20)
In order to allow women the opportunity to fulfill the challenging
obligation of producing these moral individuals who will become members of the
Islamic society, the responsibility for providing for the family has been
placed on men. They are appointed as protectors of the members of their
household.
Men are appointed guardians over women... (Ch. 4, v. 35)
Wives have rights corresponding to those which husbands have, in
equitable reciprocity, though, in certain situations, men would have the final
word and thus enjoy a preference. Allah is Mighty, Wise. (Ch. 2, v. 229)
When you married, God appointed you trustees of those rights (of
your wives). You brought your wives to your home under the law of God. You must
not, therefore, abuse the trust which God has placed in your hands. (Hadith)
Just as in any system, different individuals are assigned different
roles for the optimum functioning of the system, similarly, in the family unit,
man is the head of the household. This does not imply superiority or
inferiority in any way, just difference in roles because the functions men and
women each play in the family unit are different. For example, in the school
where I work we have the principal. The staff shares in decision making through
committee work but the suggestions always receive the final approval or
disapproval from the principal. No one would ever think of disobeying the
principal because he has final accountability, therefore he must have the
freedom to make the ultimate decisions. In the family unit, the men bears the
ultimate responsibility for providing that pious and safe haven of love and
comfort called the Islamic home within which paradise is formed under the feet
of mothers during the course of the sacred task of the moral upbringing of the
children. In return, men receive obedience and support from their spouse. God
instructs parents to pray for the success of this sacred duty, because seeking
God's help through prayer is a necessary precursor to every endeavour of a
Muslim:
Lord, grant us of our spouses and our offspring the delight of our
eyes and make us a model (family) for the righteous. (25:75)
Therefore, in order for a society to be a pure society, both men
and women should think, dress, and behave in ways that allow pure thoughts and
actions to dominate the way of life and create a social climate conducive to
the achievement of the real goal of life, the achievement of communion with our
God, our Creator. Physical attraction between men and women is good and pure
only within the context of the sacred institution of marriage. In the Holy
Qur'an, God tells us:
Of His Signs is that He has created for you of your own kind that
you may find peace of mind through them, and He has put love and tenderness
between you. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect. (30:22)
To fulfill the natural need for love and comfort, God established
the family unit as a safe and healthy place for the experience and
manifestation of these normal needs. God also tells us how men and women should
behave with people other than their immediate family:
Say to the believing men that they restrain their looks and guard
their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is Well-Aware of
what you do. And say to the believing women that they restrain their looks and
guard their private parts, and that they display not their beauty or their embellishment
except that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their head-coverings
over their bosoms, and that they display not their beauty or their
embellishment save to their husbands, or to their fathers, or their sons, or
the son of their husbands, or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or
the sons of their sisters, (all men that are not possible for a woman to marry)
or women who are their companions (decent women), or those that their right
hand possesses, or such of male attendants as have no desire of women, or young
children who have not yet attained knowledge of the hidden parts of women. And
that they strike not their feet so what they hide of their ornaments may become
known. And turn ye to Allah all together, O believers, that you may prosper.
(24: 31, 32)
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
Islamic Quotes On Patience Islamic Quotes In Urdu About Love In English About Life Tumblr Wallpapers In Arabic Images On Marriage About Women
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