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... the science of peace |
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1.) The society of Jahiliyah insisted on considering woman as a target
for curses, a focal point for evil thoughts of the devil, or comparing her to
an animal created in the form of a human being. Once the Holy Qur'an
came, it declared the falsity of these opinions which contradicted truth and
reality. It emphasized strongly that man and woman are twins gathered
from one source and essence. "Oh people! Be
careful of (your duty to) your Lord, Who created you from a single being and
created its mate of the same (kind) and spread from these two, men numerous and
women;.." Holy Qur'an (4:1) "He it is Who
created you from a single being, and of the same (kind) did He make his mate,
that he might "And Allah has made
wives for you from among yourselves, and has given you sons and After declaring clearly the place of women in life and human
existence, the Holy Qur'an attacks strongly the custom of burying one's
daughter alive (wa'id). "And when the female
baby buried (alive) is asked, for what sin she was killed,..." It also ended the age in which women were prevented from marriage
unless she paid a ransom to redeem herself or to be unjustly inherited after
her death. "O you who believe!
it is not lawful for you that you should take women as heritage against (her
will), and do not straiten them in order that you may take part of what you
have given them,..." Holy
Qur'an (4:19) It also removed their abasement and mistreatment by men. Thus
the Holy Qur'an placed more emphasis on dealing with them kindly: "...and treat them
kindly; then if you hate them, it may be that you dislike a thing while Allah
has placed abundant good in it." Holy Qur'an (4:19) In the past, poverty led some people to kill their children, the
female particularly enduring such burdens, so the Holy Qur'an removed this
(away from her): "...and do not slay
your children for (fear of ) poverty; We provide for you and for them;..."
Islam declares that the foundation of honoring does not depend upon
manhood but on righteous deeds and faith (in Allah). Whoever does an act
achieves its results whether it be a man or a woman: "Surely the men who
submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women,
and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the
truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women, and the humble men
and humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the
fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts
and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who
remember, Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward."
Holy Qur'an (33:35) Islam also insists that the believers are guardians of each
other. They spread goodness among themselves and bid to what is right and
forbid what is wrong and evil. "And (as for) the
believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they
enjoin good and forbid evil and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate (zakat)
and obey Allah and His Messenger; (as for) these, Allah will show mercy to
them;..." Islam is firm in clarifying the nature of the relation between man and
woman in the framework of marriage. "...they are an
apparel for you and you are an apparel for them.." "And one of His
signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest
in them, and He put between you love and compassion;..."
Holy Qur'an (30:21) Besides making laws for the rights of a woman, indeed the Holy Legislation
clearly brings attention to the necessity of honoring, taking care of her and
giving her, her full rights. "None would respect women except the magnanimous ones, and none
would insult them except the ignoble ones." In addition, there are many other holy texts which call for placing woman in
her natural position in the life of society. Second, it protected the purity of woman and closed the way to any
action which might exploit and lead her to fall into the marshes of vices; or
change her to an instrument used to melt the society around her - as happened
in Modern Europe. In addition to what hijab achieves of modesty and
maintenance for woman and Islam aspires for lowering the gaze and forbidding
the wanton mixing with non-mahram men and women and other principles, we will
see to what extent Islam strives towards protecting man and woman, and the
whole society, against the spread of vice, and a foolish and useless life. "Say to the believing men
that they cast down their gaze and guard their private parts; that is purer for
them; surely Allah is Aware of what they do. And say to the believing
women that they cast down their gaze and guard their private parts and not
display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their
head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to
their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their
sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brother’s
sons, or their sisters' sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands
possess, or the male servants void of sexual stimulant, or the children who
have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike
their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn
(repentant) to Allah all of you, oh believers! so that you may be
successful." Holy Qur'an
(24: 30-31) Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds and may peace and blessings of Allah
be with Muhammad and his holy family. VOCABULARY USED IN THE
RESEARCH ISLAMIC HIJAB: ITS FORM AND
MEANING Firstly, woman was considered as a humiliated being owned by men in
order to achieve their sexual enjoyment, and at the same time, she was not more
than a factory to produce offspring’s. She was compared to a vessel for
holding embryos. Other descriptions regarding woman were: considering her
as a devil in human form or the source of disobedience in the existence
etc. The natural world results of all these views was only to humiliate,
enslave, usurp her rights and prevent her from participating in general life. Secondly, woman was viewed as an instrument used for sex, enjoyment
and material profit. This outlook about women came into existence with
the birth of modern European civilization. If the old outlook on woman
was to consider her as a degraded and humiliated creature, treating her with
repression by confiscating her freedom, the modern Jahiliyah deals with her
from the point of giving rein to sexual freedom. Different means are used
including education, schools, cinemas, some philosophies, legislation, the
internal systems of political parties in Europe and in the West in order to
implant this outlook and deepen it. It passed many rounds on its way to
in spreading sexual disturbance which led not only to the destruction of woman's
personality, but also the destruction of the family and the loss of human
values in those societies. Among the phenomenon of these afflictions is
to undress women and push them towards libido without caring for ethical and
legal barriers. Woman has not been so lucky, during history, to receive a message that
protects her dignity, balance and respect for her position in society other
than the Islamic message, the message of the Almighty Allah, Lord of the
worlds. Thus, hijab, adopted by this great message, is one of the
confirmations of the Divine Care for this honored creature. TWO CONCEPTS ON THE HIJAB
OF A WOMAN The injustices which poured on women alternated between the phenomenon of
the harem and wa'id and what is between them of unjust concepts and attitudes
became numerous. It is for you, our dear reader, to imagine the immense tragedies which
happened to woman while she was considered a Satan or an animal or a commodity
to be sold like any other material. These are some true examples of
woman's sufferings that were practically experienced and depended on such
unjust illogical ideologies. "And when a daughter is
announced to one of them his face becomes black and he is full of wrath.
He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that which is announced
to him. Shall he keep it with disgrace or bury it (alive) in the
dust? Now surely evil is what they judge." Holy Qur'an
(16:58-59) "And do not kill
your children for fear of poverty; We give them sustenance and yourselves
(too); surely to kill them is a great wrong." Holy Qur'an (17:31) "And when the
female-baby buried alive is asked, for what sin she was killed,..."
A Prophetic tradition says: The pre-Islamic history of ignorance of the Arabs is illustrated below:
The Greeks considered woman as an unqualified person who had no right to
practice any lawful disposal. Concerning the Romans, the Romans woman was considered as a cheap property
possessed by man. They treated her as they wished. A meeting was
held in one of the assemblies in Rome in order to discuss women's
affairs. In the end they decided that she was only an existence without a
soul and she did not inherit the life of the Hereafter. She is only a
filth and should not eat meat nor should she laugh or talk. It was
obligatory for her to spend her time in serving and obeying. Some members
of the Roman Assembly for Educators adopted a law which forbids women from
possessing more than a half ounce of gold. She should wear clothes of
different colors and should not ride a coach more than a mile outside Rome
except in the case of some general festivals. European history speaks about Greece and says that a Greek man sometimes
collected hundreds of women in his home. The ancient history of Iran also mentions events and numbers similar to
those of Arabian Jahiliyah and old European civilization. If there is any
difference between the two, it is only in details. For instance, consider
the following: In Ancient Iran no one secured his women against others. The British philosopher, Herbert Spinser, says in his book, Describing
Sociology, about the status of woman in the Middle Ages: "In
fact, in Britain, the wife was sold during the eleventh century and the courts,
belonging to churches in this century, legislated a law which the husband had
the right to transfer or loan his wife to another man for a limited time."
Indeed, these disgraceful attitudes against women were followed by fearful
actions, imprisoning her at home and veiling her from life, historically called
the view of women, i.e. to view her from participating in life and preventing
her from enjoying her legal natural rights. This kind of black ideological
view hijab of woman, in Ancient Jahiliyah, and in all the world including Iran,
India, Egypt, Europe, and Arab lands is one which showed this figured picture
of woman to the callers of freedom of woman. Hijab, which Islam calls
for, is unlike the hijab of the period of the harem, wa'id and slave trade from
which women suffered. The Islamic Concept of
Hijab: In addition to the special dress worn by woman while moving outside her home
- as we will explain later on - Islam also uses the term sitir (screen) for
this action. Islam made it obligatory for both men and women to cast down their
eyes for others than their wives, husbands or harem. On one hand, Islam
makes it obligatory for woman to wear hijab, on the other hand, it imposes
certain obligations for men too. If a special dress is limited for woman
to hide the fascinations (beauties) of her body; on the other side it also
imposes that men lower their eyes to women other than their mahram women in
addition to guarding their private parts. In agreement with this new use
of the word hijab as a definition within and Islamic context, it is correct for
us to say: Islamic veil includes both men and women; but its essence differs in
the form that preserves morals, protects virtue and respects woman in daily
life. Islam has nothing to do with imprisonment, or preventing women from
exercising her natural right and there is no insult or degradation for women in
its criteria and schemes. It is honor for Islam that the establishment of
its civilized practice was a conviction for the end of the movement of
exploitation and enslavement which was practiced by men against women in the period
of Jahiliyah, which blackened the history of man before the rising of the
blessed mission of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.). The Islamic hijab is defined briefly as the shape of a modest dress in
addition to the limitation of the relation between men and women other than the
non-mahram (one who is marriageable) women and placing her in her in a pure
legal frame entwined with chastity, respect and giving rights. WHY HIJAB? What remains for us is to specify the central motives upon which Islam
depended in legislating the law of a modern dress according to the limits of
the Merciful Allah on His servants. For the sake of clarifying central
motives without expatiation, we mention the following points: Concerning the Islamic theory, the following points are divided: Then the Jahiliyah theory being old or new, desires to set free
abandonment of these principles for the sake of man and his interest even it
seems that some profits are achieved for woman! If we also take into
consideration the size of profits and gains which men achieve sexually and
economically under this theory, we will find that the phenomenon of harem and
the act exploiting women practiced in the period of Jahiliyah are the same
which are practiced today in the name of an attractive guise that insults
women. The new limitation which is used by modern Jahiliyah in the hands
of women is different from the old one only in its covering and outside
appearance. It remains a fetter to bind her hands, forbid freedom, and
confiscate her will. So man has made woman a captive and slave by using
different means for achieving man's aims through trading, brothels, cinemas,
television and radio, newspapers, and fashion. Various masses of women began to contemplate what they suffered under
European civilization and there are a few just men who raise their voices
against the miserable tragedies of women who are subjected to in Europe under
the shadow of exploitation practiced by men. Here are some examples showing man's exploitation of women and the
miserable results: In another report disclosing the woman tragedy under the materialistic
culture, the American Association for Family Services says: The breakdown of family stability in Britain which has dramatically
increased the number of unmarried mothers, of unmarried people living together
and people living alone, is much to blame for these social ills.
According to figures published by the Britain Government on Jan. 14, 1988, the
percentage of illegitimate births has soared from 4% in the 1950's to 21% of
all births in 1986, with the exception of Denmark with 43%, Britain has the
highest rate in Europe. The statistics of social trends confirm that Britain has the highest
divorce rate in Europe and nearly twice the rate of France and West Germany.
Between 1979 and 1985, it was found that the proportion of people cohabiting
without marriage nearly doubled. Some 15% of all single women between the
age of 18 and 49, including many divorced, were illicitly cohabiting in
1985. The breakdown in family life has also seen a rapid rise in the
number of people living alone. Nearly 25% of all households contained
only one person in 1986 compared with an average 10 persons in 1951! The way the woman is treated in the western countries, which claim to be the
champions of freedom and equality, is evident from the International Meeting on
Women and Mass Media held in Athens, Greece, November 20, 1985. One of
the participants, Petra Kelly, a member of the West German Parliament, bitterly
complained, "In Germany they treat us (German women) like a minority,
equal to invalids, the lower strata of society and like children. They
portray us pornographically and consider using violence against us as
natural. Every 15 minutes a woman is a victim of rape." It is worth noting that the said family problems are confined to the
non-Islamic regions of the previous Soviet Union. In spite of the many
years of communism's suppression of Islamic teachings in the Muslim lands under
the Soviets, Islam still exercises its influences on the life and social
conduct of the Muslims there, reducing family instability and the exploitation
of women. These miserable tragedies, and the like, form some fruits of the modern
European theory about the relation between a man and a woman. For the
sake of this, Islam takes measures to close the sources of corruption in the
life of people and to work, according to its concepts, to stop the state of
exploitation of women and the confiscation of their rights and to establish
dignity and honor in the life of people. Thus, Islamic Hijab is among the most
prominent terms used by the Divine Authority to protect woman and make a clean
human society. In Muslim countries where the society and the government remain loyal to
Islamic values, the occurrence of sexual crimes, indecency, divorce and other
social ills are noticeably less. The family structure remains strong and
healthy. The women have no fear of their environment and are relatively
safe to walk through their streets and bazaars. The upright Islam, the message of the Lord of the worlds- the Creator, Who
is Aware of hidden affairs, is completely cognizant of the remote factors which
molded mankind, and the dangers against the movement of human life if he goes
out of the natural frame prepared for it and by following it, the highest
balances are achieved between these needs and functions in all fields of human
life. According to Islam's awareness of these facts, it desires for not
stimulating these external instincts which are outside the frame of the
required balance. Islam, through the modest hijab for woman, limits the nature of the
relations between the two sexes in a special way. It also deals with man
and woman together, limiting the responsibility for each of them towards lawful
execution. Woman is separated from man in responsibility inside the
framework of this scheme, only in hijab but they have the same responsibility
in other duties. Hijab has an effect on the family unit as well as on the society. At
home where hijab is respected and honored practically, family members show
kindness, helpfulness and peace towards one another. Because of the
separation of the two sexes of non-mahrams, crimes of sexual nature inside the
family have no chance to fester as we witness all too often in Western families
where incest has grown in such proportions that it is almost taken for granted
as common behavior. RESPONSIBILITY OF HIJAB
FOR MAN AND WOMAN "Say to the believing men
that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer
for them; surely Allah is Aware of what they do. And say to the believing
women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and not
display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their
head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to
their husbands..." The great jurispudent (fuqaha) have cited explanations for these
edicts: If we examine carefully these legal responsibilities which fall under the
frame of Islamic hijab, we will find that both men and women share the task of
responsibility regarding this r\\ule, with the specification concerning women
in covering their body. This shows strongly that Islam is aspires to
establish clean relations between the two sexes; spread purity and dignity
among people; and safeguard the society with healthy relations. It is not
among its intentions to disgrace a woman's dignity among people or prevent her
from performing her role in life as it is clear through the above mentioned
laws concerning Islamic hijab. If we want to judge strictly the matter of covering woman's body and we have
said it is correct to say that both men and women hold the same task in the
general framework of Islamic hijab, the question comes: Why a woman alone bear
the burden of covering her body and without man to do so? On the subject of attraction, two sure things exists, one in a woman and one
in a man. That which exists within a woman is the desire to show herself
off, it is a part of her nature. That which exists in a man is an
inclination towards looking, not just looking but flirting and receiving
pleasure from it. Both of these things exist. Will Durant says
there is nothing in the world more firm and more persevering than a man's
desire to look at a woman. In according with this reality of attraction, we see that Islam also forbids
acts such as sodomy among men and lesbianism among women because each of the
two decrees has its own subject and background like other legal decrees which
rely on certain background like other legal decrees which rely on certain
backgrounds necessary for them. DOUBTS CONCERNING HIJAB
What do they mean, in reality, by the "freedom" of women? Economic ills and production levels are also affected by this question of
hijab. The wasted talents, energies and efficiency is apparent. Let
us suppose that there are two foundations or projects for production: In summary, has it not become clear that Islamic hijab, with its own image
and nature, has no negative reflection against the freedom of woman nor her
work nor her movement in general life. It is true that if one imagines
that hijab is the same as was used in India, Iran, Egypt, and Europe during the
pre-Islamic era "Jahiliyah" in which they imprisoned women behind
four walls, it is natural that she thinks of herself as being deprived and
hindered in her activities. The result will be to disable half of the
society or more. This is a matter of fact which we should think about
concerning the miserable conditions for the kind of hijab which hindered women
from general and social movement. Islam condemns this kind of hijab of
Jahiliyah and changed it to a certain cover which includes clean and pure
relations under the name of hijab. There are great differences between
the two kinds of hijab as we have explained. What the designers of progress imagine concerning hijab contradicts the
origin of the matter. The society, in which the disorder of sexual
relations prevail, is the main cause which hinders the abilities which are,
instead, spent in the affairs of sex, flirtation, and negligence unlike the
society in which clean relations are spread between the two sexes. Briefly, hijab, from the Islamic view, has no negative effects at all
against the freedom of woman nor her general movement nor in her participation
in progress and making life around her active. The sane logic considers
Islamic hijab as providing great guarantees for the freedom of woman and her dignity
in addition to a larger participation of women in general social work and also
in progress and development of the society as a whole. It is worth mentioning here that in spite of Islam's taking great care in
covering a woman's body in front of non-mahram men; it also calls for her to
take suitable care for her beauty and body inside her home, to enhance and
respond to the demands of her femininity, which are bestowed on her by Allah,
the Most High, and also to achieve her lawful wishes which are allowed by
Islamic law. While a woman is restricted in showing off her body and adornments to the
general public, she is encouraged to beautify herself for her husband, whereas
she is not allowed to expose herself to men at large. She is in fact,
commended upon showing herself to her husband and to enjoy herself with him
totally. Another point to mention is that the woman who observes the proper Islamic
hijab not only gains respect and dignity in the society and from her family,
but also she is pleasing Allah, the Most High, and gaining rewards from His for
her obedience to His religion. This is the highest achievement for
her. She is following the Qur'an and traditions of her Prophet (s.a.w.);
safeguarding the society from vice and corruption; eliminating unhealthy
thoughts and actions; raising work and production levels and bringing purity
and spirituality to the human race. All of this she accomplishes, with
little efforts, simply by the use of hijab. The blessings she receives
for this great deed can only be speculated upon. WOMEN'S ROLE IN THE
ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION The previous pages reflected the Islamic thesis about women and hijab.
It is a conceptual view and a technical one. What about the practical
view? How has woman, in the Islamic history, functioned in the society
and what role has she actually played which shows the high position Islam
awarded her when she left the superstitions and oppression of Jahiliyah behind
her and donned the Islamic hijab? In the following pages, we will look at
some practical confirmations of women who broke the chains of slavery and
servitude of man and adopted worship of the One True God, Allah, Most High. Thus, humanity became enlightened to this new environment shining with the
light of prophethood. This way was first chosen by Khadijah bint
Khuwailid, the leader of the believers' mothers. She offered her wealth
in order that the demands of the expenditure of Divine Da'wah (missionary work
and propagation of the religion), would be met in its most severe and trying
days of struggle with the idol worshipers of the Jahiliyah. In fact, the
financial support of Her Holiness Khadijah (a.s.), in those miserable
circumstances, represented a keen weapon in that cruel struggle between
guidance and misguidance. The Commander of the Believers, Imam Ali (a.s.) refers to her position
in one of his sermons found in Nahjal Balagha. He says: One example of the power Islam gave to a woman's character from the early
history is Nosaibeh who lived in Medina. She was an Ansar (helper of the
immigrant from Mecca), and was known as Nosaibeh Jarahe. She was married
and had two sons named Amareh and Abdollah. Her name first appears in the
history of Aghabeh Bei'at. Here, new converts to Islam shook the
Messenger's (s.a.w.) hand in an oath of allegiance. During this ceremony
60 men and two women from the Ansar converted to Islam. The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.), who highly respected women, placed his hand
in a dish of water and passed it to the women who in turn did the same.
The government of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) was aided by these
people. Nosaibeh's husband was martyred in the Battle of Badr. One
of her sons was also martyred at this time. This family, from the
beginning of Islam in Medina, fought alongside the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.)
against the infidels. She then sent him back, while she herself watched from a distance. It
was then that she suddenly noticed the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) being
surrounded by the enemy. In a quick-witted move she and her son rushed to
the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) and joined in the fight with the enemy.
At this time one of the infidels martyred her son. It was here that
Nosaibeh grabbed her son's sword and with the help of Divine Power, killed his
assailant. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said to her, "Well done!
May God's blessings be upon you Nosaibeh." This heroic woman received 13 wounds during this battle, one of which was a
sword wound on her neck. She lost a hand during the Yamamah War. It
has been narrated that this dear self-sacrificing lady of Islam will return
with the last Imam as a surgeon, God speed his appearance. Her Holiness Zainab (a.s.), the courageous daughter of Imam Ali (a.s.),
played a great and most honorable role when she carried out her duty in
conveying the message of her brother, Imam Hussein (a.s.), the grandson of the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), after his martyrdom in his everlasting revolution
against the Ummayyad tyranny under the leadership of Yazid. Another example of the most virtuous women who played a great role in our
glorious Islamic history is Salil, the mother of Imam Hassan bin Ali al-Askari
(a.s.). It is essential to remember that the participation of women in the political
activities is very important. After all, women constitute, sometimes,
more than half of every country's population and can change the destiny of a
society for the better or worse depending on the extent of their political
awareness and participation. Hijab in no way hinders this participation
as it did not hinder any of the women whose examples we have mentioned. Islam has renewed itself among them and it has given them the courage and
power to withstand the tyranny that plagues them. For many, Islam was
removed from their culture by communism and socialism. They call
themselves Muslims but they were, for the most part, ignorant of Islam's
laws. When they gained their independence from these anti-human, anti-God
systems, they moved toward the light of truth and regained what they had
lost. One of the first signs of this was the hijab of the women.
These examples give imagination to what can be achieved by Muslim women who
follow Islamic principles and laws. They show the great role in the life
of people and the human experiment that she plays, contradicting those
miserable imaginations and opinions stirred up the ignorant concerning Islam
and its unique ability in smashing the shackles obstructing Muslim women from
performing their great legal responsibilities under the shadow of dynamic
Islamic progress. WHAT THE HOLY QUR'AN AND
TRADITIONS SAY ABOUT WOMAN AND SOCIAL LIFE "O you who believe, do not
enter houses other than your own houses, until you have obtained permission and
greeted their dwellers; this is better for you, that you may remember."
Holy Qur'an (24:27) Resemblance: Perfuming Outside Home: Evil Looks: Avoiding the Forbidden Things: Looking at Women: Saluting Women: The Punishment of Chasing Women: 'Say to
the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their private
parts. That is purer for them. Truly Allah is Cognizant of what
they do.' Holy Qur'an (24:30) Sitting on Roadsides: Being Covetous of the Honor of Believers: Sweetness of Casting down the Eye: Guarding Oneself: Respecting a Woman: The Blessed Marriage: The Holy Qur'an says: ENCOURAGEMENT TO KEEP
HIJAB: Equality: About work and doing good deeds, again the Holy Qur'an reveals the
beauty of Islam and its equal treatment of workers. This is something the
West still has not been able to accomplish! The Holy Qur'an says: Another verse, Allah, Most High still promises: Praise be to Allah, Lord of the
worlds. Source:
The Islamic Hijab (Veil). Published by Al-Balagh Foundation
Islam recorded a great turning point in the history of women which has no rival
to this day. Through it, she regained her honor and rights of which she
had been deprived for centuries under the burdens of unjust views of the
pre-Islamic era of Ignorance (Jahiliyah). Islam restored her full rights
to lead a noble life under the shadow of a glorious civilized system.
For the first time in history, woman was able to enjoy her lofty human
rights, according to
incline to her;..." Holy Qur'an (7:189)
grandchildren from your wives,..."Holy Qur'an (16:72)
Holy Qur'an (81:8-9)
Holy Qur'an (6:151)
Holy Qur'an (9:71)
Holy Qur'an (2:187)
The Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (s.a.w.) says:
"Treat your children equally concerning gifts (offers), so if I
were obliging, surely I would prefer women."
"I do not think that a man gets better in faith without loving
women better."
Islam also gave other importance to woman. It shaped for her a special
dress in order to keep her dignity and preserve her personality against loss
and corruption. Islam achieved for woman, through hijab (Islamic dress ),
two main things:
First, it kept her ideological role while performing her legislative
responsibility by presenting the needed services for the society, progress and
Islamic message and also her active participation in the course of life around
her according to the legislative limits which Islam made clear.
Regarding these principles and decrees, the Almighty Allah says:
1. Woman's veil in pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyah): It means to
prevent a woman from participating in public life and denying her rights.
2. Islamic Hijab: Islamic mode of dressing which covers the
whole body of a woman with the exception of her face and hands.
3. Mahram: It means the relatives of a man or woman with
whom marriage is forbidden like one's parents, brothers, sisters, uncles,
aunts, nephews, nieces, grandparents, grandchildren and in-laws.
4. Ajnabi or ajnabiyah (their plurals are ajanib and
ajnabiyat): they are those other than the above-defined categories with
whom marriage is allowed, for example cousins or other relations and
strangers. Or they are those with whom there is no legal obstacle for
marriage.
Woman was greatly afflicted in two ways which were the main source of different
evils, sufferings and injustices that happened to her during history.
Indeed, the history of woman is filled with pictures of torture, sufferings and
injustices which afflicted her.
All these injustices, sufferings and the destruction of her personality, which
happened to her during human history, came about in two ways: The Ancient
Jahiliyah way and the Modern Jahiliyah way.
Regarding the hijab of a woman and its relation to general life around her, two
main concepts appeared over the centuries which involved the term hijab.
The pre-Islamic Concept of Hijab:
Ancient Jahiliyah cast its burden on history before the appearance of Islam and
women experienced a major portion of the injustice of those times. Then a
harsh and rigorous picture of hijab existed in which woman was deprived of her
rights to the extent that under the pressure of this miserable and ignorant
civilization she was considered only a commodity to be brought and sold.
She was deprived of her human values and transposed to a material thing used by
men for enjoyment or sometimes used as a slave.
Whatever has been said concerning the allegations which led men, in these
ancient societies, to confiscate the existence of women completely, whether
being imposed by economic, sexual or spiritual causes, the fact remains that
the exploitation of a woman and deprivation of her rights, the confiscation of
her humanity reached a point where it became difficult for modern man to
imagine.
Some considered woman as Satan wearing the skin of a human in order to serve
man alone and achieve his enjoyment through her as Ancient Jahiliyah
believed. Still others considered her body as a body of human and her
soul as a soul of an animal. This view was prevalent in Europe before its
Industrial Revolution.
The Holy Qur'an mentions some of the suffering of woman under the burden of
Jahiliyah society of the Arabs and which was strongly condemned by Islam.
Holy Qur'an (81:8-9)
"A man named Qais bin Asim al-Timimy came to the presence of the
presence of the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.) and said: 'I buried all eight of my
daughters during Jahiliyah (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance)..."
Burying female children was carried out in different miserable conditions; the
infant was buried alive! They used diverse ways in practicing this
custom. If a girl was born to one of them, they kept her for six
years. Then, her father ordered of her to be perfumed and beautified on
the pretext of taking her to one of their relatives! A well was already
prepared for her in the desert. When she reached the well, her father
told her to look at it and then pushed her into it and threw dust and soil over
her!
Others used this way: The mother, during the time of her delivery, went
and sat over a pit. If the newborn was a daughter, she dropped her into
the pit and filled it with dust. If it were a boy, she would take him
home!
Those who did not want to bury their daughters, kept them humiliated until they
reached the age when they would be able to shepherd. Then they were
dressed in a woolen robe and sent to the desert to shepherd camels!
Those who did not prefer to send her to shepherd, used other means to humiliate
her personality by using wickedness against her. For example, if the girl
grew up and wanted to marry and after her marriage if her husband died, her
guardian would come and dressed her in a special garment which meant that she
had no right to marry anyone unless her guardian agreed. Thus, she was
forced into marriage against her will! If her guardian did not want to
marry her, she would be imprisoned until she died and then he would inherit
her. If she wanted to save herself from this state, she had to give some
ransom to free herself.
Others set women free on the condition that she should not marry anyone except
with her guardian's permission or she should pay a ransom. Others
imprisoned widows and kept her for one of their children until he grew up and
married her. Concerning a female orphan, they kept her with them and
prevented her from marriage with the hope of marrying her when their wives died
or made her marry one of their children wishing for her wealth and beauty...
Even some Greek philosophers regarded the confinement of the name of the woman
inside the home like the imprisonment of her body. Yosteen, the famous
Greek orator said: "We take wives only to give birth to our
legal children."
Khosrow Parviz (a Sassanian ruler) possessed about 3000 women in his
harem and was never satisfied sexually. Whenever he desired to replenish
his harem, he would write letters to his governors wherein he would describe
the perfect and beautiful women he wanted. They, then sent him any women
who fits his description.
Women represented not only the spring of disobedience and the source of all
evils and corruption’s; but also the origin of human tragedies. She was
the cause of the misery for inhabitants of the earth. The Christian's
attitude towards women was explicitly explained by one of the first popes
called Tirtoliyan in the middle ages. He gave the distorted opinion of
Christianity about women. "She was the entrance used by Satan to
enter man's soul. She was the reason that man was pushed towards the
prohibited tree (meaning the Garden of Eden), violating the law of God, and
disfiguring the image of God, that is, women."
Surely, the concept of hijab adopted by Islam differs completely from the hijab
which was introduced by the civilizations of Jahiliyah including the miserable
social phenomenon’s which were existed in the palaces of some Ummayad and
Abbasid rulers concerning the exploitation of women in order to achieve their
own enjoyment. Even the term hijab did not enter the ideological life of
Muslims except recently. Whatever has been said about woman, the fact
remains that Islam's aspiration for protecting her through shaping a special
dress for her shows Islam's honor and respect for her and her dignity,
cleanliness and purity.
In Islam and its right message, there never exists any law or regulation which
prevents woman from participating in the aspects of life nor imprisoning her at
home like the civilizations of the period of Jahiliyah. Even this world
hijab is newly used in Islamic thought.
We hope that a perfect clarity is made concerning the difference between the
hijab adopted by Jahiliyah civilizations in its dealing with woman and the
hijab adopted by Islam as a protective shield for women against aggression and
attacks against her dignity by the followers of sick inclinations.
First, regarding the relation between man and woman, two theories are
suggested:
-Theory one allows that man may sexually enjoy any woman in the society-
this has nothing to do with adultery.
-Theory two restricts man's rights for enjoyment to the women with whom he
has a legal and lawful matrimonial relation, and without which it is unlawful
for him to take her for enjoyment sexually.
The first theory is the one practiced today by European man-made
civilization.
The second theory is the theory of Islam regarding the relation between man
and woman.
This is the essence of the matter from which other details are derived.
All man's behavior towards woman is derived from the first theory which relates
to his sexual enjoyment of women by participating in parties, gatherings with
other than his wife/wives and the illegal mixing of the two sexes, and imposing
the state of adornment on women and its publicity in society and other affairs
related to it.
By the act of covering woman's body, except the two hands and face, from the
eyes and minds of men, other than her household, and not spending time in idle
talk and walking with men and the like, as well as the prohibition of complete
privacy with a man other than her household and other affairs related to
Islamic jurisprudence, the Islamic concept concerning the natural relation
between man and woman is a protection and safeguard against indecency and
corruption. If we take into consideration the nature of the two opinions
and their results, surely we will come to the conclusion that Islam is greatly
covetous concerning the dignity of women and her respectability, purity, and
honor with the caution of not changing her to a salable ill-used commodity for
man in society.
Therefore, Islam is covetous for fixing and organizing sexual relation and then
strives towards closing the means used by those evil-minded individuals for
exploiting women and achieving their enjoyment through her as they wish.
1.) In Britain, 9 out of 12 girls - below 20 years of age- are subjected
to rape and kidnapping. The security forces were able to catch 13% of the
criminals. The percentage of crimes increased by 84% in recent years;
whereas juvenile crimes increased by fivefold during the first half of 1975.
2.) An Italian newspaper Omiga disclosed the following exciting facts
concerning the crimes committed in its country:
"In fact, an Italian woman fears leaving her home in order not to
expose her dignity to the mad young men who wander the roads and streets and
those who have no work except attacking women and girls and kidnapping them
with the aim of robbery or sexual abuse...surely a woman refuses to accept any
honorable work which forces her to return home at night so as not to expose her
dignity and life to danger."
"The disintegration of the family, which has reached an epidemic
stage, tops the list of social problems. Every year more than one million
persons are separated or divorced, which is sevenfold higher in percentage
compared with that of a century ago."
"The number of illegitimate children increased three times
compared to 1938, and each year 4 million illegitimate births are registered in
the U.S.A. Regarding the problem of the corruption of the youth, which
has a close relation with divorce, statistics doubled three times more than
those of 1940."
Another report says:
"The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports that in
murder cases within families, the husbands are mostly the murderers of their
wives; and in 15% of family crimes the children are the victims of their
parents."
According to recent statistics by UNESCO, "60% of the housewives in the
U.S.A. and Europe feel discontented, disappointed, and miserable."
Dr. Homer, a Swede, when asked by the United Nations to study the status
of women in Arab countries in 1975, announced:
"It is the Swedish woman who should demand her freedom, as the
woman in the Arab countries has already reached the peak of her freedom under
Islam." She added: "the Swedish woman tries these days
to have this year announced as 'The International Year of the Woman,' and then
declare another year for the man, so that he may extract his rights from the
women."
Dr. Homer continues in her report saying: "25% of Swedish women
suffer from psychological and nervous sicknesses, and 40% of Sweden's income is
spent on these diseases caused by the so-called freedom which the Swedish woman
is this very permissiveness which has taken her to the edge of such a
terrifying and perilous precipice."
The Meet urged the Greek Parliament to pass legislation banning the
exploitation of women on television. Though criticism of the exploitation
of women is fully justified, the women of these so-called advanced countries
are themselves to be blamed. If women did not consent there would be no
pornographic publications, sex films and nude advertisements.
The following statistics reveal how alarming the family breakdown
epidemic has become in non-Muslim societies:
France:
One in four marriages end in divorce; in cities the rate may be as high
as 50%. Each year 600,000 couples marry, 100,000 choose to live together
without marriage and 100,000 divorce.
Canada:
Almost 40% of first marriages end in divorce. The divorce rate
doubled between 1972 and 1982.
The Former Soviet Union:
About 70% of marriages break up in 10 years, according to Moskovskaya
Pravda, factors involved include drunkenness, lack of money and lack of
privacy.
Central and South America:
The UNESCO Courier stated that single-parent families are often created
by women migrating to the cities and having children in a series of unstable
unions. Due to alcohol abuse or the inability of husbands to find
adequate work locally, the family breaks up and mothers and children are
left in poverty. The nations with the highest percentage of illegitimate
births in the world are in the Caribbean and in Central and South America.
China:
Although China's divorce rate is lower than most western nations, it has
risen 70% in 5 years. The Peiking Review reported that the divorce rate
is rising dramatically.
United States:
Half the marriages will probably end in divorces. Sixty percent of
the children born will spend part of their childhood in a single-parent family.
Japan:
The divorce rate has doubled in the past 20 years. Before 1947, men
were allowed to evict their wives in the streets with only a short note of
divorce papers. Now, about 70% of divorce cases are initiated by women.
South Africa:
The Coalition of South African Women's Rights says that one out of two
South American women is raped in their lifetime. This includes children
and even babies and old women!
Britain:
The divorce rate in the U.K. is the highest in western Europe. Nearly 1
out of 7 single women, age 18 to 49, lives with a man she has not married.
The Hospital Today, a magazine of London, in its editorial of the April
1975 issue, published a summary of the annual report of the British Ministry of
Health and Social Welfare. It says:
"...Despite the abundance of contraceptives and legalized
abortion, it is noted that 86% of the children are born to unmarried
mothers! There is a further serious problem. In 1973 the following
cases were: 1 case of an 11-year-old pregnant girl; 6 cases of 12-year-old
pregnant girls; 38 cases of 13-year-old pregnant girls; 225 cases of
14-year-old pregnant girls. There were 166,000 cases of legal abortion
during the same year, 50% of which were by unmarried women."
Turning to the East, we find the decadence of society in the communist world is
no less hideous as that in the capitalist world. The magazine, Interphase
in its April 1977 issue reports:
"The grave problem of the Soviet communist society is that out of
every two marriages one ends in divorce in most parts of western Russia.
In Moscow, for example, nearly 49% of the marriages ended in divorce after the
birth of the first child. In the Mavadansk region, the percentage of
divorce is as high as 72.9%. The Physicians' Conference, held at Moscow
University in 1985, called for urgent measures to tackle this grave social
problem, concerning the high divorce rate and the low birth rate..."
We should address the current situation in many Muslim countries where Western
values have replaced Islamic ones. The societies of these countries have
discarded Islamic principles, including hijab, the statistics of the West have
followed. Divorce, prostitution, alcohol and drug abUse, and the
beginnings of diseases such as AIDS are plaguing the societies who have chosen
to abandon their religious edicts. Illegal relationships between boys and
girls, men and women are becoming accepted or at least unrestricted.
Which theory is better then? Should we choose unlimited release, which
results in destruction and downfall, or the proposal which leads to the
preservation of society and which protects both man and woman without making
any difference even the supposition of the feeling of distress from some
protective procedures which follow the Islamic proposal?
Through social and psychological studies of the life of Man, a true scientific
fact is disclosed showing that Man enjoys two kinds of natural needs (jaw'ah)
in his entity:
A. There is a number of natural needs which impose themselves
spontaneously for stimulating without any external motives like the instinct
for the food and the instinct for the need of showing himself to others, and
love for ownership and the like.
B. Another kind of natural needs, in spite of their existence’s in
man and their activities, is able to be stimulated if other factors and motives
of stimulus are supplied from external human existence.
Among the prominent factors of these natural needs are: sexual instinct, which
is motivated by dissolute poems and literature, seductive music, nudity and the
like.
To be harmonious with this desire, Islam puts various social, economic and
political schemes to work. These schemes provide a deep condition of
agreement between these internal human motives and the demands of the individuals
and the groups in which one lives.
The Islamic scheme in hijab and its fashioning the relation between man and
woman aims to keep the balance between man's demands on the one side and its
great desire for the purity, chastity and security of the relation between the
two sexes on the other. Thus, Islamic hijab becomes a related foundation
with the natural side of the human life in addition to caring for morals and
purity and organizations of social life from the Islamic viewpoint.
This is not to say that the role of man and woman in an Islamic society are the
same. They are not. A man shoulders the responsibility of maintaining
the family unit by his wealth and earnings, providing food, shelter, clothing,
medical care and general welfare for his household. The woman is free to
earn money and has full authority over that money, but she is not required to
finance her household. A Muslim woman is responsible to care for and give
proper training to her children and to provide a peaceful and harmonious
environment in which the family unit may prosper and grow.
I
slamic hijab provides much more than mere physical cover. It is a cover
that acts as a repellent of every kind of crime and vice which destroys the
individual and the society.
Let us scrutinize the required important matters for both sexes in order to
specify the difference in responsibility between them concerning this framework
of Islamic hijab.
Both man and woman are responsible according to the following verse of the Holy
Qur'an:
Holy Qur'an (24:30-31)
A. A woman must cover her body and hair from the sight of
non-mahram man.
B. It is unlawful for a man to look at the body and hair of
a non-mahram woman with the exception of her face and hands. It is also
unlawful for a man to look at her hair and this verdict is applied on a woman
concerning looking at men other than her father, son, uncle, grandfather, brother
and those related to them.
C. It is forbidden for a man to look at the details of the
face of a non-mahram women, or her hands with sexual desire and vice versa.
D. It is lawful for a man who wants to marry a woman to look
at her in order to be acquainted with her physical qualities and vice versa.
E. It is lawful for both a man and woman to look at the body
of their mahrams (except for the genital region) so long as it is not with
sexual desire, but to look with sexual desire, is forbidden (haram) whether
they are mahram or not.
F. It is obligatory for a woman to cover her body and hair
from the sight of the non-mahram men (i.e., those with whom she is legally
allowed to marry).
G. It is unlawful for a man to be alone with a non-mahram woman
in a place where nobody else can enter if they fear that they may commit haram
acts; but there is no objection for a man to be alone with a non-mahram woman
when others are not prohibited from entering the place, even if the other are a
mature rational child or in the state of security from committing corruption.
H. It is unlawful for a non-mahram man to touch a non-mahram
woman nor a non-mahram woman may touch a non-mahram man such as shaking hands
and so forth.
I. If there is a necessity for a man to touch a woman, and
vice versa, such as medical cure or saving a drowning person, and there is no
female doctor for the woman or a male doctor for the man, it is lawful for both
sides to touch or look at the other side for tests, cure or the like.
J. It is lawful for non-mahram men to hear the voice of
non-mahram women on condition that hearing should not be with sexual desire or
as a cause for committing haram acts and it is permitted for a woman to make
her voice heard through discourse or address by a non-mahram man on condition
that her voice should not mislead or seduce listeners, because it is haram for
a woman to talk to men in an excited and agitating manner.
K. It is recommended for a woman to keep her beauty and
elegance for her husband because attractiveness and beauty represent an
important side in the life of a woman and an essential source among the sources
of the happiness of matrimonial life.
L. It is forbidden for a woman to imitate men (by dress,
actions or behavior) and vice versa. M. It is forbidden for
a woman to perfume herself and go outside her home, i.e. it is forbidden that
her perfume is noticed by non-mahram men while passing among them or mixing
with them.
The fact, which no fair-minded person can doubt, is that the reason for the
specification of covering a woman's body alone relates to her sentimental and
physical qualities. Because the temptation side of women is much stronger
than a man; she has the competent side for sensibility; and she has instinctive
tendencies for showing herself off. Thus, ornaments and beautification
are among her first specifications. If they are unrestricted, she may
cause knowingly or unknowingly, an innocent person to commit a haram act,
thought or deed.
This natural characteristic of women and which makes her more able to attract,
tempt, and fascinate man towards herself, is the main reason Islam tackles this
point through hijab. Therefore, it is not normal to ask a man to cover
his body like her; whereas man in general does not possess these specific
characteristics, nor is he naturally prone to decorate and beautify himself in
order to draw attention of woman. Still, Islam does require a man to
dress in an appropriate manner so as not to expose unnecessary parts of his
body.
It is also clear that men and women are sexually stimulated in different
ways. A woman, being a naturally sensitive and tender-hearted creature,
requires touching and tactile movements in order to stimulate her. A man,
on the other hand, is a much coarser creature, tough and virile with a strong
imagination. He can be stimulated by a mere look. A woman
covers herself to keep from showing off her body and the man cannot see
anything which will stimulate him sexually. How clever Islam is to adopt
hijab in society! So it completely conforms with the innate natures of a
woman!
These are the true centers which addresses in order to build this positive
edict; the blessed Islamic hijab.
The question remains: Will the designers of progress share consciousness
of what they pretend concerning hijab that led to disable woman's abilities
towards development and paralyze her from rising against the burdens of work in
general life, and which disabled half of society?
Indeed, this miserable excuse is an extent to what was stirred up by the agents
of thinkers (ideologists) and politicians in the Muslim world against woman's
hijab which contradicts her freedom and hinders her from achieving her wish to
participate beside men in the world of reality. This stirring up requires
that the origin of the problem should be discussed, it is: Do the
designers of progress originally believe themselves when they propagate this
rumor?
If what is meant is to be free to express one's views; give one's opinion; the
freedom of possession; the freedom of choosing a suitable husband; and the
cultural freedom and what relates to it; there is no obstacle in woman's hijab
which stops her from enjoying these freedoms and what relates to them?
Does hijab prevent women from seeking culture and knowledge or
competing in its diverse fields?
Does hijab, for example, prevent women from expressing their views
and ideas?
Does hijab intervene between woman and her right of possessing
wealth?
It is proper to ask whether hijab originally has any relation to these
questions in reality and it is a matter which relates to the modesty of woman,
her dignity and the purity of her treatment with those around her.
The first one deals with female workers who wear Islamic hijab and
conduct relations between non-mahram men and women in an Islamic manner.
The second one deals with female workers who are seductively
dressed and adorned and follow the Western way of civilization in their
relations between the two sexes.
Surely, we see the foundation which observes hijab is hard working all the time
for the sake of production and work, because of the nature of relations between
men and women.
While, on the other hand, we see in the second foundation, in which flirtation
and sexual discourses prevail, that much time and effort is spent in the
affairs imposed by fluidity and sexual excitement in that imposed environment.
Let us suppose that there are two study halls:
In the first one there are Islamic relations prevailing between the young men
and women, including Islamic hijab.
The second hall is controlled by the free relations between young men and women
which adornment is spread. What do we think, for each example, regarding
the performing of work and responsibility?!
Is it possible to describe the second hall as a serious place for studying?
Regarding their imagination about the abuse of the freedom of women under the
shadow of modesty and purity which are brought about by Islamic hijab; what
they mean by freedom is the common sexual freedom with all its dimensions of
the adornment requirements which are spread in all remote places and
circumstances. Concerning other freedoms, they do not think of, nor do
they consider them in their logic based on non-Islamic ideas.
Beyond this, Islamic hijab, in its known form, gives woman her personality and
raises her position in society. People deal with a modest woman, dressed
in Islamic hijab from the point of view that she is a human being. For a
woman without hijab, people generally deal with her from the point of view that
she is a human being but through her femininity and through what she stirs up
in men by her exposed body. Therefore, Islamic hijab will remain a weapon
against affliction, distress, fluidity, and abuse.
When she controls the tone of her voice, the movement of her body, the manner
of her behavior, and the hidden secrets of her person from those who have no
legitimate right to enjoy them, she is serving humanity in untold dimensions.
This realm of responsibility that she shoulders brings about so many sources of
relief to her fellow beings, that it is easy to understand how and why Islam
has placed such importance on her. She is the backbone of society and the
foundation of man's growth as a human being. When she becomes corrupted,
she in turn corrupts the entire society. When she is pure and guarded by
the protection of hijab, the society is protected as well.
Many of the social ills, diseases that plague the Western world, abuses of
drugs and alcohol, sexual deviations and other problems could be cured if women
were allowed to realize the concept of hijab. Of course, in those
societies, the idea is mass consumption, control of the people's minds and
oppression of their general well being and growth toward perfection as they
were created. These polluted and decadent societies and the rulers behind
them found the perfect way to achieve their aims. They corrupted the
women and therefore corrupted the people.
Quotations and Examples:
Islam, itself, confirmed the wisdom of its laws in reality and they remain a
beacon for guidance toward the way of a glorious life which is filled with
goodness and fertility, offering virtue, glory, and purity. Since the
light of Islam rose in the land of Arabia, the Muslim woman shook off the dust
of humiliation and enslavement and said farewell to the days of imprisonment and
burying girls alive. She began to live the life designed by the
revelation and laws of the Almighty Allah. She began to participate in
building a glorious society which was observed by the Messenger of Allah
(s.a.w.).
Indeed this honorable woman endured most of the material sufferings because of
her continuous support for the call to truth and the call of the savior,
Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.); and her firm stand as a believer and a defender of
the Message and the Messenger (s.a.w.). From the first day of Da'wah she
was at the side of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) giving financial support,
and more importantly, moral inspiration, love and affection to this 'Gift to
Mankind'. She was the first to believe in him, defend him with her wealth
and position, and gave him comfort and ease in some of his most trying times.
"...every year he (Prophet) used to stay in the cave of Hira for
some time, and nobody used to be with him but I. None could then see or
hear him or be near him but I. During those days Islam was the religion
of only the Prophet and his wife, Khadijah. I was the third of the
trio. Nobody else in this world had accepted Islam. I even then
used to see the divine light of revelation and smell the heavenly fragrance of
prophethood..."
Other wives of the Holy Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.), after the death of Her
Holiness Khadijah (a.s.), also achieved great ranks in history. We should
not forget the role of Um-Salamah who memorized so many of the traditions of
the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). Her regard and obedience to truth and the
right path is famous in the history of Muslims to the extent that some of the
Imams of Ahlul-Bait (a.s.) deposited inheritances of the prophethood with her
in difficult times.
The active participation of women in the social-political history of Islam is
important. Among the first martyrs of Islam was Sommayah, mother of
Yasser, who was brutally tortured and became actually the first martyr in Islam
even before the migration to Medina. The participation and bravery of
Muslim women of the past is seen on the pages of history. These heroic
women possessed exalted personalities such as Sommayah. Their active
participation in the religion-political movements is also a lesson to women all
over the world urging them to regain their lost identity.
History tells us that Nosaibeh took part in battles alongside Prophet Muhammad
(s.a.w.) as a surgeon. She participated in many battles carrying a
waterskin upon her shoulders, treating the sick and injured in the burning
deserts of Arabia. Nosaibeh, accompanied by her surviving son, Amareh,
participated in the famous Battle of Uhud. When the Muslims suffered a
setback, she carried her waterskin giving relief to the thirsty and aiding the
injured using her primitive surgical supplies.
It is narrated from her that, "Amidst the fighting I saw my son running
away. Stopping him I said, 'My child! Why are you running away? Who are
you escaping from? From God or His Messenger?"
She endured the task of explaining and conveying the aims and goals of
Imam Hussein's (a.s.) great revolution in every meeting gathering she
attended. She disclosed the mask covering the black faces of the
oppressors in Kufa, Damascus and Madina. She took the role and
responsibility of protecting the prisoners of the family of the Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.), including women and children, who accompanied the severed head
of Imam Hussein (a.s.) from Karbala's burning sands to Damascus, while suffering
the greatest heartbreaks.
Surely history bows its head in shame in front of this great woman to whom
Islam and the oppressed are indebted for what she sacrificed, and for her
resistance, patience and contributions in the way of truth. She stood
bravely against the oppressors and exposed their shameful deeds and
policies. She brought the message of revolution, honor, dignity, and
truth out of the desert into the cities.
Her speeches in the courts of her captors of the most eloquent, biting and
pointed nature. Indeed, she is famous for her attack against Yazid in his
court in Damascus. She faced them all and accused them of their deeds
without fear of execution or torture which was the daily and common practice
against the enemies of the throne.
She continued for the rest of her life to expose injustice and relay the
message of her brother. She was a revolutionary fighter in her own right
and held a high position of pure character and strength throughout her
life. She was among the most honored of people wherever she went.
She kept the revolution of Imam Hussein (a.s.) and helped her society to
realize their moral obligation and religious duty to fight tyranny and
oppression.
If we wish to investigate the pages of Islamic history, it is impossible for us
to overlook the attitude of Hamidah, the wife of Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a.s.)
and the mother of Imam Musa al-Kathim (a.s.). She took care of the needy
in Madina under the order of Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.). She used to distribute
the wealth among the needy and visit the poor and offer them suitable material
assistance.
She played a vital role in defending truth and taking care of the Divine
Guidance. This honorable woman represented a link between two Imams, Ali
al-Hadi and Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and the believers' bases during the
difficulties which the two Imams faced from the tyrants of their times.
She delivered the information and verdicts to the believers through her contact
with their leaders. She presented their questions and information to the
Imams (a.s.) concerning the movement of the believers and their situations.
A modern day example of this awareness and participation was seen in the heat
of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. With their babies in their arms, and
young children by their sides, women protested against the tyrannical regime
and were shot by the Shah's police. Several mothers and their children
were martyred during those demonstrations.
As the message of truth rose, and the voice of Revolution is heard once again
in the Twentieth-century, we see the women of Palestine, with tightened fists
shaking in the faces of Zionist soldiers, rocks and stones in the other hand
waiting for a chance to hit their targets. Today, these women and women
like them all over the world are considered to be the cornerstone of this
revolution. Hijab is their banner and they are proud of their position as
the freedom fighters against the biggest enemy of truth. We can see the
effect that Islam has on the general public and hijab on the women by recent
examples in Azarbaijan and Bosnia-Herzegovnia.
Obtaining Permission:
Imam Ali (a.s.) quotes the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) as saying:
"Allah curses those men who make themselves resemble women or
those who make themselves resemble men."
Imam Hussein (a.s.) quotes the Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.) as saying:
"Any woman who perfumes herself and leaves her home is cursed by
the angels and deprived of the blessings of the Almighty Allah until she
returns home."
Imam Hussein (a.s.) quotes the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) as saying:
"An evil look is one of the poisonous arrows of Iblis (Satan) and
how an evil look causes long-suffering regrets."
Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) narrates:
"Every eye shall cry on the Day of Resurrection with the
exception of three: an eye which passed the nights guarding Muslims (their
wealth, land, etc.) for the sake of Allah; an eye which wept for fear of Allah;
and an eye which was cast down against the deeds made forbidden by Allah."
Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) was asked whether it is lawful for a man to look at the
face of a woman whom he wants to marry and also to look at her from behind.
He said:
"Yes, there is no objection for a man to look at a woman whom he
wants to marry including her face and to look at her from behind."
Imam Hussein (a.s.) says:
"The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) used to salute women and they
used to reply his salutation. While the Commander of the Faithful, Imam
Ali (a.s.), also used to salute women, but he disliked to salute the young
among the women and said, 'I feared that her voice would admire me and thus
affect me so I would commit sin more than get reward."
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a.s.) says:
"A young man from the Ansar met a woman in Madina. At that
time, women used to wear a veil, so he looked at her while she was coming
toward him. When she passed by he continued looking after her until he
entered one of the alleys. He continued looking as he passed along the
alley until a bone on a wall slashed his face and the woman passed out of
sight. Then, unexpectedly, he saw blood flowing over his clothes and
chest. He said, 'I must go and inform the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.)
about the incident.' When the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) saw him in this
condition he said, 'What happened?' When he informed the Messenger of
Allah (s.a.w.) about the event in details, the angel Gabriel (a.s.) came down
with this verse:
Abi Saeed al-Khidri narrates that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said:
" 'Beware of sitting on roadsides.' Then some of his
companions asked him; 'Oh Messenger of Allah! We cannot stop these
meetings on roadsides where we talk about different matters.' The
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said, 'If you refuse but to stop having such
meetings, then you should give the road its rights.'
"They asked him, 'What are the rights of the road?' He
said, 'To cast down your eyes; to forbear harms to others; to reply to
salutation; to enjoin in what is right and to forbid what is wrong."
The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) said:
"Surely Allah gets angry for the honor of the believing men and
the believing women. So a believing man should get angry (for his
honor). Because he who does not get angry (for his honor) is the one
whose heart is upside-down."
Abu Imamah narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said:
"A Muslim is he who looks at the beauties of a woman and then
casts down his eyes, Allah will give him the reward of worship whose sweetness
he will find in his heart."
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said:
"Guard yourselves from six things and I am your surety for
Paradise: when you speak the truth; perform when you promise; discharge your
trust; and guard your private parts (except from your wives); cast down your
eyes; withhold your hand from committing aggression or forbidden things."
The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.), addressing the Muslims on the occasion of the
Farewell Pilgrimage, warned them against the values which he feared would be
neglected after him, and referred to woman as one of the important issues about
whom he said:
"Observe your duty to Allah in respect to the women, and treat
them well."
Anas narrates that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said:
"Whoever marries a woman for her glory, Allah will not increase
his, but will bring him humiliation; whoever marries her for her wealth, Allah
will not increase his, but place him in poverty; whoever marries her for
ancestral claims, Allah will not increase his, but in meanness; whoever marries
a woman for nothing but to cast down his eyes, guard his private parts, and
join a relationship, Allah will bless him through her and vise versa."
"And one of His signs is that He created you for you mates
from among yourselves that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He put
between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs for a people who
reflect." Holy Qur'an (30:21)
In another verse, the obedient married women are described:
"...therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and
guard in (the husband's) absence what God would have them
guard." Holy Qur'an (4:34)
Islam, with its benevolent view towards women, encourages them to keep
hijab in this verse of the Holy Qur'an:
"O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the
women of the believers that they should casts their outer garments over them
(when abroad); this is more proper, that they should be known (recognized as
such) and not molested. And Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful."
Holy Qur'an (33:59)
The Holy Qur'an speaks of the equality of the two sexes in various
verses. In one place it says:
"...and women have their rights similar to those against them
in a just manner,..." Holy Qur'an (2:228)
In another place, the Holy Qur'an says:
"O mankind, surely We have created you from a male and a
female, and made you nations and tribes, that you may know each other.
Surely the noblest of you with Allah is the most righteous. Surely Allah
is Knowing, Aware." Holy Qur'an (49:13)
"And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, and
he/she is a believer - they will enter the Garden, and not the least injustice
will be done to them." Holy Qur'an (4:124)
"Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer,
We shall certainly make him live a good life, and We shall certainly give them
their reward for the best of what they did." Holy Qur'an
(16:97)
". . .I will not suffer the work of any worker among you to be
lost whether male or female, the one of you being from the other. . ." Holy Qur'an (3:195)
