Muslim Women
Daughters
are without doubt a great blessing from Almighty Allah. They are a
means of salvation and a path to Jannah for their parents. The Holy
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has stated that when a boy is
born, then he brings one Noor (light) and when a girl is born, then she
brings two Noors. It has been narrated in a Hadith that the Holy
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has stated that if parents are
kind and generous towards their daughters, then they will be so close
to the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) in Jannah, like one
finger is to the next. The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
has also stated that the person who is faced with hardship due to his
daughters, and makes Sabr (is patient), then his daughters will be a
Purdah (curtain) between him and Hell.
The
crux of one narration states that one who loves his daughters and
withstands the hardship of grooming and getting them married, then
Almighty Allah makes Jannah Waajib (compulsory) on him and keeps him
protected from the Fire of Hell.
Hazrat
Khwaja Uthman Haaroni (radi Allahu anhu), the Peer-o-Murshid of
Khwaja-e-Khwajegaan, Hazrat Sheikh Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaaz (radi Allahu
anhu), states: "Daughters are a gift from Almighty Allah. Those parents
who are kind towards them, then Almighty Allah is generous towards such
parents. Those who are merciful to their daughters, Almighty Allah is
Merciful towards them." The great Saint also said, "When a girl is born
to a family, then between the parents and Hell, there shall be a
distance of five hundred years."
It
has been stated that when parents rejoice at the birth of a daughter,
this is greater than making Tawaaf of the Kaaba seventy times. Muslims
should also remember that the family of the Holy Prophet Muhammad
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is from his beloved daughter Sayyidah
Fatima Zahra (radi Allahu anha).
Dear
brothers and sisters, rejoice on the birth of your daughters, love and
guide them and give them that which is due to them from your
belongings. Do not deprive them of their inheritance as they also have
say in this. Remember! Daughters are a blessing and not a burden.
ISLAMIC HIJAB - ARE MUSLIM WOMEN OPPRESSED?
The feeling still persists in society that Muslim women wear Hijab
or the outer covering because they are slaves to tradition, so much so
that it is seen as a symbol of oppression. Western society says that
women's liberation and independence is impossible unless they first
remove the Hijab. This view is not correct. Why do Muslim women
wear the outer covering that sometimes covers their face and hides the
rest of their body?
Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran, Chapter 33, Verse 59: "O
Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters, and the believing women, that
they should cast their outer garments over their persons; that is
better, that they should be known (as such) and not be molested." And in Chapter 24, Verse 31:
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and
guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and
ornaments except what appear thereof; that they should draw their scarves over their bosoms - "
Muslim women all over the world are wearing Hijab
as a religious requirement and a sign of respect, not out of a
misdirected sense of "tradition." It is both a sign of a women's
obedience to Allah and a manifestation of her faith. The Hijab is part of a Muslim's religious identity. It gives women dignity and self-respect.
Islam
commands women to cover their bodies so as not to trouble men who are
weak and unable to resist temptation. In Islam, men and women are
commanded to dress modestly and not appear "naked" in public, even in
all male and female situations.
Just
as a short skirt or a see-through dress can send the signal that the
wearer is available to men, so the Hijab signals, loud and clear: "I am forbidden to you." Wearing the Hijab
protects the female from harassment and men. It is the western women
who are to be pitied for displaying their private self for all to see.
An American, Ruth Anderson, has said: "Hijab is not a sign of backwardness, ignorance or mental incompetence, but a woman's duty and her right."
A women in Hijab is like a jewel that is of high exceptional value and that which must be kept hidden. Wearing the Hijab is a choice that Muslim women make. To discard the Hijab
or expose that part of her body ordered covered by the Divine Law is
to disobey Islamic principles and a women's basic Islamic belief.
RE-INTRODUCTION OF HIJAAB IN INDONESIA
Growing
popularity of Islamic dress code in Indonesia has started a new trend.
Women from the middle-income group have explicitly shown escalating
preference to Islamic clothes resulting in a multi-million fashion
industry as admitted by Aami Waamsu, Editor of the fashion magazine
"Femina."
According
to Taufiq Abdullah Nigar of Indonesian Science Institute, this
shocking trend has developed in the short span of the last 2 - 3 years.
This has been in the wake of the recognition that Indonesian men are
more respectful towards women in Islamic attire. Previously, modern
Indonesian women wore tops, pants and ordinary scarves. Nowadays,
preference is given to dignified loose clothing with scarves completely
covering the head.
The
fever has caught on to such an extent that even non-Muslim designers
have resorted to designing Islamic clothes. Muslim women are active in
social, religious and political fields dressed according to Islamic
dressing code. A really interesting angle of this "fashion revival" is
that so impressed are the non-Muslim women by this trend that they too
have begun to imitate it!
BEIJING WORLD CONFERENCE ON WOMEN CONSPIRE TO "LIBERATE" MUSLIM WOMEN FROM ISLAM
At
the Beijing World ("anti-Islam & anti-religion") Conference,
"experts" talked about the need to liberate Muslim women from Islam, and
in general all women from religion. It was easy to see that there were
open attacks against Islam and religion in general. There were also
open talks about rights for prostitutes, lesbians and homosexuals. The
Conference also discussed about the rights of children over their
sexual lives.
Betty
Freidan, an American feminist leader and author, talked about the
dangers Islamic conservatism poses to women. In a panel session
entitled "Muslim Women in North America", led by a Muslim delegate
chosen by the Clinton administration to represent the US as a liaison
between the US and the Muslim and Arab worlds, a panel member vehemently
attacked the Imams of North American mosques for fanaticism against
Muslim women in the "land of freedom".
In
another session that was chaired by a feminist Hindu, she described
how the Vatican had come together with Islam for the purpose of denying
women's rights. Another speaker in this session, who was a liberal
Catholic, encouraged women to become more "open" and to acquire power.
She also said that "the biggest mistake in the universe" is to envision
an "omnipotent or perfect God." Dr Riffat Hassan, a professor in
Islamic studies from the University of Louisville, explained how she
had been engaged in the last 20 years in developing a "feminist theology
in the context of Islam".
It
was also clear from the Conference that the powers who were running
the UN have an agenda to impose their own "Shariah" on the entire
world. Just by attending the Conference at government level, the Muslim
countries accepted the principle that they could negotiate about this
imposed Shariah. Muslim delegates did not realise that they were
actually "dignifying" a gathering that could not be dignified.
The
Conference failed to encourage the individuals need in altering their
life styles in order to combat sexually transmitted diseases; did not
encourage family life and morality; for women (and men) to
abstain from early sex; etc. The UN also encourages that for women to
work in a factory or an office is a right; to stay at home is an
oppression. A woman should not be dependent of her husband; she should
be dependent on her boss.
Muslims
throughout the world, including all South African Muslims, must
condemn and reject this Conference. What about the women in Kashmir who
jumped into the Jhelum River in Kashmir to protect their honour from
the Indian forces? Why did the World Conference on Women not speak
about that! What about the 70, 000 Muslim women raped, abused and beaten
in Bosnia? What about the millions in Iraq, Kashmir and Bosnia who are
without food and medicine? The "women's right" which the Conference
speaks about is far from the women's rights which Islam grants. This is
nothing but an attempt by the UN and the world in condemning Islam,
Islamic values and creating a world and society completely devoid of all
sensibility and shame. (Facts extracted from "Impact International" - Vol.25 No.10)
DUTY TOWARDS OUR MOTHERS
A
Saint relates that once, having made intention of performing Haj, he
left for Baghdad from where he was to proceed to Hijaz. In Baghdad, he
arrived at the house of Hazrat Abu Hazim Makki (rahmatullahi alai) where he found Hazrat Abu Hazim Makki (rahmatullahi alai) fast asleep. When he awoke from his asleep, he came over to the Saint and told him,
"I had the good fortune of seeing Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) in my dream just now, and he asked me to convey a message to
you."
"What is the message?" asked the Saint.
"He
asked me to inform you that it would be better for you if you called
off your journey to Hijaz for purpose of making Haj, and spent time
looking after your ageing mother and keeping her happy at all times.
This would enable you to perform your Haj in the future with Allah's
Pleasure."
The Saint, upon hearing this, returned home without performing Haj.
ESCALATION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN MUSLIM COMMUNITY
This
almost taboo issue is being brought out to the open. Violence against
women has reached such high levels in the Muslim community that almost 1
in 5 families is adversely affected. Whether it is physical, emotional
or sexual abuse, it threatens the very existence of healthy
communities. If women are abused how does a mother then fulfill her
major roles as a wife and a mother? Yet Muslims in South Africa have not
yet acknowledged this as one of the major social problems them all the
time. Research clearly shows that children from abusive homes,
themselves become abusive parents. The high rate of divorce, separation,
extra-marital relationships is a daily occurance in our society. The
disruption and breakdown of families leads to a variety of social
problems. (Courtesy: JIMASA - Dec. 1996)
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE
It
is Haraam for women to touch the hand, feet or body of any strange man
and it is also Haraam for the man to give her the permission to do so.
The Mashaa'ikh and Peers of today should take a lesson from this. The
evil practice of Mureedas (female Mureeds) kissing the hands and feet
of their Peer-o-Murshid must stop. It is totally Haraam for both to
kiss and to be kissed. It is FARD on the Sheikh to strongly forbid
their female Mureeds from doing such un-Islamic acts. Sayyidah Ayesha
Siddiqa (radi Allahu anha) states that there was never an instance when a woman touched the hands of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
at the time of Bai'at. Likewise, those persons who visit massage
parlours, etc. and have their bodies massaged or rubbed by strange women
is strictly Haraam and a great sin (Kabeera). It is Fard on them to
abstain from such immoral acts and fear Allah, the All Knowing and All
Powerful.
A FEW REASONS FOR POVERTY
Wealth
and poverty comes from Almighty Allah. However, the pious servants and
learned scholars have given a few reasons as to why poverty comes and
what to abstain from to avoid poverty:-
- By not reading Namaaz and Quran.
- By reading Quran without Wudhu.
- By calling parents by their names or disrespecting them.
- To be annoyed with receiving visitors.
- By being unkind to relatives.
- To hit and scold your children without reason.
- To eat without saying Bismillah.
- To eat without washing the hands.
- To eat without a hat or with the left hand.
- To eat near a deceased or in the dark.
- To leave food opened.
- To delay food that has been already served.
- To leave dishes unwashed after eating.
- To wash your hands in eating utensils.
- To take a false oath.
- To talk of worldly things in the Musjid or during Wudhu.
- To sleep until the sun rises.
- To sleep between Maghrib and Esha.
- To sleep naked.
- To urinate in the bathroom.
- To go to the toilet without a hat.
- To talk in the toilet.
- To pass urine or stool on a pathway or under a tree.
- To laugh in a cemetery.
- To use broken utensils.
- To use a broken comb.
- For ladies to remain with the head uncovered.
- To stand and comb or tie the hair.
- To sweep at night.
- To sweep the house and keep the dirt in the house.
- To keep long nails, of bite one's nails.
- To sew torn clothes on the body.
- To have a haircut while Na-Paak.
- To keep the pubic hairs more than forty days.
- To put off a flame by blowing it.
- To sit on the stoop of the house.
- To leave shoes upside down and not straighten it.
- To leave spider cob-webs in the house.
- To burn the peel of garlic or onions.
- Not to help a person in trouble at night.
- It
has been mentioned by some pious persons that to be intimate with the
wife on Saturday after sunset till Sunday morning and on Tuesday after
sunset till Wednesday morning is not regarded as a good time. They said
that if the wife becomes pregnant in this time they there is a risk of
sickness and bad habits in the child.و ---------------------------------------------
