Woman Empowerment Islamically
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Woman Empowerment Islamically

Read the Quran and you can find good, pious and righteous women being given the same position as good, pious and righteous men. Both genders are spoken of in the same terms

Post by on Friday, May 6, 2022

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The Quran never prohibited women from going out of their houses for their needs. During the times of Prophet (SAW), women went regularly to mosques, and said their prayers along with men, standing in a separate row. They also joined their husbands in the labour of fields, they even went along with the Muslim army, to the battle ground, whenever need was felt and helped fighting men in many other ways. They could even fight the enemy in an emergency. No occupation was prohibited to them, and they could do any work they choose. The only ‘restrictions’ on their liberty by Almighty Allah are mentioned in the following verses of Holy Quran.

 

“Say to the believing men and women to turn away their eyes (from what is unlawful) and restrain their sexual desires. This will make their lives purer. Allah has knowledge of all their actions. Say to the believing women to turn their eyes away (from temptation) and to preserve their chastity: to cover their adornments except such as are normally displaced…” (24: 30-31).

 

Now the real restriction contained in these verses in that both men and women should, when they meet each other, cast down their looks, but there is an additional restriction in the case of women that they should not display their ornament with the exception of “what appears thereof”. The exception has been explained as meaning, “what is customary and natural to uncover”. According to many commentators the exception relates to the face and the hands.

 

No other religious book and no other reform has done one-tenth of what The Holy Quran or the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has done to raise the position of women. Read the Quran and you can find good, pious and righteous women being given the same position as good, pious and righteous men. Both genders are spoken of in the same terms. Further, wherever The Holy Quran speaks of the great Prophets (PBUH) of Allah, it speaks of women in similar expression and words. For example, “And mention Abraham in the Book” (19:41) “And mention Moses in the Book” (19:51) and so on, women is spoken in exactly in the same terms. “And mention Mary in the Book” (19:16). No other religious book has given such a high spiritual position to woman.”

 

The Quran makes no difference between man and woman in the bestowal of reward for the good he or she does. The Quran says, “Their Lord answers them, saying: I will deny no man or women among you the reward of their actions” (3: 194).

 

“…But the believers who do good works, whether men or women shall enter paradise”. (4:124) “We shall reward the stead fast according to their noblest deeds. Be they men or women, those that embrace the faith and do what is right We shall surely grant a happy life; We shall reward them according to their noblest actions”. (16:97)

“…But those who have faith and do good works, both men and women shall enter the Garden of Paradise and receive blessings without number”. (40:40) “For Muslim men and women for believing men and women who are patient, for men and women who give charity; for man and women who fast; for men and women who guard their chastity and for men and women who remember Allah much … for them all has Allah prepared forgiveness and a great reward: (33:35).

 

The mention of good women along good men, enumerates every good quality as being possessed by women exactly as it is possessed by men, and ends with the words, “Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward”. With Allah, therefore, according to the Quran, there is no difference between men and women, and morally and spiritually they can rise to the same eminence”. So far as the education of women in Islam is concerned, unfortunately, the Muslims under various pretexts have neglected it. The manual work at homes by the women folk, who are not being assisted by their male counterparts, is one substantial reason. Secondly, the false notion that women has been created inferior to man in all respects of physiology and mentality and who has to serve men at the cost of her personal development.

 

In every period of history – amazingly even today in most of the developed countries less stress is being given on women’s education while as, Islam has given great importance to women education. There is famous saying of the Prophet (SAW) that the acquisition of knowledge is the duty of all Muslims. All Muslims include men and women. It is likewise the duty of Muslim women. Thus Islam has made it obligatory on the part of women to acquire knowledge within the purview of Shariah, therefore Muslim community must take serious, in fact immediate, steps to open primary schools for Muslim women and separate schools should be introduced earnestly, where they can be trained in several arts and crafts also like cooking, stitching etc.

 

Though the education of Muslim boys and girls at primary stage has a separate syllabus, yet the doctrinal aspects of Islam are same for both. They need to be taught at this state of their education, so that a thorough perspective of Islam’s worldview is acquired, which helps one to make his or her life truly spiritual and dedicated. It will also protect them from the evil exposure of various polytheistic and pagan beliefs.  A glaring example of the status given to woman by Islam is found in the personage of Aisha (RA), the wife of the prophet (SAW), who stands as an ideal character to be emulated by the women of the modern world.

 

(The Author is Director International Center for Spiritual Studies, Islamic University of Science and Technology Awantipora Pulwama. Former Director, Shah-i-Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir Srinagar. He can be reached on hamidnaseem@gmail.com)

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