In
the midst of the darkness that engulfed the world, the divine
revelation echoed in the wide desert of Arabia with a fresh, noble, and
universal message to humanity: "O Mankind, keep your duty to your Lord
who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate (of same
kind) and from them twain has spread a multitude of men and women"
(Qur'an 4: 1).
A
scholar who pondered about this verse states: "It is believed that
there is no text, old or new, that deals with the humanity of the woman
from all aspects with such amazing brevity, eloquence, depth, and
originality as this divine decree."
Stressing this noble and natural conception, them Qur'an states:
He
(God) it is who did create you from a single soul and therefrom did
create his mate, that he might dwell with her (in love)...(Qur'an 7:189)
The Creator of heavens and earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves ...Qur'an 42:1 1
And
Allah has given you mates of your own nature, and has given you from
your mates, children and grandchildren, and has made provision of good
things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace
of God that they disbelieve? Qur'an 16:72
The
rest of this paper outlines the position of Islam regarding the status
of woman in society from its various aspects - spiritually, socially,
economically and politically.
1. The Spiritual Aspect
The
Qur'an provides clear-cut evidence that woman iscompletely equated with
man in the sight of God interms of her rights and responsibilities. The
Qur'an states:
"Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds" (Qur'an 74:38). It also states:
...So
their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be
lost the work of any of you whether male or female. You proceed one from
another ...(Qur'an 3: 195).
Whoever
works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will We
give a new life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their
reward according to the their actions. (Qur'an 16:97, see also 4:124).
Woman
according to the Qur'an is not blamed for Adam's first mistake. Both
were jointly wrong in their disobedience to God, both repented, and both
were forgiven. (Qur'an 2:36, 7:20 - 24). In one verse in fact (20:121),
Adam specifically, was blamed.
In terms of religious obligations,
such as the Daily Prayers, Fasting, Poor-due, and Pilgrimage, woman is
no different from man. In some cases indeed, woman has certain
advantages over man. For example, the woman is exempted from the daily
prayers and from fasting during her menstrual periods and forty days
after childbirth. She is also exempted from fasting during her pregnancy
and when she is nursing her baby if there is any threat to her health
or her baby's. If the missed fasting is obligatory (during the month of
Ramadan), she can make up for the missed days whenever she can. She does
not have to make up for the prayers missed for any of the above
reasons. Although women can and did go into the mosque during the days
of the prophet and thereafter attendance et the Friday congregational
prayers is optional for them while it is mandatory for men (on Friday).
This
is clearly a tender touch of the Islamic teachings for they are
considerate of the fact that a woman may be nursing her baby or caring
for him, and thus may be unable to go out to the mosque at the time of
the prayers. They also take into account the physiological and
psychological changes associated with her natural female functions.
Post a Comment