http://www.arabnews.com/?page=5§ion=0&article=93372&d=14&m=3&y=2007&pix=islam.jpg&category=Islam
Friday, 9, March, 2007 (19, Safar, 1428)
Some Misunderstandings About Women's Status in Islam
Edited by Adil Salahi
Q. I read a Hadith in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) describes
women as deficient in faith and mental power. It also mentions that women will
make up the majority of the dwellers of hell. Could you please explain this
Hadith and whether it means that no matter how hard a woman tries, she cannot
attain the same standard of faith as men.
Rabiya Farrukh
A. This Hadith is authentic, but it has often been quoted out of context.
The effect has been that many Muslims came to consider women as inferior to men
and to associate such a view with Islam. The world media has found in such a
view a means to criticize Islam. The feminist trend jumped on the bandwagon,
castigating Islam for its alleged unfairness to women. In the Muslim world,
people who have little or scanty knowledge of Islam added fuel to the fire,
saying that Islam is the root cause for the ill-treatment of women in the
Muslim world.
Nothing can be further from the truth. In all its legislation, Islam
makes men and women equal. All Islamic duties apply equally to men and women,
and they all receive the same reward for fulfilling their duties and for any
good action they voluntarily do. The Qur'anic address is of two types: one to
men and women alike, and the other to women only. There is nothing that
requires a special address to men alone.
There are a number of differences in Islamic legislation between men and
women, but in all these, the advantage is always given to women. When we
carefully examine any difference, even the ones that appear at first sight to
give man an advantage, we find that the difference always work in the woman's
favor. This is only to be expected from a faith, which makes justice the
central point in all its legislation. To give full explanation of this fact
requires time and space that cannot be allocated under the 'Discourse' column.
However, we have been carrying articles by the late Abd Al-Haleem Abu Shuqqah
which show how Islam deals most fairly with both men and women. We will be
continuing soon with these articles. In due course, he will give a full
explanation of this Hadith. However, I will highlight certain points concerning
this Hadith, so that the reader can be reassured.
When we consider the Hadith, we need to look also at the context in which
it was said. The occasion was one of Eid, a joyous occasion when people feel
happy. It is totally unlikely that the Prophet would mar such an occasion by
telling half the community that they would be in hell and that they are
deficient. That is totally contrary to his character. Therefore, we have to
understand the context and the purpose of what the Prophet said. The Prophet
went to address the women because he realized that they did not hear the sermon
he gave after the Eid prayer. He told them: "Give generously for charity,
because many of you could be in hell." When they asked the reason, he said:
"Because you grumble too much and you deny the goodness of your mates."
The overall tone of the Hadith is light-hearted and educative. It gives a
warning that many could find themselves in hell unless they act to avoid such a
fate. This applies to all mankind. God says in the Qur'an: "However strongly
you may desire it, most people will not believe." (12: 103) In the case of
women, the Prophet gave the reason as two characteristics that we often
encounter with women: too many complaints and lack of appreciation of the good
things done to them. Thus, the Prophet merely gave an admonition against these
two qualities and pointed out the way to redress the balance and ensure a much
better fate in the life to come. The way is to give to charity whatever one can.
The Prophet adds: "I have not seen any who are deficient in their reason
and faith who can captivate the mind of a wise man better than you." This is
not a complaint or a form of chiding. It is said in a light-hearted manner,
pointing out that a woman may be weaker than a man, yet she can easily control
him if she applies her feminine powers to the task.
When they asked him about the deficiencies he mentioned, the Prophet said
that the religious deficiency is that a woman does not offer her prayer when
she is in the period, while the deficiency of her mental power is reflected in
the fact that two women are required to give testimony in place of a man.
Yet these do not make women truly deficient, as a woman would not lose
even an iota of her reward for prayer as a result of not praying during her
period. Although she does not pray at that time, her reward for offering prayer
on all her other days means that she has fulfilled what is required of her and
God will reward her in the same way as a man who does not miss any prayer.
Moreover, when she is a witness, she takes with her someone to remind her in
case she forgets something of material importance. A man witness does not have
that privilege.
To suggest that a woman cannot attain the same standard of faith as a
man, no matter how hard she tries, is totally wrong. God says in the Qur'an:
"The righteous women are devout, guarding the intimacy which God has ordained
to be guarded." (4: 34) This is a statement by God that women are righteous,
devout and attend to their duties. In another verse God says: "For all men and
women who have submitted themselves to God, all believing men and believing
women, all truly devout men and truly devout women, all men and women who are
true to their word, all men and women who are patient in adversity, all men and
women who humble themselves before God, all men and women who give in charity,
all men and women who fast, all men and women who are mindful of their
chastity, and all men and women who always remember God - for them all God has
prepared forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward." (33: 35)
This verse makes it clear that there is no difference between men and
women in the standard of faith they can attain, and they are rewarded in the
same measure. We need to take the Hadith in its context, realizing that it is
an admonition made in a light-hearted manner to encourage women to be
charitable in order to offset certain mistakes they frequently make. It is by
no means a judgment of doom
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