The rights of women in Islam

Islam honours women greatly. It honours women as mothers who must be respected, obeyed and treated with kindness. Pleasing one's mother is regarded as part of pleasing Allaah. Islam tells us that Paradise lies at the mother’s feet, i.e. that the best way to reach Paradise is through one's mother. And Islam forbids disobeying one’s mother or making her angry, even by saying a mild word of disrespect. The mother’s rights are greater than those of the father, and the duty to take care of her grows greater as the mother grows older and weaker. All of that is mentioned in many texts of the Qur'aan and Sunnah.

For example, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents”

[al-Ahqaaf 46:15]

“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour.

24. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young’”

[al-Isra’ 17:23, 24]

Ibn Maajah (2781) narrated that Mu’aawiyah ibn Jaahimiah al-Sulami (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allaah, I want to go for jihad with you, seeking thereby the Face of Allaah and the Hereafter. He said, “Woe to you! Is your mother still alive?” I said, Yes. He said, “Go back and honour her.” Then I approached him from the other side and said: O Messenger of Allaah, I want to go for jihad with you, seeking thereby the Face of Allaah and the Hereafter. He said, “Woe to you! Is your mother still alive?” I said, Yes. He said, “Go back and honour her.” Then I approached him from in front and said, O Messenger of Allaah, I want to go for jihad with you, seeking thereby the Face of Allaah and the Hereafter. He said, “Woe to you! Is your mother still alive?” I said, Yes. He said, “Go back and honour her (lit. stay by her feet), for there is Paradise.”

Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah. It was also narrated by al-Nasaa’i with the words: “Stay with her for Paradise is beneath her feet.”

Al-Bukhaari (5971) and Muslim (2548) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: A man came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: “O Messenger of Allaah, who is most deserving of my good company?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Your mother.” He said: “Then who?” He said: “Then your father.”

And there are other texts which we do not have room to mention here.

One of the rights which Islam gives to the mother is that her son should spend on her if she needs that support, so long as he is able and can afford it. Hence for many centuries it was unheard of among the people of Islam for a mother to be left in an old-people’s home or for a son to kick her out of the house, or for her sons to refuse to spend on her, or for her to need to work in order to eat and drink if her sons were present.

Islam also honours women as wives. Islam urges the husband to treat his wife in a good and kind manner, and says that the wife has rights over the husband like his rights over her, except that he has a degree over her, because of his responsibility of spending and taking care of the family’s affairs. Islam states that the best of the Muslim men is the one who treats his wife in the best manner, and the man is forbidden to take his wife’s money without her consent.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and live with them honourably”

[al-Nisa’ 4:19]

“And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”

[al-Baqarah 2:228]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I urge you to treat women well.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 331; Muslim, 1468.

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.”
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3895; Ibn Maajah, 1977; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

And Islam honours women as daughters, and encourages us to raise them well and educate them. Islam states that raising daughters will bring a great reward.

For example, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever takes care of two girls until they reach adulthood, he and I will come like this on the Day of Resurrection,” and he held his fingers together.
Narrated by Muslim, 2631.

Ibn Maajah (3669) narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “Whoever has three daughters and is patient towards them, and feeds them, gives them to drink and clothes them from his riches, they will be a shield for him from the Fire on the Day of Resurrection.”
Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.

Islam honours woman as sisters and as aunts. Islam enjoins upholding the ties of kinship and forbids severing those ties in many texts. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “O people! Spread (the greeting of) salaam, offer food (to the needy), uphold the ties of kinship, and pray at night when people are sleeping, and you will enter Paradise in peace.”
Narrated by Ibn Maajah, 3251; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah.

Al-Bukhaari (5988) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah, may He be exalted, said to the ties of kinship: ‘Whoever upholds you, I will support him, and whoever breaks you, I will cut him off.’”

All of these qualities may co-exist in a single woman: she may be a wife, a daughter, a mother, a sister, an aunt, so she may be honoured in all these ways.

To conclude: Islam raised the status of women, and made them equal with men in most rulings. So women, like men, are commanded to believe in Allaah and to worship Him. And women are made equal to men in terms of reward in the Hereafter. Women have the right to express themselves, to give sincere advice, to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and to call people to Allaah. Women have the right to own property, to buy and sell, to inherit, to give charity and to give gifts. It is not permissible for anyone to take a woman’s wealth without her consent. Women have the right to a decent life, without facing aggression or being wronged. Women have the right to be educated; in fact it is obligatory to teach them what they need to know about their religion.

Anyone who compares the rights of women in Islam with their situation during the Jaahiliyyah or in other civilizations will understand that what we are saying is true. In fact we are certain that women are given the greatest honour in Islam.

There is no need for us to mention the situation of women in Greek, Persian or Jewish society, but even Christian societies had a bad attitude towards women. The theologians even gathered at the Council of Macon to discuss whether woman was merely a body or a body with a soul. They thought it most likely that women did not have a soul that could be saved, and they made an exception only in the case of Mary (Maryam – peace be upon her).

The French held a conference in 586 CE to discuss whether women had souls or not, and if they had souls, were these souls animal or human? In the end, they decided that they were human! But they were created to serve men only.

During the time of Henry VIII, the English Parliament issued a decree forbidding women to read the New Testament because they were regarded as impure.

Until 1805, English law allowed a man to sell his wife, and set a wife’s price at six pennies.

In the modern age, women were kicked out of the house at the age of eighteen so that they could start working to earn a bite to eat. If a woman wanted to stay in the house, she had to pay her parents rent for her room and pay for her food and laundry.

See ‘Awdat al-Hijaab, 2/47-56.

How can this compare to Islam which enjoins honouring and kind treatment of women, and spending on them?

Secondly:

With regard to the changes in these rights throughout the ages, the basic principles have not changed, but with regard to the application of these principles, there can be no doubt that during the golden age of Islam, the Muslims applied the sharee’ah of their Lord more, and the rulings of this sharee’ah include honouring one’s mother and treating one’s wife, daughter, sister and women in general in a kind manner. The weaker religious commitment grew, the more these rights were neglected, but until the Day of Resurrection there will continue to be a group who adheres to their religion and applies the sharee’ah of their Lord. These are the people who honour women the most and grant them their rights.

Despite the weakness of religious commitment among many Muslims nowadays, women still enjoy a high status, whether as daughters, wives or sisters, whilst we acknowledge that there are shortcomings, wrongdoing and neglect of women’s rights among some people, but each one will be answerable for himself.


Source: http://www.turntoislam.com

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Hijab vs Liberty

Recently I have been reading various articles about governments in Europe banning the niqab (type of head covering worn by some women which only leaves the eyes visible) or burqa (type of head covering worn by some women which covers the entire body including the eyes with a netted or mesh material).  First Belgium made it illegal for women to cover their faces in public, now France is in the process of passing a law to do the same. Philip Hollobone, Conservative MP for Kettering has suggested that he would like to see the same thing happen in the UK, saying the face covering veil is ‘offensive’ he also adds that he finds it difficult to communicate with women wearing a full veil and if women wearing a niqab/burqa want to speak to him they will have to lift their veil or communicate with him in other ways such as sending him a letter. The immigration minister, Damian Green has told the Sunday Telegraph that banning the niqab in this country will be very un-British and that the government should not start trying to dictate what people can and cannot wear. So will the ban on the niqab/burqa In the UK go ahead or not?  Only time will tell.
Throughout the world we see Muslims being attacked in all directions, not just physically in Iraq, Afghanistan or Palestine to name but a few, or politically as seen in Iran, but in other more subtle ways such as through the media demonizing Islam and its followers, making everyday life of a practicing Muslim seem extreme and ancient. This debate on the banning of the veil is another example of the attack on Muslims.
In this article I want to look at what it means to be liberated, the reasons why women wear not only the niqab and burqa but hijab in general and why some people want the veil to be banned. Of course some want it banned because of their hate for Islam and Muslims examples of these people are far right activists such as the BNP, EDL and those couch potatoes who failed at everything in life, have no job, live off benefits and are brainwashed by everything they see on the TV, or maybe its people who feel threatened by women who do not conform to the pressures of fashion and the media these people are those who use women to advertise their products or make a ridiculous amount of money by using women to satisfy their filthy desires. Maybe its women who do not want to admit that they themselves are victims of a society which degrades them and portrays them as objects of lust. But mostly its people who do not understand Islam, what it teaches and why it’s the most perfect way of life.
A question I would like to ask is why is it always men (Nicolas Sarkozy, Jack Straw, Philip Hollobone ) who have a problem with a woman choosing to cover herself? Would they feel the same way about a woman who came to see them wearing a bikini? Would they tell her to cover up before they came to see them? Can these men not value the intelligence of a woman and listen to what she has to say rather than what she looks like?
Some say Islam is a religion which oppresses women; I wonder if that is why while the prophet (pbuh) was delivering his last sermon reminding the people that the best men are those who are kind to their wives ,the Catholic Church was debating whether women should be considered as human or animal?
There are pressures on women to look a certain way in the western society; slim, yet curvy, nice hair, smooth legs, you only have to sit through a few adverts on TV to know what women are ‘supposed’ to look like. In today’s world they try to tell us that women are more liberated than ever, equal rights and freedom for all. But is this really true?  Are women really liberated or has our idea of liberty been severely distorted?
Liberated is a word that shouldn’t be used for all these women who are raped and subjugated, who are forced to be thin, prostitutes who feel the only way for them to survive is to sell themselves to men. Liberated are not the women who are stripped naked and posted on billboards in front a car to make sales. Liberated are not women who have to wear tight, short skirts, low cut shirts and high stiletto heels with tones of make up just to fit in to the work place. Liberated are not women who are taught that to be successful in life you have to look good, have a god job and lots of money, women who are taught that something which is natural (being married whilst still young and having children) makes them unsuccessful and oppressed or signs of aging, something which again is natural. Liberated are not the thousands of women and young girls who spend millions every year to buy cosmetics and have cosmetic surgery to look ‘perfect’ or ‘better’. Liberated are not these celebrities who are either too fat or too thin. Liberated are not women who feel as though they have to have a man to tell them they look good for them to feel good, they are not the women who feel insecure about the way they look or feel as though they need make up and revealing clothes to boost their self esteem. Liberated are not the women who are always in search of something, man or material goods, to make them happy.
Liberated are women who choose to cover themselves to obey God not man, they are women who respect themselves and do not let fashion designers strip their dignity. Liberated are those women whose only desire is to enter paradise, women who know that this life is a test and will come to an end. Women who are proud to represent their faith everyday of their lives, who give da’wah the moment they walk out of the house without even needing to speak. Liberated are the pearls of Islam that keep their beauty hidden from the world because they want to share it with only one man who is committed, who will love them and take care of them all their life, the man they love for the sake of Allah. Liberated are the women who know that their children are a blessing and are thankful everyday to Allah for giving them all they have. Liberated are the women who rely on no man but Allah alone to get them through each day. Liberated are the women who expect nothing less than respect and kindness from men, they are the women who treat each other as sisters and not as competition. Liberated are the women who dress modestly like the respected and honorable women before them; Maryam (Mary mother of Jesus pbuh), Khadijah RA, the other wives, daughters and companions of the prophet.

Liberated are the women of Islam.

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Polygamy in Islamic Law

Dr. Jamal Badawi examines polygamy in the Muslim, Jewish and Christian traditions.

Introduction

Like Judaism and Christianity, Islam does not provide an explicit prohibition of Polygamy. Unlike Judaism, Christianity and perhaps-other religions as well, Islam deals with the issue more clearly and provides certain legal requirements and restraints that amount to the discouragement of such a practice.

The reason for not prohibiting polygamy categorically is perhaps due to the fact that there are certain conditions which face individuals and societies in different places and at different times, which make the limited practice of polygamy a better solution than either divorce or the hypocritical pretence of morality.

Out present day feelings about what is "tasteful" or "distasteful" are something we cannot force on all people everywhere, at all times and under all conditions, unless it is a question of a law coming God. This leads to the following question.

Is polygamy immoral per se?

To shorten the discussion, let us begin with the assumption that religions are acceptable sources of "morals". Let us also select two religions (Judaism and Christianity) which are the closest to Islam, in order to see where they stand on that issue.

a) In Judaism: It is notable that most of the Old Testament Prophets are polygamous. According to the Old Testament, Abraham "the friend of God" had more than one wife, David had one hundred wives, and Solomon is even said to have had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

If polygamy is immoral per se, then these and other leading figures in the Biblical traditions are immoral. In this case, there would be no sanctity attached to the Bible, its Prophets, or it teachings! No sincere Jew, Christian or Muslim would regard God’s chosen Messengers as immoral persons!

The Dictionary of the Bible states: Polygamy meets us as a fact: e.g. Abraham, Jacob, the Judges, David, Solomon…In Deuteronomy 17:17, the King is warned not to multiply wives; later regulations fixed the number at eighteen for a king and for an ordinary man.

The Philosophy behind the legalisation of polygamy is explained in the Encyclopedia Biblica: The man who owns his wife as a chattel can on the same principle own as many as he pleases, that is to say, as many as he can afford to buy and keep…The Talmudists formulate the rule that no Jew may have more than four wives, kings may have at most eighteen.

It was only at the beginning of the eleventh century (about four centuries after the advent of Islam!) that polygamy was expressly prohibited in Judaism. According to Westermarck: "Among European Jews polygamy was still practiced during the Middle Ages, and among Jews living in Muhammadan countries it occurs even to this day.

An express prohibition of it was not pronounced until the convening of the Rabbinical Synod at Worms, in the beginning of the eleventh century. This prohibition was originally made for the Jews living in Germany and Northern France, but it was successfully adopted in all European countries. Nevertheless, the Jewish Marriage Code retained many provisions, which originated at a time when polygamy was still legally in existence."

b) In Christianity: As the Old Testament is a vital part of the Christian Faith, it cannot be disregarded in this discussion.

It was concerning the Old Testament laws and Old Testament Prophets that Jesus (as) said plainly that he came not to destroy the Law or the Prophets but rather to fulfil. In addition, there is no passage in the New Testament that clearly prohibits polygamy. This was the understanding of the early Church Fathers and for several centuries in the Christian era.

Westermarck, the noted authority on the history of human marriages states: "Considering that monogamy prevailed as the only legitimate form of marriage in Greece and Rome, it cannot be said that Christianity introduced obligatory monogamy in the Western World. Indeed, although the New Testament assumes monogamy as the normal or ideal form of marriage, it does not expressly prohibit polygamy, except in the case of a bishop or deacon. It has been argued that it was not necessary for the first Christian teachers to condemn polygamy because monogamy was the universal rule among the peoples in whose midst it was preached: but this is certainly not true of the Jews, who still both permitted and practiced polygamy at the beginning of the Christian era. Some of the Fathers accused the Jewish Rabbis of sensuality, but no Council of the Church in the earliest centuries opposed polygamy, and no obstacle was put in the way of its practice by kings in countries where it had occurred in the times of paganism. In the middle of the sixth century Diarmait, King of Ireland, had two queens and two concubines. Polygamy was frequently practiced by the Merovingian kings. Charles the Great had two wives and many concubines; and one of his laws seems to imply that polygamy was not unknown among priests. In later times Philip of Hesse and Frederick William II of Prussia contracted bigamous marriages with the sanction of the Lutheran clergy. Luther himself approved of the bigamy of the former, and so did Melanchthon. On various occasions Luther speaks of polygamy with considerable toleration. It had not been forbidden by God: even Abraham, who was a "perfect Christian", had two wives. It is true that God had allowed such marriages to certain men of the Old Testament only in particular circumstances, and if a Christian wanted to follow their example he had to show that the circumstances were similar in his case; but polygamy was undoubtedly preferable to divorce.

In 1650, soon after the Peace of Westphalia, when the population had been greatly reduced by the Thirty Years’ War, the Frankish Kreistag at Nuremberg passed resolution that thenceforth every man should be allowed to marry two women. Certain sects of Christians have even advocated polygamy with much fever.

In 1531 the Anabaptists openly preached at Munster that he who wants to be a true Christian must have several wives. And the Mormons, as the entire world knows, regard polygamy as a divine institution."

What is the Legal Status of Polygamy in Islam?

The Verse that allows polygamy "was revealed after the battle of Uhud in which many Muslims were killed, leaving widows and orphans for whom due care was incumbent upon the Muslim survivors."

The translation of the verse is as follows: "If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then (marry) only one…" (Qur’an 4:3)

From this verse a number of facts are evident:

1 That polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, but merely permitted.

2 That the permission to practice polygamy is not associated with mere satisfaction of. Rather, it is associated with compassion towards widows and orphans, a matter that is confirmed by the atmosphere in which the verse was revealed.

3 That even in such a situation, the permission is far more restricted than the normal practice which existed among the Arabs and other peoples at that time when many married as many as ten or more wives.

4 That dealing justly with one’s wives is an obligation. This applies to housing, food, clothing, kind treatment…etc., for which the husband is fully responsible. If one is not sure of being able to deal justly with them, the Qur’an says: "then (marry) only one." (Qur’an 4:3)

This verse, when combined with another verse in the same chapter, shows some discouragement of such plural marriages. The other verse plainly states: "You are never able to be fair and just between women even if it is your ardent desire…" (Qur’an 4:129)

The requirement of justice rules out the fantasy that man can "own as many as he pleases." It also rules out the concept of a "secondary wife", for all wives have exactly the same status and are entitled to identical rights and claims over their husband. It also implies, according to the Islamic Law, that should the husband fail to provide enough support for any of his wives, she can go to court and ask for a divorce.

5 The verse says "marry," not kidnap, buy or seduce. What is "marriage" as understood in Islam? Marriage in Islam is a civil contract which is not valid unless both contracting parties consent to it. Thus, no wife can be forced or "given" to a husband who is already married.

It is thus a free choice of both parties. As to the first wife:

A She may be barren or ill and see in polygamy a better solution than divorce.

B She may divorce him (unilaterally) if he is married to a second wife provided that the nuptial contract gives her the right of unilateral divorce (ismah)

C She can go to court and ask for a divorce if there is evidence ofmistreatment or injustice inflicted upon her.

But if polygamy is discouraged and loaded with such constraints, could it have been better if the Qur’an simply forbade it? To answer this question, we may have to raise another one: Can Polygamy be a Better Solution in Some Cases?

Scholars in the past and at present, Muslims and Non-Muslims have consistently pointed out such cases. The following are a few examples, which are tied in with the general approach of Islam to individual and social problems.

A Individual Cases

1. A man who discovers that his wife is barren, and who at the same time instinctively aspires to have children and heir. In a situation as this, then man would either have to:

- Suffer the deprivation of fatherhood for life.

- Divorce his barren wife and get married to another women who is not barren.

In many cases, neither solution can be considered as the best alternative. Polygamy would have the advantage of preserving the marital relationship without depriving the man of fathering children of his own.

2. A man whose wife becomes chronically ill would have one of possible alternatives:

- He may suppress his instinctive sexual needs for the rest of his life.

- He may divorce his sick wife at a time when she needs his compassion most, and get married to another woman, thus legally satisfying his instinctive needs.

- Or he could compromise by keeping his sick wife, and secretly take for himself one or more illicit sex partners.

Let us discuss these alternatives from the point of view of the Islamic Teaching. The first solution is against human nature. Islam recognises sex and sexual needs and provides legitimate means for their satisfaction. The second solution is clearly less compassionate; especially where there is love between two parties. Furthermore, divorce is described by the Prophet Muhammad (saw) as the "permitted thing that is hated most by God". The last solution is plainly against the Islamic teaching which forbids illicit sexual relationships in any form.

To sum up, Islam being against immorality, hypocritical pretence of morality, and against divorce unless no better solution is available, provides for a better alternative which is consistent with human nature and with the preservation of pure and legitimate sex relationships. In a situation like this, it is doubtful that any solution would be better than polygamy, which is, after all, and optional solution.

B Social Cases

1. Anthropologists tell us that among various tribes and societies, polygamy

is a social and economic necessity. In some very poor areas, the infant mortality is very high. Children on the other hand, are a source of additional labour for the earning capacity of the family. To have more children under such circumstances would require the practice of polygamy. It is by this very reason that Christian missionaries in some African regions justified their permission to local people to practice polygamy without being excommunicated from the church. One researcher has even found, through his studies that women in such societies not only accept polygamy, but some of them even prefer this.

2. Aside from cases where womenoutnumber men, devastating wars, in the past and at present, have taken their toll mainly among men. The result is not simply more women who cannot find husbands, but even more widows who may aspire to a respectable family life. In such a situation, if polygamy is bad, the limitation on polygamy is even far worse.

Both unmarried women and widows are human beings. Unless their instinctive needs are legitimately satisfied, the

temptation is great for corruption and immorality. But aside from the moral question these women are also exploited. They are used as tools for men’s pleasures, yet have no guarantees, no rights or security, financial or emotional. Should they become pregnant, it is their burden alone. But even if such women are ready to pay the price for this personally, society also suffers seriously from such situations. The increasing number of illegitimate children born today under conditions such as these provides a potential base for tomorrow’s maladjusted and criminals. Furthermore it is inhuman, humiliating for those children to grow p without knowing who their fathers were and without enjoying a clean and normal family life.

One question remains:

Why Not Polyandry (plurality of husbands for the same women?)

It is evident that the nature of women is physiologically and psychologically different from that of men. Psychologically speaking, the woman is monogamous by her very nature. Furthermore, in all cultures, new and old, the headship of the family is normally man’s. One can imagine what would happen if the family had two or more heads. Furthermore, if the woman was married to more than one husband, which would be the father of her children?

Conclusion

It is now evident that the association of "polygamy" with Islam is not unfair or biased but based on serious misunderstanding. Polygamy was practiced, often without limitations, in almost all cultures. It was sanctioned by various religions, and practiced both before Islam and for many centuries thereafter. It is presently practiced, though secretly, by the Mormons, and it is allowed by Christian missionaries in Africa and other areas where polygamy is a social necessity.

It is both honest and accurate to say that it is Islam that regulated this practice, limited it, made it more humane, and instituted equal rights and status for all wives. What the Quranic decrees amount to, taken together, is a discouragement of polygamy unless necessity for it exists.

It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy and not polygamy. However, permission to practice limited polygamy is only consistent with Islam’s realistic view of the nature of man and women and of the various social needs, problems, and cultural variations.

The question is, however, far more than the inherent flexibility of Islam; it also is frank and straightforward approach of Islam in dealing with practical problems. Rather than requiring hypocritical and superficial compliance, Islam delves deeper into the problems of individuals and societies, and provides for legitimate and clean solutions that are far more beneficial than would be the case if they were ignored. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married and treated kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal rights or security. There is no doubt also that the legitimate child of a polygamous father, born in the "full light of the day, " and who enjoys all the rights and privileges of a son or daughter, is far better off than the wanted or unwanted illegitimate child (especially if it is a girl).

It is fair also to say that polygamy may be harmful in many respects. Islam, however, does not regard polygamy as a substitute for monogamy. Realising its disadvantages Islam allows it under strict conditions and when no better alternative is available. This is actually consistent with a general rule in Islamic Law, "The Lesser of Two Evils." This means that if a harm is certain, and if there is no way to avert such harm unless some other harm is done, then it is better to cause the lesser harm in order to avoid the greater. It is like a captain who gets rid of the ship’s freight in order to save the lives of the sailors.

This vitality, flexibility, and far-sightedness of the teachings of Islam cannot possibly be attributed to any man or group of men, including Prophet Muhammad (saw) himself. Its secret simply lies in its Divine Source, God Most High, who knows in entirety what human needs and problems are.

Man can reject the guidance of God, become his own god, and establish his own standards of morality. Ultimately, however, he may discover the mirage that alluded him. A few honest questions finally: What is the situation in countries that banned polygamy? Do they really enjoy sincere and faithful "monogamy"? What is the degree of cohesion of the family? Is there any significant number of mistresses, "sweethearts", and illegitimate children? How observant are married men and women of the strict "monogamous" relationship? Are infidelity and secret extramarital sexual relationships more moral than the legitimate, legally protected husband-wife relationships, even under polygamy if there is a pressing need for it? Which of the two situations is best? After all, Islam, by its nature, is a universal religion which is revealed by God to guide people in all places at all times.

This guidance can hardly be secured by avoiding issues and problems which are real, even as they are relevant to human life on earth with its diversity. Hypocrisy, apology, or burying one’s head in the sand are hardly realistic means of achieving righteous human life. They are not effective in achieving moral upliftment either.

Dr. Jamal Badawi
Reproduced from "Polygamy In Islamic Law" © copyright 1998. Dr. Jamal Badawi

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A Woman of High Morals "The Life of Zaynab bint Jahsh "

Zaynab bint Jahsh is the daughter of Umayya bint Abdul Muttalib, the paternal aunt of the Prophet.
Her real name is "Barra" and the name Zaynab was given to her by the Prophet.
Zaynab's father is Jahsh ibn Riyab, who moved to Makkah and settled there. She married Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, in the fifth year of Hijrah.
Given the title "Umm-ul Hakam", Zaynab is among the first female companions of the Prophet to have migrated to Madinah.
A very beautiful and intelligent woman in addition to being the daughter of the Prophet's aunt, she was among the first of the Prophet's wives to have seen herself as competition to Lady Aisha. Aisha herself reciprocated these sentiments toward Zaynab, saying: "She saw herself as being my counterpart."
Her Decency
Zaynab’s sensitivity and fear of Allah regarding matters of belief and acts of faith as well as her being one of the first individuals to become Muslim was noted by everyone including Prophet Muhammad, who, for this, had a great deal of love and respect for her.
Our beloved Mother Zaynab was a sincere Muslim and a believer very much tied to her beliefs. She had taken it upon herself to lead a life distanced from anything not pleasing to Allah. She had given our Prophet the title of "Awwah." When the companions asked our Prophet, "What is awwah Prophet of Allah?" he explained: "Awwah is one who is humble in prayer, one who sincerely begs Allah and Allah alone."

She was famed for her generosity, excellence in morality and helpfulness.

She is a woman who is most respectful to Allah, most truthful, most mindful of relatives and most generous in giving charity. She had testified in favor of Aisha, her rival, following the incident in which Aisha had been slandered, saying, "I know nothing of Aisha except what is good."She was famed for her generosity, excellence in morality and helpfulness. She worked for her sustenance and would spend her earnings in the way of God and on the poor. About her, Aisha said: "I have never seen a woman more beneficent than Zaynab where religion is concerned.
Old Customs Abolished
Prior to Islam, if a man wanted to adopt a child, he would announce this in public, and the child would thereby be considered his own; called with the name of the father and essentially becoming his father's successor.
This custom of adoption, which was preserved into the first few years of Islam, was banned and the wide-spread understanding that "the wives of adopted children could not be married to the adopter," thus needed to be abolished.
Along with the revelation that Allah does not accept adopted children as biological children, Zayd, who was adopted by the Prophet and called Zayd ibn Muhammad, began to be called Zayd ibn Harithah, after his own father.
Thus, according to God’s revelations, the Prophet was to take Zayd, whom he was emotionally attached to, out of his adoption as consequently his wife Zaynab was no longer considered our Prophet's daughter-in-law.
Zaynab’s first marriage was with Zayd Bin Harithah, who was a slave freed by the Prophet and whom he loved as though he was his own child.
Prophet Muhammad personally arranged the marriage of his cousin Zaynab to Zayd. According to Arab traditions, a noble Arab woman could not marry a slave as Arabs placed a great deal of significance on lineage; classifying and evaluating people not on their personal accomplishments and traits, but the lineage which they came from.
For this reason, the Prophet began with his own family members in abolishing this old tradition and perception to ensure that the old tradition would be erased.As well known, one of the Prophet's methods of delivering the message was through his personal application of commands and restrictions ordered by Allah; if he was unable to or did not have the opportunity to apply the commandments himself, we would have his relatives apply the command or restriction. This is because for the Messenger of Allah no factor should give one exception or privilege, except for the fear of Allah: "Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you." (Al- Hujurat 49; 13).
Thus, the deep-rooted belief of privileged class needed to be abolished. And this ban needed be realized through one of the most sensitive issues: marriage.

Neither Zaynab nor her brother Abdullah welcomed the idea of a noble and free woman marrying a freed slave.

Zaynab, the daughter of our Prophet's aunt and Abdullah ibn Jahsh, was thereby a good candidate for a marriage that would be exemplary. One day, when Zaynab's potential marriage was being discussed, our Prophet ruled that the time had come for an old and bad custom to be abolished and asked for Zaynab's hand in marriage for his adopted son, Zayd. Neither Zaynab nor her brother Abdullah welcomed the idea of a noble and free woman marrying a freed slave. They both asked Prophet Muhammad whether someone like him would be suitable for their family. Zaynab even went a step further and actually said that she will not marry someone like Zayd.
Zaynab finally agreed to this marriage in order to follow the orders of the Prophet. However, she was just not able to warm up to Zayd, and therefore a continual state of unease took place in the absence of emotions. This marriage didn’t work out and about a year later Zayd consulted with the Prophet, stating that he could no longer continue with it. The Prophet was sorry to hear this: “And when you, Muhammad, said to him on whom Allah has conferred favor and you have conferred favor: Keep your wife to yourself, and fear Allah.” (Al-Ahzab 33; 37)
Despite the Prophet’s advice to them, neither Zayd nor Zaynab could make it work as Zayd consequently made a final decision to divorce his wife whom he did not wish to be with.
After some time had elapsed, it was time for yet another bad custom to be abolished. This particular custom was the treatment of adopted children as though they were biological children and their wives to be treated like actual daughters-in-law.
New Life
After Zayd and Zaynab were divorced, Prophet Muhammad was faced with two realities; one was that his cousin was a divorced woman following an unsuccessful marriage. The second was that according the Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic) beliefs, Zaynab could now only marry a slave. Consequently, the Prophet felt obliged, particularly towards his relatives, to mend these wounds.
In the end, this principal brought on by Islam, would in certainty become put into practice through him as a matter of fact: "But you did hide in your heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: you did fear the people, but it is more fitting that you should fear Allah. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We joined her in marriage to you: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them. And Allah's command must be fulfilled." (Al-Ahzab 33; 37).

... she was truly a righteous woman. She would fast much and wake up for night prayers. She was a woman of skills and she would disburse the earnings of her work entirely to the needy

Despite the order to marry Zaynab was a very difficult one for the Prophet, it was impossible for him to dismiss since it was God’s command. The marriage had taken place in the eyes of Allah, with the angels acting as witnesses. When the verses regarding the Prophet's marriage to Zaynab were revealed, the Prophet was asked to go to Zaynab and tell her that Allah had wed her to him in the heavens, and proceeded to repeat the revealed verses.
It was said Prophet Muhammad gave an incredibleWalima (wedding feast) which he had not given for any of his other wives on the day of his marriage to Zaynab where about 300 people were invited.Thus, Lady Zaynab, who was married to Zayd just in order to fulfill the command of Allah and His messenger, was rewarded for her compliance by being married to the Prophet of Allah following her divorce from Zayd. Undoubtedly this was the most beautiful and sacred of marriages to have ever taken place because it was implemented by Allah through the delegation of the angel Jibreel.
The esteem of Zaynab, which had suffered a blow with her marriage to Zayd, was being restored with her marriage to the Prophet, who knew about the sense of belittlement that Zaynab felt with being married to a former slave. With her new marriage, Zaynab, one of the most noble of Arab families then, would be able to salvage her damaged dignity.
Zaynab married Prophet Muhammad, after his marriage to Umm Salamah, in the fifth year of Hijrah. She was 35 years of age when she married the Prophet, who was 57 or 58 at the time.
Multi-Talented
Lady Zaynab was a clever woman; she could skin animals that had been butchered, gut them and allow them to dry. She was good at sewing and doing alterations on clothing. She could process animal skin in accordance with the methods of that time and sew clothing leather, spending what she earned in the way of Allah.
Umm Salamah, one of the wives of the Prophet, when speaking of Zaynab, would say: "The Prophet appreciated Zaynab bint Jahsh and spoke of her often; she was truly a righteous woman. She would fast much and wake up for night prayers. She was a woman of skills and she would disburse the earnings of her work entirely to the needy." In another narration it is said that: "Zaynab was a handcrafts artist; she would process leather, sew and spend in charity in the way of Allah."
Zaynab would spend her entire earnings of her own hard work on the needy, divorced and orphaned.

Source: www.lastprophet.info

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The Elegant Hijab

The pea is a splendid plant. It proudly displays its strong green Hijab. It protects it from the hot and cold weather and guards it from insects. Allah has blessed the pea with a special Hijab, because without it, the seeds would scatter, dry up and die.

The orange keeps itself within its shiny orange Hijab to protect its delicious fruit. Otherwise it loses its taste too.

So are the banana, the coconut and the pomegranate. Each one has an elegant and unique Hijab, which protects it from disease and destruction.

The jewel of the sea, the pearl, has been given a very tough and rugged Hijab - oyster shell. It protects it from sea animals and keeps it sparkling and shining inside.

However, the most beloved of Allah in all His creation is the Muslim girl who wears the Hijab. She knows it is a gift from Allah. It protects her from harm, injury and mischief. She wears it knowing it gives her dignity, beauty and respect. So precious she can be that she hides herself beneath her Hijab.

Do you wear a Hijab? Give it a try today

"And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And turn in repentance to Allah together, O you the faithful, in order that you are successful" (Al Quran An-Nur:31)

"O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the faithful to draw their outergarments (jilbabs) close around themselves; that is better that they will be recognized and not annoyed. And God is ever Forgiving, Gentle." (Al Quran Al-Ahzab:59)

Source: islamcan.com

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