BEFORE the time of The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), women were hardly seen as human. Women in general were seen as objects and were treated carelessly.
In Ancient Greece terms such as ‘chattels’ (possessions of men) and ‘gynes’ (bearers of children), were derogatory names given to woman. Seen as only sexual items, women were treated with no bodily, emotional or spiritual respect. They were not given the right to deal in legal matters, deal with money, war or show any form of intellect. According to various sources, in various cultures women were not allowed to attain inheritance as only men were entitled to it.
5000 years ago, prostitution was widespread. Females were conceived as ‘glamorous but empty’; they were seen to have no intelligence and no personality. Their bodily modesty was disregarded as they were forced to be sexual slaves, they were objects of gratification. All strengths of a woman, their wills, their life-aims, their personality and their modesty were seen as meaningless. They were forced unwillingly to be the sexual items of the men who falsely and wrongly nominated themselves as their masters.
As Christianity developed it considered complete abstinence from sex as the ideal. Churches started revelations concerning ‘anti-sex’ and ‘anti-woman’ to complete this notion. A virgin daughter was unfairly ‘given’ a higher place in heaven than her mother, because her mother had sex in order to bear her. In Christianity nuns are considered holy and closer to God, but are still not given their humanly rights. Nuns are forbidden to own any material object, and are forbidden to have sexual relations and therefore cannot express love without feeling shame (www.benedictinenuns.org.uk). In the Catholic religion, divorce was seen as unholy trapping women in abusive and horrible marriages (en.m.wikipedia.org)
“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 a 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 Saint Mary (as), Mother of Jesus (as)
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.” (http://islamqa.info/en/70042)
With the coming of Islam, Islam decreed elevation of the status of woman
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had witnessed the oppression of women and acted against the oppression evident with Hadith. Many Quranic verses from God Almighty were revealed in the purpose of protecting woman and uplifting their status; showing them equal to men. In Islam we are defined as being human, not a gender:
“So know that there is no god save Allah, ask forgiveness for your sins and for the believing men and the believing women. Allah knows well your moving and your place of rest.”
(47:19)
“…Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you…”
(49:13)
“To whomever, male or female, does good deeds and has faith, We shall give a good life and reward them according to the best of their actions.”
(16:97)
“And they (women) have rights similar (to those of their husbands) over them to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”
(2:228)
“and live with them honourably”
(4:19)
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
“I urge you to treat women well.”
(al-Bukhaari, 331; Muslim, 1468.)
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
“The best of you is the one who is best to his wife, and I am the best of you to my wives.”
(al-Tirmidhi, 3895; Ibn Maajah, 1977; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi)
In Islam, women are empowered to search for knowledge and intelligence. Women are seen as humans. Men and women are equal in their rights!
“It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah.”
(35:28)
“And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge.”
(20:114)
It was narrated from Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:
“Seeking knowledge is a duty upon every Muslim…”
(Sunan Ibn Majah)
In Islam women are allowed to take witness to legal documents
“…And get two witnesses out of your own men. And if there are not two men (available), then a man and two women, such as you agree for witnesses, so that if one of them (two women) errs, the other can remind her…”
(2:282)
Islam allows women to choose their spouses so that they are not forced into an unwanted marriage
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
“No previously-married woman should be married off without being consulted and no virgin should be married off without asking her permission.”
They said:
“O Messenger of Allah, what is her permission?”
He said:
“If she remains silent.”
(al-Bukhaari, 4843; Muslim, 1419)
Islam elevates the mother by saying the child’s Heaven (be they a son or daughter) is under her feet
“Stay with her for Paradise is beneath her feet.”
(Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah)
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
A man came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and said:
“O Messenger of Allah, 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.”
Islam elevates the status of daughters
The Prophet (pbuh) 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.
(Muslim, 2631)
Ibn Maajah (3669) narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) 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 protects a woman’s modesty with Hijab, and forces the man to look at her inwardly at her religion, personality, intelligence, emotions and her soul; rather than just look at her body like a material object ♥
Hijab overrules any notion that a man can use a woman who wears Hijab in prostitution or in any degrading manner; Hijab is a sign of strength and protection. Hijab is a sign of the Mercy God has on women ♥ The Believing women in Islam ♥
And even then, Hijab is not forced on the Muslim women; “there is no compulsion in religion” Quran (2:256) ♥ she does it out of her own desire and empowerment to be devote to her God.
Islam allows women to receive inheritance and even go to war if necessary and under threat. Islam is peace and freedom.
(other sources: Tutorial Letter MGG2602, Department of Social Work, UNISA)
