International Sufi Order

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Women in Islam

A lecture delivered at the Orient Hall, Durban , South Africa

On the 28 August 1970 for ladies only

By Maulana Dr. Muhammad Fazlur Rahman Ansari t

One of the aspects to be discussed is the Islamic principles upon which women can remain in a state of honour. Women are the more important part of humanity. All the great teachers of mankind were indebted to a woman. In almost all the cultures of the world, the woman has been exploited simply because she is the weaker sex in respect of her physique. Physically, she can never be as strong as the male. This extremely superficial weakness of the woman has caused different cultures and civilisations to exploit the woman which has had tragic results. We find that even a man like Aristotle, who is considered to be the father of philosophy, had nothing rational to say about the woman. He said that woman is the freak of nature, that is, when nature failed to produce the real human being, that is man, the result was woman. The same view was held by Plato, and some medieval and modern thinkers.

Among the religions of the world, as far as the records of history are concerned, we find that a woman was regarded as a chattel. The Judaeo-Christian religion, as given in the book of Genesis developed a theory that is an affront to the dignity of women.

In the Bible, we read that Eve came from the rib of Adam. Here, a woman is made subservient to man: an aberration from what is normal. Moreover, when the devil conspired to bring about the fall of Adam, and Paul emphasizes it very strongly, it (the devil) was unable to overcome Adam, who was created in God's image. Also, Paul says:. "O, woman, the curse of God rests on you for leading Adam astray whom God created in His own image and whom the devil could not lead astray." Apparently, when the devil failed to beguile Adam he approached Eve, who fell into his trap. Through her, he was able to bring down the fall of Adam. Adam succumbed to her womanly charms and "the original sin" was formed.

Further, we find that the English language has enshrined this evil nature of Eve in the language itself: that which belongs to Eve is evil, and devilish. Saint Gerome, Thanasius and so many more, gave the following titles to woman: "the sting of the scorpion"; "the hissing of the serpent"; "the gateway to hell"; "the daughter of iniquity and of the wild beasts" and "the most dangerous".

Things did not improve even when the Christian fathers started learning philosophy, which was supposed to broaden one's vision and outlook. St. Augustine , a highly cultured man advised menfolk to avoid talking to the ladies about religion. St. Augustine says: "I would 'not suffer a man to defile the sanctity of his personality through the filth of leading a married life. If however, there is a man who is afraid to sleep alone at night, then he can be permitted to marry". This is history! The poor woman has been exploited as a slave and a chattel. The Hindu law giver (Manu) says: "A woman should always remain in subjection to a man, as a wife to the husband, as a widow to the son, as a sister to the brother". Consequently, the greatest form of piety prescribed for the woman, when the husband dies, is to throw herself on the funeral pyre and burn herself. It is indeed a tragic tale recorded in the "Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics."

When the Holy Prophet Muhammad e came to the world, he came to an ignorant community that treated women with contempt. It was an act of virtue to bury their daughters alive because they thought the birth of a daughter was something sinful. A man could marry as many women as he pleased, but the Qur’aan came to restrict polygamy to four women. Stringent conditions of justice ('ad!) virtually made it impossible for a man to realise.

This conception that Eve was created from the rib of Adam has absolutely no reference in the Qur’aan or the Hadith. Recently, I read an Urdu booklet, printed in South Africa , written by some Maulana wherein he stated terrible things about the status of a woman which are completely baseless. We have taken from the old Christian thought that Eve was created from the rib of Adam and Eve therefore is subservient to man. She cannot have any independent status, whether economically, morally or legally. My wife was very upset when she read this nonsense and I suggested that she write a letter of protest to the publisher.

What is the Islamic point of view? We find that the Bible says that the devil wanted to beguile Adam, the Qur’aan says the same. The Bible says Eve was beguiled. The Holy Qur’aan says in the 2^nd Sura, al-Baqara [The Heifer], Verse 36:

Both were led astray, no names are mentioned but a dual pronoun has been used. The entire guilt about Eve has been removed. The Holy Qur’aan proclaims in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa [The Women], Verse 1:

We know in biology, this unitary cell is the basis of life and divides itself through fission. The cell then splits into two. The Holy Qur’aan says in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa [The Women], Verse 1:

The term "man" is not referred to all. It is the single cell that evolved to become Eve on the one side and Adam on the other, that was the first cell, which came into being. It is nonsensical that Eve was created from the rib of Adam. The Qur’aan emphasises that both are human beings of the same status.

The conditioned status (variability of condition), however, suggests that man stands superior at certain times and so does the woman. According to Islam, the husband and wife have equal legal obligations towards each other. The wife is not subservient to the husband.

According to the Holy Qur’aan in the 2^nd Sura, al-Baqara [The Heifer] Verse 228:

It means that as human beings they are equal but as functionaries in society, one degree of superiority is given to the husband because he is capable of undergoing the hardships of life and of being a support for others. He does not suffer from the biological handicaps of which the wife suffers. At another place we are told in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa [The Women], Verse 34:

The husband should remain awake the whole night if anything goes wrong, if there is any danger, because he has been made the protector of the wife and family. Here the crown has been placed on his head, but it is a crown of thorns. The Qur’aan states further in the same verse:

And the economic burden has also been placed on the shoulders of the husband alone. The same verse says:

Here the law is: if the husband is poor and the wife is rich, (by earning more or through inheritance), the husband can only plea for help from his wife, he cannot force her. Otherwise she would have a valid reason to divorce him. The husband cannot force his working wife even to bear her own expenses because that also rests on the shoulders of the poor husband.

As the husband is the guardian, responsibility lies on his shoulders, so he has been given the right of veto. All students of sociology know that you cannot organise an institution without unity in policy. The governing policy must be in the hands of one person, whether it is the State, School, etc. This is the law and it ought to be the law because the Ruler and Creator of this universe is One. From this point of view equal powers could not be given to the husband and the wife, otherwise the family life will be destroyed, for the wife will use her veto and the husband his veto and the poor children will not know what to do. So the obligations have been placed on the husband and also the right to veto. But how is this right to be exercised?

The first principle of Islamic social life is that all human beings should base their dealings on the principle of goodwill and understanding of one another.

Allah Y says in the Holy Qur'aan in the 8th Sura, al-Anfaal [The Spoils of War], Verse 1:      

Not only justice and maintenance of peace in a healthy society, but magnanimity and grace are to be exercised towards those who are weaker than us, or placed in our charge. This is the universal law. The other principle is

the verse of the Holy Qur'aan is [the 42^nd Sura, as-Shura [consultation]. Verse 38]       

Muslims are those who pursue all their dealings on the basis of mutual consultation only and not in the spirit of dictators. These principles apply very much to dealings between the husband and wife. Thus the husband cannot be dictatorial and say "because I am the husband you have to do this or behave like that or else get out of here." He cannot say it. His function is that of a guardian, a protector - and legally both stand equal in status.

Consequently, he will have to discuss a problem with his wife respectfully and decently and only when he finds that the wife's opinion in a particular case is wrong - as it can be - then he can say that in the interest of the family and for the sake of Allah Y, he wishes to take a line of action which she does not approve of. When this procedure is followed then the Qur’aan says that the wife must abide by it. This is how the social relationship can be properly adjusted from the practical point of view. This is the role of the woman as wife. Beyond this, she is superior to man, three times superior to man as a mother because it is about her that the Holy Prophet e said that:

Not the father! Don't take this lightly; think about this. The Holy Prophet e was extremely wise in whatever he said. Every word he said was with extreme caution and was guided by Allah Y all the time as the Qur’aan says in the 53^rd Sura, an-Najm [The Star], Verse 3:

Every word was under the impact of Divine Wisdom. Imagine, " Paradise lies at the feet of the mother," what does it mean? Paradise has been made the goal of all endeavours in life. Consequently according to the Hadith, the mother is three times superior to the father; and the sister is twice superior to the brother.

The Holy Qur’aan says in the 33^rd Sura, al-Ahzaab [The Confederates], Verse 35:

Any action of virtue or vice whether committed by a man or woman has the same status. It is not like the pre-Islamic cultures where woman was regarded as a filthy creature and she could not go to the temples to obtain the blessings from the priest. Those religions are still in existence.

    While laying down a natural law, Islam also emphasises the fact that the woman is the more important part of humanity. If the woman goes astray or falls into wicked ways, humanity will suffer much more than in the case of man. The unfortunate thing is that both man and women become partners in most evil things. But the Holy Qur’aan emphasises that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. If you wish to reform a social order, begin with the woman from whom every human being comes forth into the world. The child knows the mother first, and gets the first lessons from her. The impressionable age of childhood is spent with the mother who spends most of the time with the child until the child reaches adulthood. If the mother is educated, cultured, pious, possessing moral integrity and wisdom, then the child will get his or her share of all these qualities. The father, in most cases, is always busy as the breadwinner. So, if we wish to reform any society we should begin with the ladies and if anyone wants to deform any society, he should also start with the ladies. Women are the starting point and the last fortress of every culture, every society and every civilisation. Once this fortress is broken down, then no culture, civilisation or society can remain. Thus, Islam has taken the greatest care to protect the woman more than the man, hence the requirements for her to dress modestly and to act gracefully at all times.

Last year, at the University of Ottawa in Canada , a lady asked me, "What the position of the woman in Islam is. After I answered the question she bluntly retorted: "What do you say about the pardah system?

“Pardah is not compulsory in Islam in the manner in which it is being practiced in India . However, it is preferable or better to follow the rules of conduct you are observing in your country”, I replied.

She said: "How can you defend the pardah! You are a doctor of philosophy! How can you speak like this?"

I said: "My good lady, God is the creative force in the universe; He is hidden behind the pardah (screen). The woman is the creative force in human society. Should she rather imitate God or the devil that goes about naked?" I continued," If you have a pebble of no value, would you place it in a safe?"

She said, "No!"

I said: "If you have a diamond, would you have it lying around or will you keep it in a safe?"

She said: "Yes!"

I replied: "The Islamic culture regards the woman as diamonds and your culture regards woman as pebbles and stones."

Different Muslim communities have given it a different form, but I know many Muslims in Pakistan whose treatment of women is un­-Islamic. They are responsible for their actions. We are talking here of what Islam stands for. The moral and spiritual health of the Muslim society rests mainly with the women - the obligation Islam placed on the woman. Islam wants the woman to be modest, to cultivate innocence and not vulgarity. Remember, one slip in the wrong direction, and it is the woman who suffers and who usually gets caught, not the man. Therefore, who should take greater care? Who should be protected from the voluptuous eyes of the wicked and the rogues that roam the street? Naturally, the woman! If the morality' of womanhood is destroyed, then everything is lost.

In science we are told that every action brings about a reaction and every reaction is equal but opposite of an action. There was a reaction to the revolutionary message of Islam on all fronts. Islam gave a healthy outlook, destroyed the wrong notions that were there among other communities, and gave the woman a dignified position. The voice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e   echoed and was captured in Europe at the time of the Renaissance. As we very well know, the Renaissance was brought about through the impact of Muslim scholarship and Muslim culture. In the wake of the Renaissance came the ideas of liberty, fraternity and equality. However, the doctrine of the emancipation of the woman also emerged and sounded the death knell of human civilisation.

Equality of man and woman - a very noble idea - was practiced and preached by the Holy Prophet e. But, what does equality mean to western society? It means: "Lady, you are sitting comfortably at home and I have to go to work, look here, we both are equal. Come, get out of this home with me, and don’t be comfortable like a queen". This was and is their philosophy. What equality!

Another aspect of this equality is: if a family allows the young son to remain outside the home up to midnight (men and women are equal), then the girl should also be permitted to stay out late. The parents should not ask her where she has been - this is bad manners according to the western society! Remember, the pre-Islamic civilisation exploited women as a chattels, modem civilisation does the same, but exploits the woman in a more refined manner.

Their philosophers - may God deal with them who led humanity astray - further defined their equality and taught women to behave like men. They also taught a moral code wherein the woman can be exploited as a toy. This is a refined way of murdering the prestige and dignity of a woman - not as a chattel but as a toy.

The history of culture, the history of the sociological phenomena in western society has been a tragic story up to the Middle Ages when human society was under the blind grip of the Church and when this woman was considered to be the incarnation of evil. Woman suffered and when these modem emancipators came, she suffered even more. In those days the woman could receive some compassion from the man, such as certain social courtesies shown to woman, which came into existence after the Renaissance, but it was a glow that did not last long.

Read the books of culture in England and let us find out about the women of the Victorian era. All the women all over the world used to wear the full dress, high neck, full sleeves, etc. - that was the fashion. This time the devil really came to Eve. "You are in the prime of your youth, the embodiment of charm, beauty and grace, but you look like a grandma". The poor innocent girl asked: "My good sir, what should I do?", and he took take pair of scissors, cut the frill, removed the high neck and cut the sleeve. The poor western girl then asked: "Do I look pretty now?" and was told: "Well not like a grandma but still” like a nun; you are still too conservative, be modem! Be progressive!

The poor girl took the scissors again and cut the neckline further, the length up to the knees and the entire sleeves went and a further opening appeared in front of the chest. Then the girl of the twentieth century girl asked every man she met, "Do I look pretty now? Am I modern?" They replied: "Not yet!" Exasperated and flabbergasted she went to the dressing room and applied the scissors further and the mini-skirt was born. She asked again and was told: "You look young but not yet the flower of beauty. Be more modem." The poor girl was confused that soon she would become absolutely naked and asked advice from her mother who said that she must move with the times if she wants a partner in life. And then what happened? A dress was invented consisting of a few strings of material. This is what is happening in America and England .

When I went to France , I visited the houses of fashion and found that the inventors of these fashions were all men. These inventors ended up devising the micro-mini skirt. The poor girl again asked and the boyfriend replied: "Yes, only as a toy but not as a woman." The grace has been lost.

The high rate of divorce is another problem in Western society. The U.S.A. brought the law of companionate marriage: a man and a woman may live together for a brief period of time considered within the law. They experiment by living together to see if they will be happy together before deciding to marry. The findings were that more than 60% of these marriages ended in divorce within the same year! Shopkeepers appoint sales girls behind the counter in order to boost the sales, so advertisements come in the figure of naked women. In this modem civilization methods have been refined to exploit the woman despite the fact that she is the most valuable treasure of mankind.

This modem man has only one aim and that is to exploit the woman. Methods have been refined for this job; in spite of the fact that a woman is the most valuable treasure of mankind.

    My dear sisters, beware of the ghost of modernism, of vulgarity, obscenity and shameless behaviour. That destroyer of the purity and dignity of womanhood is invading the homes of your country. The bacteria of this plague is here and spreading fast. If you wish to save your dignity and preserve the values of human life, you will have to take a definite stand against all this. I know that Muslim communities are tossing and turning between the evils of modernism and. conservatism. I am sure most of you are educated and possess a sense of what is good and what is bad. I therefore appeal to all mothers, daughters and sisters to stand up and wage an all-out war against this devil of destruction which is in your midst and appears with an innocent face but with a dagger concealed. May Almighty Allah protect you all!

Regarding the issue of a woman working, I would like to add that the Holy Qur’aan and Hadith of the Holy Prophet Muhammad e make no distinction between man and woman with regard to the pursuit of knowledge. Similarly, there is no distinction in the Holy Qur’aan and Hadith with earning one's livelihood, if the need arises. The woman can also earn and affirm her right to economic independence. Needless to say, the universal principle of the Islamic way of life will have to be maintained and Muslim women would have to go out of their homes with decorum, grace and integrity. After that the Qur’aan says in the 4^th Sura, an-Nisaa [The Women], verse 32:

There is, however, another aspect to it. Islam wants the husband to undertake these hardships. The Holy Prophet e said:

The husband should consider himself to be the guest of his wife and ask permission to enter the house. We often forget that whatever the community achieves outside the home, it achieves much more inside the home. The spiritual and moral foundations and progress of a community are laid primarily inside the home.

To make it the rule, however can be damaging should both parents be out of their home the whole day and leave their children in hostels, nurseries, or to the care of their servants. Materially there may be an increase but parental affection decreases on the emotional side. Thus, the woman should undertake her living outside the home only if there is no way out and if the children can be cared for. Japan is a good example of an advanced country where production does not only take place in the factory but also at home, hence cottage industries. In this way the Japanese women can make a larger contribution than the men. If a system can be devised whereby women can work without disturbing the stability of the family and preserve their dignity, then society will make great progress.

A question that is often posed is: How can one find out whether one is going to marry the right woman who can bear children. There are surely scientific ways by which this can be measured.

There is therefore no need for couples to sleep together before marriage. Prostitution is not the answer. I married my wife, my father married my mother, and we did not know anything about one another because of the pardah being observed. In my family there are no cases of divorce or bad relations between husband and wife. Arranged marriages have worked well. Go to any western country and find out how their married lives compare. Their marriages, which have been based on courtships, are devoid of any stability. From the point of view of psychology, any marriage that started from courtship and romance is bound to fail. And 99% of them do fail! When they court, they actually live in a fool's paradise.

They create images that are not there in life. Life is something bitter. Married life means obligations, and not just a past time and recreation. Romance places before them the image as if all life is a garden of roses and that those roses will bloom further and further. It cannot. The moment they get married responsibility sets in. The first child is born, the wife gets sick and the husband comes home tired to find his wife sitting morose and sad. Frustration and anger come into play. The grace and false charms vanishes into thin air. Consequently, all wise men advise never to indulge in romance. Islam advises when choosing a partner in marriage that the couple should see one another and check if they like one another physically. The moral character can be found out from others. The first consideration should be his or her character, not features, wealth or position. Our Prophet e mentioned the physical charms last. The Holy Qur’aan and the Holy Prophet e exhort us to approach marriage with dignity and decorum and not with vulgarity and eroticism. The pleasure of Allah Y is foremost and the sensuous bodily pleasures are secondary. It is natural that sensuous pleasure dies out the moment it is obtained.

A good drama will please you, but then one recoils after having seen it. One feels empty. This is the psychological experience never to feel satisfied. Listen to any type of music and one experiences emptiness after it stops. In the same manner sexual attraction between opposite sexes comes as a blind force. There is a biological urge behind it and there is a psychological imagery that is not rational. It is all a game of emotions that are blind and irrational. The Holy Qur’aan in the 30^th Sura, Ruum [The Roman Empire], Verse 21 makes it very clear and here lies the salvation:

The spiritual consolation that comes through companionship is the biggest force in the ordeals of life. My wife and I support each other through this force. Our companionship is primarily spiritual and consequently we never have any quarrels. Of course, in every married life all types of moments come, and people say: "What a model your marriage is". Of course, I did not marry her for her physical charms; I came to know her only after I was married to her.

The Holy Prophet e in his last charter of human rights said:

How sacred is a trust from God? My wife and I felt for one another in this manner and therefore our life has been extremely happy. The husband and wife grow old together and the beauty of such a life is that they love one another more and more. This is possible only in the Islamic attitude towards marriage. Allow me to give you another example, particularly for the youth to note:

My mother's uncle was a landlord with estates and a farm. He had a palatial house: one section for the ladies and one section for the men. We used to go there every year for a holiday. He became very fond of me as he had no children. He was in his early thirties and a very handsome man. As a young boy I was shocked when I saw his wife for the first time. She was blind, deaf, dumb, and a part of her face as well as her body was paralyzed. But her husband served her like a humble servant. After coming from Fajr prayers, I saw the first thing he would do is to go to her room and wash her face, hands and feet himself in spite of there being twelve servants in the house. He would put oil on her hair and comb it. After that he would bring her breakfast and feed her with his hands. I could not understand what was happening and thought something was wrong with my mother's uncle. This thought lingered in my mind for a long time until curiosity compelled me to ask my grandfather why my grandmother was so ugly and he so beautiful. He answered, "When I married your grandma, she was very beautiful and we loved one another very dearly. This village is very far from the city and her first child was still born. There was no nurse and no doctor and only her life could be saved, not her health. Son, when I married her, I used to express my love to her, now that she is in this state, should I abandon her? As a Muslim, I should bestow more love on her so that her feelings may not be hurt. Therefore, I cannot marry another woman nor entrust a maid to care for her."

Now, there are attitudes in life to be observed. If we become believers in Allah Y for all practical purposes and if we make hedonism (the pursuit of sensual pleasure) as the real aim in life, then couples living together without marriage and in prostitution will become the order of the day. Read the health report of the U.S.A. - the blood of 80% of all Americans contains the syphilis virus. This virus saps the energy of the body. They Have to take antibiotics to keep this virus under control all the time. Examine people from Norway to Sweden and Denmark you'll find thousands of naked prostitutes on the roadside. In terms of psychological health, the suicide rate in these countries is the highest. Unbridled freedom ends up in no marriage, no health and no romance. It is just a  bubbling lava of evil that eats into the being of these communities. Do you want to repeat it in your community, my dear friends!

Finally, another contentious point that is often raised is the condition at the work place where there is inter-mingling of the sexes. Islam does not encourage the promiscuous intermingling of sexes whether in hospitals, colleges, schools, etc. It does allow healthy growth of these sexes within their own freedom. We cannot take for granted that if all men and women are well guarded they cannot fall into any kind of evil. Evil can even be of a very innocent type. Islam wants to safeguard chastity and condemns whatever violates this principle. If this can be safe-guarded by the Muslim woman and she goes to work, then it may be allowed. Of course, in a Muslim country there would be separate facilities for the ladies and men.

My personal point of view is that a healthy society can grow only when the men and women make a contribution in co-operation with one another, but avoiding all those situations where there may be the possibility of deviation from the divine law. I know of Muslim and non-­Muslim men and women who are the embodiment of purity and they work with one another. But unfortunately, the percentage of such people is very low and we cannot consider this as an argument for free intermingling.

All praises belong to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.