The Role of Muslim Women in Reforming Society
Allah, the Lord of Glory, created human beings in the form of men and women, and in terms of reward and punishment, He made them equal to one another. Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says:
{وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ مِن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ نَقِيرًا} [النساء: ١٢٤]
Translation: "And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer - those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged, [even as much as] the speck on a date seed."
In Islam, both men and women have their own distinct status and position, and both have their own rights and responsibilities. A woman holds a key position in human society, which is why the religion of Islam has made special arrangements for the training and reformation of women, just as it has for men. This is because, if one looks closely, the reformation or corruption of a society is based on its women. Children are raised in the laps of their mothers; their mother’s lap is the very first school for their mental and intellectual development. As children grow up, their lifestyle, manners, speech, and dress follow the path their mother wishes to guide them on.
Sheikh Saleh Al-Fawzan (may Allah preserve him) says:
“When a woman worships with humility and tranquility, its greatest impact is on her children and family.” [The Role of Women in Raising a Family by Sheikh Al-Fawzan (9)]
The reformation or corruption of women affects men. If a woman is religious, she will make even a sinful man religious and an adherent of Sharia. And if a woman is irreligious, she will make even a righteous man stand in the ranks of the sinful.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “ما تركتُ بعدي فتنةً أَضَرَّ على الرجالِ من النساءِ”. – [Sahih al-Bukhari: 5096] .
Translation: “I have not left behind me any fitnah (trial) more harmful to men than women.”
Furthermore, the Prophet ﷺ said: “مَا رَأَيْتُ مِنْ نَاقِصَاتِ عَقْلٍ وَدِينٍ أَذْهَبَ لِلُبِّ الرَّجُلِ الْحَازِمِ من إحداكُنَّ”. – [Muttafaq ‘alayh]
Translation: “Despite being deficient in intelligence and religion, I have not seen anyone more capable of driving a prudent and experienced man to insanity than one of you (women).”
Therefore, the reformation of a woman is, in effect, the reformation of an entire family and society, and the corruption of one woman is the corruption of an entire family and society.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “إذا صلَّت المرأةُ خمسَها وصامت شهرَها وحفِظت فرجَها وأطاعت زوجَها قيل لها ادخُلي الجنَّةَ من أيِّ أبوابِ الجنَّةِ شئتِ”. – [Musnad Ahmad 1661: Hasan].
Translation: “When a woman prays her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (Ramadan), guards her chastity, and obeys her husband, it will be said to her: ‘Enter Paradise through whichever of the gates of Paradise you wish.'”
According to the hadith, if a woman performs these mentioned duties, she is given the glad tidings of Paradise.
However, in the present era, due to women’s unfamiliarity with religion and the lack of proper education, training, and reformation, women are involved in sins such as polytheistic and disbelieving beliefs, promiscuity and nudity, lack of Hijab and modesty, disobedience to husbands, abusive language, backbiting, and slander.
Here are a few important points that are extremely necessary for the reformation of women today:
(1) Corruption of Creed and Unfamiliarity with Islamic Knowledge:
The most important thing for a Muslim woman is to understand and learn the correct creed (Aqeedah) and methodology (Manhaj). She should think according to the Sharia, speak according to the Sharia, and walk according to the Sharia. Furthermore, she must know the rulings of the Sharia, especially those rulings and issues that pertain to her. But today, the situation is the opposite. Due to the deficiency in women’s creed and their unfamiliarity with Islamic knowledge, most women are seen at shrines, undergoing exorcisms, or performing other polytheistic and disbelieving acts.
Today’s young boys and girls have started learning religious knowledge from people who start giving fatwas after reading just one or two books.
Remember, one does not acquire Islamic knowledge by reading a couple of books; behind it are many years of hard work and effort.
Ibn Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “إن هذا العلم دين فانظروا عمن تاخذون دينكم”. [Narrated by Muslim: 273]
“Indeed, this knowledge is religion, so be careful from whom you take your religion.”
Therefore, instead of listening to brothers, sisters, advocates, and doctors, you should listen to distinguished Salafi scholars of the religion.
It is due to this unfamiliarity with the correct creed and Islamic knowledge that women and girls are engaging in court marriages, are seen befriending non-Muslims, and consequently, a large number of Muslim girls are apostatizing. We seek refuge in Allah from that.
(2) Immodesty and Lack of Hijab:
Allah, the Lord of Glory, has said in the Holy Quran:
{وَقُلْ لِّـلۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ يَغۡضُضۡنَ مِنۡ اَبۡصَارِهِنَّ وَيَحۡفَظۡنَ فُرُوۡجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبۡدِيۡنَ زِيۡنَتَهُنَّ اِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَاۤ وَلۡيَـضۡرِبۡنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلٰى جُيُوۡبِهِنَّۖ”} [An-Nur: 31]
Translation: "And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their chastity, and not to reveal their adornments except what normally appears. And to draw their veils over their chests."
He also said: {فَجَآءَتۡهُ اِحۡدٰٮہُمَا تَمۡشِىۡ عَلَى اسۡتِحۡيَآءٍ} – [Al-Qasas: 25]
Translation: "Then one of the two women came to him, walking with shyness."
It is a point of reflection for women that the approaching girl walked in such a manner that the Holy Quran preserved the image of her modest gait until the Day of Judgment.
Muslim women should protect their modesty (Haya) and Hijab in all circumstances.
But what do we see today? Today, Muslim women are seen in markets and recreational places without Hijab, and if there is a Hijab, it is so poor that every part of the body is visible through it.
Furthermore, a form of immodesty and lack of Hijab that is common nowadays is women and girls posting various kinds of pictures on their social media profiles, such as pictures in a full burqa, pictures of only the eyes, or pictures of hands with henna and rings, etc.
Today’s women and girls feel no shame in this, but believe me, these are causes and means of further fitnah (trial/temptation). Through this, you attract men even more towards you.
Similarly, Allah’s command in the Holy Quran is:
{وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ} – [Al-Ahzab: 33].
Translation: "And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger."
It is narrated from Umm Hamid (may Allah be pleased with her) that she once came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: “O Messenger of Allah! I love to pray in your congregation.” The Prophet ﷺ replied: “I know that you love to pray with me, but your prayer in your private room is better than your prayer in your chamber, and your prayer in your people’s mosque is better than your prayer in my mosque.” Consequently, upon her command, a place for prayer was made in the furthest and darkest corner of her house, and she continued to pray there until her last breath. – [Sahih al-Mawarid, 286, Hasan]
In the Quran and Hadith, women are told that their real abode is their home. But today’s women are quite far from shame and modesty, seen wandering out of their homes for recreation or in markets without any reason. You will see them talking to vendors in the markets as if they are close relatives.
(3) Disobedience and Disrespect of Husbands:
It is stated in the Holy Quran: {الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاء بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ}. – [An-Nisa: 34].
Translation: "Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other."
After obedience to Allah and His Messenger, it is obligatory for a woman to obey her husband and fulfill his rights. A woman who obeys her husband and is subservient to him has been given the glad tidings of Paradise, as the Prophet ﷺ said: “When a woman prays her five (daily prayers), fasts her month (Ramadan), guards her chastity, and obeys her husband, it will be said to her: ‘Enter Paradise through whichever of the gates of Paradise you wish.'”
On the other hand, a woman who disobeys her husband and is negligent in his rights has been warned of Hell. It is narrated in a hadith from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to the Eid ground for Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr. There, he passed by the women and said, “O gathering of women! Give charity, for I have seen that you are the majority of the inhabitants of Hell.” They asked, “Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?” He ﷺ replied, “You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands.” – [Muttafaq ‘alayh]
What do we see in homes today? Women just want to have their own way. If the husband says something, they tell him to be quiet. Many malicious types of women, we seek refuge in Allah, even raise their hands on their husbands.
The worst is the wife who pressures her husband, humiliates him, and gives him tasks beyond his capacity, causing him to become needy. She runs the house according to her own will and diminishes the husband’s authority in the eyes of his children and other family members. Consequently, his children, seeing him as weak, do not obey him either.
Women do not understand that by speaking ill of their husbands to their paternal family or others, their husband’s status diminishes in their eyes. A reconciliation between the husband and wife happens after a few days, and the wife forgets everything, but her family and other people do not forget it, and thus they begin to consider him a bad husband.
A wise wife increases her husband’s status in her life and in the eyes of her children and family, she does not diminish it.
It is mentioned in a hadith that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“بَشِّرُوا خَدِيجَةَ بِبَيْتٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ مِنْ قَصَبٍ، لاَ صَخَبَ فِيهِ وَلاَ نَصَب”. – [Sahih al-Bukhari: 1792]
Translation: “Give Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) the glad tidings of a house in Paradise made of a single pearl, wherein there will be no noise nor any toil.”
The phrase in the hadith: “wherein there will be no noise.”
This is because she (may Allah be pleased with her) never raised her voice at the Prophet ﷺ.
Therefore, women should obey Allah and His Messenger, be steadfast in prayer and fasting, learn Islamic knowledge, avoid immodesty and lack of Hijab, protect their honor and modesty, not wander outside their homes without reason, and be obedient and subservient to their husbands. And remember this fact: in our reformation lies the reformation of our children, our family, and our society, and our corruption is the corruption of an entire family and society.
May Allah Ta’ala grant us the ability to do good deeds. (Ameen)
Umm Muhammad Khushnuma Muslihuddin
Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah Al-Mukarramah
