Status of Woman in Islam

A woman is a flower vase of beauty and fragrance. So smell her gently, do not wrestle with her! - Imam Ali (as)

Women are like flowers. Do not put on them responsibilities they can not bear! - Imam Ali (as)

According to Islam, being a human, woman is even superior to angels and all other living organisms. If she performs any good task or deed, she will be equally blessed as much as a man will for his good deeds.

She is the benefactor and patron of Islam, as lady Khadija (Wife of Holy Prophet [saw]).

She is a partner of prophethood, as lady Fatima (Daughter of Holy Prophet [saw]).

She is one of the greatest leaders, as lady Zainab (Daughter of Imam Ali [as])

She superior to man, as a mother.

She's respectable like a saint.

She is precious like an expensive pearl.

She is honorable like a delicate rose.

Islam emphasizes the equality of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or social status. Islam has prescribed different roles and responsibilities for men and women, with each gender complementing the other. Centuries before the modern world recognized women's rights, Islam acknowledged the equality of the two genders, and abolished the barbaric ritual of burying infant daughters alive, an outrageous crime practiced by the Arabs before the time of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).

Islam made women aware of their rights and gave them an identity, a personality, freedom, and independence. These rights, among others, include the right to inherit, to own property, to obtain a divorce, to collect a dowry, and to gain child custody. Regarding the equality of the genders, the Holy Qur'an states:

"Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember-Allah has prepared, for them forgiveness and a mighty reward." (33:35)

Muslims consider four ladies to be the most noble and pious:

1. Aasiya - Wife of Fir'awn / Pharoah (peace be upon her)

2. Maryam / Mary - Mother of Isa / Jesus (peace be upon her)

3. Khadija - Wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon her)

4. Fatima - Daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon her)

THE ONE and ONLY GOD

Islam is a monotheistic religion. It teaches that there is only one God who is the origin and creator of the universe. This is the foundation stone of Islam, and is reflected in the famous sentence, which says that, "There is no god but Allah" (Allah is the Arabic name of God). The belief in God relates us to our origin and guides us throughout our life. The belief in one God shows that man should not worship any material thing or person in this universe. By teaching that there is only One God for all humans, Islam promotes the sense of brotherhood and equality in human society, all are equally related to God in the same way. The Holy Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, says: Say: He is God, the One and Only, God the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him. Holy Qur'an (Chapter 112)

Islam Online: THE PURPOSE OF LIFE
Our life on this earth has a specific purpose; it is not the result of nature's accident, nor is it a punishment for eating the fruit of the forbidden tree. We are here according to God's plan: the worldly life is a test; it is a chance to prove ourselves as deserving of the eternal blissful life in the hereafter. God did not create us just for few years of this life. To be created just for this world's life would amount to a joke played by the Creator with the human species. Muhammad (pbuh), the Prophet of Islam, said, "You have not been created to perish; on the contrary, you have been created for eternal life." According to Islam, the final destination of mankind is the life hereafter. At the end of time, all human beings will be resurrected and will be held accountable for their worldly life: The life in hereafter will be an eternal life. However, whether it will be blissful or full of sorrow depends on how we spend our present life. It was to help mankind in achieving this objective that God sent various prophets and messengers to guide them. Muhammad (pbuh) is the last prophet; and Islam is the final and complete version of God's message.

Islam Online: STATUS OF HUMAN BEINGS IN ISLAM
PRIME CREATION: Human being is the prime creation of God. He says, "We have indeed honoured the children of Adam; spread them in the land and the sea, provided them with good things; and preferred them in esteem over many things that We have created." Holy Qur'an (17:70)

BORN SINLESS: Islam teaches that every human being is born sinless; no child carries the burden of his or her ancestor's sins. God says, "And a burdened soul cannot bear the burden of another and if one weighed down by burden should cry for (another to carry) its burden, not aught of it shall be carried, even though he be near of kin." Holy Qur'an (35:18) Each human being is born with a pure conscience, which can absorb and accept the true message of God. It is only the social and familial influences, which take a person away from God's message.

ACCOUNTABILITY: Islam also emphasizes on the issue of responsibility and accountability of human beings, each person is responsible for his or her own actions. Although Islam teaches that God has predetermined the span of our life and time of our death, but this does not mean that even our actions are predetermined by Him. We surely are free in our actions and are, therefore, accountable for them. God only provides guidance for us to know what is good and what is bad. He says, "Surely We have created man from a small life-germ uniting (itself): We mean to try him, so We have made him hearing, seeing. Surely We have shown him the way: he may be thankful or unthankful." Holy Qur'an (76:2-3)

RAGE: Islam very categorically rejects racial discrimination. It promotes the feeling of brotherhood and equality among its followers. God clearly says, "O you men! surely We have created you of a male and a female, and made you tribes and families that you may know each other; surely the most honorable of you with Allah is the one among you most careful (of his duty); surely Allah is Knowing, Aware." Holy Qur'an (49:13) Therefore, no one can claim any superiority over others based on racial or tribal differences. A person is to be judged by his character, not by his colour or race. God continues, "Surely the most honourable of you in God's sight is the person who is most upright in character among you". Holy Qur'an (49:13)

GENDER: Even gender does not count as a criterion of superiority. In Islam, a woman is as human as men. They are not evaluated on basis of their gender, but on basis of their faith and character. Fourteen hundred years ago, the Holy Qur'an recorded God's clear statements on this issue. Out of the four verses, I will just quote one: "Whoever, be it a male or a female, does good deeds and he or she is a believer, then they will enter the Paradise." Holy Qur'an (4:124) So there is no difference in the degree or level of woman's humanity or honour in Islam. The only difference there exists is concerning the role which Islam has envisioned for man and woman. This has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority. In Islam, man and woman are equal in rights; but equality is not synonymous to similarity. Islam believes that man and woman are equal but dissimilar. Islam looks at their different roles in society not as superior or inferior but as complementary to each other.

ISLAM THE RELIGION OF PEACE:

Islam is a religion of peace. This is evident even from the name "Islam" itself. ("Islam" is an Arabic word.) The word "Islam" and the Arabic word for peace, "salaam" both come from the same root, "salima". Muslims are taught to greet each other by saying "salamun alaykum (peace be upon you)." The daily prayers also end with the same sentence. In Islam, one of the names by which God is known is "Salaam", which means peace. However, one must realize that peace can never be achieved in vacuum. It is inter twined with justice. One can have peace only on basis of justice. "Justice" means putting everything in its rightful place. If one starts putting things in the wrong places, then he disrupts the social harmony and disturbs peace. Islam seeks to promote peace on two levels:

1. Peace Within One's Self: A person can achieve inner peace by creating harmony and balance between his main emotions (desire and anger) and his spiritual self. In other words, between his emotions and his conscience. Human's spiritual power or conscience is not a static phenomenon: it has the ability of growth as well as decadence. God swears by the soul of human being and says, "He inspired to it to understand what is good and what is evil. Prosperous is the person who purifies it, and failed is he who seduces it." Holy Qur'an (91:10)

2. Peace With Others: Islam very strongly emphasizes on the rights, which people have over each other. It seeks to preserve peace in society by training and urging its followers to fulfill the rights of each other. In Islam, salvation is not possible by just fulfilling the rights of God; one has to fulfill the rights of other human beings also.

Unfortunately, because of the Middle Eastern events of last three decades, Islam has been branded by the media as a religion of violence. In recent years, the word "Islamic" has become one of the adjectives of "terrorism." In this back-drop, firstly, one must realize that the events in the Middle East can be fairly and fully understood only in the light of the post world war I history of that region, in particular the promises given by the British to the Arabs. Secondly, no fair-minded person would allow himself to blame the religion of Islam for the wrong-doings of those who call themselves as Muslims. It is just like saying that the Catholic Church promotes violence and terrorism because of the Irish Republican Army's activities!

Courtesy: Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi

INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM (ISLAM THE RELIGION OF PEACE)

Islam is a monotheistic religion (believing in only one God) originating with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Islam is the second-largest religion in the world today, with an estimated 1.5 billion adherents, spread across the globe, known as Muslims. Muslims form the majority in more than 50 countries of the world. Today Islam is the fastest growing faith in the world - its beautiful message is reaching millions in the far corner of the earth. One more meaning of the word "Islam" means "submission", referring to the total surrender of one's self to God, and the word Muslim means "one who submits (to God)".

Muslims believe that God revealed the Holy Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in the course of twenty three years as the final and last message to mankind through angel Gabriel (on whom be peace). The Holy Qur'an and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Sunnah are regarded as the fundamental sources of Islam. Muslims do not regard Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the founder of a new religion, but as the restorer of the original monotheistic faith of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other prophets. Muslims hold that part of the messages of these prophets became distorted over time either in interpretation, in text, or both. Like Judaism, and Christianity, Islam is also an Abrahamic religion.