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International Women’s Day And Muslim women!
By Abida Rahmani
International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women's past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women’s Day is a national holiday.Annually on 8th March, thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and celebrate their achievements.
A global web of rich and diverse local activities connects women from all around the world ranging from political rallies, business conferences, government activities and networking events through to local women’s craft markets, theatrics performances, fashion parades and more.
Many global corporations have also started to more actively support IWD by running their own internal events and through supporting external ones.Year on year IWD is certainly increasing in status. The United States even designates the whole month of March as ‘Women’s History Month’.
So make a difference, think globally and act locally !! Make everyday International Women’s Day. Do your bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding.
Women in Islam
In the midst of the darkness that engulfed the world, the divine revelation of Islam echoed in the wide desert of Arabia with a fresh, noble, and universal message to humanity:”O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him,He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allâh through Whom you demand (your mutual rights),…”. [Noble Quran 4:1] The Quran dedicates numerous verses to Muslim women, their role, duties and rights, in addition to Sura 4 with 176 verses named “An-Nisa” (”Women”)
At a time when female children were buried alive in Arabia and women were considered transferable property, Islam honored women in society by elevating them and protecting them with unprecedented rights. Islam gave women the right to education, to marry someone of their choice, to retain their identity after marriage, to divorce, to work, to own and sell property, to seek protection by the law, to vote, and to participate in civic and political engagement.
Khadija ra the Prophet (PBUH) ’s wife was the first person to have an abiding faith in the utterances of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to accept Islam as her religion and her way of life. She was blessed with the distinction of having been greeted with Salam (greetings) by Allah and the Angel Jibril.
Financial Responsibilities
In Islam, women are not obligated to earn or spend any money on housing, food, or general expenses. If a woman is married, her husband must fully support her financially and if she’s not married, that responsibility belongs to her closest male relative (father, brother, uncle, etc).
She also has the right to work and spend the money she earns as she wishes. She has no obligation to share her money with her husband or any other family members, although she may choose to do so out of good will. For instance, Khadija, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), was one of the most successful businesswomen of Makaah and she freely spent from her wealth to support her husband and the cause of Islam.
Women’s Education
Muhammad (pbuh) declared that the pursuit of knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim – male and female. This declaration was very clear and was largely implemented by Muslims throughout history. One of the most influential scholars of Islam was Muhammad(PBUH)’s wife, Aisha ra. After his death, men and women would travel to learn from her because she was considered a great scholar of Islam. She is the narrator of about 2000 ahadith from Prophet (SAW).
Islam encouraged education of Muslim women. According to a hadith , Muhammad (PBUH) praised the women of Madina because of their desire for religious knowledge.
How splendid were the women of the Ansar shame did not prevent them from becoming learned in the faith.
Politics and Social Services
Among the early Muslims, women were active participants in the cohesive functioning of the society. Women expressed their opinions freely and their advice was actively sought. Women nursed the wounded during battles, and some even participated on the battlefield. Women traded openly in the marketplace, so much so that the second caliph, Umar, appointed a woman, Shaffa bint Abdullah, as the supervisor of the bazaar.
Inheritance
Before Islam, women all across the globe were deprived of inheritance, Islam gave women the right to own property and inherit from relatives, such as father, husband, son and in some cases from brother. Whether a woman is a wife, mother, sister, or daughter, she receives a certain share of her deceased relative’s property. While many societies around the world denied women’s inheritance, Islam assured women this right, illustrating the universal justice of Islam’s divine law.
Marriage and Divorce
In Islam, marriage is based on mutual peace, love, and compassion. God says about Himself, “And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy…” (Quran 30:21) Muhammad (pbuh) embodied the best character and is a role model for all Muslims. His example of being helpful around the household and treating his family with compassion and love is a tradition that Muslims strive to implement in their daily lives. Muhammad (pbuh) treated his wives with the utmost respect and honor and was never abusive towards them. One of his traditions clearly states, “The best of you are those who are best to their wives.”
A Muslim woman has the right to divorce her husband if she is unsatisfied with the relationship. This is called Khulaa in Arabic. In this case she has to surrender her dowry, which was given during the marriage contract.
Modesty
In an environment where woman is constantly emphasized to show her body and beauties through various media and public concerns. Although Muslim women are falsely classified as oppressed based on their modest dress, they are in fact liberated from such a liberal presentation by the society around them. This modest appearance, which includes coverings and sometimes veiling, highlights a woman’s personality and character . In this regard, Muslim women identify with Mary, the mother of Jesus (pbuh), who is known for her piety and modesty.
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