In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah [The Exalted] said:
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفۡسٍ۬ وَٲحِدَةٍ۬ وَخَلَقَ مِنۡہَا زَوۡجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنۡہُمَا رِجَالاً۬ كَثِيرً۬ا وَنِسَآءً۬ۚ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلۡأَرۡحَامَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ رَقِيبً۬ا
O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship) . Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you. [Al-Nisaa. 1]
Allah [The Exalted] said:
يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ۬ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلۡنَـٰكُمۡ شُعُوبً۬ا وَقَبَآٮِٕلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ أَڪۡرَمَكُمۡ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتۡقَٮٰكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ۬
O people! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has more fear of Allah. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. [Al-Hujurat. Verse 13]
The Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Women are the twin halves (or counterparts of) men”. [Sahih Abu Dawood. No 236]
Meaning, they are twin halves of men as created beings and shaped by natural characteristics, as if they are the other halves from men because Hawaa, may peace be upon her, was created from Adam, peace be upon him.. [Mirqat Al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat Al-Masabih 2/428]
Imam Muhammad Bin Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “Women are the twin halves of men, meaning they are the other half from them, because a woman is the daughter of her father and a part from him, just as the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, ‘Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her, is from me’. The narration has another meaning, that ‘Twin halves (or counterpart) of men’ means the same as men with regards to what Allah has obligated to men and women where neither women nor men are specified. [https://binothaimeen.net/content/11305 ]
Al-Miqdam Ibn Ma’dee, may Allah be pleased with him] said: Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Verily, Allah commands you to be good to women. Verily, Allah commands you to be good to women because they are your mothers, sisters your aunts'”. [Silsilah Al-Hadith as-Sahihah 2871]
Aa’isha, may Allah be pleased with him, said that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to her, “O Aa’isha! Be gentle, for indeed when Allah wishes good for a household, He guides them to gentleness”.
Al-Allamah Zaid Bin Hadi al-Mad’khali, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “This hadith contains proof regarding the fact that it is obligatory to give sincere advice and the first people one should give sincere advice is the members of the household- the wives, sons, daughters and others. Also this hadith contains proof regarding the virtue of gentleness in all affairs, for indeed gentleness is not found in any affair except that it beautifies it, and it is not removed from anything except that it damages it. On the other hand, the opposite of gentleness is warn against and it is the harshness that is applied in other than its rightful place, because its end result will be alienation and disharmony”. [at-Ta’liqat Al-Malihah Alaa Silsilah Al-Ahadith As-Sahihah 1/277]
Aai’sha, may Allah be pleased with him] said: “Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, never struck anything with his hand- neither a woman nor a servant, unless he was fighting in the path of Allah”. [Ṣaḥih Muslim 2328]
Imam Ibn Qutaybah, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “Marry your daughter to a man who fears Allah, because he will be kind if he loves her and will not oppress her when he is angry with her”.[Kitab Uyun Al Akhbar 3/308]
Males Are Different From Females
Allah [The Exalted] said: [ وَلَيۡسَ ٱلذَّكَرُ كَٱلۡأُنثَىٰۖ – And the male is not like the female]: Imam Muhammad Bin Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, “The males are not like the females – neither in their nature nor behaviour, nor with regards to how they are dealt with; rather not even with regards to rulings of the religion in some (cases, situations, circumstances etc). And when it is case that the male is not like the female, then also the female is not like the male. (1)
Cases Where The Same Rules Apply to Both Men and Woman
Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baz, may Allah have mercy upon him, was asked: Is there a distinction between males and females regarding the manner in which the prayer should be performed?
Answer: Some of the scholars differentiate the prayer of the man and the woman, but what is correct is that the prayer of the woman is the same as that of the man. The manner she sits during the two Sujuds, during the last Tashahud, because Allah’s Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Pray in the manner you have seen me pray”, but he did not say, “The women should do such and such”. Therefore, the what is that he (i.e. Prophet) is followed in both the prayer of a man and a woman and there is no evidence to differentiate between the two. (2)
Allah [The Exalted] said:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to (them) We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter). [Surah An-Nahl. 97]
Allah [The Exalted] said:
وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتُ بَعۡضُهُمۡ أَوۡلِيَآءُ بَعۡضٍ۬ۚ يَأۡمُرُونَ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَيَنۡهَوۡنَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۥۤۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ سَيَرۡحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ۬
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ جَنَّـٰتٍ۬ تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ خَـٰلِدِينَ فِيہَا وَمَسَـٰكِنَ طَيِّبَةً۬ فِى جَنَّـٰتِ عَدۡنٍ۬ۚ وَرِضۡوَٲنٌ۬ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ أَڪۡبَرُۚ ذَٲلِكَ هُوَ ٱلۡفَوۡزُ ٱلۡعَظِيمُ
The believers, men and women, are Auliya’ (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another, they enjoin (on the people) Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden); they perform the prayer and give the Zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. Surely Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise. Allah has promised to the believers -men and women, – Gardens under which rivers flow to dwell therein forever, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of ‘Adn (Eden Paradise). But the greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of Allah. That is the supreme success. [at-Tawbah. 71-72]
Allah [The Exalted] said:
هَلۡ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّا ٱلسَّاعَةَ أَن تَأۡتِيَهُم بَغۡتَةً۬ وَهُمۡ لَا يَشۡعُرُونَ
ٱلۡأَخِلَّآءُ يَوۡمَٮِٕذِۭ بَعۡضُهُمۡ لِبَعۡضٍ عَدُوٌّ إِلَّا ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ
يَـٰعِبَادِ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡكُمُ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ وَلَآ أَنتُمۡ تَحۡزَنُونَ
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا وَڪَانُواْ مُسۡلِمِينَ
ٱدۡخُلُواْ ٱلۡجَنَّةَ أَنتُمۡ وَأَزۡوَٲجُكُمۡ تُحۡبَرُونَ
يُطَافُ عَلَيۡہِم بِصِحَافٍ۬ مِّن ذَهَبٍ۬ وَأَكۡوَابٍ۬ۖ وَفِيهَا مَا تَشۡتَهِيهِ ٱلۡأَنفُسُ وَتَلَذُّ ٱلۡأَعۡيُنُۖ وَأَنتُمۡ فِيهَا خَـٰلِدُونَ
وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أُورِثۡتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ
لَكُمۡ فِيہَا فَـٰكِهَةٌ۬ كَثِيرَةٌ۬ مِّنۡهَا تَأۡكُلُونَ
Do they only wait for the Hour that it shall come upon them suddenly, while they perceive not? Friends on that Day will be foes one to another except the pious. (It will be said to the true believers of Islamic Monotheism): My worshippers! No fear shall be on you this Day, nor shall you grieve, (you) who believed in Our Ayat (proofs, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and were Muslims (i.e. who submit totally to Allah’s Will, and believe in the Oneness of Allah – Islamic Monotheism). Enter Paradise, you and your wives, in happiness. Trays of gold and cups will be passed round them, (there will be) therein all that the one’s inner-selves could desire, all that the eyes could delight in, and you will abide therein forever. This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do (in the life of the world). Therein for you will be fruits in plenty, of which you will eat (as you desire). [Az-Zukhruf 66-73]
Freedom For Women
Firstly, a true believer understands freedom in a manner that is pleasing to the Creator. Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The worldly life is a prison for the believer (in Allah and the final Messenger) and a paradise for the disbeliever (in Allah and the final Messenger)”. (3)
Imam An-Nawawi, may Allah have mercy be upon him] said: Every believer is imprisoned and prevented – in the worldly life – from evil and repugnant desires and obligated to perform demanding acts of obedience. But after death, he relaxes and receives what Allah [The Exalted] promised of permanent bliss and perfect relaxation. As for the disbeliever [in Allaah and the final Messenger], he gets what he receives in the worldly life together with the fact that it is very little and disrupted by distress. And after he dies, he finds himself in permanent punishment and eternal wretchedness. (4)
Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him] said: Regardless how great the affair of the worldly life is – its good days and its dwelling places (surrounded by beautiful trees, plants, scenery etc), then indeed it is like a prison for the believer, because a believer looks forward to a bliss that is better, more perfect and loftier. As for the disbeliever [in Allah and the final Messenger], the worldly life is his paradise because he enjoys himself in it [i.e. outside the boundaries of halaal and haraam] and forgets the afterlife, and thus becomes like those about whom Allah [The Exalted] stated:
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ وَيَأۡكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمُ وَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوً۬ى لَّهُمۡ
Those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat, and the Fire will be their abode. [Surah Muhammad Aayah 12]
Therefore, when the disbeliever dies, he does not find anything in front of him except the fire and Allah’s punishment, and woe to the people of the fire. So that which is found in the worldly life of distress, grief, sadness and sorrow is like a paradise in relation to the state of affairs of the disbeliever [in Allah and the final Messenger], because he will leave this world to receive Allah’s punishment.
It has been mentioned about Ibn Hajar Al Asqalani – the author of Fat’hul Baari – that he used to be the chief of the judges in Egypt in his era, and he used go past the market with an entourage. So, one day a Yahudi stopped him and said, “Your Prophet said, ‘The worldly life is a prison of the believer and paradise of the disbeliever’, and how can this be the case whilst you are in a state of luxury and joy, and I am in a state of extreme poverty and low status?” So, Ibn Hajr said to him, “If in your view I am in state of joy and that people are at my service, then this state is a prison in comparison to what a believer will receive of bliss in Paradise. As for yourself, even though you are in state of extreme poverty and low status, then it is like paradise in comparison to what a disbeliever will receive in the fire”. So, the Yahudi was amazed by this statement and then testified that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. (5)
Therefore, we say to the ideologues, “Yes indeed freedom is a valuable thing and that is why the believers utilize it to perform deeds that will benefit them in the afterlife, and strive to distance themselves from the chief deceiver shaytan, because either a person willingly submits to Allah or he is enslaved by other things – desires etc.
Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: If a free person says that he is liberated (or free) and intends by it freedom from slavery to the creation, then yes he is free from slavery to the creation. However, if he intends by this that he is liberated (freed) from servitude to Allah [The Mighty and Majestic], then indeed he has erred in his understanding of servitude and he does not understand the meaning of freedom because servitude to other than Allah is bondage. As for servitude to Allah [The Mighty and Majestic], then this is real freedom because if he does not humble himself to Allah, he will humble himself to other than Allah. So he deceives himself when he says that he is free [or liberated]- meaning: he is liberated from obedience to Allah. (6)
The Imam also said, “Women are portrayed as if they are mere images- pictures which people attached no importance to except that which is connected to the woman’s figure (outward appearance). See how they have decorated and beautified her! See how they have brought about beautifications for her and presented her in a desirable condition, in relation to (her) hair, skin, legs, arms, face and everything else; until they make it the most important issue for the woman, like a picture made out of plastic. They neither present to her the importance of establishing Ibadah nor bearing children”. (7)
The Islamic Ruling On Days Specified For Such and Such Celebrations
Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “Everything that is taken as a day of day of celebration (festival, annual celebrations), repeated every week and every year and is not legislated in Islaam, then it is tantamount to a Bidah [innovation in religious]. Therefore, to make these celebrations (festivals) that are repeated every week or every year means that they [i.e. the people who do so] have likened them to Islamic festivals [days of celebrations, days set aside for religious observance] and this is forbidden. There is nothing in Islam related to festivals (celebrations) except Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, (and a day specified for a specific religious observance which is) Friday. (8)
Women in Islam – By Shaikh Abu Khadeejah [may Allaah preserve him]
https://www.salafisounds.com/women-in-islam-by-abu-khadeejah/https://www.salafisounds.com/women-in-islam-by-abu-khadeejah/
Be Aware Regarding the Rights of Women
https://www.salafisounds.com/be-aware-regarding-the-rights-of-women-by-abu-khadeejah/
The Muslim Woman In A Modern World
https://www.salafisounds.com/the-muslim-woman-in-a-modern-world-by-abu-khadeejah-abdul-wahid/
We ask Allah to protect us and our families from the call of those who seek to corrupt the sound natural disposition created in us by our Lord Aameen. We ask Allah:
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
“Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the pious.”
رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ
“O my Lord! Make me one who performs As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and (also) from my offspring, our Lord! And accept my invocation.
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
“O my Lord, grant me the ability to be grateful to you for Your favour (of guidance) which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to work righteousness that pleases You, and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I repent to you and I am of the Muslims (in submission to You alone).”
