Women in Islam

Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the
women's liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the
women's liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by
Allaah (God) to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad .
The Quran and the Traditions of the Prophet are the sources from which
every Muslim woman derives her rightsand duties.
Human Rights:
Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to
Allaah in glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her
moral progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her
humanity with men.
In the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women", Allaah Says (what
means): "O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who createdyou from a
single person (Aadam), and from him (Aadam) He created his wife
[Hawwaa (Eve)], and from them both, He created many men and women and
fear Allaah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights),and (do not
cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allaah is Ever an
All-Watcher over you." [Quran 4:1]
Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in
their humanity. Women cannot be by nature evil (as some religions
believes) or then men would be evil also. Similarly, neither sex can
be superior because it would be a contradiction of equality. Allaah
Says (which means): "O mankind! We have created you from a maleand a
female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one
another. Verily, the most honorable of you with Allaah is that
(believer) who is the most pious of you. Verily, Allaah is
All-Knowing, All-Aware." [Quran 49:13]
Allaah also Says (what means): "Verily, the Muslims men and women, the
believers men and women, the men and women who are obedient (to
Allaah), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and
deeds), the men and women whoare humble (before their Lord), the men
and women who give charity, the men and women who observe fasting, the
men and women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts),and
the men and women who remember Allaah much with their hearts and
tongues. Allaah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward
(i.e. Paradise )." [Quran 33:35]
Civil Rights:
In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expressionbased
on recognition of her individual personality. First, the non-Muslim
woman (from the people of the Book) is free to maintain her religion.
Allaah Says (what means): "There is no compulsion in religion. Verily,
theRight path has been made distinct from wrong path." [Quran 2:256]
Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas.
There are many traditions of the Prophet which indicate women would
pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning
religion, economics and social matters.
A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her family name after
marriage. A Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes. In
fact, in areas in which women are more familiar, their evidence is
conclusive.
Social Rights
The Prophet said: "Seeking knowledge is a mandatefor every Muslim
(male and female)." [Ibn Maajah] This includes knowledge of the Quran
and the Hadeeth as well as other religious knowledge. Men and women
both have the capacity for learning and understanding. Since it isalso
their obligation to promote good behavior and condemn bad behavior in
all spheres oflife, Muslim women must acquire the appropriate Islamic
education to perform this duty in accordance with their own natural
talents and interests.
While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and
bearing, raising and teaching of children are among the first and very
highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work
outsidethe home for the good of the community, she may do so (if
shehas to) as long as her family obligations are met, and as long as
there is no intermingling between her and men in the work place.
Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences between men and
women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for
men and other types for women. This, in no way,diminishes either's
effort nor benefit. Allaah will reward both sexes equally for the
value of their work, though it may not necessarily be the same
activity.
The success of a society can be traced to the mothers. The first and
greatest influence on a person comes from the sense of security,
affection, and training received from the mother. Therefore, a woman
having children must be educated and conscientious in order to be a
skillful parent.

Improper dress for women and intermingling between sexes

The greatest and most important of all the favors and blessings
bestowed by Allaah is Islam and the honorable Islamic law, which is
derived from the Book ofAllaah and the Prophetic Sunnah. This Law has
outlined all that which is beneficial for mankind inthis life and the
Hereafter.
One of the virtues of this Law is that its rules and regulations have
clearly laid out preventions of allevil and immorality, and all the
roads that lead to it which is a protection ofthe truth and morality.
There are many issues forwhich this Law has laid out preventative
measures so that people will not fall into evil, for example on some
of the issues of faith, acts of worship and transactions.
However, the most obvious of all of these preventative measures are
those related to women and the limits that Allaah has defined for them
not to exceed. Islam has clearly laid the guidelines for the
Muslimwoman to adhere to so that her personality remains distinct and
her safety, purity, and good conduct are assured.
The correct dress and covering for women and the prohibition of them
intermixing with men arethe two most important interconnected
preventative measures that Islam has laid out. Muslims must submit to
the rulings which oblige women to properly coverin order to protect
their chastity and purity, maintain shyness and protect them from
being harassed or bothered, as Allaah says (what means): {O Prophet!
Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to
bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is
more suitable that they will be known [as chaste believing women] and
not be abused. And ever is AllaahForgiving and Merciful} [Quran 33:
59].
In this verse, Allaah addressed the wives of the Prophet who werethe
furthest from immorality and evil actions; they were purestand most
pious women ever and were honored by the virtue of being married to
the Prophet .
Muslims must also adhereand submit to the rulings which prohibit
intermixing mixing between men and women. There are many Islamic texts
in this regard, such as the Hadeeth which is narrated by 'Uqbah Ibn
'Aamir that the Prophet said: "Do not enter into the presence of
women." A man from the Ansaar then retorted: 'What about our in-laws'
- referring to the relatives of a woman's husband such as his
brothers, cousins, and their children, so the Prophet replied: "The
in-laws are death" [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim] which means that they are
more harmful to women than death is to the soul. The previous evidence
came from the Prophet whose words were nothing but revelation. So how
could anybody ever accept anyone else's opinion over this?
Why is it that the Prophet lined up the rows of men for prayers in the
mosque separate from the women, and described the rows, as narrated by
Abu Hurayrah by saying: "The best rows [in the mosque] are the first
rows, and the worst are the last, and the best rows [inthe mosque] for
women are last the rows, and the worst are the first." [Muslim]. This
affirmsthe obligation of separating men from women, and keeping them
far apart. If this is the way believing men and women should be during
an act of worship inside the mosque, then how much more so is it
necessary in places outside the mosques, where gatherings might
include evil and sinful people along with the good people?
The Muslim nation must not slight these texts because the evil
consequences which these texts are aiming to prevent society from
still very much exist, and there is nothing that would prevent such
evils from occurring in our time which did not exist at the time of
the Prophet
Moreover, the people whom the Prophet addressed in these narrations
were the best generation of the Muslim nation according to his own
testimony, as was mentioned in many narrations. So, has the need for
such texts and their warnings vanished in our time? Is it not a clear
fact that in fact we need these texts and warnings even more than that
generation did? This is especially so because of the dangers of evil
in our time becoming more widespread and its means being more diverse.
It is usually the case that people honor any set of laws which they
perceiveas being beneficial to them, especially when these laws
prevent evil orharm from befalling them when applied; moreover, people
do not mind if these laws include certain restrictions on their
freedom and impose penalties for those who disobey or transgress the
defined limits. Why is it the case that some of those who believe in
Allaah and His Messenger deal with Islamic Law with suspicion and
uncertainty. Some of these people even go as far as to demand that it
should be abolished, despite the fact that this Law includes all that
which is beneficial to mankind and prevents, or at least reduces, all
that which brings harm?
It is not permitted for anyone to discuss and pass judgment
regardingthis issue without having the proper Islamic knowledge to be
able to do so. Nor should they base their discussion and opinion on
unfounded claims with no evidence, or simply argue on the basis of
their base desires. Rather, one should be sincere and free themselves
from their base desires which will divert them far away from the
truth. In addition, one must have a broad knowledge of Islam and
possess the ability to differentiate between authentic and weak
evidences, possess a clear understanding of the relevant evidences as
well as the ability to properly extract Islamic rulings from these
evidences; only then can a person become eligible to discuss this
issue.
The outcome of what we say or write is the matter which we must fear
the most, and are extremely wary of its consequence, as the Prophet
clarified to Mu'aath Ibn Jabal after he had asked with
astonishment:"Will we be held responsible for all that we say?" The
Prophet replied: "What do you think makes people land on their faces
or noses into the Hellfire more than the product of their tongues?"
[Ahmad, Abu Daawood & At-Tirmithi].

Prerequisites of the Prayer

Some prerequisites exist regarding the offering of Prayers. These
prerequisites must be fulfilled before the commencement of the Prayer,
otherwise the Prayer will not be considered valid. The following are
the prerequisites:
1. Knowledge that the time for the Prayer has begun:
Each prayer has its own particulartime at which it must be performed.
Allaah Says (what means): "… Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the
believers a decree of specified times. " [Quran 4: 103] The Prophet
has clarified when the time of each prayer starts and when it ends. So
anybody who prays a given prayer before its fixed time,his prayer is
invalid.
2. Purity from Major and Minor impurities:
A minor impurity is one that may be removed by the performance of
ablution (Wudhou'). A state of minor impurity results after defecation
or urination. A major impurity requires the performance of Ghusl or
ritual bathing. A state of major impurity results after sexual
intercourse or sexual discharge for both men and women. Menstruation
and postpartum bleeding are considered forms of major impurities. In
those cases, after such conditions come to an end, women are required
to make Ghusl before praying.
Allaah Almighty Says (what means): " O you who have believed, when you
rise to [perform] prayer, wash your facesand your forearms to the
elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles.
Andif you are in a state of Janaabah (major impurity), then purify
yourselves… " [Quran 5: 6]
The Prophet said: " Allaah does not accept any prayer that was not
performed while in a state of purity, nor does He accept charity from
what has been stolen from booty." [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
3. Purity of the body, clothes and place:
Such objects should be clean of physical impurities as much as
possible. If one can not remove them, he may pray with the impurities
present and does not have to repeat the prayer later. Concerning
bodily purity, it was related that the Prophet said: "Stay clean of
urine, as the majority of punishment in the grave is due to it."
[Ad-Daaraqutni]
'Ali reported: "I used to have a great deal of prostatic fluid
flowing, so I asked a man to ask the Prophet about it. He asked him
and the Prophet said: ' Make ablution and wash your genital organ.' "
[Al-Bukhaari]
Concerning purity of clothing, Allaah Says (what means): "And your
clothing purify." [Quran 74: 4]
Jaabir Ibn Sumrah reported that he heard a man asking the Prophet :
"May I pray in the same clothes that I had on during intercourse with
my wife?" He said: "Yes, but if yousee some stains on it, you must
wash it." [Ahmad and Ibn Maajah]
Concerning the purity of the placewhere one is praying, Abu Hurayrah
said: " A Bedouin stood and urinated in the mosque. The people got up
to grab him. The Prophet said: 'Leave him and pour a container full of
water over his urine. You have been raised to be easy on the people,
not to be hard on them.' " [Al-Bukhaari]
4. Covering the 'Awrah ) parts of the body that should be covered)
Allaah, Almighty, Says (what means): " O children of Aadam, take your
adornment at every Masjid (Mosque)… " [Quran 7: 31]
The meaning of "adornment" here is the covering of the 'Awrah. The
meaning of"Mosque" is "prayer." Therefore, it means "Cover your 'Awrah
for every prayer." Salamah Ibn Al-Aku' said to the Prophet : "O
Messenger of Allaah, may I pray in a long shirt?" He said: "Yes, but
button it, even with just a thorn." [Al-Bukhaari]
6. Facing the Qiblah:
All scholars agree that one must face the Qiblah during every prayer.
Allaah Says (what means): "…Turn your face toward Al-Masjid Al-Haraam.
And wherever you [believers] are, turnyour faces toward it [in
prayer]..." [Quran 2: 144]
If one can not determine the direction of the Qiblah, h e shouldask
one who knows. If he finds no one to ask, he should try his best to
determine it. In such a case, his prayer will be valid, and he needs
not repeat it even though he discovers later on thathe had faced in
the wrong direction. If it is made clear to him while he is praying
that he is facing the wrong direction, he needs only turn in the
proper direction without stopping his prayer.
The first one is performing voluntary prayers while riding (ananimal,
car and so on). The rider may bend his head slightly for the bowings,
but he should bend a little bit lower for the prostrations. He may
face in whatever direction his ride is going.
He did not, however, do this for the obligatory prayers. Ahmad and
Muslim recorded that he would pray on his mount while traveling from
Makkah to Madeenah, facing away from Makkah. Upon this, Allaah
revealed (what means): "…Wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face
of Allaah..." [Quran 2: 115] Ibraaheem An-Nakhaa'i said: "They would
pray on their mounts and animals in the direction in which they were
facing." Ibn Hazm commented: "This has been related from the
companions andthose of the following generation, during travel and
residence."
The second case is praying while having to deal with forced
conditions, illness and fear. Undersuch circumstances, it is allowed
to pray without facing the Qiblah.The Prophet said: " If I order you
to do something, do what you are capable of doing." Allaah Says (what
means): " And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding…"
[Quran 2: 239]. Ibn 'Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, added:
"Facing the Qiblah or not facing it." [Al-Bukhari]
There are two cases in which onedoesn't have to face the Ka'bah. 'Amr
Ibn Rabee'ah reported:" I saw the Messenger of Allaah praying while
riding and he faced the direction in which he was going." [Al-Bukhaari
& Muslim]

Ruling on drinking beer and the like.

What is the ruling on drinking beer and similar drinks?
Praise be to Allah.
If the beer is free of that which causes intoxication, then there is
nothing wrong with it.However if it contains any intoxicating
substances, it is not permissible to drink it. The same applies to all
other intoxicants, whether they are drunk or eaten – they must be
avoided and it is not permissible to drink or eat any of these things,
because Allah, may He beglorified and exalted, says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"O you who believe! Intoxicants (all kinds of alcoholic drinks),
gambling, AlAnsab, and Al-Azlam (arrows for seeking luck or
decision)are an abomination of Shaitans (Satan) handiwork. So avoid
(strictly all) that (abomination) in order that you may be successful.
Shaytaan (Satan) wants only to excite enmity and hatred between
youwith intoxicants (alcoholic drinks) and gambling, and hinder you
from the remembrance of Allah and from As-Salat (the prayer). So, will
you not then abstain?"
[al-Maa'idah 5:90-91].
And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said:
"Every intoxicant is khamr and every intoxicant is haraam." Narrated
by Imam Muslim in his Saheeh. And it was proven from the Prophet
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he cursed alcohol, the
one who drinks it, the one who pours it, the one who squeezes (the
grapes etc), the one for whom it is squeezed, theone who carries it,
the one to whom it is carried, the one who sells it, the one who
buysit and the one who consumes its price. It is narrated from him
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a saheeh report that he
said: "Every drink that intoxicates is haraam." And it was narrated
fromhim in a saheeh report that he forbade every intoxicant and
relaxant.
What the Muslim should do is avoid all intoxicants and beware of them.
The one who does any of that must give it up and hasten to repent to
Allah, may He be exalted, from that, as Allah, may He be exalted,says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you
may be successful"
[an-Noor 24:31]
"O you who believe! Turn to Allah with sincere repentance!"
[at-Tahreem 66:8].