Post by Surriya on Aug 23, 2004 15:39:02 GMT
AS DAUGHTER:
Islam denounces in unequivocal terms the pre-Islamic inhuman custom of female infanticide and commands people to love and cherish their daughters more than their sons. The Holy Qur'an says that on the Day of Judgment the female infant, buried alive, will be questioned:
"For what crime wast she murdered?" (LXXXI: 8-9)
Thus before the Almighty the victim herself will be able to give evidence against those who killed that innocent creature of God simply for the sake of satisfying their vanity. Allah again commands humanity:
"Kill not your children for fear of want, We shall
provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily,
to kill them is a great sin" (XVII: 31).
Faithmah was the first child born to the Noble Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) Muhammed (peace be upon him!). In dealing with her, he set an example of fatherly love which is a model for
mankind. "Fatimah", he would say, "is a part of my being; who annoys her annoys me" (Mishkat-ul-Masabih, XLIV 5).
He also emphasised preferential treatment towards the female sex and said: "When you bring any thing for your children for distribution, begin with the girls first because the girls love their parents more than the boys."
AS WIFE:
Marriage, in the Islamic Law, is really a contract just like other civil contracts between two parties. As far as the conditions of the contract are concerned, both the parties, the man and woman, stand upon the same level. Each party has certain rights and duties. Islam commands justice to be observed in every contract, and so in the contract of marriage too justice should be observed. The Holy Qur'an says:
"The women have rights similar to the rights against
them, according to what is equitable" (II: 228).
No doubt, under the principle of the distribution of labour, work should be divided between the pair. The
women fold have naturally to take care of their offsprings until they grow up. They have to engage themselves in bringing them up and so are not in a position to pay attention to secure their means of livelihood. The men, therefore, have been made responsible for maintaining the family, including the wife, and have been given the duty of securing all the requirements of the home. Thus we might say that in a Muslim home, the husband is supposed to work as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the wife as the Minister of the Interior.
The Noble Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) is reported to have said: “Woman is the queen of her house”. The Holy Quran describes the position of the wife in a beautiful verse:
“He created for you mates from among yourselves that you might find solace in them and He ordained between you love and mercy” (XXX:21).
The Prophet said: “The most perfect of faith among the Believers is the best of them in morals and the best of you are those who are kindest to your wives”. In his famous Address at the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet again laid stress on the good treatment of womanfolk. He said: “O my people, you have certain rights over wives and so have your wives over you….They are Allah’s trust in your hands. See that you treat them with all kindness”.
POLYGAMY:
Before the Saviour of the female sex preached his Message, there was no limit for the males in respect of the number of their wives. Even in the present age we find that among some people of Africa and among other uncivilized races of the world is no limit to the number of wives a man can have. Islam really imposed a limit and allowed plurality of marriage with the idea of abolishing adultery. Polygamy is permitted in place of illegal intercourse in cases where it becomes difficult, or, rather impossible, to restrict marriage, in the interest of social health, to strict monogamy. There are two definite occasions in the lives of human beings when polygamy becomes necessary. For example, if the first marriage proves fruitless, the husband can, in most cases be kept on the path of virtue and uprightness only by allowing a second marriage. Again, when there is a surplus of women as it happens after the wars, human society can be saved from corruption and also extinction, as in the case of the present-day Germany, only by the permission of marrying more than one wife.
The Holy Qur'an restricts the number of wives to four and also orders complete equality and justice between
them:
"And if you fear that you will not deal fairly towards
the orphans, marry of the women who seem good to
you, two or three or four, and if you fear you cannot do
between them, then (marry) one only" (IV.3)
The conditions the marriage contract are to be
settled by the parties to the marriage. If, on the one hand according to the Islamic teaching, the husbands are entitled to have the rights of divorce, the wives also are entitled to the right of fixing their dowry and maintenance as they like and they may also take the authority of separating from their husbands when they find it necessary to do so. If agreement at the time of marriage is made with complete consideration the parties stand practically at the same level and there
remains no possibility for the women folk to suffer. Islam enjoins justice, equity and straightfor-wardness. Therefore, if those who claim to be Muslims do not observe the Islamic principles, it is their fault and Islam
can on no account be accused for that. If today people
misuse the permission for polygamy and try to hide their
lustful actions under the cloak of Islamic legality, it is their fault and they deserve the most severe punishment at the Court of the All-Knowing Allah who knows what is in their hearts.
Islam denounces in unequivocal terms the pre-Islamic inhuman custom of female infanticide and commands people to love and cherish their daughters more than their sons. The Holy Qur'an says that on the Day of Judgment the female infant, buried alive, will be questioned:
"For what crime wast she murdered?" (LXXXI: 8-9)
Thus before the Almighty the victim herself will be able to give evidence against those who killed that innocent creature of God simply for the sake of satisfying their vanity. Allah again commands humanity:
"Kill not your children for fear of want, We shall
provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily,
to kill them is a great sin" (XVII: 31).
Faithmah was the first child born to the Noble Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) Muhammed (peace be upon him!). In dealing with her, he set an example of fatherly love which is a model for
mankind. "Fatimah", he would say, "is a part of my being; who annoys her annoys me" (Mishkat-ul-Masabih, XLIV 5).
He also emphasised preferential treatment towards the female sex and said: "When you bring any thing for your children for distribution, begin with the girls first because the girls love their parents more than the boys."
AS WIFE:
Marriage, in the Islamic Law, is really a contract just like other civil contracts between two parties. As far as the conditions of the contract are concerned, both the parties, the man and woman, stand upon the same level. Each party has certain rights and duties. Islam commands justice to be observed in every contract, and so in the contract of marriage too justice should be observed. The Holy Qur'an says:
"The women have rights similar to the rights against
them, according to what is equitable" (II: 228).
No doubt, under the principle of the distribution of labour, work should be divided between the pair. The
women fold have naturally to take care of their offsprings until they grow up. They have to engage themselves in bringing them up and so are not in a position to pay attention to secure their means of livelihood. The men, therefore, have been made responsible for maintaining the family, including the wife, and have been given the duty of securing all the requirements of the home. Thus we might say that in a Muslim home, the husband is supposed to work as the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the wife as the Minister of the Interior.
The Noble Prophet (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) is reported to have said: “Woman is the queen of her house”. The Holy Quran describes the position of the wife in a beautiful verse:
“He created for you mates from among yourselves that you might find solace in them and He ordained between you love and mercy” (XXX:21).
The Prophet said: “The most perfect of faith among the Believers is the best of them in morals and the best of you are those who are kindest to your wives”. In his famous Address at the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet again laid stress on the good treatment of womanfolk. He said: “O my people, you have certain rights over wives and so have your wives over you….They are Allah’s trust in your hands. See that you treat them with all kindness”.
POLYGAMY:
Before the Saviour of the female sex preached his Message, there was no limit for the males in respect of the number of their wives. Even in the present age we find that among some people of Africa and among other uncivilized races of the world is no limit to the number of wives a man can have. Islam really imposed a limit and allowed plurality of marriage with the idea of abolishing adultery. Polygamy is permitted in place of illegal intercourse in cases where it becomes difficult, or, rather impossible, to restrict marriage, in the interest of social health, to strict monogamy. There are two definite occasions in the lives of human beings when polygamy becomes necessary. For example, if the first marriage proves fruitless, the husband can, in most cases be kept on the path of virtue and uprightness only by allowing a second marriage. Again, when there is a surplus of women as it happens after the wars, human society can be saved from corruption and also extinction, as in the case of the present-day Germany, only by the permission of marrying more than one wife.
The Holy Qur'an restricts the number of wives to four and also orders complete equality and justice between
them:
"And if you fear that you will not deal fairly towards
the orphans, marry of the women who seem good to
you, two or three or four, and if you fear you cannot do
between them, then (marry) one only" (IV.3)
The conditions the marriage contract are to be
settled by the parties to the marriage. If, on the one hand according to the Islamic teaching, the husbands are entitled to have the rights of divorce, the wives also are entitled to the right of fixing their dowry and maintenance as they like and they may also take the authority of separating from their husbands when they find it necessary to do so. If agreement at the time of marriage is made with complete consideration the parties stand practically at the same level and there
remains no possibility for the women folk to suffer. Islam enjoins justice, equity and straightfor-wardness. Therefore, if those who claim to be Muslims do not observe the Islamic principles, it is their fault and Islam
can on no account be accused for that. If today people
misuse the permission for polygamy and try to hide their
lustful actions under the cloak of Islamic legality, it is their fault and they deserve the most severe punishment at the Court of the All-Knowing Allah who knows what is in their hearts.