Examples of women's rights Islam – II

02/04/2009| IslamWeb

In the second part of this article, 33 examples have been given about how Islam endorses the rights of women. In this part, other 20 examples are highlighted:

34.  Islam protects the woman's rights by forbidding her husband to verbally abuse her. The Prophet said, “You should give her food when you eat… and do not revile her.” [Ibn Maajah]

 

35.  Islam protects the woman's rights by making it prohibited for any separation between husband and wife, when there is a misunderstanding between them, to take place anywhere other than inside the house. This is so that the wife does not feel desolate or face harm in his absence. The Prophet said, “… and do not separate yourself from her except in the house.” [Ibn Hibbaan]

 

36.  Islam protects the woman's rights by giving her a chance to groom herself ready to receive her husband after a long absence. It prohibits him from surprising her by coming suddenly when she is unprepared and her appearance is shabby as this may affect her self-esteem.   The Prophet said, “When you arrive at night from your trip, give your wife (who had been waiting long for you) ample time to shave and groom herself before you enter the house.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

 

37.  Islam protects the woman's rights by keeping the details of her sexual relationship with her husband secret. Islam prohibits having this secret divulged. The Prophet said, “do not do this [divulge details of the intimate relationship]; this would be like a male and a female devils having sexual intercourse on the street under everyone’s gaze.” [Ahmad]

 

38.  Islam protects the woman's rights in having children. It does not allow the husband to practice 'Azl (to withdraw away from his wife during intercourse before ejaculation) without her permission. The Prophet said, “The husband shouldn’t do ‘Azl without his wife’s permission.” [Ahmad]

 

39.  Islam protects the woman's rights by making it incumbent on the husband to attend to his wife’s sexual needs. This is represented by the story of 'Uthmaan Ibn Math’oun may Allah be pleased with him when he became too preoccupied with fasting and night prayers to attend to his wife’s needs. The Prophet said to him, “Am I not an example for you? I sleep and I pray, and I fast and eat and I marry women, so fear Allah, 'Uthmaan, your wife has a right over you.”[Abu Daawood]

 

40.  Islam protects the woman's rights by ordering her husband not to approach her sexually except from the place where she finds enjoyment as ordained by Allah. Allah Almighty Says in the Quran (what means), “… come to them (i.e. have sexual intercourse) from where Allah has ordained for you.” [Abu Daawood]

 

41.  Islam protects the woman's rights by making it incumbent on the husband who has more than one wife to treat them equally, and not to favor one in treatment over the other. Allah Says (what means): “And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] to your wives, even if you strive [to do so]. So do not incline completely [toward one] and leave the other hanging (i.e. neither divorced nor married).”  [Quran 4:129]

 

42.  Islam protects the woman's rights in matters concerning her religion. Historically, it prohibited the return of migrating Muslim women to the nonbelievers so they were not to be swayed away from their religion or prosecuted by the enemies of Islam. Allah Says (what means): “… And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them…”  [Quran 60:10]

 

43.  Islam protects the woman's rights against her husband’s abstention away from her. It prohibited the husband from staying away from his wife for more than four months, after which period she has the right to ask for divorce to protect herself from deviation and harm. Allah Almighty Says (what means): “For those who swear not to have sexual relations with their wives is a waiting period of four months…”  [Quran 2:226]

 

44.  Islam protects the woman's rights when travelling. It prohibited her from travelling alone without the company of a ‘Mahram’ (either her husband or someone whom she is prohibited to marry i.e. father, son, brother, uncle, etc) for fear of having her falling victim to stalkers or lurkers. The Prophet  said, “No woman shall travel without the company of a Mahram, and no foreign man shall enter upon her unless she is in the company of a Mahram.”[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

 

45.  Islam protects the woman's rights by protecting her body and soul together. It equates her to a precious jewel, the beauty of which no one other than her husband is allowed to enjoy. Hijab has therefore been ordained in Islam to safeguard the woman’s honor, elevate her status and to protect her from the harm of stalkers. Allah Almighty 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.” [Quran 33:59]

 

46.  Islam protects the woman's rights in acquiring Khul’ (a divorce a wife obtains after paying compensation). This can be granted to a wife who cannot tolerate the life with her husband. During the times of the Prophet , the wife of Thaabit bin Qays may Allah be pleased with him came to the Prophet and said, "O Prophet of Allah, I do not blame Thaabit for any defects in his character or his religion, but I cannot endure to live with him." On that Prophet said, "Will you return his garden to him?" She said, "Yes." The Prophet said to her husband, “Accept the garden, and divorce her.” [Al-Bukhari]

 

47.  Islam protects the woman's rights by honoring her character, her descent, her color and her status; and prohibits that she is scorned or despised because of any of these factors (this is applicable to men too). Allah Says (what means): “… let not a people ridicule [another] people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule [other] women; perhaps they may be better than them.”  [Quran 49:11]

 

48.  Islam protects the woman's rights in taking her counsel and respecting her opinion. This is amplified in the tradition of the Prophet when he took the advice of his wife Umm Salamah during Al-Hudaybiyyah treaty, as has been narrated by Al-Bukhari and others.

 

49.  Islam protects the woman's rights in enjoying righteous deeds and forbidding repugnant deeds according to Islamic law. Allah Says (what means): “The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong …”  [Quran 9:71]

 

50.  Islam protects the woman's rights in education and by making it a duty for her to gain knowledge and to have knowledge provided for her. The Prophet  said, “Seeking knowledge is a duty on every Muslim [whether a male or a female]” [Ibn Maajah and others]

 

51.  Islam protects the woman's rights in making her the best enjoyment of the worldly life. The Prophet  said “The worldly life is an enjoyment, and the best enjoyment therein is a righteous wife.” [Muslim]

 

52.  Islam protects the woman's rights in giving her justice and making her an equal partner with Aadam in committing the first mistake and by making Satan the reason behind the temptation to both of them. Allah Says in the Quran (what means):

• “But Satan whispered to them to make apparent to them that which was concealed from them of their private parts. He said, ‘your Lord did not forbid you this tree except that you become angels or become of the immortal…’ ”. [Quran 7:20]
• “…And he swore [by Allah] to them, ‘indeed, I am to you from among the sincere advisors’." [Quran 7:21]
• “…So he made them fall through deception… ". [Quran 7:22]

53.  Islam protects the woman's rights in giving her the right to provide refuge and shelter to Muslims in need. An example of this is what the Prophet had been cited as saying to a woman companion called Umm Haani may Allah be pleased with her:  “We give refuge and shelter to those whom you have given, Umm Haani.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Examples of women's rights Islam – I