~AKHIRAH~

What is it like to be a woman in Islam? A Muslimah? Daughter, sister, wife, mother? A born in? A convert? Well, that would certainly all depend on who you ask. Women have many different experiences of Islam, due to great variance in our individual personalities, our family life, our communities, our cultures, our histories, our education. We are of all races and all nations.

So, to me, an even more important question may be--what can it be like to be a woman in Islam? What are the possiblities, the opportunities? What are the guidelines for exploring and experiencing these? How can we help each other to be our best, do our best and give our best for the love of Allah (swt)?

What we are told and shown by Western mainstream media certainly does not represent our variety of experience and the wealth of possibility open to us. We are pitied as oppressed, and condemned for participating in our own oppression. We are told that in order to be strong and free, we must uncover our hair and our bodies. We are encouraged to be more concerned with pleasing ourselves and those who would like to have a look at us than with pleasing our God and those who truly care about our welfare.

Some people want so much for us to be liberated from our oppression that they are willing to oppress (and sometimes even kill) us to do it. Thus you will find different laws in different places restricting women from wearing hijab, niqab, burqa. You will find businesses refusing to serve Islamically covered women. You will find workplaces and sports rulemakers that don't allow it for employees and participants. We are constantly told how backward and offensive it is. Some of our sisters are even raped and imprisoned for covering in this way. We are denied our freedom so as to...ensure our freedom? We are forced out of it by some so that others can't force us into it?

Don't be fooled~ And the Unbelievers said to their messengers: "Be sure we shall drive you out of our land, or you shall return to our religion." (Qur'an 14:13) ~even if that religion is irreligion. What they want is for us to give up our religion and be like them. If we are not, they feel threatened, and anything that makes them feel threatened becomes a target in their War on Terror, no matter how non-violent an expression of faith it is. So what are we to do?

Then We put you on the (right) Way of Religion: so follow you that (Way), and follow not the desires of those who know not. (Qur'an 45:18)

Those are the Quranic texts that instruct us as to how we are to dress and why and with what attitude we are to conduct ourselves around others. It seems fairly straightforward, especially when we also consider the Hadith that tells us:

Abu Dawood narrates that `Aishah (ra) said: "Asmaa' the daughter of Abu Bakr (ra) came to see the Messenger of Allah (saws) wearing a thin dress; so Allah's Messenger (saws) turned away from her and said: O Asmaa', once a woman reaches the age of menstruation, no part of her body should be seen but this-and he pointed to his face and hands.

And yet I see so many differing ideas on how Allah's instructions are to be implemented today--from absolutely everything must be covered, including the hands and face, to nothing specific has to be covered in any particular way, it all depends on the standards of the time and location in which you live.

For myself, as I was reading the Qur'an and taking Shahadah in my heart, I felt a strong desire to start covering. It just felt right. I felt myself wanting to make a lot of changes in my life and I then set out to discover how and what. I already had my why: I wanted to please my Creator. I wanted His approval and favor. I knew that anything He required of me would be of greatest benefit to me and to others and would deprive me of nothing good.

For decisions on how to dress, as well as all other decisions, I try to continue to cultivate that attitude, asking myself: in my choice, am I trying to please myself and other people more or am I trying to please Allah (swt) more? I believe this helps me to search out and accept and follow the best course, and to change course when I realize I have made a mistake and chosen wrongly, or repent when I have chosen selfishly. Humility is part of modesty, and modesty is part of Islam, for men as well as women. For all of us.

It is narrated by 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar that Rasulullah (saws) said: "Modesty and faith exist together. When one of them goes out, the other also goes out."

We will be judged not only on our actions but on our intentions. We need to follow both the spirit and the letter of the law. We are not to overlook or discard one in favor of the other. Surely we would not want Allah (swt) to be able to say about us what he did some in the time of the Prophet (saws):

The desert Arabs say, "We believe." Say, "Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, 'We have submitted our wills to Allah,' For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.".... Say: "What! Will ye instruct Allah about your religion? But Allah knows all that is in the heavens and on earth: He has full knowledge of all things. (Qur'an 49:14, 16)

In all things let us try our best, remembering: "Verily Allah knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth: and Allah Sees well all that ye do."  (Qur'an 49:18)

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As I began trying to dress and live more and more in harmony with my faith, this became one of my favorite places to find Islamic clothing and lifestyle products, so I share it with you:

Click here to visit Al Hannah Islamic Clothing!

In Islam, everyone has rights guaranteed them which should be respected and protected. Husbands and wives have rights due from each other; parents and children have rights due from each other; individuals and communities have rights due from each other; humans and animals have rights due from each other; and Allah (swt) has the greatest rights due from us all.

So, what are a woman's rights and responsibilities?

Here is a link to an article I particularly like on the matter, followed by its opening paragraph~

Women's Position, Role & Rights in Islam

In this paper I argue that the position of women in Islam in theory, that is, according to the Qur'an and Hadiths (tradition) of the Prophet, differs vastly from Islam in practice. It is not the Islamic ideologies that determine the position of women in the Islamic societies, it is rather the pre-Islamic patriarchal ideologies existing in a particular society, combined with the lack of education and ignorance, that construct the Muslim women's position.

~And another one~

Woman in Islam

You've probably noticed  the recent reports of women in Muslim countries being charged and sentenced for sexual crimes, even when they may have been the victims of someone else's sexual crimes. I cannot comment on any individual cases as I certainly do not have any details beyond what is reported in a not altogether unbiased media.

However, I would like to draw attention to the research I have been doing in regard to what extent the laws in Muslim countries are following both the spirit and the letter of Islamic Shari'ah. I am not a scholar or jurist, just an interested person in search of important information.

One of the best finds I have come across in this regard is a very in-depth article:

Her Honor: An Islamic Critique of the Rape Laws of Pakistan from a Woman-Sensitive Perspective  by Asifa Quraishi ((LL.M., Columbia University (1998); J.D., University of California, Davis (1992); B.A., University of California, Berkeley (1988); President, Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights; Member, California Bar.))

Reality of Objections on Hudood Ordinance

by Sadia Rahat, Advocate, Lahore, Pakistan

For quite sometime, Hudood Ordinance and its relative laws have been under discussion in the media. Some secular quarters, organizations for women's freedom and NGOs are aggressively propagating the repeal of these laws which are, strangely, attributed to cruelty, suppression of women's rights and injustice against them. The question arises, whether or not the existing laws relating to illicit sex relationships (which are called Hudood Ordinance), are really contradictory to Divine laws or those practiced by the Prophet (PBUH)? Additionally, what is the importance of the objections raised by NGOs and international organizations and what is the solution that Islam presents about them?

First of all it is necessary to understand that the code of life which Almighty Allah has bestowed upon mankind is comprehensive and complete in all respects. Not only have the guidelines for conducting day to day affairs been provided but even minor details and commands have been clarified in those laws. If Islam gives guidelines for day to day activities like eating, drinking, sleeping, and waking up, how can it be silent on major social issues and punishments on committing crimes?

Secondly, Islam is a complete code of life. To disregard some of the laws and implement the remaining ones is against the spirit of Islam; in fact, it is absolutely forbidden, because in this way, the problems which are of paramount importance under Shari’ah laws, may not be solved.

....(again, to read the rest please click on the title)