By Shaykh ‘Abdul ‘Azeez Ibn
Baaz (d.1420H) (rahimahullaah)[1]
An enlightening piece of advice from the Muftee
of the Ummah, regarding the great status and
rank afforded to women in Islaam. The Shaykh
also adds a personal touch to this reply by
speaking of his own mother and what she did for
him as a child.
The secret of her importance lies in the
tremendous burden and responsibility that is
placed upon her, and the difficulties she has to
shoulder – responsibilities and difficilties
some of which not even a man bears.
The status of the Muslim woman in Islaam is a
very noble and lofty one, and her effect is very
great in the life of every Muslim. Indeed the
Muslim woman is the initial teacher in building
a righteous society, providing she follows the
guidance from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah
of the Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).
Since adherence to the Qur`aan and the Sunnah
distances every Muslim – male or female – from
being misguided in any matter. The misguidance
that the various nations suffer from, and their
being deviated does not come about except by
being far away from the path of Allaah – the
Most Perfect, the Most High – and from what His
Prophets and Messngers - may Allaah’s Peace and
Prayers be upon them all – came with. The
Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:
"I am leaving behind you two matters, you will
not go astray as long as you cling to them both,
the Book of Allaah and my Sunnah." [2]
The great importance of the Muslim woman’s role
– whether as wife, sister, or daughter, and the
rights that are due to her and the rights that
are due from her – have been explained in the
noble Qur`aan, and further detailed of this have
been explained in the purified Sunnah.
The secret of her importance lies in the
tremendous burden and responsibility that is
placed upon her, and the difficulties she has to
shoulder – responsibilities and difficilties
some of which not even a man bears. This is why
from the most important obligations upon a
person is to show gratitude to the mother, and
kindness and good companionship with her. And in
this matter, she is to be given precedence over
and above the father. Allaah the Exalted says:
"And We have enjoined upon man to be good and
dutiful to his parents. His mother bore him in
weakness upon weakness and hardship upon
hardship, and his weaning is in two years. Show
gratitude and thanks to Me and to your parents.
Unto Me is the final destination." [Soorah
Luqmaan 31:14]
Allaah the Exalted said:
"And We have enjoined upon man to be dutiful and
kind to his parents. His mother bears him with
hardship, and she brings him forth with
hardship. And the bearing and weaning of him is
thirty months." [Sooratul Ahqaaf 41:15]
A man came to the Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and said: "O
Messenger of Allaah! Who from amongst mankind
warrents the best companionship from me?" He
replied:
"Your mother."
The man asked, "Then who?" So he replied:
"Your mother."
The man then asked, "Then who?" So the Prophet
replied again:
"Your mother."
Then the man asked, "Then who?" So he replied:
"Your father." [3]
So this necessitates that the mother is given
three times the likes of kindness and good
treatment than the father.
As regards the wife, then her status and her
effect in making the soul tranquil and serene
has been clearly shown in the noble aayah
(statement of Allaah), in His – the Exalted –
saying:
"And from His signs is this: That He created for
you wives amongst yourselves, so that you may
find serentiy and tranquility in them. And He
placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed
in this are signs for those who reflect."
[Sooratur Room 30:21]
Al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer (d.774H) – rahimahullaah
– said whilst explaining the terms muwaddah and
rahmah which occur in the above aayah:
"Al-muwaddah means love and affection and
ar-rahmah means compassion and pity – since a
man takes a woman either due to his love for
her, or because of compassion and pity for her;
by giving to her a child from himself…" [4]
And the unique stance that the Prophet’s
(sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) wife Khadeejah –
radiyallaahu ‘anhaa – took, had a huge effect in
calming and reassuring the Messenger of Allaah
(sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), when the angel
Jibreel (‘alayhis salaam) first came to the cave
of Hiraa. So the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa
sallam) returned to Khadeejah (radiyallaahu
‘anhaa) with the first Revelation and with his
heart beating and trembling severely, and he
said to her:
"Cover me! Cover me!"
So she covered him until his fear was over,
after which he told Khadeejah (radiyallaahu
‘anhaa) everything that happened and said:
"I fear that something may happen to me."
So she said to him:
"Never! By Allaah! Allaah will never disgrace
you. You keep good ties with the relations, you
help the poor and the destitute, you serve your
guests generously and assist those who have been
afflicted with calamities." [5]
And do not forget about ‘Aa`ishah (radiyallaahu
‘anhaa) and her great effect. Since even the
great Companions used to take the knowledge of
Hadeeth from her, and many of the Sahaabiyaat
(female Companions) learned the various rulings
pertaining to women’s issues from her.
And I have no doubt that my mother – may Allaah
shower His mercy upon her – had a tremendous
effect upon me, in encouraging me to study; and
she assisted me in it. May Allaah greatly
increase her reward and reward her with the best
of rewards for what she did for me.
And there is no doubt also, that the house in
which there is kindness, gentleness, love and
care, along with the correct Islaamic tarbiyah
(education and cultivation) will greatly effect
the man. So he will become – if Allaah wills –
successful in his affairs and in any matter –
whether it be seeking knowledge, trading,
earning a living, or other than this. So it is
Allaah alone that I ask to grant success and to
guide us all to that which He loves and is
pleased with. And may the Prayers and Peace of
Allaah be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his
Family, his Companions and his followers.
Footnotes:
[1] He is the exemplary Scholar: Abu ‘Abdullaah,
‘Abdul ‘Azeez Ibn ‘Abdullaah Ibn Baaz. He was
born in the city of Riyaadh (Saudi Arabia) on
the 12th of Dhul-Hijjah in the year 1330H. He
began seeking knowledge by first memorizing the
Qur`aan before reaching the age of puberty.
After this, He began to study noble sciences
such as ‘Aqeedah (beliefs), Fiqh (Islaamic
Jurisprudence), Hadeeth (Prophetic Narrations),
Usoolul-Fiqh (fundamentals of jurisprudence),
Faraa`id (Laws of inheritance), Nahw (Grammar)
and Sarf (morphology) – even though the Shaykh
became permanently blind at the age of nineteen.
He studied these sciences under some of the most
prominent scholars of Riyaadh and Makkah of his
time, including Shaykh Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdul
Lateef Ibn ‘Abdur Rahmaan Ibn Hasan and also the
former Grand Muftee and noble scholar, Shaykh
Muhammad Ibn Ibraaheem – whom he studied under
for ten years. He lived to be eighty-nine years
old, he was mild, generous and forbearing in
nature, yet firm, whilst wise while speaking the
truth. He was a zaahid (one who abstains) with
respect to this world and he was one of the
foremost scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah
in his age. The noble Shaykh – by Allaah’s grace
– devoted his whole life to Islaam and it’s
people, authoring many books and booklets,
teaching and serving the masses, along with
being very active in the field of Da’wah. May
Allaah forgive our noble father and Shaykh.
This article was a response to a particular
question concerning the position and status of
Muslim women and has been taken from his
Majmoo’ul Fataawaa wa Maqaalaatil Mutanawwi`ah
(3/348-350).
[2] Hasan: Related by Maalik in al-Muwattaa
(2/899) and al-Haakim (1/93), from Ibn ‘Abbaas
(radiyallaahu ‘anhu). It was authenticated by
Shaykh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no. 1871).
[3] Related by al-Bukhaaree (no. 5971) and
Muslim (7/2), from Abu Hurayrah (radiyallaahu
‘anhu).
[4] Tafseer Qur`aanil A’dtheem (3/439) of
al-Haafidh Ibn Katheer.
[5] Related by al-Bukhaaree (1/22) and Muslim
(1/139), from the lengthy narration of ‘Aa`ishah
(radiyallaahu ‘anhaa).
