Islam recognizes, holds women in high esteem – lmam Ma’rooph
Zainab Tanimu
Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria
In Islam a woman is a completely independent personality. She has rights just as the man does. She can make any contract or bequest in her own name.
NASFAT Zonal Missioner Kaduna, Imam Ma’rooph Muhammed Raji delivering his lecture titled, “Women in Islam”, during a sermon, had emphasized the place and roles of the Muslim woman as ordained by Allah.
The Muslim woman, the erudite scholar explained has rights same way the man does.
The lmam tried to clear the misconceptions by many who believe that lslam has relegated women to the background, not seen as important as their male counterparts.
“Praise be to Allah I praise Allah with endless praise.
“In lslam a person’s gender does not make him or her greater than others before Allah.” He said.
Asking the following rhetoric questions to drive home his point.
“How does Islam view women? What rights does it assign women? Does it allow women to go to school, learn? Does it allow women to work? Does it allow a woman to attain a leadership position? What role does it accord a woman in the family, in a nation, in Islam?
“Islam gives women inheritance rights, which were denied to them before Prophet Muhammad (saw). It makes it compulsory for parents to educate and train their female children just as they educate and train their male children. In Islam, a woman can acquire as much education as she needs or desires.
Quoting from the Quran.
“We want to say emphatically that Islam considers women as humans and important servants of Allah as men.
“In Islam, a man does not get a higher reward than a woman. A man is not considered greater than women. Both will earn rewards for their good deeds, and both will be called to account or punished for their wrongdoings.
“Piety and righteousness determines greatness before Allah.
The lmam emphasized.
“On the Day of Judgement, men and women will enter the same Paradise or the same hell. In matters of religion, men and women. are equal before Allah.
Allah says in Quran 16 verse 97 that
“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.
“And Allah says in Al-Qur’an 4 verse 124: If any do deeds of righteousness, be they male or female and have faith, they will enter Heaven, and not the least injustice will be done to them.
Emphatically, he said.
“Islam strongly frowns at men who hate female children or quarrel with their wives for giving birth to female children.
“The Qur’an also tells us that those who bury their female children out of shame or for fear of poverty will have a case before Allah on the Last Day.
“Islam does not consider a male child superior to a female child. It only makes a male the leader of a family because of the financial burden that it places on him and the physical strength Allah endows him with, not because he is a male.
Allah says in Al-Qur’an 16 verse 58-59:
“When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief!
“With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on?
Allah says in Al-Qur’an 81 verse 8-9:
“When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned – For what crime she was killed;
“And fear the Day when ye shall be brought back to Allah. Then shall every soul be paid what it earned, and none shall be dealt with unjustly. (Q2:281
Hāfiz Ibrahim said in his poem,
“Servant of Allah: Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition. Q16:90
The scholar acknowledging the fact that Allah has endowed the men with certain leadership qualities called on the need to protect and be patient with their women in order to gain the pleasure of Allah.
“And Allah says in Al-Qur’an 4 verse 3
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband’s) absence what Allah would have them guard.
“Allah admonishes women to be of good conducts for that is best in the sight of Allah.
“As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill -conduct, admonish them (first), (Next), refuse to share their beds, (And last) beat them (lightly); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them Means (of annoyance): For Allah is Most High, great (above you all).
On the issue of whether Islam allows a woman to attain leadership position?
lslam, the Zonal Missioner explained does not in any way prevent the Muslim woman from aspiring to greater heights on the basis of her gender as being misconstrued by some individuals.
He cited the just concluded NASFAT 2024 Ogun Women Biannial conference with the theme, “Strengthening Women Leadership Through Empowerment and Islamic Value where Muslim women gathered to chart way forward as an example.
The conference which brought together NASFAT women from across the states provided a fora for cross – fertilization of ideas on not only how to chart way forward on women related issues but that of national development.
“I want to mention here that more Muslim women are needed in professions such as law, medicine, lecturing, gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, the police, the military, etc. I want to urge Muslim philanthropists, parents and Muslim organizations to prioritize women education and empowerment. The lmam said.
