Muslim Women: Pathways to Activism
By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam
5 August
2023
Muslim
Khwateen Activism Ki Raheen
By
Dr. Mohiuddin Ghazi
Publisher:
Central Maktaba Islami Publishers, New Delhi
Pages:
168
Price:
150 rupees
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Every
community must involve its entire population in order to advance because women
make up half of the human population. If half the population is unemployed,
development cannot take place in that area, and women today are active
participants in a variety of areas. It is necessary to direct them in the
appropriate way. They ought to be educated about the possible fields of
employment. The book "Muslim Khawaateen Activism Ki Raheen" by Dr.
Mohiuddin Ghazi is an important development in this area.
Syed
Saadatullah Hussaini's foreword to the book is quite in-depth. He says, “Women
have played their roles admirably over the magnificent eras of Islamic history.
Muslim women are valued in every sector now because of the considerable efforts
made in recent years by Islamic movements to restore their role in various
nations of the world. The status of women in Muslim countries and Islamic
communities is currently rapidly changing across the globe. In addition to
playing an active social and inspiring role, women are rising forward to take
on helpful services in many different spheres of life. In some areas, this
number is also raising concerns. This trend is occasionally thought to run
counter to several widely held notions and cultural norms about women and their
place in society. In light of this, it is crucial to clarify an accurate and
impartial Islamic viewpoint... Islam views women as contributing members of
society rather than being segregated from it... In relation to women's social
activities, this book makes an effective attempt to draw connections between
the distant past, recent past, present, and future. I'm hoping that this book
will be very helpful in spreading the true message of Islam among women and
will offer real-world advice to women who are aware of their obligations in the
present.”
The book
under review is organised into 9 chapters.
In this book, the eminent author directly addresses women, which is
contrary to the common style and for good reason. Additionally, he has equipped
them with the guidelines, directions, and a strong sense of inspiration and
drive to keep travelling down these paths.
The author
highlights the peaceful nature of Islam and fair-minded Islamic feminism,
overcoming outdated ideas and highlighting the middle path of Islam between
Western civilization trends and the radical notions which are mistakenly linked
to Islam.
For someone
to perform any meaningful work, their personality needs to grow. He can better
serve the faith as he matures as a person.
In the first chapter of the book, the author told the female characters
about the potential areas for personality development. The author emphasizes
the importance of wives supporting husbands during challenging circumstances
and highlights some women who excelled independently.
The Qur'an
mentions numerous righteous women who performed heroic acts on their own, often
on their own. Queen Saba's decision to embrace Islam led to the nation adopting
Islam. The wife of the pharaoh displayed bravery in facing his cruelties.
Hazrat Musa's mother successfully dropped her baby into the water, while the
sister of Hazrat Musa conducted a challenging operation at the pharaoh's
palace. Hazrat Maryam's mother dedicated her unborn child to Allah. Hazrat
Maryam alone faced the sufferings of her people with patience. (peace be upon
all of them)
The author
advises women to develop as many abilities as they can in areas where they can
demonstrate a desire for worship. This includes the ability to write and speak.
According to the author, women should pursue their own professional
advancement.
In the
second chapter, the author emphasizes that knowledge applies to both men and
women. Women have historically had an advantage in this field, but things
aren't much better now. So, it is crucial for women to advance in sciences.
Statistics show that in the 7th and 8th centuries Hijri, hundreds of women were
experts in hadith. Women taught many eminent hadith scholars, including Imam
Ibn Hajar. The author provides historical examples, introduces Shahda Bint Abu
Nasr, and takes the reader on a tour of Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa's educational
institution.
The third
chapter, "Home, Family, and Neighbourhood," stresses the significance
of a Muslim woman's primary vocation being caring for her home, followed by her
family and her neighbourhood. The author recounts how Hazrat Asma's personality
was balanced while concentrating on a few aspects of her life. She attended the
Prophet's educational and training events, making use of them to raise her
children in the best possible ways, but she also used to be in charge of all
household responsibilities as well as those outside the house. Under the
heading "Great Wives of Great Husbands," he has listed a number of
noteworthy women from the recent past. The author also emphasizes recognizing
the value of our neighbours and maintaining a positive outlook on life,
emphasizing appropriate behaviour towards them.
The breadth
of social work has significantly expanded, as have the opportunities for it, in
the modern era. Muslim women must act independently in the area of social
service under this circumstance. In the fourth chapter, "Advance in the
Field of social service," the author encourages women to engage in a
variety of professions. He provided examples to demonstrate how women have
historically set excellent examples in the legal area, influenced the
government, and received financial support. The best instances of women
performing social work are shown in the article. The author also highlights
Indian women's significant roles in social service in the sub-chapter on
"Tradition of Social Service Among Indian Women."
The author
advised the women that their efforts to raise social consciousness can be more
successful in the fifth chapter of the book, "How Can You Reform
Society." He has provided numerous examples of this. The author also
outlines what we should do in this regard at the same time.
Islam has
liberated women from having to handle finances. There is a misperception that
women may not need to experience financial hardships in such situations. There is no question that a woman's primary
sphere of influence is her home, but that does not imply they do not actively
contribute to society's advancement. The role of wealth generation has grown in
modern times. Men must take the initiative in this, but women must also
participate.
In the
sixth chapter of "You are the Trustee of your wealth," the author
discusses women's livelihood and their roles in modern society. He shares three
instances from the Blessed Sirat: Hazrat Khadija, the best businesswoman,
Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh, the most competent, and Hazrat Ayesha, the
wealth-distributor [may Allah be pleased with them]. Modern civilization's
mixed society presents numerous challenges for women, but there are also
options for work-from-home careers available to them. The author has also
offered his viewpoint on the matter. Additionally, the author provided 8
insightful career pieces of advice.
The author
discusses the shifting political climate in the seventh chapter,
"Recognise your political power," where every vote counts. He has
advised women to understand their political clout. He provided first-century
instances to illustrate how women participated in politics during the Islamic
Golden Age. The author emphasises the necessity for Muslim women to fulfil
their role in writing:
“Women who
are engaged and effective in society can contribute favourably to politics.
They have a lot more opportunities now that the country's political system has
been established. All women have the same rights as men, including the ability
to vote and run for office. Many seats are also reserved for women alone, and
only women are allowed to run for those positions. As in the past, fashion has
changed, and instead of imitating men, women now freely utilise their right to
vote.” (p. 129)
In the
book's eighth chapter, "Don't be left behind in the Support of
Religion," women are given advice on how to stand up for Islam at a
pivotal time. In addition to using Hazrat Khaula as an example of the past, he
informs the reader of the contribution Zainab al-Ghazali has made to the cause
of Islam. He outlines nine necessary steps in this chapter.
What
attitude does the Holy Qur'an have towards women? The author demonstrates this in the ninth
chapter, "Muslim Women in the Holy Qur'an." The Holy Qur'an is
remarkable for its portrayal of a Muslim lady as a powerful figure, despite
being viewed as weak in society. The Muslim woman bravely confronts situations,
organizes risky campaigns, and remains active and steadfast in Allah's cause,
much like believing men. She is active and steadfast in their cause, sometimes
without the help of men and sometimes in the face of opposition. The ideal
situation is where believing men and believing women are prominent in their
mutual cooperation for religious reasons.
This
168-page book explores contemporary issues, neglecting the focus on theology
and jurisprudence. The book should be widely read and discussed in
congregations, with the author effectively expressing his points.
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Kaniz
Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.
URL: https://newageislam.com/books-documents/muslim-women-pathways-activism/d/130386
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