By
Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam
28 August
2021
Terrorists
Have Nothing To Do With Shari’ah In Implementation Of Women's Right In The
Society
Main
Points:
1. It is
Islamic terrorism and militancy that has become the source of the fall of
Islam, Prophetic traditions, Quran and Islamic ethics.
2. Before the
advent of terrorism and militancy, Islam was revered with its due respect and
acceptability among all who matter.
3. Terrorists’
inhuman acts, their beheading mentality, their hypocritical behaviour, and
their resurgences that precede their psyche is the mirror of their personality.
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Terrorists’
Brutal Psyche
Terrorists’
inhuman acts, their beheading mentality, their hypocritical behaviour, and
their resurgences that precede their psyche is the mirror of their personality.
They have been demeaning Islam through their acts of brutality and inhuman
behaviour with the people under their control. The Internet world is full of
stories of their heinous crimes against humanity. They have shot and beheaded
men and women with such an air of ease that it has a frightening effect on the
minds of the beholders.
There has
to be a reason behind every act good or bad of a human being. Most of the
condemning acts are the reaction of past happenings. The world has witnessed
terrorists from almost all the nooks and corners of the world. The terrorists
belong to both developed and underdeveloped countries, rich and poor and
educated to illiterate persons. The similarities that they may be carrying is
that they all belong to Islam and have a killing instinct for the sake of their
psychic hatred instinct that is seen only in wild animals.
Militancy
and terrorism have ruined almost two generations of Muslims all over the world.
The
downfall of Islamic Essence
It is
Islamic terrorism and militancy that has become the source of the fall of
Islam, Prophetic traditions, Quran and Islamic ethics. Before the advent of
terrorism and militancy, Islam was revered with its due respect and
acceptability among all who matter. World-renowned religious scholars, exegesis
of the religious epics, philosophers of different schools had high regard for
the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad Pbuh. Scholarly books and research papers
were written on all the aspects of Islam and its implications in human life.
All upheld the human rights bestowed by Islam during its primitive years, upon
the men, women and children, in great esteem. Various human rights
organisations complimented the Islamic essence of rights for women in
furthering their advocacy of human rights in western countries.
Shari‘ah law, according to Muslim jurists, fulfils the criteria of
justice and legitimacy and binds governed and governor alike.
(Photo courtesy: Boston Review, A Political and Literary Forum)
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Islam
and Women Empowerment
Islam has
been put to test of all the socially accepted angels, especially regarding
women empowerment and human rights by its adversaries. Islam has been accused of suppression of
women rights of education, free will, free speech and marriage. Triple Talaq
has always been a sore point that has been exploited by the Islam bashers for
their social benefit.
Islam is
the most modern of all the world religions has since its advent been mindful of
the human rights of all in general and women, children and destitute in
particular. World human rights organisations have based their basics on the
teachings of Islam towards women. The verse - 35 of Surah Al-Ahzab - Indeed,
the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the
obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the
patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable
men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard
their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah
often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a
great reward. - is a universal
example of equality bestowed upon women viz a viz their men counterparts. Allah
the Most Gracious mentioned women along with men with all those adjectives that
are used for men.
Islam till
date won all the religious and spiritual tests conducted on its essence and
ethics by world civilisations with flying colours but now it is on the verge of
getting defamed and denounced by the Islamic terrorists’ and the militant’s
hypocrisy that they have practised in its name.
Women
and Shari’ah
Shari’ah is
Islam's legal system. As far as Muslim women are concerned, Shari’ah is
governed under the umbrella of the Holy Quran, Sunnah and the Prophetic
traditions along with Ijma (consensus) and Qiyas (analogy). Seventh-century Arabia, called the age of
Jahiliya, bestowed upon women all the rights a human being could talk of.
Before this women were treated as property with no freedom of speech and choice
in the matters of marriage and divorce. Prophets Muhammad Pbuh fought for women
rights Allah the Most Gracious commanded to him through the Qur’anic verses revealed
to solve the problems of the time. Muslim women got the right to inherit
property centuries before their European counterparts could do.
There are
various verses in the Holy Quran and there are various Prophetic traditions to
support women’s rights bestowed upon them by Allah the Almighty and the life
and sayings of Prophet Muhammad Pbuh is an automatically accepted norm towards
granting basic human rights to women under the Islamic law.
The
first-generation Muslim women served the community in diverse roles ranging
from medicine to wars. Islamic history has a mention of Rudaida Al-Aslamia
as a surgeon. Prophet Muhammad Pbuh has recognised her services for her care of
the wounded soldiers, the establishment of war-field hospitals and the training
of nurses. We find another woman, Nusaybah bint Ka'ab who is known as ‘Prophet’s
Shield'. She defended Prophet Muhammad Pbuh on the battlefield when many
men fled.
Consider
the following verses from the Holy Quran and Prophetic traditions that
highlight women right under Sharia bestowed upon them since the first chapter
of the advent of Islam.
Quranic
Verses on the Women Rights Accorded by Allah
And for
women are rights over men similar to those of men over women. (2:226)
Enter
into Paradise, you and your wives, with delight. (43:70)
Who so
does that which is right, and believes, whether male or female, him or her will
We quicken to happy life. (16:97)
Whoever
does good deed, - male or female- and he is believer, he will enter Heaven, and
not the least injustice will be done to him. (Qur’an 4:124)
The
woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication, - flog each of them with a
hundred stripes -
(Qur’an 24:2)
O
mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person,
created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds)
countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through whom you demand your mutual
(rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over
you. (4:1)
Prophetic
Traditions on Importance and Rights of Women
According
to the following Hadees narrated by Mu'awiyah bin Jahima al-Sulami and reported
by Imam ibn Hanbal son’s heaven is under the feet of their mothers:
Al-Sulami went to the Prophet Muhammad and
said, "O Messenger of Allah, I desire to go on the military expedition and
I have come to consult you." The Prophet responded by asking, "Do you
have a mother?" Al-Sulami replied, "Yes." The Prophet told him,
"Stay with her because paradise lies beneath her feet."
`A’isha said: the Messenger of Allah (Pbuh)
never struck a servant or a woman. - (Sunan Abu Dawood, 4786 / Book 43)
'A'isha
reported that Saudah bint Zam'ah went out one night. 'Umar saw her and
recognized her and said, "By God, O Saudah, why do you not hide yourself
from us?" She went back to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and told him
about it while he was having supper in her room, and he said, "It is
permitted by Allah for you to go out for your needs."
Prophet
Muhammad Pbuh preached kindness towards women to stop every kind of cruelties,
if any, to women, He addressed Muslims in his last address on the Mount of
Mercy at Arafat as follows:
"Fear Allah regarding women. Verily you
have married them with the trust of Allah and made their bodies lawful with the
word of Allah. You have got (rights) over them, and they have got (rights) over
you in respect of their food and clothing according to your means."
Prophet
Muhammad (SAW) has lived all his life according to the guidance of the Holy
Quran. His sayings and acts are a part of Sharia, the Islamic law. Prophet
Muhammad (SAW)'s traditions and his good behaviour ('Husn e Sulook’ حسن
سلوک)
towards women are perfect examples of the importance of women in Islam.
Terrorists
have nothing to do with Shari’ah in the implementation of women right in
society otherwise women in their domain would not have been brutally beheaded
and shot for no fault of theirs, because of the rights given to them through
Shari’ah law.
Muslims all
over the world has been a witness to the downfall of the Islamic essence and
the ethics of Islamic spiritualism that has guided the Sufis and saints, Rishis
and Munis developing the universal social environment. Muslims have braved the
unethical behaviour of their fellow beings because of the hatred generated by
the militancy and terrorism in the name of establishing Sharī’ah rule.
Had the
terrorists adhered to the Shariah law, they would never have disrespected their
modesty never had prohibited them from taking part in the upbringing of the
society and never had questioned their ability in the field of education. But
it is crystal clear that terrorist mentality is not what they show but it is
what they do not show, that is a nature of hypocrisy, hate and a supremacist
attitude.
In the
super-advanced age of the 21st century, the stories coming out of Afghanistan
is a shame for the whole of humanity. The state in which women in
Afghanistan, Pakistan and all
terror-stricken countries should be enough for the human world to hang its head
in shame. The humane world’s accusations and blames on each other is of no use
either to the world’s humane ethics or the survivors of terror brutalities. If
the civilized world will not come to the rescue of the brothers and sisters in
humanity today, then when.
Terrorist
and militant organisations should also study the following to help them
understand the righteous path of Islam.
“All this
talk about jihad, that’s not what the Quran says!” - (Sheikh Mohammad Akram
Nadwi, Islamic scholar)
“I know of
no other religion in which women were so central in its formative history” - (Sheikh
Mohammad Akram Nadwi, Islamic scholar)
Islam has a
tradition of protecting the rights of women and children. Islam has specific
provisions which define the rights of women in areas such as marriage, divorce,
and property rights. The Taliban's version of Islam is not supported by the
world's Muslims. Although the Taliban claimed that it was acting in the best
interests of women, the truth is that the Taliban regime cruelly reduced women
and girls to poverty, worsened their health, and deprived them of their right
to an education, and many times the right to practice their religion. The
Taliban is out of step with the Muslim world and with Islam.
(Report
on the Taliban's War against Women - Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human
Rights and Labour/ November 17, 2001)
The fate of
women in Afghanistan is infamous and intolerable. The Burqa that imprisons them
is a cloth prison, but it is above all a moral prison. The torture imposed on
little girls who dare to show their ankles or their polished nails is
appalling. It is unacceptable and insupportable. -- King Mohammed VI of
Morocco
And
Allah Knows the Best.
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Arman
Neyazi is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/muslim-women-shariah-terrorists-militants/d/125293