http://www.islamfortoday.com/afghanistanwomen1.htm
Islam means the submission of humankind to the will of God, not
the submission of women to the will of men.
"Treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your
partners and committed helpers."
From the last sermon of Prophet Mohammed
"None but a noble man treats women in an
honorable manner. And none but an ignoble treats women
disgracefully".
Prophet Mohammed
(At-Tirmithy).
According to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, the Prophet
is reported
to have said:
If
a daughter is born to a person and he brings her up, gives her a
good education and trains her in the arts of life, I shall
myself stand between him and hell-fire.
(Kanz
al-Ummal).
quoted in Women in Islam by M. Mazheruddin Siddiqi
How
praiseworthy are the women of Ansar that their modesty does not
prevent them from attempts at learning and the acquisition of
knowledge.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al Tahrat).
A
person who has a female slave in charge and takes steps to give
her a sound education and trains her in arts and culture, and
then frees her and marries her, he will be doubly rewarded.
(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Nikah).
Some Muslim callers preach a false and ugly version of Islam and
then complain because people do not accept it. I think that
those ignorant preachers should be imprisoned or lashed because
they divert people from the way of Allah and the truth that
Muhammad, the final Messenger, declared.
Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazaly.
Muslims who advance conservative views on female affairs...are
normally very literal in their understanding of texts; but they
tendentiously opt for an understanding that suits their
prejudice.
Dr Hassan Al-Turabi
http://www.islamfortoday.com/womens_rights_references.htm
A Collection of References from the Quran and
Hadeeth
about the Rights of Women guaranteed by Islam
Spiritual Equality of Women and Men
Allah has got ready forgiveness and tremendous rewards for the
Muslim men and women; the believing men and women; the devout
men and women; the truthful men and women; the patiently
suffering men and women; the humble men and women; the
almsgiving men and women; the fasting men and women, the men and
women who guard their chastity; and the men and women who are
exceedingly mindful of Allah. (Al-Ahzab 33:35)
Attitudes towards women
O ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against
their will. Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may
take away part of the dower ye have given them,-except where
they have been guilty of open lewdness; on the contrary live
with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a
dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and Allah
brings about through it a great deal of good. (An-Nisa 4:19)
Collaboration and consultation
The believing men and women, are associates and helpers of each
other. They (collaborate) to promote all that is beneficial and
discourage all that is evil; to establish prayers and give alms,
and to obey Allah and his Messenger. Those are the people whom
Allah would grant mercy. Indeed Allah is Mighty and Wise. (Al-Taubah
9:71)
Examples of Consensual Decision Making
If both spouses decide, by mutual consent and consultation, on
weaning [their baby], there is no blame on either. If you want
to have your babies breastfed by a foster mother you are not
doing anything blame-worthy provided you pay to the fostermother
what you had agreed to offer, in accordance with the established
manner. Fear Allah and know that Allah is aware it what you are
doing". (Al-Baqarah, 2:233)
Women's Right to Attend Mosques
Narrated Ibn Umar: The Prophet (p.b.u.h) said, "Allow women to
go to the Mosques at night." (Bukhari Volume 2, Book 13, Number
22)
Narrated Ibn Umar: One of the wives of Umar (bin Al-Khattab)
used to offer the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayer in congregation in
the Mosque. She was asked why she had come out for the prayer as
she knew that Umar disliked it, and he has great ghaira
(self-respect). She replied, "What prevents him from stopping me
from this act?" The other replied, "The statement of Allah's
Apostle (p.b.u.h) : 'Do not stop Allah's women-slave from going
to Allah s Mosques' prevents him." (Bukhari Volume 2, Book 13,
Number 23)
Ibn
'Umar reported: Grant permission to women for going to the
mosque in the night. His son who was called Waqid said: Then
they would make mischief. He (the narrator) said: He thumped his
(son's) chest and said: I am narrating to you the hadith of the
Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and you say: No! (Sahih
Muslim Book 004, Number 0890)
Ibn
Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him)
said: Do not deprive women of their share of the mosques, when
they seek permission from you. Bilal said: By Allah, we would
certainly prevent them. 'Abdullah said: I say that the Messenger
of Allah (may peace be upon him) said it and you say: We would
certainly prevent them! (Sahih Muslim Book 004, Number 0891)
Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that Atika
bint Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl, the wife of Umar ibn al-Khattab,
used to ask Umar ibn al-Khattab for permission to go to the
mosque. He would keep silent, so she would say, "By Allah, I
will go out, unless you forbid me," and he would not forbid her.
(Sunan Abu Dawud Book 14, Number 14.5.14)
The
Common Performance of Ablutions
Narrated Ibn Umar: "It used to be that men and women would
perform ablutions together in the time of the Messenger of
Allah's assembly." (Bukhari: 1: Ch. 45, Book of Ablution)
Women's Right of Proposal
Narrated Sahl: A woman came to the Prophet, and presented
herself to him (for marriage). He said, "I am not in need of
women these days." Then a man said, "O Allah's Apostle! Marry
her to me." The Prophet asked him, "What have you got?" He said,
"I have got nothing." The Prophet said, "Give her something,
even an iron ring." He said, "I have got nothing." The Prophet
asked (him), "How much of the Quran do you know (by heart)?" He
said, "So much and so much." The Prophet said, "I have married
her to you for what you know of the Quran." (Bukhari Volume 7,
Book 62, Number 72)
Women's Right of Permission
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "A matron should not be
given in marriage except after consulting her; and a virgin
should not be given in marriage except after her permission."
The people asked, "O Allah's Apostle! How can we know her
permission?" He said, "Her silence (indicates her permission)."
(Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 67)
Narrated Khansa bint Khidam Al-Ansariya that her father gave her
in marriage when she was a matron and she disliked that
marriage. So she went to Allah's Apostle and he declared that
marriage invalid. (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 69)
The
Right of Women not to be Forced
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas: Barira's husband was a slave called Mughith,
as if I am seeing him now, going behind Barira and weeping with
his tears flowing down his beard. The Prophet said to 'Abbas, "O
'Abbas ! are you not astonished at the love of Mughith for
Barira and the hatred of Barira for Mughith?" The Prophet then
said to Barira, "Why don't you return to him?" She said, "O
Allah's Apostle! Do you order me to do so?" He said, "No, I only
intercede for him." She said, "I am not in need of him." (Bukhari:
Volume 7, Book 63, Number 206)
Asserting Women's Rights
Ibn Al-Jauzi narrated the virtues and merits of Umar bin Al-Khattab
(Allah bless him) in the following words: Umar forbade the
people from paying excessive dowries and addressed them saying:
"Don't fix the dowries for women over forty ounces. If ever that
is exceeded I shall deposit the excess amount in the public
treasury". As he descended from the pulpit, a flat-nosed lady
stood up from among the women audience, and said: "It is not
within your right". Umar asked: "Why should this not be of my
right?" she replied: "Because Allah has proclaimed: 'even if you
had given one of them (wives) a whole treasure for dowry take
not the least bit back. Would you take it by false claim and a
manifest sin'". (Al Nisa, 20). When he heard this, Umar said:
"The woman is right and the man (Umar) is wrong. It seems that
all people have deeper insight and wisdom than Umar". Then he
returned to the pulpit and declared: "O people, I had restricted
the giving of more than four hundred dirhams in dowry. Whosoever
of you wishes to give in dowry as much as he likes and finds
satisfaction in so doing may do so". quoted in: "On
the Position and Role of Women in Islam and Islamic Society"
Seeking advice and comfort
Narrated 'Aisha (the mother of the faithful believers): ... Then
Allah's Apostle returned with the Inspiration and with his heart
beating severely. Then he went to Khadija bint Khuwailid and
said, "Cover me! Cover me!" They covered him till his fear was
over and after that he told her everything that had happened and
said, "I fear that something may happen to me." Khadija replied,
"Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good
relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the
destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving
calamity-afflicted ones." Khadija then accompanied him to her
cousin Waraqa bin Naufal bin Asad bin 'Abdul 'Uzza ... (Bukhari
Volume 1, Book 1, Number 3)
The
Characteristics of a Believing Man
Narrated AbuHurayrah: Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said: a believing
man should not hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her
characteristics, he will be pleased with another. (Muslim Book
8, Number 3469)
The
Education of Women
Narrated Abu Said: A woman came to Allah's Apostle and said, "O
Allah's Apostle! Men (only) benefit by your teachings, so please
devote to us from (some of) your time, a day on which we may
come to you so that you may teach us of what Allah has taught
you." Allah's Apostle said, "Gather on such-and-such a day at
such-and-such a place." They gathered and Allah's Apostle came
to them and taught them of what Allah had taught him. (Bukhari
Volume 9, Book 92, Number 413)
On
the Treatment of Women
Narrated Mu'awiyah al-Qushayri: I went to the Apostle of Allah (pbuh)
and asked him: "What do you say (command) about our wives?" He
replied: "Give them food what you have for yourself, and clothe
them by which you clothe yourself, and do not beat them, and do
not revile them." (Sunan Abu Dawud: Book 11, Number 2139) "The
best of you is one who is best towards his family and I am best
towards the family". (At-Tirmithy). "None but a noble man treats
women in an honourable manner. And none but an ignoble treats
women disgracefully". (At-Tirmithy).
A
Husband must keep the Privacy of his Wife
Narrated AbuSa'id al-Khudri: Allah's Messenger (peace_be_upon_him)
said: The most wicked among the people in the eye of Allah on
the Day of Judgement is the man who goes to his wife and she
comes to him, and then he divulges her secret. (Muslim Book 8,
Number 3369)
A
Husband's Attitude
'Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) said that a man came to his house to
complain about his wife. On reaching the door of his house, he
hears 'Umar's wife shouting at him and reviling him. Seeing
this, he was about to go back, thinking that 'Umar himself was
in the same position and, therefore, could hardly suggest any
solution for his problem. 'Umar (RA) saw the man turn back, so
he called him and enquired about the purpose of his visit. He
said that he had come with a complaint against his wife, but
turned back on seeing the Caliph in the same position. 'Umar
(RA) told him that he tolerated the excesses of his wife for she
had certain rights against him. He said, "Is it not true that
she prepares food for me, washes clothes for me and suckles my
children, thus saving me the expense of employing a cook, a
washerman and a nurse, though she is not legally obliged in any
way to do any of these things? Besides, I enjoy peace of mind
because of her and am kept away from indecent acts on account of
her. I therefore tolerate all her excesses on account of these
benefits. It is right that you should also adopt the same
attitude." quoted in Rahman, Role of Muslim Women page 149
The
Prophet's Disapproval of Women Beaters
Patient behavior was the practice of the Prophet, even when his
wife dared to address him harshly. Once his mother-in-law- saw
her daughter strike him with her fist on his noble chest. When
the enraged mother -in-law began to reproach her daughter, the
Prophet smilingly said, "Leave her alone; they do worse than
that." And once Abu Bakr, his father-in-law, was invited to
settle some misunderstanding between him and Aishah. The Prophet
said to her, "Will you speak, or shall I speak?" Aisha said,
"You speak, but do not say except the truth." Abu Bakr was so
outraged that he immediately struck her severely, forcing her to
run and seek protection behind the back of the Prophet. Abu Bakr
said, "O you the enemy of herself! Does the Messenger of Allah
say but the truth?" The Prophet said, "O Abu Bakr, we did not
invite you for this [harsh dealing with Aishah], nor did we
anticipate it." quoted in: Mutual Rights and Obligations
And
Allah (swt) knows best.
Source:
http://www.maryams.net