Throughout history, many women have been oppressed and have suffered injustices. Religion, culture, norms, have been used as excuses, throughout history, and almost all over the world. As a consequence, now that opportunity presents itself, again, they demand their rights.
Is it correct? Or is it an inevitable evil consequence of the oppression perpetrated by society in general, and by men in particular.
Will the feminist movement secure due rights for women, or will it liberate them from their privileged place that Allah has decreed for them in the family unit?
Perhaps, we need to revisit history, to identify the original enemy, and then explore ways forward.
In the first paragraph, I write ‘now that opportunity presents itself, again, they demand their rights’. The Quran, Surah an-Naml, informs us of the Queen of Saba, the ruler of a mighty nation, who had been given from everything. She had a mighty throne, and they worshipped the Sun! … when she finally sees the mighty kingdom of Allah’s servant Solomon, she realises that she had been wronging herself, and submits to the one and only deity, Allah.
Surah an-Naml (The Ant) also mentions the Valley of Ants, and its Queen Ant, who is afraid of Solomon’s forces, and is warning her workers to take shelter while Solomon’s troops are passing through her valley, lest they are trampled upon by the marching army.
Ant colonies are fascinating examples of meticulous organisation and the buildings they construct. They are ruled by a female ant.
The nation of Saba is an example of high technology in the ancient world. The dam of Saba is a mighty engineering feat that finds its mention in The Quran ( Surah Saba), and its ruins testify to it. They were ruled by their Queen.
Women have ruled in the past and do so in the present, and have been quite successful at it. Women have participated in many sciences and arts, and have held many diverse posts in many a organisations, and have proved to be no less than their male counterparts.
The scriptures inform us that Allah created Adam especially for the Khilafat of this world, due to a special need. Through Adam, He revealed to the angels that He knows what they were hiding, and also exposed Iblis’ arrogance and enmity to Adam and his family.
Iblis is the sworn enemy of mankind. He wants to destroy each and every one, old and young, male and female, all of us. The best way to do it is by destroying the family unit.
Allah has placed the responsibility of the covenant, the khilafat, the establishment of justice, the containment of corruption, the financial, economic, and moral responsibility of the family unit, and the society, upon men, making them heads of their families. They work, earn the bread, rule, each one according to what Allah has bestowed upon him, and made him responsible for. Their bodies are biologically suited to consistently perform throughout their adult lives.
Women have been given the responsibility of guarding their wombs. They are committed helpmates of their husbands. They should be loved and cherished.
Through the wombs of women, Allah increases the progeny of Adam. Their specialised role in the family unit also makes the women vulnerable to internal and external threats. They are in danger. They need to be protected and guarded.
Iblis is the sworn enemy of Adam and his progeny. He, and his troops (humans and jinns), exploit the weaknesses, desires, ambitions, of humans to make them harm the human family.
Feminist movement is one such tool. Playing upon the sense of injustice and perceived inequality, he convinces many a people to change the basic roles and responsibilities, and grant women their ‘rights, and public role in society’. Women playing a more active public role requires abandoning or reducing many traditional roles, such as the number of pregnancies, and the children they raise. This directly harms the family of Adam, by limiting the number of descendants of Adam. Allah has promised to provide for each and every creation. According to estimates, there is enough in this world to feed current and projected population for the next fifty years. There is no need to depopulate humans. We must grant each potential person a right to be realised, and to live its life. Life is sacrosanct!
Moreover, though there do exist few examples of women who have successfully lived their private and public roles, there are many examples of women finding themselves adversely affected by the ‘liberties’ granted to them. Some have to earn the bread, and take care of the home; some have to choose between family and career; some have to compromise moral principles; and some are simply exposed and unprotected from all the dangers.
Humans can put in place all the laws to protect women, all the organisations to uphold their rights, yet they remain vulnerable to the dangers they are exposed to in the public domain.
On the contrary, many women who remain in the private domain of their homes find themselves deprived of their rights by their own family members. Some suffer financially, others emotionally.
Which is better: suffering the injustices at home, or exposing yourself to the dangers pervading society?
Our Deen ( Laws of Recompense in the hereafter) requires no change in the creation of Allah (Q30:30). The family unit is a creation of Allah. He has appointed roles and responsibilities for men and women. He has informed us that some of us are our enemies, and has promised great rewards for those who endure with patience.
Do we choose living in the shelter of our families, with our wings clipped; or do we choose ‘liberty’ and fly away?
Is the success of this temporary world our objective, or the eternal success of the hereafter?
Do we choose to please Allah, or do we choose to please our nafs?
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Addressing some of the Feedback received
MY wrote on April 14, 2022: If all women were meant to stay at home and give birth, infertility wouldn't exist.
This just sounds like hiding behind religion to excuse laziness.
Reply on April 17, 2022: I’m trying to address the macro view of the Feminist movement and it’s evil consequences for the human family. It’s about the danger we are in, and what’s measures need to be taken to protect the human family, lest we suffer.
It’s not simply about increasing the population. Many ancient non-Muslim nations were very numerous, yet not one of them exists today. In the present world, India and China are examples of densely populated predominantly non-Muslim nations. On the contrary, the Western countries who pursued secular ideals, are facing the irreversible crisis of an ageing population, and very few young people. They expect to become minorities in their own countries in the near future.
Abraham was childless till old age. Yet, Allah not only granted him Ishmael and Isaac, but made their progeny flourish. The Middle East is densely populated by many people who can trace their ancestry to Abraham.
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SY wrote on April 14, 2022: i think the argument is too dichotomous. Its either go out and work or stay at home and build family/take care of home. In the real world there is a lot of grey area, especially if you look at the diaspora of women affected by broken homes, abandonment etc. We have examples among our own relatives of women who are widowed or divorced who have to live on charity because they were never given the basic right of being able to earn an income of their own and be able to help themselves. Its great to say that the men of a family are supposed to protect, cherish and take care of their women, but realistically, how many men actually do that?
Reply on April 17, 2022: Good observation. Yes, there are multiple problems being faced by many individuals and families. We need to remember that this world is a place of trial and enmity. The Quran doesn’t say we won’t have problems, but it advises us how to handle the challenges. There is detailed guidance on social issues.
For example, Surah an-Nisa (The Women) guides men in the matter of becoming guardians of orphans, even allowing marriages with their widowed mothers, if necessary (read Q4:3 & Q4:127 together).
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UY wrote on April 14, 2022: There’s no supporting evidence in the Quran, or in the article, that women shouldn’t work or should stay at home. It only says that they aren’t liable to pay the bills and can use their funds at their discretion
Reply on April 17, 2022:
1) owning wealth, and working to earn are two different things
2) working to earn becomes a necessity for some; that’s different from the Feminist movement which rebels to break all shackles, and intends to redefine the roles and responsibilities
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YS wrote on April 14, 2022: Hazrat Khadija was a successful business woman
Reply on April 17, 2022: She lived in polytheistic Makkah, and she was the first woman to embrace Islam. Later on, in the Muslim State of Medina, we read in Q33:28 onwards the guidance for the Prophet’s wives. Q33:33-34 tells them to:
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33 وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ ۖ وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification. |
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34 وَاذْكُرْنَ مَا يُتْلَىٰ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفًا خَبِيرًا And remember what is recited in your houses of the verses of Allah and wisdom. Indeed, Allah is ever Subtle and Acquainted [with all things] |
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MY wrote on April 14, 2022: Your blog is proof that some women aren't fulfilled as just homemakers, they want to be doing something else too :p
Reply on April 17, 2022: Alhamdolillah, passively sharing online the insights Allah has blessed me with.
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Last updated on: April 17, 2022
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