Chapter 13: Women in Islam

"Men are the protectors and maintainer of women, because God 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 God would have them guard". (IV: 34)

The way Islam distributes family responsibilities does not by any means lead to the negation of the woman's character or role in the home and in society at large. Neither does it mean the cancellation of her civil status. It simply defines her role within the family and how it is run. For the family is a very important institution which must be protected and maintained. In any institution, the observance of certain values does not mean the abrogation of the character or the rights of the partners or the workers.

The family is the first institution in human life, in the sense that its effect is felt in every stage of human life. It is within the family that man, the most noble of all creatures, according to the Islamic concept of life, is brought up. The running and administration of much inferior institutions, such as those engaged in financial, industrial and commercial affairs, is normally assigned to those who are most qualified for the job by their education, training and natural abilities. It is only logical that the same role be applied to the family, the institution that looks after the up bringing of the noblest creature in the universe namely man.

The divine code of living takes him and his nature in consideration as well as the natural abilities given to both man and woman to enable them to discharge the duties assigned to each of them. It maintains justice in the distribution of duties, giving each of them only the type of duties to which they are suited.

It is needless to say that both man and woman are the creation of Allah who does not wish to do injustice to anyone He has created. Indeed He gives each of His creatures, the abilities and talents which befit the duties assigned to him or her.

Allah has created human beings as males and females, following the "dual" role, which is central to the system of creation. He has given to woman the great task of child bearing, breast feeding and looking after his children. These are not tasks of the type which may fulfilled without careful preparation, physically, psychologically and mentally. It is only just, therefore, that the other part, i.e. man, should be assigned the task of providing the essential needs and the protection required for the woman to fulfill her highly important duties. She could not be given all those tasks and be still required to work in order to earn her living and look after her children at the same time. It is only fair as well that man should be given the physical, mental and psychological qualities which enable him to fulfill his duties in the same way as the woman is given the duties. All this is part of the reality of human life, because Allah maintains absolute justice among all.

Among the qualities the woman has been given are tenderness, good reaction and instinctive response to the needs of childhood without waiting for much deliberation and reflection. The essential human needs even of a single individual are not left for leisurely reflection and planning. Response to them is made instinctively so that they may be met more or less involuntarily. There is not external compulsion in this. It is the impulsive reaction, which the woman mostly enjoys, despite the fact that it requires sacrifice from her. This is part of Allah's work, which is always perfect.

These are superficial qualities. Indeed, they are implanted in the woman's physical, mental and psychological constitution. Some leading scientists believe that they are present in each cell in the woman's constitution because they are rooted in the first cell, which multiplies to form the fetus and then the child.

On the other hand, among the qualities the man is given are toughness, slow reaction and response as well as proper thought and reflection before action. All his functions, ever since he lived on hunting in the early stages to fighting for the protection of his wife and children to earning his living in any way, requires some deliberation and consideration before taking any decision and implementing it. These qualities are also deeply rooted in the constitution of man.

It is man's qualities, which make him more able and better equipped to take charge of the family. Similarly, his duty of supporting his family as part of the distribution of duties makes him more suitable to be in charge. That is because earning the living of his family and all its members is part of being in charge. Moreover, looking after the finances of the family is closer to his family duties.

These are the two elements which the Qur'an highlights as it states that in an Islamic society, men are required to look after women. It is an assignment of duties on the basis of natural abilities and fair distribution of responsibilities. Each party is assigned the duties to which he or she is most suited to by nature. That man is better equipped to be in charge is part of human nature. He has the proper natural abilities for that role which is essential for the proper progress of human life. It is a simple fact that one party is equipped for this role and assigned the duty to play it while the other is not. Hence, it is totally unfair that the latter should be required in any situation to take up these responsibilities in addition to her own natural duties. If this latter party is given the necessary practical and scientific training to fulfill these duties, her ability to play the other role, i.e. that of motherhood is undermined. That is a role which requires certain abilities of the type mentioned previously such as tenderness, good reaction & immediate response along with the natural physical and mental abilities.

These are very serious questions, which may not be left to human beings to decide at will. When they have been left to human beings to decide, whether in the past or in recent times, the very existence of mankind was threatened and the essential human qualities, which distinguish men from other creatures, was in danger of extinction.

There is plenty of evidence which points out that the rules of human nature force themselves on man even when people deny them altogether. One aspect of that is the decline in the quality of human life and the serious dangers to which it has been exposed whenever this rule which gives man the task and the authority to look after the family has been violated. Such violation leads to confusion within the family, which is bound to have serious repercussions. Another indication is that the woman prefers that man assumes the role of being in charge of the family. Many women experience feelings of worry, dissatisfaction and unhappiness when they live with men who relinquish their role of being in charge for any reason. Even women who try to challenge the man's role readily admit this.

Another example of the social repercussion of this unnatural family situation, where the father does not play his role either because of his weak character which allows the mother to overshadow or control him, or because of his early death or in one-parent families, is that very often the children suffer instability which may lead to mental perversion and behavioral deviation.

Islam thus defines the role of the man and what his being in charge means as well as his duties as one who takes care of his family protects it and earns its living.

The above explanation tries to explain the meaning of the verse (IV: 34), which was referred to at the beginning and in which there is no suggestion of any superiority given to men, except to place responsibilities in its proper perspective according to the natural ability of man, i.e. to protect and maintain the family. Indeed the Prophet has established the complete equality of man and woman in his authentic Hadith, which states; "Women are the sisters of men".

Question:

Equal rights for women. Is it permissible in Islam for women to fight for their rights? Such as freedom of speech, equal job opportunities and equal wages as men, as is done by women in the west?

Answer:

Before we try to answer this question we need to define our terms of reference. We shall, therefore, consider here only the Islamic point of view, because our only concern is to outline and explain queries in the light of Islamic teachings.

But our terms of reference will not be complete unless we know in what society the sort of activities mentioned in the question is meant to take place. Are we talking about an Islamic society, which makes clear its commitment to the implementation of Islamic teachings? Or do we want to know the Islamic ruling with regard to such activities being undertaken by Muslim women in a society, which does not implement Islam? If we mean the latter, then we need also to know whether Muslims in that society form the majority of the population or they are only a minority. The answer will inevitably differ according to circumstances.

If we are talking about a society, which is committed to the implementation of Islam, then the question does not arise. To start with in an Islamic society, women enjoy the right of free speech in the same manner as men. It is true that Islam views the role of women as looking after the future generation, which means looking after her home and children. That however does not deprive her of her right to participate in the affairs of the community and voice her opinion with freedom and immunity from persecution. We have many examples of women's participation in the affairs of the community at the time of the Prophet and the rightly guided Caliphs, which was the period when Islam was implemented to perfection. No one ever objected to a woman speaking freely and even criticizing the Caliph himself. It is needless to say that any one who wants to avail him of the right of free speech must speak in a responsible manner. It is not possible for any one, man or woman to stand up and demand the abrogation of Islamic law. If anyone does that, he or she is actually demanding that the Islamic State be dismantled. No system on earth allows that.

As for jobs and equal opportunities and pay, women in an Islamic society do not need them. According to Islam, it is the man who is responsible for looking after women in his family. They need not go out to work in order to earn their living. Nor does a single woman need to go out to work and save a part of her salary in order to get married. A woman is entitled by right to be looked after by her husband or her father. If she has no close relative to provide her with a decent living, the Islamic State ensures that she gets that.

Someone may suggest that a family with only one wage earner is bound to remain poor. In modern times, both husband and wife need to work in order to improve their standard of living. The argument is not valid because it imposes a western economic and social setup on an Islamic society. The two are incompatible. Moreover, if women feel that they do not need to work in order to earn their living and the overwhelming majority of them stay at home to look after their children, there will be fewer people to share the available jobs. This is bound to push wages up and allow everyone to earn a little more. In such a system, you will not find the long queues of unemployed people waiting for their chance at job centers as we see everywhere in Western Europe and America. That happens there because women are forced to work in order to live. In an Islamic society they are looked after by their folk, spared the need to work and consequently, devote their full time to bringing up their children.

This is not to say that no woman works in a Muslim society. Islam does not forbid a woman to work. Every society needs some women workers who do certain jobs for which they are more suited than men. Moreover, every society needs women teachers, doctors and nurses. In rural areas, women work on the family farm alongside the men. Islam allows that and insists that a woman who works should be paid a fair salary. What she earns belongs totally to her and she is free to dispose of it in the way she likes, provided that she does not use it for a sinful purpose.

As I have said earlier, the problem of competing for jobs with men an demanding equal pay and opportunities does not arise in an Islamic social setup. A woman who works must be paid a fair salary according to the job she does. There is nothing to stop her from filling a top position if she is qualified for it. But she does not have to work in the first place.

The question is totally different when we talk about a non- Islamic system. If the majority of the population is Muslims then they should work for the implementation of Islam. They must allow themselves to be preoccupied with issues of secondary importance. It is true that in many societies where women have to work in order to live, they only get lower grade jobs and receive even lower salaries than men doing the same jobs. That problem, however, has nothing to do with Islam. It only happens in societies, which adopt other systems. Its solution, therefore, must be sought somewhere else, not within the Islamic system. If Muslims allow themselves to be preoccupied with the solution of such problems, their efforts are simply wasted and they have only meagre returns for them. Even if they achieve all what they ask for, other problems will remain and more efforts are needed to find solutions for them. Moreover, experience has shown that it is not enough to promulgate a legislation, which insists on equal opportunities, and equal pay for men and women. Old practices continue and woman is forced to accept lower salaries because they need the money. The proper thing to do in any Muslim country, which does not implement Islam, is to concentrate all efforts on the single objective of a total transformation of that society to an Islamic society. It is only through such a transformation those social problem takes the ones mentioned in the question are solved.

If, on the other hand, we are talking about a society with only a Muslim minority, then there is little hope in the circumstances now prevailing in the world as a whole, for that minority to persuade the non-Muslim majority to adopt Islam. Even in the most unlikely case of the majority accepting the Islamic system, they cannot be properly implemented. People who believe in it can only implement Islam. The Muslim majority, however, should always try to explain Islam to others and call on them to become Muslims. On the other hand, they have to work for the betterment of their own situation within the prevailing system. In such a situation, any efforts, which aim at providing justice to all, is justified.

Question:

Every time that a reward from Allah is mentioned for a particular action. It is described as being given to man. What is the reward for women then, and what is in Heaven for woman?

Answer:

That the Qur'an uses the masculine reference when it speaks of Allah's reward to believers is a requirement of the Arabic language. This is indeed the case in many languages. The Qur'an makes it clear that the same reward is given to men and women for the same actions, Allah states in the Qur'an;

"A person, whether male or female, who do good works while at the same time he is a true believer shall be given good life by Us, and We will give them their reward according to their best actions". (****)

Indeed one should read all references to reward in the hereafter that occur in the masculine as equally applicable to the feminine. The Prophet says, "women are the sister of men". This denotes total equality between the two sexes, except where differences are necessitated by their physical differences and their different roles.

When we speak about the life to come we must bear in mind that whatever we may do, we cannot formulate a "true to life" picture of what things will be like there. How does the resurrection take place? The answer is that we do not know. We believe in the resurrection as an essential part of our faith. We have accepted the message of the Prophet Muhammad as the final, correct and truthful message from Allah for human beings. To believe in the resurrection is a basic requirement of believing in Islam. Hence, we accept it without question. The Prophet in this resurrection tells us that women who will be admitted into heaven will be made to look in their best form, full of life and vigor, as they were in their prime of life. How will women regain that form after having lived sixty, seventy or even ninety years? The answer is we do not know. We believe in it because we believe that Allah has the power to accomplish anything he wills.

We must also bear in mind the Hadith which describes the luxuries which true believers will enjoy in heaven as follows: "In it (i.e. in heaven) there are things that no eye has ever beheld, and which no ear has ever heard, and the thought of which no human mind has ever entertained".

It is true that in the Quranic description of heaven, the presence of young, pretty woman is mentioned. But it is not to be contemplated for a second that there will compete with the believer's wives over their husbands. Wives wanting to have their husbands of this life all to them themselves in heaven are a feeling that is understandable. They will certainly have them if they so please, i.e. if both husband and wives are included among those whom Allah will bless with admission into heaven. It is perfectly legitimate for a believer to pray Allah to give him or her in the hereafter the same marriage partner they have had in this life.

Question:

Answer:

This question raises one of the real problems which effect many Muslim countries. Inflation has badly aggravated the economic difficulties prevailing in several countries, particularly where it continues to rise unchecked and wages do not rise in similar proportions. A head of a family who has been earning enough to ensure a decent standard of living for his family a few years ago, has helplessly watched his income dwindle in real terms to the extent that he is unable to meet the basic needs of his wife and children. His wife, who has been fulfilling the most important role of looking after their children, has gradually come to the conclusion that she must go out to work in order to bring home some extra income. This state of affairs plays havoc with the lives of people. It does not effect a single family or a small section of society it effects all. Most important, it effects the poor who soon find themselves in a desperate situation, unable to earn enough to feed their children. It may be suggested, as an alternative that women should economize as hard as they can rather than go out to work. In many cases the choice does not exist. First of all we are assuming that employment is available for woman who ant to work and they can have it if they want it. We are also assuming that most, if not all, women are in situations that allow them to work. I realize that this does not apply in many cases. Some women cannot find work even if they most eagerly want it, while others cannot go out to work because they have to look after their young children. A woman may decide that unless she goes out to work, her family will sink further and further down the social ladder. For many people this is not easy to accept if it can at all be prevented.

The ideal solution is that in which a country provides a well considered economic policy which tries to make use of all its resources and to make use of the talents and skill of all the people in its society so as to increase the productivity of the country and make basic commodities available in abundance and cheap. This is by no means an idealistic solution, but a possible one. Unfortunately governments are rarely willing to consider it, because it takes a great deal of effort to implement the right policies but when requires great sacrifices by the people themselves.

The Islamic system if implemented is geared to reduce the maldistribution of wealth wherever it exists. When Islam is the way of life in a country, the communities will son benefit by its implementation in ensuring that there will be no section of society, which endures standard of living below the line of subsistence. If there is such a section in a particular society, then that society does not implement Islam properly. When Islam has been implemented for a longer period, it ensures a decent standard of living for all. When Islam is implemented over a wide area, i.e. in a number of countries, its benefits will be apparent to all. If all humanity were to fulfill the Islamic way of life. It will enjoy a high standard of living and poverty will be nonexistent. That is because Islam ensures a fair distribution of wealth through Allah dictated law of Inheritance and the distribution of the poor due or Zakat.

However, in the present world, we have real problems, as the question put forward exemplifies. Women who must go out to work in order to help with the finances of the family, and who have to endure certain social pressures, which force them to abandon certain Islamic practices. The appearances of certain working women is perhaps one of the most immediate problems that working women have to face. It is important for us to realize that social pressures can be very hard on women. Especially when a woman is desperate to work in order to help her family and when she is told that she has to work in uniform or appear in a certain way which does not observe Islamic standards, she finds herself in an unenviable situation.

The pressure may be too hard. Once again I say that it is the responsibility of governments to ensure that those women of their population who want to work can do so observing Islamic values. Many a government does not do so. The responsibility remains that of the individual. It is not possible for any human being to tell a woman in such a situation that she is allowed to forego her Islamic dress. No human being can change a requirement made by Islam because Islamic requirements have the authority of Allah. We must state to individuals, men and women that "no creature may be obeyed in what constitutes disobedience to Allah". Therefore, if the employer of a Muslim woman requires her to dress like a western woman, she should not obey him. It is indeed wrong, for the employer to make such a request. Those women who succumb to the pressure should always seek Allah's forgiveness. They are counseled to maintain their Islamic duties in the same way as good Muslim women throughout the world. Let them remember the Quranic verse, which tells every Muslim:

"Be God fearing as much as you can". (****).

This means that when circumstances force a Muslim to be in breach of Islamic standards and values, he should try his best to limit his breach to the narrowest possible area and the shortest possible time. In practical terms, such a woman should first of all, try to find alternative work where she can observe Islamic standards without any pressure. Secondly, if she cannot find such alternative employment, she should consider leaving work altogether. However, if she cannot, because she has children to feed and there is no other wage earner in the family, or if she is in singularly difficult circumstances, she should declare her objection to being forced to violate Islamic values. Moreover, the fact that she has to dress in a certain fashion at her place of work should not give her a license to maintain that violation elsewhere. In other words, she should confine the requirements of work to her workplace. If she is obliged to dress in a certain fashion while working, once she finishes her work, she should wear her Islamic dress. She must not carry the violation home or to the rest of her social life.

If a woman wants to travel abroad to work, she must also observe Islamic standards and requirements. For example, Islam requires that she does not stay in a foreign place alone. Therefore, when a Muslim woman wants to go to work abroad, she must be accompanied by her husband or a close relative whom she may not marry. If she certain that she can do this, then there is no objection in her to travel abroad to work.

Question:

1) Women's appearance & dress.

Answer:

Islam has stipulated certain requirements which apply to a woman's appearance. The Qur'an states:

"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display beauty and ornaments except what (most ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, fathers, their husband's father, their sons, their husband's sons their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's sons, or their women, or their slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex, and that they should not strike their feet in order to draw attention to their hidden ornaments". (XXIV : 31).

The above explains that a woman must cover all her body with the exception of her face and her forearms. If she goes out in public revealing more than this she is in breach of Islamic teachings and as such, she is liable to be punished by Allah for so doing. Indeed, if Allah forgives her, then her punishment is waived.

In certain societies, especially when Muslims are in a minority, women may find the fulfillment of these requirements very difficult. They come to scholars with all sorts of justification. A scholar cannot change an Islamic order or amend a ruling made by the Prophet. He will only say what he has learned of the Islamic view and tell these women that they should maintain Islamic standards as far as they can.

With regards to women's dress. When Islam requires women not to reveal any part of their body, apart from their faces and their forearms. The Hadith of the Prophet, which states that ASMAA, substantiates this, the Prophet's sister-in-law once entered the home wearing a dress made of transparent material. The Prophet said to her "Asmaa, when a woman attains puberty, nothing should be seen of her body except this and this (pointing to face and forearms)". This also clearly indicates that it is not at all obligatory for a Muslim woman to cover her face. Islam also requires women not to wear eye-catching dress. Nor is it permissible for a Muslim woman to wear clothes, which are distinctive of unbelieving women. Moreover, if a dress is transparent, it violates the requirement of Islam.

When a woman complies with these requirements and makes sure that her dress is neither transparent nor too revealing, nor too tight, nor an imitation of the dress of non-believers, then Islam approves it. It does not matter whether it is in the form of an Arab ABAYAH or robe like garments in some other form. In many rural areas of the Muslim world, women go out to the field to work. They cannot wear an ABAYAH because it interferes with their work. Never-the less, they wear their traditional dress which is acceptable to Islam. In some areas, women wear a knee length dress and wear underneath it a pair of trousers, which cover their legs down to their ankles. If they cover their heads with a scarf, that dress is perfectly Islamic. Other forms and styles also meet Islamic requirements, as in the Indo-Pakistan sub-continent and the Far East. Rigidity is alien to Islamic spirit.

Question:

2) On short hair. Is it forbidden in Islam?

Answer:

There is a very important rule in Islamic law which states that: "EVERYTHING IS PERMISSIBLE UNLESS PRONOUNCED OTHERWISE" In other words, when you say that something is forbidden, you must support your statement with evidence from the Qur'an or the Sunnah. When you say that something is permissible, or Halal, you need only say that there is nothing in the Qur'an or the sunnah to suggest otherwise. This puts the onus on the person who claims that a certain practice is restricted to prove his point with supporting evidence. To the best of my knowledge there is no supporting evidence that Muslim women may not keep their hair short and there is certainly no Quranic verse, which even hints that long hair is preferable.

The point is that the way a woman wears her hair is part of her general appearance. Islam encourages women to appear in a pleasant way in front of their husbands. If a woman's husband prefers short hair and she cuts her hair to please him, she commits no sin.

If a woman goes out in public without covering her head, she violates Islamic teachings, regardless of the length of her hair. Of course she remains a Muslim if she believes in the Oneness of Allah and the message of the Prophet.

Question:

3) On covering women's faces. Is it necessary?

Answer:

The requirement that Muslim women should cover their faces when they appear in public, is a question, which is often asked. I cannot support this view with any evidence from the Qur'an or the Hadith because it is not correct. Indeed the evidence against it is preponderant. Muslim women are required to dress modestly when they appear in public and cover their heads and all their bodies with the exception of their faces and forearms. I have stated this repeatedly in the past. Important as the question of how Muslim women appear in public is, it remains a matter of detail. Our efforts should be concentrated on the more substantive subject of how to ensure a return to Islam in those countries which have not been implementing Islamic principles.

The need is to regain our Islamic character and this has a different method from that of insisting on all women to cover their faces and that to without a supporting evidence from the Qur'an or the Sunnah.

Question:

4) Long hair; bathing and ablution. Is it necessary to undo long hair?

Answer:

When a woman takes a bath for purification, she need not undo her hair. (Women with long hair normally tie their hair in plaits or in a knot at the back of their necks) What she should do is to pour water three times over her head, rubbing it in between so that she wets the skin of her head. She then washes the rest of her body. Umm Salamah, a woman asked him whether she should undo her plaits when she has a bath for purification. He answered "it is sufficient for you to pour on it water with your hand three times, before you pour water over the rest of your body. When you have done that, you have removed the state of ceremonial impurity". (Related by Muslim, Ahmed and Tirmithi). Aisha, another wife said "I used to wash myself with the Prophet from the same container doing nothing more than pour water three times over my head". (Related Ahmed and Muslim).

Somebody may suggest that in this age, when water is available in plenty in every home (in any case not true for many third world countries) and all women have hair dryers, undoing her hair does not represent much of a problem to any woman. This is a false argument. When Allah makes things easy, it is not open to anyone to make them difficult. When you consider that, in our time, many young mothers go out to work, and they have to attend to their children and prepare them for school before they leave, you realize the importance of having this concession. If such a woman would have to undo her hair for purification, that will represent considerable difficulties for her. Then the current approach to concession is to utilize them, thanking Allah for providing them. We should always remember the Hadith, which tells us that; "Allah loves that people make use of His concessions, as much as He loves that they muster strength to do hard duties".

Question:

5) Travel restrictions on women and why?

Answer:

It is suggested by some women, that since restriction to travelling alone by women is not mentioned in the Qur'an, this means that women are free to travel wherever and whenever she wishes.

In this those women are partly right. There is nothing in the Qur'an to suggest that women cannot travel alone or that they should not drive cars. May I suggest, however, that it is also not mentioned in the Qur'an that we should pray five times a day. We are only commanded in the Qur'an to attend regularly to our prayers. The number of times we should pray every day, and how we should pray and the time range for each prayer and the number of raka'ahs included in each, and what part of our prayer is obligatory and what is voluntary are all matters that have no mention in the Qur'an. Never-the-less, every Muslim the world over and in all generations know that we must pray five times each day, within a specific time range for each prayer and our five prayers include 17 obligatory raka'ahs and some voluntary ones. Moreover, there is no disagreement among Muslims on the form our prayer should take or what should be included in it as a matter of duty. If anyone denies any part of these facts, he runs the risk of being considered a disbeliever, because he is denying something of Islam, which is essentially known, to all people. The same can be said about numerous other aspects of the faith of Islam. Only a few regulations about pilgrimage are mentioned in the Qur'an, but there is little difference among scholars on what parts of pilgrimage are essential for the completion of this important duty.

What I am driving at is to emphasize that it is not necessary that something is specially mentioned in the Qur'an for it to be obligatory to all Muslims. We have a general rule clearly tated in the Qur'an, which tells us that we must obey the Prophet whatever he commands us. Allah says:

"So take what the apostle assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you". (LIX: 7)

This Quranic verse illustrates that the Prophet's orders have Allah's support. This is only right because, in whatever relates to the religion of Islam, the Prophet only conveys to us Allah's revelations. Again in the Qur'an Allah tells us, referring to the Prophet;

"Your companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (Aught) of (his own) desire. It is no less than Inspiration sent down to him; He was taught by one mighty in power". (LIII: 2 - 5)

Therefore, what should be understood, is that Islamic orders can be given by the Prophet, and all Muslims must abide by them?

Islam requires every Muslim woman not to travel alone for any distance exceeding that which may be covered over one night without being accompanied by her husband or a close relative to whom she may not be married, such as her father, uncle, son, brother, nephews, etc. This is a question of making sure that a travelling woman has the care and protection, which she may need on her journey. However, in modern day travel, if a woman is leaving her home country, being accompanied to the airport by a close relative of hers, and flying to another where her husband or a similarly close relative awaits her arrival, then it is hoped that such a mode of travel is permissible. The Prophet has told all Muslim women not to travel alone, because Islam takes good care of women. When a woman finds herself in a foreign country, on her own, she may be vulnerable to a variety of risks. Having her husband or a male companion who is a close relative by her side will ensure her safety and protection.

Question:

6) Women in congregation: Husband and wife praying together?

Answer:

If two women are praying in congregation together, the woman leading the prayer stand a little ahead of the other who must stand to the right of the Imam. However, if the congregation is composed of one man and one woman, whether she is his wife or his sister or any relation to him, she stands behind him, not to his right. If the congregation is composed of two men and one woman, the Imam stands in the front and the other man a little behind and to his right, while the woman stands behind them.

If the congregation is composed of one man, one boy and one woman in addition to the imam, the Imam stands in front and the other man to his right and the boy to his left while the woman stand behind. If the man and the boy stand to the Imam's right that is acceptable. If they stand in a row behind him, the arrangement is appropriate, if the prayer is voluntary, but in obligatory prayer the matter is debatable. However, the woman stands behind them in all situations. If the congregation has several men, boys and women, the front row is for the men who are followed by the boys then by the women.

It is strongly discouraged for a woman to stand in a congregational prayer in the same row as men. However, her prayer is not rendered invalid, nor is that of those who stand behind her. It is important for her, however, to observe the rules of propriety in congregation as I have just outlined.

Question:

7) Women attending funeral:

Answer:

In Muslim countries, women do not join the funeral procession. They stay at home in order to console the relatives of the deceased for their loss and to help with any arrangements that may be needed. That is not to say that women are not allowed to attend funerals or to join the prayer for the deceased. That prayer is obligatory on the community, not on the individual. What this means is that the community as a whole has the collective duty of seeing to it that prayer for the deceased is offered. If any number of individuals within the community offer that prayer, the others are relieved of that duty. If none offer the prayer for the deceased, the whole community incurs a sin. So, if women do not join the prayer when it is offered, they incur no sin. They are certainly allowed to join it. We need only to remember that all Muslims, men, women and children, offered the prayer for the Prophet (PBUH) when he passed away, what the companions of the Prophet did is certainly permissible.

What we understand from all this is that it is permissible for a woman to attend a funeral and join the prayers for the deceased, provided that she is dressed in an Islamically acceptable manner. She may look at the body of the deceased person, although that is neither required nor desired. Moreover, a Muslim woman is allowed to attend the funeral of a non-Muslim relative or friend. She has only to observe the rules of decorum as outlined by Islam.

Question:

8) On shaking hands with men.

Answer:

The basis of any ruling in Islam must be a statement in the Qur'an or the Sunnah. In this matter we only have a Hadith reported by Aisha, the Prophet's wife, in connection with the Prophet's acceptance of pledges of loyalty from women. Men with a handshake gave such pledges. Aisha tells us, however, that it was sufficient for women to declare their pledges verbally. She says "Allah's messenger never put his hand in a woman's hand at all, unless she be his wife or a relative whom he could not marry". As you realize, there is no clear cut prohibition in Aisha's statement. It simply indicates what the Prophet used to do. It suggests very clearly, however, that it is much better to avoid such handshaking, since the Prophet made a point to avoid it he. Since no clear prohibition is made, then we cannot say that for a man to shake hands with a woman is forbidden, but refraining from it is certainly preferable.

Question:

9) Segregation and seclusion of women.

Answer:

The question of segregation of women and its practice in some Muslim countries is very often asked. Seclusion of women in the society is also referred to.

I am not exactly certain what is meant by women being kept is seclusion. If by it we mean that women are kept at home all the time, this is hardly true anywhere in the Muslim world. They certainly move within women's circles, visiting their friends and relatives and receiving visitors.

As for complete segregation, leaving women to have their own gatherings away from those of men, much of this is social tradition. What is forbidden in Islam is for one man to be alone in an enclosed area with one woman to whom he may be legally married. That includes his or her first cousins. In order to remove this prohibition, at least another woman, who may preferably be one of his relatives to whom he may not be married, such as his mother or sister, should join them. As for the presence of many men and women in a social gathering or in a lecture hall or a meeting hall this is permissible in Islam, provided that women should wear proper Islamic dress which covers their heads and all their bodies with the exception of their faces and the lower part of their hands. What Islam does not like and does not approve of is the sort of intimate mixing which is allowed in other societies, where married couples move separately and each having his men and women interlocutors in complete disregard of Islamic standards of propriety.

Moreover, in a congregational prayer, men and women do not stand in the same row.

The fact that there is different Muslim country with some of them being much stricter than others, with regard to are is mixed gatherings. I would like to say that the proper Islamic method is somewhere in between the liberal and the strict attitudes. It is the middle way, which meets peoples, needs and provides proper limitations to prevent excesses. Both the strict and the liberal communities have gone away from the Islamic middle road and their movement is based mostly on social traditions rather than Islamic teachings.

Question:

10) Prayers and women's makeup and presence of alcohol in perfume.

Answer:

What seems to be the point of issue is the fact that alcohol may be an ingredient of some of the substance used in woman's makeup? It is well known that intoxicants, all of which are alcoholic drinks, are described as impure. The question is whether such impurity is imported to other substances in which alcohol is an ingredient.

To answer, I would like to point out that the weightier opinion is that the impurity of alcohol is not physical. In other words, if alcohol is dropped on someone's clothes and then it dries up the person concerned need not wash his clothes to remove the impurity. He may use them in prayer without having to wash them first.

Hence, if a man or a woman uses perfume or after-shave or an anti-deodorant spray or any similar substance which includes alcohol, they need not worry about offering their prayer in the normal way just on account of having used such substances.

In matters of using make-up, Islamic rulings appear to take count of the fact that women need to use such substances more than men do. For example, it is not possible for a man to offer prayers, if he has used saffron over any part of his body. There is no such restriction on women. A man, however, may use saffron over his clothes and offer his prayers. The Prophet used to do that, because saffron gives clothe a better appearance.

If a woman wants to go to the mosque to offer her prayers, she may not go wearing perfume, unless the smell has disappeared. This restriction is not made on account of the substance of perfume itself, but on the basis of the fact that its smell may attract attention to her. If she is praying at home alone or with a group of Muslim women, she may offer her prayer without removing her make-up first, with the exception of nail polish which must be removed prior to ablution for prayer. If she removes some of her make-up, which stands out as particularly noticeable, such as lipstick, this is preferable according to some scholars.

Question:

Is it appropriate for a Muslim woman to adopt her husband's family name, in the same way as Western women do?

Answer:

The adoption by a woman of her husband's family name then she marries him is a token of her being subordinate to him. Historically speaking, a woman was in a position of total subordination to her husband. In Islam, she suffers nothing of the sort. She retains her own family name because she is allowed to act independently of him. If divorce takes place, she returns to her own family. In Western countries, even after divorce, she continues to be known by her husband's family name. This is strange indeed.

Question:

Answer:

What amazes me is that people are quick to pronounce something as forbidden, for the slightest deviation from what is practiced in their community. Describing something as forbidden is a very serious matter, since the authority to forbid anything belongs to Allah. A well-known passage in the Qur'an which makes a detailed list of what is forbidden to us begins with a statement;

"Say; come and I will tell you what your Lord has forbidden you..."

This statement is highly significant as it attributes the authority to forbid anything to Allah alone. It is a universal rule in Islamic jurisprudence that "everything is permissible unless pronounced otherwise". This means that we need to have a statement in the Qur'an or in the Hadith which describes something as forbidden before we call it so. That is the proper way to implement this rule and show proper respect to the divine authority of legislation.

There is nothing in the Qur'an or in the Hadith to make the valima, or the party given by the bridegroom after his wedding, conditional on the consummation of the marriage. The valima is given as part of the publicity of the marriage, which is essential. That publicity is concerned only with the fact that a certain man has married a certain woman. That is the only important point to publicize. Therefore, the timing of the valima is relevant only to the enforcement of the marriage contract, which takes place at the wedding. Islam does not concern itself with the physical aspect of the marriage, and its consummation. Indeed, to publicize the consummation of the marriage does not fit with Islamic standards of propriety. There are feelings of the bride to consider. The notion you have mentioned is alien to Islamic values. To make the valima forbidden unless related to the actual consummation is indeed absurd.