And Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

We said to Adam: ‘Take residence in Paradise: both you and your Spouse, and eat the fruits thereof freely wherever you wish and go not near that tree else you become wrongdoers. (Surah al-Baqara, 2:35). 

It puts the pronouns in the dual form.

It also says:

"Then Shaitan made a suggestion to them (both)." (Surah al-A’raf, 7:20-21).  

The Qur’an has narrated the story of Paradise, but it says nowhere that the Devil or the Serpent misled Hawa and Hawa misled Adam. It neither blames Hawa nor exonerates her. (Mutahheri, 1982).

And Allah says in the Qur’an:

“He made your mate from among you." (Surah an-Nisa, Surah Ali Imran and Surah Rum).  

Creation

Unlike some other religious books, there is no mention in the Qur’an that woman has been created of some inferior material, or that she has any parasitic and leftist aspect. Islam does not support the notion of the people who suppose that the spouse of Adam was created of his left ribs. Islam has no contemptuous view of woman in regard to her nature and innate character. (Mutahheri, 1982).  

Another Contemptuous Theory

There is another contemptuous theory, which has been evident in the past, and has left some undesirable traces in the world literature today.

According to it:
ã  Woman is the cause of all sins. 
ã       Her very existence stimulates evil. 
ã       Woman is a little devil. 
ã       It is said that women have had a hand in every sin and every offence committed by man. 
ã       Men themselves are free from sin; 
ã       It is the women who drag them to it. [sin]
ã       It is also said that the Devil cannot have direct access to men.
ã       It is through women that he lures them. 
ã       He prompts woman with wicked suggestions, 
ã       And woman in turn prompts man. 
ã       Adam was thrown out of Paradise because of a woman.
ã       The Devil misled Hawa ['a] who misled Adam ['a]. 
ã       Hawa ['a] misled Adam ['a] Unquote.  (Mutahheri, 1982).

It is little wonder that these traces in literature still exist and that mankind has been fed false information from many sources. One example of this is as follows from Najhul Balagha.

Najhul Balagha

Quoting: [Letter] 235. Amirul Momineen ('a)[ is supposed to have said ] said:

“Woman is evil, all in all, and the worst of it is that one cannot do without her.”

The above hadith is based on Biblical teachings, NOT Qur’anic teachings.

Another da’ef hadith, said to be from Sunni sources is as follows.

Sermon 78: After the Battle of  The Camel, Amirul Momineen ('a)[ is supposed to have] said about women:  

“O people! Women are deficient in Faith, deficient in shares and deficient in intelligence. As regards the deficiency in their Faith, it is their abstention from prayers and fasting during their menstrual period. As regards deficiency in their intelligence, it is because the evidence of two women is equal to that of one man. As for the deficiency of their shares, that is because of their share in inheritance being half of men. So, beware of the evils of women. Be on your guard from those of them who are (reportedly) good. Do not obey them even in good things so that they may not attract you to evils.”

Quoting The Commentary from Najhul Balagha:

We may refer to the commentary from Najhul Balagha in regards to the above mentioned hadith which states:

1. Amirul Momineen ('a) delivered this sermon after the devastation created by the Battle of the camel. Since the devastation resulting from the battle was the out-come of blindly following a woman’s command in this sermon, he has described women’s physical defects and their causes and effects. Thus, their first weakness is that for a few days in every month, they have to abstain from prayer and fasting, and this abstention from worship is a proof of their deficiency in Faith. Although the real meaning of Iman (belief) is heart-felt testification and inner conviction, yet metaphorically it also applies to action and character. Since actions are the reflection of Belief, they are also regarded as part of Belief. Thus it is related from Imam Ali bin Musa Riza ('a) that:

“Iman (belief) is testification at heart, admission by the tongue and action by the limbs.”  

The commentary continues to the effect of:

The second weakness is that their intelligence is confined to certain knowledges specific to their roles as women. Therefore, nature has given the power of intelligence only in accordance with the scope of their activities which can guide them is pregnancy, delivery, child nursing, child care and house-hold affairs. Based on this weakness of mind and intelligence their evidence has not been accorded the status of man’s evidence, as Allah (swt) says:

Then call to witness two witness from among your men, and if there not be two men, then (take) a man and two women, of those ye approve of the witnesses, so that should on the two (women) forget the (second) one of the two may remind the other.

The third weakness is that their share in inheritance is half of man’s share in inheritance as the Qur’an says:

God enjoineth you about your issues! The male shall have the equal, of the shares of two females.

This shows women’s weakness because the reason for her share in inheritance being half is that the liability of her maintenance rests on man. When man’s position is that of a maintainer and care-taker, the status of the weaker sex who is in need of maintenance and care-taking, is evident.

After describing their natural weaknesses, Amirul Momineen ('a) points out the mischief of blindly following women and wrongly obeying them. He ('a) says not to say bad things about women, but even if the women recommend some action in regard to good things, it should not be followed. The man should realise that the good act has been performed because of it being good but they should have nothing to do with it. If the women see that their pleasure has been kept in view, they would slowly increase in their demands and would wish that they be obeyed in all matters however evil. The inevitable consequence whereof will be destruction and ruin. 

Prof. Sheikh Mohammad Abdoh writes hsi opinion about this reported view of Amirul Momineen ('a) as under:

“Amirul Momineen ('a) has said a thing which is corroborated by experiences of centuries” (Razi, 1989, p150-151). End Quote.

How The Aforementioned Hadith And Commentary Can Be Addressed

The above hadith and commentary can be addressed by the Qur’an thus:

And Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:  

“Surely, the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts, and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a mighty reward.” (Surah Ahzab: 35)  

“He (Allah) made all of you from one being, and from that being He made its mate. (Surah an-Nisa, 4:1)

Conclusion on Sermon 78 and It’s Sunni Commentary in Najhul Balagha

It is our understanding that Imam Ali ('a) did not make mistakes due to his high station before Allah (swt), therefore the aforementioned Sermon 78 from Najhul Balagha, can possibly be in reference to one woman only, not all women. [Note that some Qu’ran quotes also have not been referenced in Najhul Balagha]

Quoting Ayatullah Fadlullah from Lebanon:

Generally, throughout the world, this way of thinking prevails, that woman plays a lesser role than the man does in the society. The value mentioned for the man is more than that of the women. While, if we refer to the Holy Qur’an we will see that, in this regard, exactly an opposite viewpoint is presented. The Holy Qur’an teaches us that both man and woman are equal in the rewards and punishments. The verses of the Holy Qur’an reveal this fact:

“And whosoever does good deeds whether male or female and he (or she) is a believer- these shall enter the garden…” (Surah an-Nisa:124)

All these reveal this point that both man and woman are equal before Allah (swt) in their deeds. This is to the extent that the Holy Qur’an maintains equal reward or punishment for both of them. In addition, it is not such that more punishment is maintained for a woman that for man. From this Qur’an viewpoint we conclude that Allah’s (swt) interest, attention, compassion and mercy is equal for both man and woman. In Holy Qur’an no weakness is mentioned for the woman. Rather performing an action within one’s ability is mentioned. For example, in the Holy Qur’an for the Muslim women and infidel women in the Holy Qur’an has been cited to be the wife of Nuh ('a) and Lut ('a).

“Allah sets forth an example of those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the Wife of Lut: they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire with those who enter. And Allah sets forth an example of those who believe the wife of Firon when she said: My Lord! Build for me a house with Thee in the garden and deliver me from Firon and his doing, and deliver me from the unjust people: and Maryam, the daughter of Imran, who granted her chastity, so we breathed into her of Our inspiration and she accepted the truth of the words of her Lord and His books, and she was of the obedient ones.” (Surah Tahrim: 10-12)

Faith and Deeds

The Qur’an, in a number of passages, has expressly said that the reward of the Hereafter and the proximity to Allah (swt) are not linked with gender. They depend on faith and deeds, and there is no difference between man and woman in this respect. 

In the Qur’an, side by side with every great and saintly man, a great and saintly woman had been mentioned. It has glorified the wives of Prophet Adam ('a), Prophet Ibrahim ('a), and  the mothers of Prophet Musa ('a) and Prophet Isa ('a). If it has mentioned the wives of Prophet Nuh ('a) , and Prophet Lut ('a) as unworthy of their husbands, it has not ignored the wife of the Pharaoh, and has mentioned her a great woman in the hands of a wicked man. The Qur’an in it’s stories has maintains a sort of balance. It’s heroes are both men and women. (Mutahheri, 1982).

Of those women highly venerated are:

Maryam bint Imran ('a)

And about the mother of Prophet Isa ('a), it says that she had attained such a high spiritual position that the angels used to talk to her while she was worshipping in the Sanctuary. She used to receive eatables from supernatural sources. Her ('a) sublime spiritual position caused bewilderment even to Prophet Zachariah ('a), the prophet of that period (Mutahheri, 1982).

Lady Khadija ('a)

Few men can attain the high position of Khadija ('a), the beloved wife if the Holy Prophet ('s), and no man, except the Holy Prophet ('s) and Imam Ali ('a) can match with Fatimah Zahra ('a), the beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet ('s). She holds a position superior to that of even her sons, who are Imams, and to that of the Prophets, other than the last one.” (Mutahheri, 1982)  

And through the Qur’anic pages we read of these pious women and in authentic ahadith from the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet ('s).

Referring to the birth of the Lady of the Worlds, Lady Fatimah ('a), Lady Khadija ('a) narrates:  

“Tabari in Dhakhaer Al-Ugbi, Asfure Shafae in Nuzhat Al-Majlis and Ganduzi in  Yanabea Al-Mawadeh narrated that Khadija ('a) said:

“When Khadija ('a) was about to deliver, she sent for the Quraishan women to help her give birth to her child. They refused and said: “We will not help you for you became Muhammad’s wife”.

“In the meantime, four women entered the house, their beauty and brilliance can not be described. One of them said:
‘I am your Mother Hawa.’
The second said:
‘I am Asyia bint Muzahim.’
The third said:
‘I am Kultum, Musa’s sister.’
The fourth said:
‘I am Maryam bint Imran, (Isa’s Mother). We have come to deliver your child.’” (Muhawesh, 1990 ).

“And Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an:

They (women) are raiment (comfort, embellishment and protection) for you, and you (men) are raiment for them. (Surah al-Baqara, 2:187)  

Islamic Laws

Had the Qur’an stated that woman was a mere appendage of man, and was created for his sake, that view would certainly have been reflected in the Islamic laws, but the Qur’an has expressed no such view. It does not explain Creation that way. It does not consider woman a mere appendage to man. That is why this view is not reflected in Islamic laws (Mutahheri, 1982).

The book "Kitab al-Ishad"

In the book of Kitab al-Ishad  one can read of most of the wives and children of the families of the Aylul-Bayt ('a) which includes mention of slave wives. The slave wives and male slaves also, despite being freed on many occasions, preferred to stay with the Holy Imams ('a). We are uncertain as to whether some of the children were born of  Temporary Marriages. Imam Ali ('a) while married to Lady Fatimah ('a), was monogamous, as was the Holy Prophet ('s) while married to Lady Khadija ('a).

Lady Fatimah ('a) requested in her will that her husband, Amirul Momineen ('a) re-marry after her passing from this world, which he did.

The Wives of Amirul Momineen Ali ('a)

1.Fatimah bint Muhammad al-Zahra ('a)
2. Khawla bint Ja’far b. Qays al-Hanafi
3. Umm Habib bint Rabi’a
4. Umm al-Banin bint Hizam b. Khalid b. Darim
5. Layla bint Mas’ud al-Darimi
6. Asma bint Umays al-Khath’ami (r.a)
7. Umm Sa’id bint Urwa b. Masu’ud al-Thaqafi

Instruction Concerning the Women

Allah (swt) says in the Qu’ran:

4:127 They ask thy instruction concerning the women. Say: Allah doth instruct you about them: And (remember) what hath been rehearsed unto you in the Book, concerning the orphans of women to whom ye give not the portions prescribed, and yet to whom ye desire to marry, as also concerning the children who are weak and oppressed: that yes stand firm from justice to orphans. There is not a good deed which ye do, but Allah is well-acquainted therewith.

[object removed 8th, October 2002]

76:8 "And they feed, for the love of Allah, the indigent, the orphan, and the captive"

Iraq Today

Noor's father holds the lifeless body of one of his children, 1-25-99.
Photo Credit: Nabil Al-Jorani.
Allah (swt) laws are clearly understood by these extreme examples in Iraq today, where it is necessary for both polygamy and Temporary Marriages to exist in law for the maintaining of the women, the children and the orphans. May Allah (swt) reward those men who have taken on greater responsibility in the sincere understanding of marriages other than monogamous marriages for the right reasons. A simple, but current AIDS test, in less extreme conditions, is advisable for both parties contemplating Temporary Marriage due to the presence of AIDS.

Conclusion

In conclusion, in remembering our very great women in Islamic history, we are reminded that it was Lady Khadija’s ('a) money which financed the launching of Islam with the Holy Prophet ('s), as well as giving birth to, Lady Fatimah ('a). Secondly, Lady Fatimah bint Muhammed ('a)  is the only woman mentioned in the Hadith of the Cloak [Hadith al Kisa] and is the Mother of all the Holy Imams. Lady Zaynab bint Ali ('a) played her role after the Tragedy of Karbala in carrying the message, to the world, of the slaughter of Imam Hussain ibn Ali ('a) and the Aylul-Bayt ('a).

Lady Zaynab ('a) was in a leadership role at the request of her Holy Brother ('a).

The Holy Prophet of Allah ('s) narrates:

One day Fatimah ('a) mentioned the intensity of her daughter's love for Imam Husayn ('a) to the Prophet ('s). He breathed a deep sigh and said with moistened eyes,

"My dear child. This child of mine, Zaynab, would be confronted with a thousand and one calamities and face serious hardships in Karbala."

The Holy Qur’an states:

“And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another; they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. As for these, Allah will have mercy on them. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise".

Quoting Sayed Fadlullah

Both man and woman can succeed to fulfil their responsibility in the society at the time when they possess high knowledge. The Holy Qur’an has emphasized the issue that whoever has a more complete faith his responsibilities become more. This is why in the Divine verses we see this instance that those who have no knowledge and are ignorant certainly no faith will be manifested in them. Therefore, Allah (swt) demands both man and woman to be engaged in teaching and learning, in acquiring knowledge, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil. Allah (swt) demands both of them to fulfil their role in their society. [International Congress, 1989, p73-76]

Woman is responsible to endeavour and undergo jihad and this jihad includes all the aspects. Man also in the framework of his deeds is obliged to undergo this jihad and struggle. This teaches both man and woman to perform this responsibility in the framework of his or her duty (International Congress, 1989, p73-76).

And Allah (swt) knows best. 

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