| My
brothers and sisters everywhere! Islamic law [shari'ah]
- that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent down to His Messenger
Muhammad - came to announce that women (exactly like men) are
full human beings. Women (like men) are therefore required to
follow the way appointed by Allah.
A
woman (like a man) is therefore obligated with all three degrees
of this religion: Islam (outward submission to
Allah), Iman (inward faith in Allah), and Ihsan
(perfection of worship of Allah).
[1.
Islam (outward submission to Allah)]
It
is thus required for every woman to testify that there is none
deserving worship but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah's Messenger;
to pray; to give charity; to fast; and to make a pilgrimage to
Allah's House if she has the means.
[2.
Iman (inward faith in Allah and the unseen [Al
Ghaib])]
It
is likewise required for every woman to believe in Allah, His
angels, His scriptures, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe
in Allah's decree (and that the good and evil consequences thereof
are from Allah).
[3.
Ihsan (perfection of worship of Allah)]
It
is likewise required for every woman to worship Allah as if she
sees Him. For although she cannot see Allah, she must believe
that He sees whatever she does in secret and in public.
Women
(exactly like men) have been commanded with these three levels
of the religion (Islam, Iman, Ihsan).
Women,
like men, are also obligated to enjoin good and forbid evil; to
strive and struggle by saying that which is truthful; and to adhere
to all noble behavior, like: truthfulness, trustworthiness, courage,
modesty, and self-respect.
Every
Muslim woman, just like every Muslim man, is commanded to be steadfast
in her religion and not to be negligent with her faith. It is
not permissible for her - under any pressure or compulsion - to
open her heart to accept the word of disbelief. Hence every Muslim
woman, like every Muslim man, falls under Allah's statement:
"Whose
disbelieves in Allah, after he has believed - excepting him who
has been compelled, and his heart is still at rest with the Faith
- but whosoever's breast is expanded in unbelief, upon them shall
rest anger from Allah, and there awaits them a mighty chastisement."
(Qur'an
16:106)
Clearly
when Islam charged women with all these duties and in all these
obligations made her equal to men, the intent was to honor her
and permit her to reach the highest degree of perfection of her
being.
The
duties that Allah has obligated humanity with are but a means
to honor us. Prayer, as well as fasting, is an honor for the servant
and a means to raise his rank. To adhere to Allah's straight path
and the manners of Islam are, without doubt, a means to honor
us and not to humiliate us as imagined by those who are ignorant
of Allah and follow their desires.
Such
people think and imagine that a human being who does not believe
in Allah, does not uphold the trust of these duties, and does
not perform what Allah has commanded him is of a higher standing
than the believer who adheres to the obligations of Islam. Such
an idea is ignorance and renders human beings on par with the
animals.
Humans
have been created to be tried by Allah and have been charged with
fulfilling these duties to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He)
and His creatures. As for animals, while they have been created
by Allah, they have not been charged with this trust.
Whoever
considers that a human being who does not uphold what Allah has
obligated as equal to those who fulfill what Allah has obligated
is like those who consider humans and animals to be equal. For
this reason, Allah has said:
"Shall
we treat that those who have surrendered (as Muslims) as We treat
the guilty?" (Qur'an
68:35)
And
He has said:
"We
have crated for Hell many of the jinn and humanity; they have
hearts, but understand not with them; they have eyes, but perceive
not with them; and they have ears, but they hear not with them.
These are like cattle; nay, rather they are further astray! Those
- they are the heedless."
(Qur'an 7:126)
The
disbeliever in Allah (whether a man or a woman) is a guilty criminal,
for he or she does not know whom to worship, i.e., The Creator,
The Protector, The Lord, and He Who created this universe in which
he or she lives. The disbelievers enjoy what Allah has blessed
them with and yet they forget the One Who blessed and preferred
them with such blessings. As for the believers, they are the honorable
servants who know their Lord and Creator, Allah, Whom they worship.
They fulfill what Allah has obligated and travel upon the path
that Allah has delineated for them. |
