A Whisper to Every Muslim Woman

It is astonishing to witness the intricate integration crafted by Islam across various systems of life when one reflects on the provisions of Islamic Sharia, its principles, goals, foundations, and the doors of its jurisprudence (Fiqh). This integration is challenging for any law or system to achieve in terms of precision, comprehensiveness, and full understanding of the nature of human souls and the nature of worldly life! Discussing this integration, inclusivity, and ingenious management by Allah Almighty requires an extensive journey that leaves everyone in awe of its greatness. Today, however, I focus on one system among all these interconnected systems, closely linked in a way that is inseparable: the family system, the fundamental building block in society and the nation. Islam has crafted laws, boundaries, and established flexible spaces and red lines according to the needs and requirements of each situation. It did not overlook any vulnerability through which illness and weakness could creep, ensuring its protection with a vigilant guard that humbles contemplating hearts. At a time when men were entrusted with the responsibilities of guardianship and authority, tasked with preserving the family, providing for it, leading it to the path of safety, safeguarding its religion, and worldly interests – burdensome and costly responsibilities – women were elevated to an honorable status. It is the status of preservation, protection, and the hidden treasure to be free to fulfill their most beautiful duties and noble goals.
These align with their natural feminine qualities: worshiping their
Lord, preserving the happiness of their families, and nurturing a
generation capable of bearing the trust of Islam.

No Comparison Between the Divine System and the Human System

I have pondered over all the human systems that treat women as part of a productive system, demanding work, financial support, and bearing responsibility mercilessly! Neither mothers nor singl women are exempt from this, and then I looked at the system of Islamic Sharia, how it made women queens in their homes, princesses in their families, honored and respected in their households, even in their entire community! I marveled at how people rush towards what is inferior, leaving behind what is better.
How can a woman replace the divine law that has made her the focal point of attention and a duty that never fades, reciting great verses about maintaining family ties, for which Allah Almighty warns those who sever them? Then, she pants after her degradation, exploitation, and contempt, much of which defines the destinies of Western women!

How can the noblest qualities that distinguish women in our religion become the very things we criticize and accuse of backwardness and regression?
It is the era of sophists who depict fire as paradise and paradise as fire!
I was captivated by how Allah surrounded women with great jurisprudence that alleviates all the burdens of responsibility, be it financial, labor, jihad, or worries, burdens that one hardly bears. In Sahih Bukhari, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), narrated that she said, “O Messenger of Allah, we see that Jihad is the best deed. Should we not strive (in Jihad)?” He replied, “No, but the best Jihad for you is a perfect Hajj.” Allah did not obligate women to engage in the Jihad, which is the spearhead of Islam, and yet He assigned for them a reward that is not diminished! Narrated by Al-Hajjaj bin Dinar, from Muhammad bin Ali, from
Jabir bin Abdullah, who said:
“While we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), a woman came and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I am present here on behalf of the women. O Messenger of Allah, the
Lord of men and women is Allah, the Almighty. Adam is the father of men and women, and Hawwa (Eve) is the mother of men and women. You, by the will of Allah, were sent to men and
women. When men go out for the sake of Allah and are killed,

they are alive with their Lord, receiving sustenance. And when they go out, they have the reward that has been made known to you. We serve them and confine ourselves for their sake. So, what is there for us in terms of reward?’ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to her: “convey to women peace and blessings, and then he said : “Indeed, obedience to the husband equals all that (reward for Jihad), and only a few of you do that.”
“And today, Western military leadership recruits women in a manner that obliterates their femininity and transforms them into heartless ‘monsters’! Have you not seen the images of the American soldier Lynndie England, who turned into a monstrosity after her recruitment and
went on to torture Muslim men in Abu Ghraib prison?! This is what the Western system has done to women. It has turned them into expendable tools in its destructive and malicious projects!
Away from all of this, I have witnessed Islam, in every jurisprudential and legislative aspect, alleviating the burdens on women, safeguarding and preserving them. Even in matters of worship, it provides a different Fiqh for women, considering their psychological and physical conditions. I still remember the complaint of that Christian woman who, upon hearing the rules of Islam regarding marital relationships, wished she had embraced Islam to avoid the suffering she endured in her life.

This was not just a passing conversation; it was indeed a strong desire lurking amidst the obstacles of war for those choosing Islam!
The true value of this purity is only known to those who have experienced impurity. That’s why Muslim women who embraced Islam were the most impressed by the rules of Islam regarding marital relationships. Anyone attempting to depict the opposite should be aware that there is a sickness in their heart, desiring to combat the religion of Allah with immorality. The laws of Allah combat such individuals with diseases, confusion, and tragic ends!

The Muslim woman is a trust and a protected jewel

A girl is raised within her family, surrounded by the responsibility of a father tasked with safeguarding her rights, from choosing her name to the acceptance of her marriage. She is not burdened with financial demands or responsibilities, growing up in modesty and avoiding what requires strength. Then comes her religiously prescribed attire, a duty that preserves her from the prying eye of those who seek to harm her modesty, protecting Muslims from the temptation that has a beginning but no end.
Furthermore, the woman is safeguarded by her husband, granted the right to dowry (mahr), conditions, housing, and financial support. After all this, the decision-making in the house is entrusted to her, ensuring her protection from anything that might tarnish her modesty or compromise her dignity and perception.
All of this is because Allah is All-Knowing, All-Seeing, aware of what happens when women are violated.
Allah says in the Quran: ‘And [recall] when We saved your forefathers from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with the worst torment, slaughtering your [newborn] sons and keeping your females alive. And in that was a great trial.’ (Quran 2:49)
Al-Qurtubi commented in his interpretation: The intended
meaning of Allah’s statement, ‘and they keep your females alive,’ is that they left them alive to serve and employ them. The command to slaughter the sons and preserve the daughters is because the priests had informed Pharaoh that a child would beborn whose destruction would be at his hands. The expression ‘females’ was used for daughters because it is a term that encompasses them. Some have said that the order was to slaughter
the men, and they based their argument on the phrase ‘your females.’ The more correct view, based on the apparent cause, is that the killing of the sons and preserving the daughters was for servitude and similar purposes, bringing immense humiliation upon them and attaching severe disgrace to all of them, considering the degradation in employing them and the like.
Reflect on the condition of Muslim women nowadays, being pushed to work in companies in service roles. This is considered, in the time of Pharaoh, as a tremendous calamity.

Reality and Truth

When I hear the complaints of Western women who suffer from harassment and assault, I thank Allah greatly for establishing numerous boundaries that prevent sinful hands from reaching Muslim women. These boundaries and barriers have subdued the West and the human devils. Today, they seek to demolish them to reach our women with ease!
I know that many women and girls may not fully understand what I’m saying in these lines. Indeed, as the saying goes, “Seeing is believing.” One can only comprehend this narrative if they have witnessed or possess an insightful and guided heart.
A girl won’t realize the grave danger of crossing Allah’s boundaries when she frequently goes out without adhering to her legitimate hijab, not the deceptive one. When she fails to maintain distance from areas of mingling, she will never understand the meticulous effort to preserve her until she experiences harm that shakes her to the core.
Many who resisted this reality and tasted its bitterness eventually confessed with shame. However, stubbornness forces them to persist and navigate through it. Many conceal complaints of harassment and harm resulting from mingling, fearing that voicing them might deprive them of work and outings. Simply entering this door, even if a woman emerges unharmed, exposes her to danger at any moment, given the ease of access.

Contemplate the status of free women in the era of ignorance and the status of free women in our present time. It prompts us to question whether modesty has been prematurely killed in the hearts of our women without us realizing it.
Has modesty been killed in the hearts of our women without us noticing?
In reality, the fear of Allah has been killed, replaced by the love of wealth, the love of worldly desires, and the prioritization of every worldly interest over the religion of Allah.
Every day, we hear stories that make one shudder with astonishment! Married women involved in crimes, schoolgirls engaged in forbidden relationships, and instances of despair where women subject themselves to low prices, displaying their charms to tempt men who gather around them like vultures. One can only imagine the outcomes of this path where a woman transforms into both an oppressor and a victim simultaneously!
My sister, today I offer you these farewell pieces of advice. I do not know if Allah has decreed for us to advise when it is necessary, but I write them here so that they remain a reminder for you.
Perhaps Allah will protect you with them, illuminate your path, and elevate your status among the ranks of righteous women.

-Your religion, my sister, your ‘Aqeedah, is the most precious possession you have; never compromise on it. Safeguard and practice it with your heart and limbs, and adhere to the means of preserving it and remaining steadfast until your last breath. Follow the path of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) in all matters of creed, and steer clear of anything that deviates from it. This religion is an inheritance we pass down, as conveyed to us by the Messenger of Allah. Do not fall into the pits of innovations, and do not adopt their misguided paths! The Quran and the Sunnah are beacons for you on this journey.

-Your obligations, which Allah has mandated for you, encompass acts of worship, with an emphasis on the internal aspects, often neglected by people in our time. These include trust in Allah, patience, good assumptions about Allah, certainty, and other aspects that require perseverance.
Foremost among them is your religiously prescribed Hijab. This is a worship that does not tolerate delay or negligence; neglecting it deprives you of its blessings and incurs the wrath of Allah!

-Your diligence in preserving what Islam has protected you
from, such as avoiding mixing with men, immodesty, unnecessary outings, and relationships that disturb your tranquility, your intimacy with Allah, and your ultimate fate!
I swear by Allah, a woman who does not guard herself
against mingling with men will never find blessings, happiness, divine success, and support from Allah in her life.
Unfortunately, this is the aspect most neglected in our time, and regrettably, it is encouraged by parents and families, as if it were a virtue they compete for! They do not realize that by opening the door to mingling, they ignite fires against the dearest ones to their hearts! I won’t quote the texts that speak on this matter, but believe me, everyone who has experienced mingling knows that it is a great corruption and an obstacle in her path to progress and elevation!

-Your dreams, let them be the dreams of a devout Muslim woman, obedient and prostrating to her Lord, seeking what is with Allah. This does not mean you cannot have dreams in your worldly life, but let them not be immersed in the Western way, leading to heedlessness, and forgetting Allah, but rather, let them be (Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds”). Let your priorities be the satisfaction of Allah and following the path of the believers, with the righteous female companions as your role models. Keep your eyes on the heavens.

-May your marriage be an example of a righteous woman who takes the Quran and the Sunnah as guidance for her life. Obey your husband and make efforts to gain his approval and understanding. The more jealous he is, the better for you because a man without jealousy is always lacking something to protect you with! A little disturbance caused by jealousy is better than a life without it! So be righteous, approach, and always seek what sustains affection between you and preserves the work in the path of Allah, and may Allah bless you both. Marital life is not a copy of a Western film or a deceptive series; it is you and him, servants of Allah, hoping for what is with Allah.

-Make your goal in marriage to find a dwelling, love, and mercy. Ibn Kathir, in his commentary, said: “Among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves – meaning, He created from your kind females, to be mates for you, so that you may find tranquility in them – as He said: ‘It is He who created you from one soul and made from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her’ [7:189]. This means Eve; Allah created her from Adam, from his short-left rib. If He had made all of Adam’s offspring males and made their mates from another kind, either from the Jinn or animals, this mixing would not have occurred between them and their mates. Indeed, there would have been aversion if the mates were from a different kind.

Then, out of His complete mercy for the children of Adam, He made their mates from their own kind and placed between them love – meaning, affection – and mercy – meaning, compassion. A man holds onto a woman either due to his love for her or out of mercy for her, as he may have offspring with her or she may be in need of him financially, or simply out of fondness between them, and other reasons.

In this, there are signs for people who reflect.” Ibn al-Qayyim also said: “Allah has bestowed a great favor upon His servants through this, as He said: ‘And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them. And He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people
who give thought’ [30:21]. Thus, Allah made the woman a dwelling for the man, where his heart finds repose with her, and He placed between them pure love, which is affection coupled with mercy.
The Almighty has stated, following His mention of what is permissible and forbidden concerning women, (Allah intends to make clear to you [the lawful from the unlawful] and guide you to the [good] practices of those before you and to accept your repentance. And Allah is Knowing and
Wise. Allah intends to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation. And Allah intends to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak) [Quran 4:26-28].
Allah concludes the verse by saying: (For a people who reflect) because contemplation leads to understanding the intended meanings, such as harmony and compatibility between spouses.

Entering married life does not mean engaging in battles and conflicts. It is, in fact, a submission to the command of Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him. The exemplary models in this are Khadijah, Aisha, and all the Mothers of the Believers, along with the female companions—may Allah be pleased with them all. It is not about the corruption propagated by the advocates of feminism and the pursuit of worldly desires. Be patient with a husband who loves Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, and support him in your journey towards Paradise. Be the best companion and a source of tranquility.

-The times of trials and their stations are inevitable, and the more resolute you become and the clearer your path, the more you should prepare for them. Equip yourself with piety, love for Allah and His Messenger, peace be upon him, a strong connection with the Quran, and consistent remembrance of Allah. We are weak, and it is only through Allah’s mercy that we persevere. Work on securing your well-being during times of peace for the day of your trial. The days are fleeting, and Muslims ascend in rank through trials.

-Love and hate for the sake of Allah, making all your relationships based on this principle. Ahmad narrated from Al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said,
“The strongest bond of faith is to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah.” Be loyal to everyone who brings you closer to Allah and quickly distance yourself from anything that takes you away from Him. Life is short; do not waste it for the sake of people.

– Reflect on the wisdom behind the concept of Hijra (migration) – both the apparent and the hidden aspects. The hidden aspect involves abandoning what the soul inclines towards evil and Satan, while the apparent aspect is fleeing from religious persecution and trials. The believers may have been addressed with this to ensure they don’t rely solely on the physical act of migration but conform to the commands of Sharia. This occurred after the cessation of Hijra when Makkah was opened to purify the hearts of those who did not experience it, as true Hijra is achieved by abandoning what Allah has prohibited.

In conclusion, whenever temptations and worldly distractions come your way, remind yourself of death. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, “Purity is half of faith, and praise be to Allah (alhamdullilah) fills the scale. Glorification (SubhanaAllah) and praise fill up what is between the heavens and the earth. Prayer is a light, charity is proof, and patience is illumination. The Quran is a proof for you or against you. Everyone starts his day and is a vendor of his soul, either freeing it or causing its ruin.” (Muslim) A man said, “O Messenger of Allah! Which migration is the best?”
He replied, “To abandon what your Lord, the Mighty and Majestic, dislikes.”
(Authenticated by Al-Nasai)

Translated by Hamza Al Āthārī ,
إن أحسنت فمن الله، وإن أسأت أو أخطأت فمن نفسي والشيطان
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Dr. Layla Hamdan | January 9, 2023 | Article | Women