Muslim Women in the modern world

[fadi123]

Islam is one of the most misunderstood religions in the world today. Anyone with a beard is considered a terrorist. Similarly any woman wearing a scarf or hijab is considered to be one who needs liberation without knowing the fact that whether she is wearing with her own consent or not. The problem that I find here is the lack of transfer of information between different religions. Even in the age of information technology, we find our non-Muslim brothers with either very little knowledge about Islam or with misconceptions about it.
However, I consider them innocent in this manner because of the fact that media in the recent times has portrayed Islam in such a way that we can find many Muslims who would say that west is doing right. I don’t want to go into the detail of what is happening around the globe because I am here to discuss something else. I am here to discuss how we can end these misconceptions with such easy ways. One way which I will focus in this article is that the role our sisters & mothers can play to get rid of some of the misconceptions that non-Muslims have about them.
Due to the change in the living styles in the modern world, Islam is being considered very conservative. This is due to the following misinterpretations:

• Women cannot do jobs
• Women are not allowed to get good education
• Women are forced to wear hijab
• Women have no rights


If you ask a non-Muslim about what they think about Muslim women he or she would usually mention some of these statements. So what is true? How can a religion that is said to be a religion for the whole of humanity, which is said to the most practical religion ignore one half of humans? The answer is it hasn’t. Islam rather gives a path that is beneficial for all times. It puts certain limitations not only on women but also on man so that the society & the whole system could work in a better way & prosper. What I have found in the Quran about the issue that how women should dress has been addressed in the following two verses:
"O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters and the wives of the believers that they shall LENGTHEN their garments. Thus, they will be recognized and avoid being insulted. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful." 33:59
"And tell the believing women to subdue their eyes, and maintain their chastity. They shall not reveal any parts of their bodies, except that which is necessary. They shall cover their chests, and shall not relax this code in the presence of other than their husbands, they shall not strike their feet when they walk in order to shake and reveal certain details of their bodies. All of you shall repent to GOD, O you believers that you may succeed." 24:31.
The first verse is debated a lot. Many people say that it was for that particular time; however, I think that Quran is not for a particular time period, nor has it any verse been sent for a particular time. So in my point of view (on which you have right to argue) is that hijab has been asked to wear for recognition same as men are asked to have beard. The question is how women in west can wear hijab & still show that it is with their own consent? One of the ways that I’ve come up is by modernizing the ways in the limits of Islam. For this, I’ve found some amazing works on the internet as well. Mash Allah many people have started online Islamic shopping sites as well. Yesterday I visited www.islamicimpressions.com. It is quite good. Although, there is room for improvement but still it’s quite a job well done. It represents Islam in quite a modernized way with stylish jilbabs & other women collection. It has a collection for men as well but women’s collection is worth seeing. These kinds of work will really help give a positive image of Islam to the rest of the world.
The second verse describes the dress code when women are in contact with men other than his husband. This means that women can interact with men but under certain limitations that are for their own betterment. We read & hear so much about sexual harassment in working place with ladies by their colleagues. This will reduce quite dramatically in my point of view if ladies working in offices follow the dress code told by Islam. The site that I mentioned above had clothing that goes with the formal look as well. So by wearing such clothes our sisters, mothers, wives & our sisters can do jobs, get good education & can compete with the world.

[fadi123]

plz do comment:)

[deimen mou'mina]

salem alikoum

i read your post and really i'm agree with you ; true our religion is not understanding or bad ; a lot of factors can be noted;
i live in france and i wearing scarf , i am diplomat and noone force me to pu the hijab it's a chose; i think that i am a modern woman in fact because our religion is always modern and adapted in the time; it gives all the humain being theire right and really i'm feel free with my religion.
so i try to show how my religion make me a good citizen wihtout leave my believes. i show tat my religion give me right to suty, work, think and i have a brain like all other women non muslim.
my faith makes me more good because i respect all (muslim or non muslim) and modernity not means wearing mini dress or be free without limits! no all humain being need rules and limits to live in good way not like animals with passions . modernity is the way to be good with all pp and respected all though, it's be yourself and not follow the groups , same though, same dress, same talking,. elhamdoulilah
our religion is modern because it show us how to live in all time , in good and halal way , our religion is modern because she tell us to run after the knowledge (men and women no difference) our rreligion wnts only our good in this earth and show us that we are only humain and have limits .
unfortunatly they prohiben women with hijab to work and afte they moke our religion and tell about it tat islam is hard and not don't give our humain rights !!
i know that they know our religion is true and they are afraid of it so they liar about it!! it's a politic problem and a question of power to show how islam is bad and make integrism!! they don't want see the muslim woman study, have responsabilities in society and show the true face of our religion! more the muslim woman is ignorant more islam can be attacked bc the woman in islam is the center of the muslim family , the biggest peace of the society and they are true!! so they attack her and prohiben to swear scarf!! they talk about freedom but they want muslim woman in home without understanding her religion!! so it's important for all muslim to show the true face of islam in following the sunna of our prophet 'bdsl))sorry for my fault , i am living in france so my english is bad

salem alikoum

[loga]

Salaam aliukum,

I think the greatest thing we can do is to refute these errors in understanding. Your points, which some do believe are correct, are opposed by Islam. And, we can clearly cite evidence for this, which will end the misconception. You mentioned:

• Women cannot do jobs
• Women are not allowed to get good education
• Women are forced to wear hijab
• Women have no rights

I am not a scholar, but Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us all (men and women) to seek knowledge - even if it is in China (yes, he said that). Many great scholars were women, it is only since we've left the path that women have been oppressed. Women are allowed to work - look at the first wife of the Prophet - she was his employer! Women in Islam have many rights - I don't want to list them all here, but they are more or less the same human rights that the "modern world" has come to believe in - only fact here is that Islam stated that 1400 years ago. There are some distinctions to be made in regards to the UN rights and those in Islam, but that is another post. Finally, I guess you need to define hijab. This means barrier, so both men and women must have "hijab" - this is clothing, but also glances, thoughts, emotions, and so forth. In terms of the headscarf, this is a requirement and it is apart of the diin. Men too have clothing requirements and ways that they ought to appear (headcovering, beard, knee-belly clothing, etc.).

If we share these facts with others the misunderstanding of Islam will be changed to understanding - which will of course lead more to Islam. Like myself.

Salaam aliukum

[fadi123]

very true my friends:) the thing is that with time, we made tradition a part of our life such that we gave it preference over our religion. for example muslims that came to sub-continent adopted the culture of hindus & made it a part of their lives. when we study islam & its preaching we find so many rights of women but none of them are known even to our sisters because of lack of knowledge & study of the religion.:(

[Sulaiman Harun]

:start:

Salaam aliukum,

I am not a scholar, but Muhammad (peace be upon him) told us all (men and women) to seek knowledge - even if it is in China (yes, he said that). Many great scholars were women, it is only since we've left the path that women have been oppressed. Women are allowed to work - look at the first wife of the Prophet - she was his employer!

:wswrwb:

Bro, I agree with 99% of your points but there's just two things I'd like to point out, the hadith about china is pure fabrication

And hadith about gaining knowledge means that Islamic Knowledge not secular knowledge wAllahu A'alam

[PiElle2]

:start:



:wswrwb:

Bro, I agree with 99% of your points but there's just two things I'd like to point out, the hadith about china is pure fabrication

And hadith about gaining knowledge means that Islamic Knowledge not secular knowledge wAllahu A'alam


i would rather choose to use the word 'weak'...

does it say 'islamic knowledge' or 'knowledge'...?

we do need to have an understanding outside islam since we cannot avoid it in our lives, so that we can differentiate between the two...

are you saying there's nothing you can learn from the chinese...? c'on...

[Sulaiman Harun]

:start:

i would rather choose to use the word 'weak'...

does it say 'islamic knowledge' or 'knowledge'...?

we do need to have an understanding outside islam since we cannot avoid it in our lives, so that we can differentiate between the two...

are you saying there's nothing you can learn from the chinese...? c'on...

The hadeeth, "Seek knowledge even if it be to China"

Related by ibn Adee (2/207)m Abu Nu'aym in 'Akhbaar Asbahaan' and others via many routes of narration, and all of them adding the words "for indeed seeking knowledge is an obligatory duty upon all Muslims."

Ibn al-Jawzee mentions this and then quotes ibn Hibbaan saying, "invalid/rejected, it has no basis" 'al-Mawdoo'aat' (1/215)]
adh-Dhahabee also endorsed the above words of ibn Hibbaan, ['Tarteeb al-Mawdoo'aat' of adh Dhahabee (pg. 52 no. 111)] and likewise as-Sakhaawee ['Maqaasid al-Hasanah' (pg. 86 no. 125)]

al-Albaanee declares this hadeeth to be maudu (fabricated) ['Da'eef al-Jaami as-Sagheer' (no's 1005-1006)]

In summary, the above hadeeth is related by a group of trustworthy narrators without the words "even if it be to China" and a few narrators who are deemed weak/liars/abandoned by the scholars narrate this additional wording. So the hadeeth with the additional wording is fabricated, but without is hasan (good). [See 'Silsilah ad-Da'eefah' (1/600 no. 416) for detail]

Khatib al-Baghdadi (may Allah be well pleased with him) related through 'Ali (Allah be well pleased with him) that our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim."

Sister I never said that sisters mustn't gain secular knowledge and also that China has nothing good. I am sure you have misunderstood me

[PiElle2]

:start:



The hadeeth, "Seek knowledge even if it be to China"

Related by ibn Adee (2/207)m Abu Nu'aym in 'Akhbaar Asbahaan' and others via many routes of narration, and all of them adding the words "for indeed seeking knowledge is an obligatory duty upon all Muslims."

Ibn al-Jawzee mentions this and then quotes ibn Hibbaan saying, "invalid/rejected, it has no basis" 'al-Mawdoo'aat' (1/215)]
adh-Dhahabee also endorsed the above words of ibn Hibbaan, ['Tarteeb al-Mawdoo'aat' of adh Dhahabee (pg. 52 no. 111)] and likewise as-Sakhaawee ['Maqaasid al-Hasanah' (pg. 86 no. 125)]

al-Albaanee declares this hadeeth to be maudu (fabricated) ['Da'eef al-Jaami as-Sagheer' (no's 1005-1006)]

In summary, the above hadeeth is related by a group of trustworthy narrators without the words "even if it be to China" and a few narrators who are deemed weak/liars/abandoned by the scholars narrate this additional wording. So the hadeeth with the additional wording is fabricated, but without is hasan (good). [See 'Silsilah ad-Da'eefah' (1/600 no. 416) for detail]

Khatib al-Baghdadi (may Allah be well pleased with him) related through 'Ali (Allah be well pleased with him) that our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): “seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim."

Sister I never said that sisters mustn't gain secular knowledge and also that China has nothing good. I am sure you have misunderstood me

I'm sure i have. Thanks for taking the time to clarify. My apology. :o

[fadi123]

thats what we all need so much, listening & understanding one & other's view points:) keep on commenting

[loga]

Salaam aliukum,

Jazak'Allah - you know, I am a revert to Islam and I get most of my information from English books and English lectures. I have heard that so-called hadith many times! Thanks brother.

I did want to add a thought on "knowledge" and that is a question regarding what you consider to be "Islamic." I would consider this to be very inclusive since the diin is an entire way of life, thus we really ought to understand all those things in life - agriculture, mechanics, geology, philosophy.

I say this for two reasons: One because when the Muslim is presented with an argument, we need to provide a better one if it at all challenges Islam. In order to do so, we need to be able to understand things happening outside the diin of Allah so that we can refute the errors. Seecondly, Muslims ought to be the leaders of knowledge in this world - let me give you another example: today there is a massive food crisis, it could be knowledge that helps those hungry and needy people who are unable to find food. This knowledge, to some, may be considered "un-Islamic" because it is about policy, agriculture, chemistry, and so on, but in fact it may work towards the requirements Allah has given mankind - that is to help those orphaned, widowed, needy, disabled, elderly, and so on.

Interested in your thoughts.

Salaam aliukum

[enchanted_1984]

just like men, women must the ability to adopt to changing times. create a balance between faith and progress, you’ll be fine.

[loga]

Insha'Allah.

Of course, all adapting isn't halaal. That is why I ask.

[NiqaaBi_InBlack]

Assallaamu 3alaikum

Masha'Allah interesting topic..like loga said not all adapting is halal and often we sisters ofcourse brothers too,come in a situation while working or studying that u need to stop and think and ask urself is this allowed etc.
but what I see is that we often say 'khair insha'Allah..laa yukaliufulahu nafsan..and we get ourselves in situation which aren't allowed.
but we need to realize that often this live is just a test. For example if I have an interview with a male and there's also a female there..I would shake the hand of the female but not the male..even though he wouldn't understand and would feel uncomfurtable..at that moment I need to realize this is just a test..and okay maybe that interview is important but not as important as my deen.So we need to have priorities.

And ofcourse knowledge is important(eventhough the knowledge that is mentioned is about islamic knowledge) it's important to have female docters ,teachers etc. but we as muslimas still need to put our deen on nr.1 for example if u can't work or study with ur hijab on a certain uni, then it's better to search for something else and hope that Allah rewards u with something else.
And about the hijab, I think it's important we don't compromise our hijab
ya3ni that we try to wear a 'stylish' hijab just so you can still be modern..I'd rather just wear my plain and simple black jilbaab not just because it's more covering but it's also a form of da3wah because when u dress that way..they muslims and non-muslims why u don't dress more 'stylish' etc. and then u get the chance to explain about modesty and the hijab isn't supposed to be 'stylish'

but barakalahu fiekum these where just my thoughts about this topic

[loga]

Masha'Allah. May Allah reward you sister.

[fadi123]

MashAllah very interesting dialog, keep it up & support us at http://www.islamicimpressions.com . your suggestions are welcomed by us to improve our product range which is sololy for our brothers & sisters :) hope you will find it interesting :) keep posting