By SYED JALALUDDIN OMARI
Translation SYYED MANSOOR AGHA
In ancient religions, the status of men and women was not equal. Man was placed above women, and so different laws were enacted for each sex. But Islam addressed both men and women equally as both are “human beings”. So the basic tenets for every person are the same. The Qur’ān says no other creature of the heavens and the universe could muster courage to carry the responsibility of His Deen and Shari’ah, but “man”.
We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of doing so; but man undertook to bear it. Indeed, man is unjust and ignorant. (The consequence of man’s carrying the trust is) that Allah may chastise hypocritical men and hypocritical women and accept the repentance of believing men and believing women. He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Al-Ahzab 33:72, 73)
The Qur’ān used the word amanah. It means “trust” or an “entrusted thing” and implies upon all accountabilities which come under the Deen and Shari’ah. All rights of the Lord and His creatures on man are covered under this term of amanah. They are termed as amanah or “trust” or an “entrusted thing” because Allah has made man answerable for submitting to the Deen and Shari’ah.
To be faithful, true and trustworthy is praiseworthy. If something is entrusted to or deposited with the mountains or the earth, and is lost, they cannot be questioned for; and if recovered safe, they will not be praised either. The sky, the mountains and the earth refused to carry the amanah because they are not given choice to do this or that at will. They are performing only the duty assigned to them. This may also be construed as if they were not ready to be examined and as a result getting reward if they could prove themselves trustworthy and also to be punished if failed and held guilty. But man did agree for and shouldered the responsibility. He was aware of the consequences of accountability. If proved trustworthy, he shall be rewarded; and if failed, he will be punished accordingly.
It means that the responsibility which man accepted in the beginning implies obeying the Lord by observing the Shari’ah and following the instructions of Deen. Therefore, both man and woman will be rewarded alike for their good deeds, obeying the word of Lord. Likewise, each one shall be held guilty and punished for his or her misdeeds and disobedience. The man or woman, whosoever is indulged in infidelity, polytheism or hypocrisy, shall be liable for punishment of Allah. His pleasure and attention shall be for those who have with them the treasure of faith and good deeds. They will be rewarded beyond their imagination.
CLARIFICATION OF A DOUBT
Islam has encouraged us to educate women and this exhortation is not limited to making them aware of the teachings of Islam only orally. This includes theoretical knowledge which cannot be imagined without learning how to read and write. Contrary to this concept of knowledge and education, a quote of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) is reported from Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her).
“Do not keep women in upper chambers of houses; don’t teach them how to write; teach them spinning and weaving and teach them Surah Noor.” (Al-Hakim’s Mustadrak)
On the basis of this narration, some scholars of earlier and medieval eras have opined that learning how to read a book is enough for women. To teach them how to write is not good. But for following reasons, this narration is not worth relying upon.
1. Certain aspects of this narration do not collaborate with the general spirit of Islam.
2. Until a person does not know how to write and read, he may not be considered “educated”. Apparently Islam wants women to be adorned with education. For this it is not enough that she learns only reading but must also be capable of expressing her intellect with her writings.
3. One reason of being this narration unacceptable and incorrect is that the practice of Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her) was quite contrary to it. After the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him), she used to receive many letters from other places. She got the replies of letters written by a lady, Ayesha bint Talha (may Allah be pleased with her).
4. The isnad (authenticity) of the narration is also extremely week. One of the narrators of this hadīth is Muhammad Ibrahim bin Shaami. Experts of Hadīths (traditions and sayings of the Prophet) consider him a liar, non-believer in Hadīths, forger and fabricator of narrations.
The same content is also reported by Abdullah bin Abbas. In his chain of reporters, one is Jafar bin Nasr, who is accused of being a lair. He is alleged of narrating false narrations in the name of authentic and reliable narrator.
5. Most important point is that this narration, attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him), contradicts his saying quoted by authentic narrators. Shifa bint Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she was in the company of Ummul Momineen Hafsa, when the Prophet came and said to me,
“Will you not teach her Dua of Nimla (a sickness) as you teach her writing?”
This is reported by Musnad Ahmed and Abu Dawood and is authentic. Mustadrik Hakim reported it with more authentic reporters.
This shows that Shifa knew how to write and she taught Hafsa how to write. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) liked her writing and instructed her to teach writing to other ladies. If writing would have been considered harmful for women, the Prophet must have asked Shifa against it and stopped Hafsa from learning how to write.
Allama Khatabi says, this authentic hadīth is the proof that learning how to write is not unwanted.
Hafiz ibn Qayyim says, this justifies learning how to write for women.
Allama ibn Abdussalam also says that this hadīth justifies writing for women. (Concluded)
Note-1: Some people say that this hadīth bars learning how to write only for such a woman for whom it may prove a cause of corruption and disorder. Allama Albani has strongly criticised this view. He said on the basis of such an unauthentic hadīth, each narrator of which is unreliable, to express such a view is unjustified. Secondly, why indict only women when any person may fall in corruption after learning how to write and acquiring knowledge? This possibility is not limited to some women only. There are scores of men whose writings are harmful for morality and against faith. On this basis should all men and women be barred from acquiring knowledge and learning how to write? In fact, reading and writing is a gift of Allah and every person has right to be benefited therefrom.
Note-2: The author of Mustadrak, Al-Hakim has acknowledged the great role of Muslim women in preserving Shari’ah. He says, “If we were to abandon the narrations found only by women, we would be forced to abandon a quarter of the Shari’ah.”
It means that nearly one-fourth of narrations upon which the Shari’ah is based are preserved only by female narrators, whereas the rest three quarters by both men and women.
We find the likes of Umm Al-Dardaa, whom all seven compilers of hadīth (Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi, Nasaai, Ibn Majah, and Ahmad) have narrated from. Aisha bint Ibn ‘Abdil Hadi had the shortest Isnad in the world to Imam Al-Bukhari in her time, and she taught ibn Hajr seventeen books of hadīth. Fatimah bint Sa’ad Al-Khair used to teach the three mu’jams of Al-Tabarani regularly, a text that is pretty much abandoned in this day and age due to its difficulty. (SMA)
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