BaKhabar, February 2013, Page-3

Women are safe in Islam

- By Gheyas S Mahfoz Hashmi, Jeddah (hgheyas@albatool.com.sa)

Various articles appeared in last issue of Bakhabar about recent incident of rape in India. It has triggered me to take a break from writing “Journey to the Day of Resurrection” and to let people know about this heinous crime in Islam. Rape is worst scenario of fornication which takes place due to degradation of ethical values, wear & tear of state law-enforcing machinery and lack of modesty. It is also a fact that in a moral-less-society the law loses its grip.
Islam considers “Fornication” a worst indecent crime. Why? Because, the bad odor makes the Islamic society – a garden based on decency, fineness, purification, glory and beautifulness - unpleasant. The Quran says (Al-Esra/33):
And come not near to fornication,
for it is an abomination and an evil way.

Fornication is too indecent to become near to it. It is so offensive that such word should not even come to the tongue of believers, particularly female. Albazzar reports that in Hell the foul smell from the private part of the adulterer will emanate and spread to Hell so much so that the Hell dweller will also be annoyed of it.
According to the prophet (S) the adulterer, thief and wine-drinker are not at Eiman at the time of doing it (Bukhari & Muslim).
Hence, Islam wants that such indecency should be suppressed not to be spread. It is because the bad smell will make the fragrance of the Islamic society ruined. For any crime, 2 witnesses are required but in the case of Fornication 4 eye-witnesses are needed. Not only that the one who accused the other of adultery but failed to produce three other eye-witnesses, was to be punished with eighty lashes. This punishment to informant is not because he told lies but he was unable to produce other 3 eye-witnesses of such crime.
Hazrat Omar (R) punished 3 informants in the case of Mughaira, Governor of Basra. Why such harder law? Moulana Moudodi explains in connection with verse 4 from Sura Al- Noor that:-
1. The indecent crime reporting will pollute the society and none will dare to do it unless four eye-witnesses are present. Even if the accuser is an eye-witness of an immoral act, he should keep the secret and let the filth remain where it is instead of causing it to spread. However, if he has witnesses, he should abstain from publicizing the matter in society but should bring the case to the notice of the authorities and get the criminals duly punished by the court of law.
The Divine Law does not want that if a person gets polluted in filth in a private place, the other person should start spreading the filth in the whole society. If he has any knowledge of the presence of the filth, there are two ways open for him: either he should let it remain where it is, or he should produce a proof of its existence, so that the officials of the Islamic State should cleanse it. There is no third way for him. If he publicizes it, he will be committing the crime of spreading the filth everywhere; and if he brings the matter to the notice of the officials without satisfactory evidence, they will not be able to deal with it effectively.
Islam considers female a sacred creature. It wants to preserve her sanctity, honour and respect to the best. It can be best possible for her by dwelling at home. Stay at your houses (Al-Ahzab/33). In interpretation to this Quranic verse, Ibn Umar (R) quoted the Prophet (S) as saying: Women are to be kept in hiding. Indeed when she leaves her home, Shaitan keeps an eye on her. Certainly a woman is closest to Allah when she is in her home (Tabrani). Anas (R) reported that once a group of women came to the Prophet (S) and said, “O Prophet of Allah! Men have reaped all the rewards of participating in Jihad; show us a deed which would help us reach the rewards of the Mujahidin.” The Prophet (S) replied, “Any one of you who stays in her home protecting her modesty and honour will receive the rewards of Jihad.” (Musnad Bazzar). Aisha (R) also asked the prophet (S) about her participation for Jihad. He replied, "Women’s Jihad is to go for Hajj (Pilgrimage)." (Bukhari).
At the same time Islam does not want to make woman captive. It allows her to come out of house for Sharyi (lawful) necessities but covering herself properly in such a way that its outside movement does not bring any wrong notion in the heart of the men. Allah says in (Al-Ahzab/59).
Draw their cloaks close round them.
That will be better, so that they may be recognized
and not annoyed. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.

Maimunah Bint Sa‘d (R), who was one of the Prophet’s servants, reported him as saying: “A woman who decorates herself for anyone else other than her husband is like such a darkness in the Day of Judgment which has no light in it.” (Tirmidh). She also narrated that the Prophet (S) said, "Allah remains displeased with a woman who emerges from her home wearing perfume and gives men the opportunity to look at her, until she returns home." (Tabrani). Similar to these there are many.
Modesty (Haya) and maintaining one’s honour are of primary importance in preserving the moral fiber of any society. That is why modesty has been called the ornament of a woman, which protects her from many sins and which prevents ill-intentioned men from daring to have bad thoughts about her. This modesty has been made part of her nature to safeguard her from being abused by immoral men. There are many prophets’ sayings on Haya. Hazrat Omar’s (R) preventing a man from walking on street taking hand of his wife in his hand was to maintain Haya. In order to avoid embarrassment, humiliation and distasteful to others in a society Islam checks the lawful things also. Eating in front of Rozedar (fasting man or women) is one of the examples.
Even 5-times Salah at Mosque does not come within necessity for women. ‘Abdullah Bin Mas‘ud (R) narrated that the Prophet (S) said, “It is better for a woman to offer her Salat in her bedroom than in the living room; and it is better for her to offer her Salat in her living room than in her courtyard.” (Abu Dawud). In another Hadith, Ummi Salamah (R) has reported the Prophet (S) as saying: the best Masajid (mosques) for women are the innermost rooms of their houses. (Musnad Ahmad). She died praying in innermost room.
Both men and women have been asked to keep their eyes down, not to see each other (Ghair-Mahram) intentionally. Allah says in (Al-Noor/30 & 31):

Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and be modest. That is purer for them. Lo! Allah is aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest.

In the same verse (31), women were asked not to reveal their adornment to Ghair Mahram.
In terms of old lady whose beauty has gone away there is some concession in her Hijab but even it is better for her if she does the same.
The above brief description is given to understand how much value Islam gives to women and what methods Islam prescribes to achieve it so that Muslim society can be best protected among all other societies. We can tell people from our action not theory alone that Islamic is the best to be emulated. Indeed Islam is a practical way of life. Muslims’ lives should be the manifestation of Quran & Sunnah. It helps others understand Islam without going through Quran & Ahadith This is what Allah (ST) wants from us. Unfortunate Muslim societies are being pressured by western under the frame work of “Globalization” to change Islamic culture, i.e. Quran & Sunnah, like abolition of capital punishment & chopping of hand of thieves, no punishment for fornication if both are agreed, etc. It is said that in order to finish any Deen (religion) finish its culture. However, this is a test for the guardian / supporter of the Muslim societies of their Eiman. Success in test of this life is a success for Youm-u-Deen.

Prequalification for Human Procreation

.... By Shakeel Ashraf (shakeel.ashraf@yahoo.com)

An Urdu article in January issue of Bakhabar incited a debate on population control. The author supported by another participant demonstrated highest zeal to promote their theory. They cited growing population as a burden on the community and highlighted birth control not only as a shariah compliant act but a desirable practice in Islam on the basis of masleha (public benefit). One of the participant quoted three ahadith to prove his stand but ignored that the same ahadith while allowed ‘coitus interruptus or Azl’ but clearly stated that the soul, which has to be born until the Day of Judgment, must be born. According to him ijtehad is required to demonstrate desirability of birth control. What is scope of ijtehad when the subject is clear like daylight- what is decreed would come? Do they dare to do ijtehad on Divine decree? Is there any way to know that someone who is castrated would have reproduced? Abortion is a murder and contraception is a probability based venture. Leaving it to Allah is the only desirable act for a believer. This is my understanding on this subject.
A quote from debate: “So if parents are capable to provide a better education / tarbiyat / tahzeeb o shaistagi to their kids they can go for more children. Otherwise …..” The expression sounds like fixing a pre-qualification to parents for having offspring. If such a pre-qualification is necessary there must be relevant instruction from Allah or His messenger (PBUH). Is there any such instruction?
Allah says, “Your wives are your tilth (to cultivate); go, then, into your tilth as you wish but take heed of your future (Al-Baqra:223)”.

According to the above verse our wives are not merely for recreation but for a greater good of the humanity, i.e., procreation to maintain the continuity of human race so that when we depart from this world there should be others to replace us in our tasks. Here ‘future’ stands for both the future of this world as well as the world hereafter. So taking heed of future implies that one should be concerned with the quality of the coming generation. This doesn’t mean that human race is like product of a factory where quantity of production should be limited by demand and acceptable standard of quality. Working for production and striving for good quality of new generation are both sacred duties. The latter part of the verse warns those who deliberately neglect the two duties.

Allah is the creator and humans are agents for procreation. So, how can they have right to be choosy in procreation? Everything whether right or wrong happens with the will of Allah; right events are approved by Him whereas wrong ones are disapproved. Every birth that takes place is with His will and approval. So a parent is required to have only one prequalification to be part of this approved event and that is to be a lawful partner through marriage. There is no other prequalification. Effort to make the offspring a responsible servant of Allah is post-event duty and not pre-event eligibility.

Some people take children as a burden whereas Allah assures that He shall provide sustenance for them (Al-Anaam: 151). People who don’t have courage to take up this assignment from their Lord seek the permissibility of contraception. Though certain methods of contraception are said to be permitted in few circumstances, but doing this for economic reasons shows lack of trust in Allah. There are number of Ahadith in Sahih Muslim where the messenger of Allah (PBUH) issued his no objection to coitus interruptus, but emphasized that nothing can stop a birth decreed by Allah. A question may be asked, if it doesn’t serve the sought purpose then why was it allowed? I understand that it was allowed as an ineffective but un-harmful act. I compare this with a hadith where the messenger of Allah (PBUH) had prohibited the practice of blowing to cure diseases, but later allowed when requested by some people. Hadrat Umair, freed slave of Abi al-Laham said, "In the pre-Islamic days I had a formula with which I used to blow over the people. I recited it before the Holy Prophet, whereupon he told me to drop out such and such words from it, and permitted me to blow with the rest of it."
Any idea to reduce human population in order to raise the quality of populace is ungodly. There is no scarcity of worldly resources. Statistics show that billions of tons of foodstuff are wasted every year. It is the imbalance of distribution that causes many to starve. The world’s 100 richest people earned enough money last year ($240 billion net income) that could end world’s extreme poverty four times over, according to the international rights group and charity Oxfam. The problem is wickedness of ungodly man. Even if the population reduces drastically, the situation shall not change unless the attitude improves. The source of misery of mankind is not the population but greed and commercialization. We need hell lot of money to bestow education to our offspring. Tarbiyat, which doesn’t cost anything, carries no value without an educational degree in an ungodly society.

Everyone laments the inability of the Ummah to adapt to changing times, but forgets that all the changes don’t lead to ultimate benefit. It is essential to distinguish between the beneficial and harmful changes. The Ummah needs to be drivers of only beneficial changes. Doctrine of materialism is the most prevalent ideology among masses, illa masha’ Allah. Whether embraced deliberately or unwittingly, materialism is a form of shirk.

Let us read verses 32 to 42 of Surah Kahaf – There was a man whom Allah gave vineyards surrounded with date-palm trees, land for cultivation, and a canal flowing through. The man was proud of his achievements and boasted while conversing with his neighbour, “I have more of wealth than you and have mightier men at my service.” Then he entered his garden and said, "I don't think that this wealth of mine will ever perish, and I do not believe that the Hour of Resurrection will ever come. Anyhow if ever I am returned to my Lord, I will get even a grander place than this.” Allah destroyed his gardens and he began to wring his hands in sorrow saying: "Would I had not associated anyone with my Lord in His Divinity!" Which god the man in the parable did associate with his Lord? No laat, manaat, durga or lakshmi; it was none but materialism?

kahf