As
opposed to this new practice of segregation, women during the time of the
Prophet were actively engaged in trade and agriculture. The Hadith books mention
several women like Umm Mubashshir who owned date-palm groves. One narrator,
Jabir says, “My maternal aunt after divorce went to her grove to collect dates.
Someone scolded her for coming out during her waiting period. She went to the
Prophet and he said: ‘Certainly you can pluck (dates) and you may do charity or
do an act of kindness” (Muslim 3535). Likewise, the women not only prayed in the
mosque but also attended leisure activities held there. A narration, reported by
Aisha, wife of the Prophet, says, “It was the day of Id when Negroes used to
play with shields and spears. Either I requested Allah’s Apostle or he himself
asked me whether I would like to see the performance. I replied in the
affirmative. Then he let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek
and he was saying, ‘Carry on, O Bani Arfida (Negroes)”’ (Bukhari 4.155). --
ARIF M. KHAN
By Arif M. Khan
For men
and women who submit (to God), or men and women who believer, for men and women
who are devout, for men and women who are truthful, for men and women who are
patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women
who give in Charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard
their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God’s prepared
forgiveness and great reward” (33.35).
Commenting on this verse, Abdulla Yusuf Ali says that “a number of
Islamic virtues are specified here, but the chief stress is laid on the fact
that these virtues are as necessary to women as to men. Both sexes have
spiritual as well as human rights and duties in equal degree and the future
reward of the hereafter viz. spiritual bliss is provided for the one as for the
other”. On account of cultural overlays and male dominated Muslim jurisprudence
(fiqh), women may be shackled with restrictions in various Muslim societies, but
there is no doubt that the Quran has prescribed gender equality and has asserted
that men and women are born from a single person, made of the same substance
(17.70).
Mahmood
Sallam Zannani, in his book titled Ikhtilal al-Jinsayn (Mixing of Sexes), says
that “in Medina, women participated fully in social life with men. Women used to
go out with their faces uncovered. This way of life continued until the early
Umvi period. Later day Umayyad rulers in Damascus decided to veil their women, a
practice prescribed by Romans who were ruling Dmascus before the city had fallen
to the Arabs in AD 641.
“However, the practice of veil remained confined to the ruling elites
and the succeeding Abbasi dynasty followed suit. About hundred years later, Ibn
Muqaffa, who himself was of Persian origin, advised Abbasi ruler Mansour to
impose veil on all women despite it not being obligatory. This ushered in a new
tradition which eulogised segregation and praised veiled women who lived in
secluded environment.”
As
opposed to this new practice of segregation, women during the time of the
Prophet were actively engaged in trade and agriculture. The Hadith books mention
several women like Umm Mubashshir who owned date-palm groves. One narrator,
Jabir says, “My maternal aunt after divorce went to her grove to collect dates.
Someone scolded her for coming out during her waiting period. She went to the
Prophet and he said: ‘Certainly you can pluck (dates) and you may do charity or
do an act of kindness” (Muslim 3535). Likewise, the women not only prayed in the
mosque but also attended leisure activities held there. A narration, reported by
Aisha, wife of the Prophet, says, “It was the day of Id when Negroes used to
play with shields and spears. Either I requested Allah’s Apostle or he himself
asked me whether I would like to see the performance. I replied in the
affirmative. Then the let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his
cheek and he was saying, ‘Carry on, O Bani Arfida (Negroes)”’ (Bukhari
4.155).
After
the holy Prophet, Caliph Umar appointed two women, Samra bint Nuhayk and Shifa
bint Abdullah, as superintendents of markets in Mecca and Medina. Their job
combined both executive and judicial responsibilities. The Caliph had given a
whip to Samra to punish traders who indulged in unfair used to play Prominent
among the early women who played important political role was Zainab, daughter
of Maula Ali, who accompanied her brother Imam Husain to Karbala. Her speeches
after the tragedy were marked by profound erudition. Imam Hudhaym Asadi
described her thus: “have not seen a woman more eloquent. It was like Ali
himself was speaking. When she spoke all speech stopped and people were moved to
tears.”
In the
history of early Islam there were many other examples of women who played the
role of trendsetters. They were truly women of substance because they asserted
equality and refused to surrender to man what was granted to them by
God.
Source:
The Sunday Guardian
10:09 PM
Sultan Shahin
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