Slave, equal, guardian: who is she?
At all times, and especially in recent decades, Islam has been accused of allegedly infringing on women’s rights.
The issue of “gender equality” has become one of the main complaints against the religion and the view that Islam unfairly distributes roles and responsibilities between men and women is increasingly being voiced.
We present to you a translation of an excerpt from Sheikh Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Buti’s book, “Woman: Between the Despotism of the Western Order and the Mercy of Divine Law”. In his work, the author provides a profound, well-reasoned and consistent response to such accusations.
Sheikh al-Buti’s explanation helps us clearly and soberly understand what Islam truly says about women and distinguish genuine religious principles from distorted notions and cultural stereotypes.
What do all societies around the world have in common, and what does woman have to do with it?
Every society, regardless of its worldview or cultural foundation, distributes certain responsibilities among its members and grants them certain rights. This balance of rights and responsibilities is the essence of any society.
But different societies define precisely what rights and responsibilities a person has differently. This depends on religion, philosophy or simply the traditions accepted in that society.
As for women, in any society, they have both rights and responsibilities, just like men. And whether they are the same or different is unimportant, the important thing is that both have their share of responsibilities and opportunities.
Does the West talk one way but live another?
The question is who defines women’s rights and responsibilities in Islamic and Western societies, and how? Before answering this, it is important to note that we are talking about the real life of Western societies, not their official system.
Why is this so? Because in practice, the West does not operate by any clear system on this issue. Everything is increasingly determined by material interests and desires. People’s behavior there is often dictated not by laws or principles, but by what is convenient or profitable. Meanwhile, in Islamic societies, such issues, like many others, are largely governed by religious norms and Islamic values. Yes, Western views are penetrating Muslim societies but their influence remains relative and weak, especially when compared to the influence of faith.
Why is family not a woman’s main responsibility?
The duties that the Islamic religious system places on women have one primary source: her submission and obedience to Allah ﷻ.
Human submission to the Almighty Creator is one of the fundamental truths of Islam. Moreover, it is one of the fundamental and obvious truths of the universe in general. It is also a natural consequence of belief in the existence of the Almighty. We will not discuss or prove this truth in detail here, as it is considered fundamental.
It is important to understand that in this matter there is no difference between men and women. Why? Because submission is the result of a person’s belonging to his Creator. After all, both men and women belong to Allah ﷻ, Who created all things.
Therefore, their submission to Allah ﷻ is equal: in essence and in significance. In this regard, there can be no superiority of one over the other.
From this, it follows that the duties Allah ﷻ has placed on men apply equally to women. These are universal duties before God. Such duties are often referred to as “the rights of Allah ﷻ” over people.
An example of this is the hadith that states that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “The right of Allah, the Most High, over His slaves is that they worship Him and associate no partners with Him.” “And the right of slaves over Allah ﷻ if they worship Him and associate no partners with Him, lest He punish them.” (Narrated by Muslim).
If we consider the words of the Prophet ﷺ in this hadith: “The right of Allah ﷻ over slaves...”, it becomes clear that the word “slaves” here does not refer only to men, but includes both men and women. It is the Arabic form, where the masculine gender is used for mixed groups. This confirms that the duties Allah ﷻ has placed on His slaves are the same for both men and women, without distinction.
Why are men obligated more?
Is this fair? But this may raise the question: why are men obligated to perform certain duties that are not imposed on women? And vice versa: why are women obligated to do things that are optional for men? For example: men are obligated to support their families and attend Friday prayer. Women are expected to care for children and conceal their attractiveness from strange men.
The answer is that this distinction is not due to one being a man and the other a woman. The division of responsibilities occurs for other reasons related to the wisdom and purpose of these commands.
Friday prayer or childcare: which is more important?
Take Friday prayer (Jumu’ah), for example. Its purpose is to strengthen Muslim unity and bring the community together. This purpose becomes important if it does not interfere with a more significant benefit. If performing this prayer conflicts with something even more important, then the obligation is waived, regardless of whether the person in front of us is a man or a woman. For example, if a man is caring for a sick person and there is no one else to do so, he is not obligated to attend Friday prayer; in fact, it is better for him to remain with the sick person, supporting and caring for him. The same applies to a woman: her participation in Friday prayer in the mosque may interfere with another important task – caring for children and the home. This is why Islam exempts her from the obligation of Friday prayer, not because she is a woman, but because her presence at home is more important at that time.
A woman is not obligated to attend Friday prayer for the same reason that a man can be exempted from this obligation, if he has a valid excuse.
The key here is to understand that femininity alone is not a reason for exemption, just as male gender is not a reason for it being obligatory.
Is a woman’s Friday prayer valid?
One of the clearest proofs of this is the following. If a woman attends Friday prayer with men, listens to the sermon, and prays, her Friday prayer is valid and counts instead of Zuhr (midday prayer).
The same applies to a man who had a valid excuse (for not attending), but still attended and prayed, his Jumu’ah prayer is also counted.
The general rule here is: “Whoever’s Zuhr prayer is valid, their Jumu’ah prayer is also valid.”
To be continued …
