In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all Being, the All-merciful, the
All-compassionate, the Master of the Day of Judgment.1 May Allah’s
mercy and peace be upon all of His Messengers and truthful and pure
Prophets; and may His mercy and peace be upon the master of the children
of Adam and the seal of the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad,
the trustworthy Messenger; and may His mercy and peace be upon Muhammad’s
family, companions and whoever follows his guidance till the
Day of Judgment.
To Proceed:
For Whom Am I Writing this Essay?
My brothers and sisters everywhere! With this essay, I am not singling
out the adherents of Islam—to which I ascribe—but rather I am writing
this essay to every man and woman throughout the whole world.
I ask Allah that He facilitates that this essay reaches every ear, falls under
the sight of every eye, and is understood by every heart.
By Allah, I have written this essay sincerely. I do not seek from anyone
reward or praise. I only seek to convey to all my brethren in humanity,
irrespective of their races or religions, an aspect of the great message
that Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullah, Allah’s final messenger to all the
peoples of the earth, was sent with.
1 The Quran 1:1-3.
4
Specifically, I have chosen to explain the wisdom behind those laws that
Allah has legislated regarding women. As contingent upon these laws, an
individual’s bliss on earth is gained and his humanity is achieved. Moreover,
these Islamic regulations pertaining to women have been singled
out for attack by the enemies of humanity, who seek to follow their desires
and who are short-sighted. Rather, they have put an end to a person’s
bliss on earth and exchanged that with misery and a wretched life.
They have attacked these Divine regulations, so that they may turn humanity
away from Allah’s true religion, His straight path, and bliss in this
world and the next – toward which the final Messenger of all Divine
messages came to give glad tidings and to invite all humanity to receive.
Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullah is Allah’s Prophet and the Final Messenger
Sent by Allah to the Inhabitants of Earth
My brothers and sisters everywhere! You should know that the Messenger,
Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullah (may Allah’s blessings and peace
be upon him) is Allah’s Messenger in reality and truth. The evidences
that show his veracity are abundant. None but an infidel, who out of arrogance
alone, could deny these signs.
Among these proofs [are the following:]
1. Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was raised
illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his death.
Among all his people, he was known as being truthful and trustworthy.
Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of Religion or
any previously sent Message. He remained like that for his first forty
years.
Revelation then came to Muhammad with the Quran that we now have
between our hands. This Quran mentioned most of the accounts found
in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the greatest
5
detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they
were found in the Torah sent down to Moses and in the Gospel sent
down to Jesus. Neither the Jews or Christians were able to belie him regarding
anything that he said.
2. Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) also foretold
of everything that would occur to him and his community after him,
pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of Chosroes2
and Caesar, and the establishment of the religion of Islam
throughout the earth. These events occurred exactly as Muhammad
foretold, as if he was reading the future from an open book.
3. Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) also
brought an Arabic Quran that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The
Quran challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially
belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Quran. The eloquent
Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Quran.
Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been able
to compose words that equal – or even approach – the order, grace,
beauty, and splendor of this Glorious Quran.
4. The life history of this Noble Prophet was a perfect example of being
upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from
all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely
for the reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings,
he was ever mindful and fearful of Allah.
5. Allah instilled great love for Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and
peace be upon him) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him.
This love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly
sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him.
2 The royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia.
6
Till today, those who believe in Muhammad honor and love him. Anyone
of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and
wealth to see him, even if but once.
6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the
manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad, who is the most influential
human in history.
Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and
evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by
those who believe in him. Upon remembering Muhammad, the believers
in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him. They do such with full
hearts and true love for him.
7. Nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still followed in all
his doings by those who believe in him.
Those who believe in Muhammad, sleep in the manner he slept; purify
themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he purified
himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and
clothe themselves.
Indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in Muhammad adhere to
the teachings he spread among them and the path that he traveled upon
during his life.
During every generation, from his day till our time, the believers in this
Noble Prophet have fully adhered to his teachings. With some, this has
reached the degree that they desire to follow and adhere to the Prophet’s
way in his personal matters regarding which Allah has not sought of
them to adhere to in worship. For example, some will only eat those
specific foods or only wear those specific garments that the Messenger
liked.
Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad repeat those
praises of Allah, special prayers, and invocations that he would say durwww.
islamhouse.com
7
ing each of his actions during day and night, like: what he would say
when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the house, entering
and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom, going to
sleep and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent, observing the
new fruit on trees, eating, drinking, dressing, riding, traveling and returning
from travel, etc.
Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad fully perform –
even to the minute detail – every act of worship – like prayer, fasting,
charity, and pilgrimage – as this Noble Messenger (may Allah’s blessings
and peace be upon him) taught and as he himself performed.
All of this allows those who believe in him, to live their lives in all aspects
with this Noble Messenger as their example, as if he was standing
before them, for them to follow in all their doings.
8. There has never been nor will there ever be a man anywhere upon this
earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience in all
matters – small and large alike – as has this Noble Prophet.
Since his day, in every region of the earth and during every period, this
Noble Prophet has been followed by individuals from all races, colors
and peoples. Many of those who followed him were previously Christians,
Jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any religion. Among those who
chose to follow him, were those who were known for their sound judgment,
wisdom, reflection, and foresight. They choose to follow this Noble
Prophet after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the
evidences of his miracles. They did not choose to follow Muhammad
out of compulsion or coercion or because they had adopted the ways of
their fathers and mothers.
Indeed many of the followers of this Prophet (may Allah’s blessings and
peace be upon him), chose to follow him during the time when Islam
was weak, when there were few Muslims, and when there was severe
persecution of his followers on earth. Most people who have followed
8
this Prophet (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) have done
so not to acquire some material benefits. Indeed many of his followers
have suffered the greatest forms of harm and persecution as a result of
following this Prophet. Despite all this harm and persecution, this did
not turn them back from his religion.
My brethren! All of this clearly indicates to anyone possessing any sense,
that this Prophet was truly and really Allah’s messenger and that he was
not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke about Allah without
knowledge.
10. With all this, Muhammad came with a great religion in its creedal and
legal make-up.
Muhammad described Allah with qualities of complete perfection, and at
the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any imperfection.
Neither the philosophers or the wise could ever describe Allah like
such. Indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human mind could
conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete ability,
knowledge, and greatness; Who has subdued the creation; Who has encompassed
everything in the universe, small or large; and Who possesses
such perfect mercy.
Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based
upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on
earth like the laws that Muhammad brought for all spheres of human activity
– like, buying and selling, marriage and divorce, renting, testimony,
custody, and all other contracts that are necessary to uphold life and
civilization on earth.
11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom, morals, good
manners, nobleness of character as what this honorable Prophet (may
Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) brought.
9
In a full and complete manner, Muhammad spread a teaching regarding
character and manners toward one’s parents, relatives, friends, family,
humanity, animals, plants and inanimate objects. It is impossible for the
human mind alone to grasp all of that teaching or come with a similar
teaching.
All of that unequivocally indicates that this Messenger did not bring any
of this religion from his own accord, but that it was rather a teaching
and inspiration that he received from the One Who created the earth
and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous
architecture and perfection.
12. The legal and creedal make-up of the religion that the Messenger,
Muhammad, (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) brought resembles
the engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that indicates
that He who created the heavens and the earth is the One Who
sent down this great law and upright religion.
The degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon
Muhammad is to the same degree of inimitability of the Divine creation
of the heavens and earth. For just as humanity cannot create this universe,
in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like Allah’s
law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad
(may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him).
10
A Single Verse from the Quran Suffices for the Bliss of All Humanity
Were They to Adhere It
O my brothers and sisters everywhere! Allah (Glorified and Exalted be
He) says:
“O humanity! Be careful of your duty to your Lord, Who created
you from a single soul, and from it created its mate, and from
the pair of them has spread abroad many men and women; and
be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom you demand
(your rights) of one another and [be careful of your duty] toward
the wombs (that bare you); surely Allah ever watches over you.”
(The Quran 4:1)
This is a call from Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) to all humanity
irrespective of their creeds or religions.
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), the Lord and Creator, calls humanity
to fear Him and to know that He has created them from a single soul,
Adam, humanity’s father (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).
From Adam, Allah created his mate, and she is Eve. (It has been mentioned
upon the tongue of the final Messenger and Prophet, Muhammad,
who is truthful and believed in, that Allah took a rib from Adam
and from it created his mate Eve).
Through the joining of every male and female from the offspring of
Adam and Eve, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) made all of humanity
(with the exception of Jesus (upon him Allah’s mercy and peace) who
was created by Allah, from the Virgin Mary without any father, but by
Allah’s Word3 and the blowing of the angel of Jesus’ soul into Mary.
3 Allah said ‘Be’ and Jesus came into being.
11
After Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), the Lord, taught us that He
created all of us from a single soul and commanded us that we fear Him;
He then commands us a second time to observe our duty toward Him
and warns us from cutting the ties of the womb.
The womb (or ‘rahm’ in Arabic) is that place from where the child
grows. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) derived for this organ a
name from His names; Allah is ar-Rahman4 and this organ is known as
the ‘rahm’. This is so, because Allah calls us to be merciful with one another
and in particular with those whom we are linked with by a single
womb.
For this reason among humans the mother is the most merciful as her
child grew and developed in her womb. After the mother, the most
merciful among humans is the father, as it was his seed that brought
forth the fetus in the womb of the mother. After the parents, the most
merciful are the full brothers and sisters as they all are joined by a single
womb in which they grew and by one father who was their seed. After
the siblings, the most merciful are half-brothers and half-sisters, who
share the same mother, as they all are from a single womb even if their
fathers are different; and then after them are half-brothers and halfsisters
from a single father; and so forth.
This mercy shared between all humanity is what distinguishes them from
all animals.
For all of humanity is united by a single, distant womb, the womb of
Eve, and are then united in closer wombs, like the womb that links
brothers and sisters. This mercy shared by humanity is the greatest matter
that Allah distinguished humans with from all other animals on earth.
4 Which in Arabic means the All-Merciful.
12
Neither intelligence itself nor the ability to provide for one’s needs is
what distinguishes humans from animals. The worms in the earth, the
animals that crawl on the ground, the beasts and birds, each knows how
to acquire the necessities for its existence, how to store its food, how to
protect and raise its offspring; and how by its wits to reach the end of its
natural life span provided no event terminates its life.
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) then informs us in this verse that
He is ever watchful over all of us.
Among the meanings of His watchfulness over us is that He knows
whatever we do during night or day, secretly or openly. Indeed Allah
knows our thoughts and what our hearts conceal. Every instant He
looks at us. Nothing is hidden from His Eyes that sleep not. He is acquainted
with our secrets, He hears our words, and He enumerates our
deeds.
Allah has appointed for us the system, law, and way that He required
from us to follow in all our affairs. Allah revealed this system, law, and
way to every generation and people upon the tongues of His messengers
and prophets, whom He sent to humanity during every age, beginning
with Adam (who was a prophet to whom Allah spoke) and concluding
with Muhammad (who is Allah’s messenger and prophet for all humanity
from the moment that Allah sent him till the Hour of Judgment is established
and these heavens and earth come to an end).
Upon the basis of this system, law, and way that Allah (Glorified and
Exalted be He) sent down, He will judge us concerning we did. Did our
actions agree with the truth and occur as Allah commanded and legislated
for us? Or did we in this life travel according to our whims and desires
and by what we legislated for our own selves and by what our
minds devised.
13
Equality of Men and Women in all Three Levels of the
Islamic Religion
My brothers and sisters everywhere! Islam’s law that Allah (Glorified
and Exalted be He) sent down to His Messenger Muhammad came to
announce that women (exactly like men) are full human beings. Women
are therefore required to follow the way appointed by Allah.
A woman (like a man) is therefore obligated with all three degrees of this
religion: Islam (outward submission to Allah), Iman (inward faith in Allah),
and Ihsan (perfection of worship of Allah.
It is thus required for every woman to testify that there is none deserving
worship but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger; to
pray; to give charity; to fast; and to make a pilgrimage to Allah’s House
if she has the means.
It is likewise required for every woman to believe in Allah, His angels,
His scriptures, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in Allah’s
decree (and that the good and evil consequences thereof are from Allah.
These are the fundamentals of Islam and Iman.
It is likewise required for every woman to worship Allah as if she sees
Him. For although she cannot see Allah, she must believe that He sees
whatever she does in secret and in public.
Women (exactly like men) have been commanded with these three levels
of the religion (Islam, Iman, and Ihsan).
Women are also obligated to enjoin good and forbid evil; to wage jihad
by saying that which is truthful; and to adhere to all noble behavior, like:
truthfulness, trustworthiness, courage, modesty, and self-respect.
14
Every Muslim woman is commanded to be steadfast in her religion and
not to be negligent with her faith. It is impermissible for her – under any
pressure or compulsion – to open her heart to accept the word of disbelief.
5 Hence every Muslim woman falls under Allah’s statement:
“Whoso disbelieves in Allah, after he has believed – excepting
him who has been compelled, and his heart is still at rest with
the Faith – but whoever’s breast is expanded in unbelief, upon
them shall rest anger from Allah, and there awaits them a
mighty chastisement.” (The Quran 16:106)
Clearly when Islam charged women with all these duties and in all these
obligations made her equal to men, the intent was to honor her and
permit her reach the highest degree of perfection of her being.
For the duties that Allah has obligated humanity with are but a means to
honor us. Prayer, as well as fasting, is an honor for the servant and
means to raise his rank. To adhere to Allah’s straight path and the manners
of Islam are, without doubt, means to honor us and not humiliate
us as is imagined by those who are ignorant of Allah and follow their desires.
Such people think and imagine that a human being who does not believe
in Allah, does not uphold the trust of these duties, and does not perform
what Allah has commanded him is of a higher standing than the believer
who adheres to the obligations of Islam. Such an idea is ignorance and
renders human beings on par with the animals.
Humans have been created to be tried by Allah and have been charged
with fulfilling these duties to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and
5 Like the ideas of Western feminism which necessitate disbelief not only in Allah, the Quran,
and the Messenger Muhammad, but indeed a rejection of every scripture and messenger sent by
Allah for humanity.
15
His creatures.6 As for animals, while they have been by created by Allah,
they have not been charged with this trust.7
Whoever considers that human being who does not uphold what Allah
has obligated an equal to those who fulfill what Allah has obligated is
like those who consider humans and animals to be equal. For this reason,
Allah has said:
“Shall We then treat those who have surrendered (as Muslims)
as We treat the guilty?” (The Quran 68:35)
And He has said:
“We have created for hell many of the jinn and humanity; they
have hearts, but understand not with them; they have eyes, but
perceive not with them; and they have ears, but they hear not
with them. These are like cattle; nay, rather they are further
astray! Those – they are the heedless.” (The Quran 7:126)
The disbeliever in Allah is a guilty criminal, for he does not know whom
He is to worship, his Creator, his Protector, his Lord, and He Who created
this universe in which he lives. The disbeliever enjoys what Allah
6 Allah says:
“Blessed be He in whose hand is the Kingdom – He is powerful over everything –
who created death and life, that He may try you which of you is fairest in works…”
[The Quran 68:1-2]
“I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me [alone].” [The Quran
51:56]
7 Allah says:
“We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused
to carry it and were afraid of it; and man carried it. Surely he is unjust, ignorant.
That Allah may chastise the hypocrites, men and women alike, and the polytheists,
men and women alike; and that Allah may turn again unto the believers, men and
women alike. Allah is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.” [The Quran 33:72-73]
16
has blessed him with and yet forgets the One Who blessed and preferred
him with such blessings. As for the believer, he is the honorable servant
who knows His Lord, God whom He worships, and Creator. He fulfills
what Allah has obligated and travels upon the path that Allah has delineated
for him.
17
Islam and Women’s Work
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) lifted from women the obligation of
working to provide and support herself and her family. He made this
obligation particular for men alone. Allah commanded men to be responsible
for the care of women during all stages of their life.
• While she is a child, she is under the care of her father. This responsibility
is not lifted except by her marriage or (his or her) death, nor
does it cease after she reaches a certain age as occurs in the laws of the
ignorant who rule by their desires and their shallow minds.
• After she marries, the responsibility falls on her husband so long
as she is under his care due to the contract of marriage.
• If she has neither father or husband, the responsibility of her care
falls on her brother who assumes the role of the father when he is not
present; and if she has no brother then whoever is her closest male relative
(from whom she would inherit and whom would inherit from her)
would assume the role of her father.
• If she has no male relatives, the obligation falls upon the Muslim
community. The responsibility of her care is a communal obligation; if
none fulfills that, all have sinned.
Furthermore even if she is wealthy, Islam has dropped from her the obligation
of assuming care of anyone. With the presence of her husband
(or for that matter her parents), it is not required that she spend upon
her children unless she seeks to do such as an act of righteousness,
kindness and observing ties of the womb. She is not obligated to work
in order to take care of herself or her children.
This lifting of the obligation of working for the purpose of providing for
herself was in order to preserve her from being degraded, as many jobs
18
that are sought to gain livelihood entail humiliation and hardship. Likewise
this responsibility was lifted to preserve her from temptation and
mixing with men and because this is from the specialization that Allah
has made as a law for His creation.
If women were charged to work in order to provide for their livelihood
in addition to their natural duties of pregnancy, child birth, and breast
feeding this would be an obligation above what she could bear and
would be an injustice to women. Or this work would be at the expense
of her natural duties of pregnancy, birth, breast feeding and raising her
children. And this is what exactly has occurred with all nations that have
deviated from what Allah has made a natural state among His creation.
In these ignorant un-Islamic societies, men are pleased with this situation
as this gains for them greater gratification with women and drops
from them a considerable amount of the responsibility of working and
supporting her and her children. This obviously is a selfish attitude on
the part of men. Sadly many women are pleased with this situation, I
mean gathering between working outside the house to support herself
and her natural duties of pregnancy and child birth and breast feeding.
This is because of her desire for amusement and to boast; not because
there is any real human or moral value in her working outside the home.
Unlike what is claimed, women’s work has no real value boosting the
economy. Rather the truth is that by competing with men for jobs outside
the home, women are a cause in the spread of unemployment and
an increase in the useless consumption of cosmetics, clothes, and perfumes
that have all become necessary items for women working outside
the home. Furthermore every woman that works outside the home is in
most occasions a cause for denying an opportunity for a man who could
work in her place. Again this is one factor in unemployment. Moreover
the man who takes the place of a woman in the household cannot substitute
her in her natural duties.
19
We say what is the economic, moral, or social value for women working
in factories, armies, cleaning streets and airports, repairing trains, cleaning
public restrooms, as a security guard, driving taxis, and all other occupations
that humiliate women in those countries that live for this
world alone and do not think of the Hereafter.
This is all from the wretched life that Allah has warned whoever distances
himself from His way. Allah (Exalted be He) has said:
“... but whosoever turns away from My rememberance, his shall
be a life of narrowness, and on the Resurrection Day We shall
raise him blind.” He shall say, “O my Lord, why hast Thou
raised me blind, when I was wont to see?” Allah shall say, “So
[it must be]. Our signs came unto thee, and thou didst forget
them; and in a like manner today thou art forgotten.” (The
Quran 20:124)
Although Islam has not obligated women to work to seek a living and
has appointed someone to be responsible for her during all her stages of
her life; Islamic law has given women the right (so long as she has
reached the age of maturity and is competent) to own and dispose of her
properties without any guardianship over her (whether that be her father,
husband or anyone else).
She has the right to own all forms of property, to buy and sell, give gifts
and charity, and all forms of expenditure (without wastefulness) so long
as it is her wealth and her acquisition. However if she is incompetent, Islam
does not distinguish between men and women in declaring someone
legally incompetent. Islam gave women the right to own and dispose of
property, so that by this she could be a full legal personality possessing
the full right to dispose of her wealth. Islam provides her with specific
sources to acquire wealth, like the dower, inheritance, gifts, and all other
lawful means for acquired wealth.
20
As women in Islamic law are not required to maintain themselves or
others, she was given half of what men receive in inheritance in observation
that she is not responsible for the maintenance of anyone and to
replenish men’s wealth who alone are responsible to work and provide
maintenance.
In this Islam opposed the ignorant un-Islamic practice that forbade
women to inherit under any circumstance because she does not maintain
anyone or fight against any enemy. Allah sent down in His Glorious
Quran:
“To the men [of a family] a share of what parents and near kindred
leave, and to the women a share of what parents and near
kindred leave, whether it be little or much, a share apportioned…”
(The Quran 4:7)
Without doubt those who claim that Islam is unjust toward women because
it gives her half of what men receive in inheritance are ignorant of
the distribution of rights and obligations in the pure, just Islamic law.
“Is the judgment of the pre-Islamic days of ignorance then that
they are seeking? Yet who is better in judgment than Allah, for a
people having certainty [in their faith]?” (The Quran 5:50)
21
Islamic Laws Governing Chastity
Islamic law aims to preserve the six indispensable necessities (i.e., religion,
life, mind, progeny, wealth, and character) that a human being’s bliss
or a good life upon earth cannot be achieved except with their preservation.
Islam has legislated laws that aim to preserve each of these six necessities.
What concerns us here for our discussion regarding the wisdom of
Islam behind its specific legislations pertaining to women are the effects
of these specific legislations upon preserving these six necessities and in
particular the purity of one’s progeny and the correctness of his lineage
to one’s parents thereby preserving the circle of relatives and the circle
of the wombs. It is this lineage that distinguishes human beings on earth
from all other animals.
The preservation of the purity of one’s progeny and the correctness of
lineage to one’s parents is among those six indispensable necessities regarding
which there is no bliss for humanity nor will humanity continue
to exist without its preservation.
In order to preserve one’s lineage to his parents:
1. Islam forbade that a man under any circumstance marry his
mother, daughter, sister, aunt (paternal or maternal), niece (from his
brother or sister), wife’s mother, his wife’s daughter (if he had sexual relations
with her mother)8 and the equivalents to these women to whom
he is related by breast feeding, as Islam’s messenger has said:
8 Allah says:
“Forbidden to you are your mothers and daughters, your sisters, your aunts, paternal
and maternal, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your mothers who
22
“What is unlawful by reason of lineage is forbidden by reason of
fosterage.”
The aim in forbidding marriage with these women is to preserve one’s
lineage and the circle of wombs; and to allow men to become accustomed
to a circle of women around him toward whom he feels no sexual
desire, physical pleasure or possessiveness but rather toward whom he
has feelings of love, mercy and respect. Hence the feeling a man has toward
these women must be different than the feelings he has toward a
woman whom he can marry and have sex.
Accordingly, Islam forbade a woman under any circumstance to marry
her father, son, brother, uncle (paternal or maternal), nephew (from her
brother or sister), her husband’s father or son, and likewise the equivalents
to these men to whom she is bound by breast feeding. This is so
that a woman may feel toward these men feelings of closeness and love
that are free of any sexual desire.
2. In order to preserve the lineage and make the circle of the womb
pure and clean, Islam ordered that marriage be announced, certified, and
witnessed so that it may be distinguished from illicit sexual relations. To
preserve the honor of women, Islam required of her guardian to pursue
the marriage contract for his charge (i.e., daughter, sister, etc.). Hence
she does not negotiate with a man for herself like a woman engaging in
adultery or fornication. In order to preserve a woman’s dignity and
have given suck to you, your suckling sisters, your wives’ mothers, your stepdaughters
who are in your care being born of your wives you have been in to—but if you
have not yet been in to them it is no fault in you—and the spouses of your sons who
are of your loins, and that you should take to you two sisters together, unless it be a
thing of the past; Allah is All-forgiving, All-compassionate; and wedded women, save
what your own right hands own. So Allah prescribes to you. Lawful for you, beyond
all that, is that you may seek, using your wealth, in wedlock and not in licence.” [The
Quran 4:23-24]
23
guard her modesty and softness, her closest male relative settles the marriage
contract for her.
3. Since illicit sexual intercourse is the plague that destroys the pure
progeny and correct lineage, pure and good Islam (which is the law of
Allah Who is All-Wise, Worthy of all praise) has by all means firmly
closed and barred all doors leading to this plague. Islam cured this problem,
before its occurrence; and has cured it after its occurrence (when it
occurs) rooted it out and terminated all its effects on society. This is because
the sexual instinct and natural inclination of men and women toward
one another is among the strongest instincts if not the strongest.
Both men and women are weak before this instinct and this desire.
Without doubt that to fall into this plague and its spread means the destruction
of the greatest ingredient for human bliss upon earth and that
is purity of progeny and correct lineage. This will lead to destruction of
the womb and the end of mercy. For with the spread of illicit sex there
is a spread of illegitimate children. When there are many illegitimate
children: the family comes to an end; the fabric of society is ripped
apart; bonds of love are ended between society’s members; selfishness
and narcissism becomes wide spread; and hatred and dislike is spread
between people. The only feelings that remain are those of possessiveness,
power, pleasure, pure self-interest, living for the moment and distancing
of oneself from shouldering the responsibilities of marriage and
raising children. This is a warning of the impending destruction, collapse,
and loss of mercy, happiness and compassion.
4. In order to keep the progeny clean, the pure and good Islamic law
ordered men and women to lower one’s glance from one another and
commanded that women cover and hide their beauty from all men who
are permitted to marry her.9
9 Allah says:
24
5. This Islamic law forbade a woman to travel alone without a guardian10.
It forbade that anyone enter her household while her husband or
guardians are not present or for men (with the exception of her husband
or guardian) to remain in private with them. The intent behind all these
regulations is to preserve honor, to keep away from the areas of temptation
and doubt, and to preserve trust and peace of mind regarding chastity
and uprightness.
6. Without doubt, that the Islamic regulations regarding chastity
(such as the women’s dress code and others) were never a barrier for
women to reach the highest degree of perfection possible for her in
terms in all its branches of knowledge, virtue and righteousness. Indeed
the women’s dress code is among the greatest means that free men and
women to reach their aims, as they are not preoccupied with the other
sex all the time. Practice shows that those students who are in single sex
universities are more apt to learn than those in coeducational institutions.
“Say to the believers, that they cast down their eyes and guard their private parts; that
is purer for them. Allah is aware of the things they work. And say to the believing
women, that they cast down their eyes and guard their private parts, and reveal not
their adornment save such as is outward; and let them cast their headcoverings over
the bosoms, and not reveal their adornment save to their husbands, or their fathers, or
their husband’s fathers, or their sons, or their husband’s sons, or their brothers, or
their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or what their right hands
own, or such men as attend to them, not having sexual desire, or children who have
not yet attained knowledge of women’s private parts; nor let them stamp their feet, so
that their hidden ornament may be known. And turn all together in repentance to Allah,
O you believers; haply so you will prosper.” [The Quran 24:30-31]
10 A guardian (mahram) is defined as whoever she is forbidden to marry under any circumstance.
25
My brothers and sisters everywhere!
These regulations that Islam has legislated to preserve character and to
guard the purity of offspring and correctness of lineage are opposed by
those who follow their desires and are short sighted, those who want to
live for their desires and their self interests even if this results in every
evil and sin. The attack of these perverts on Islamic laws that govern
chastity and the preservation of lineage was not as they claim out of their
desire to protect women, her rights or to show justice to her. Rather
their aim was to take women while still in their youth out of their homes
so that she can be within their reach whenever and wherever they want,
to deceive married women not to preserve the rights of her husband or
guard her lineage, and to make a woman in every stage of her life a plaything
and an object of pleasure for men that he may fulfill his sexual desire
in every way and at the same time leave her to deal with what is in
her womb, while he is free to have many as girl friends and passing lovers.
In the end, women are left after pregnancy to shoulder all the responsibilities.
Either she will commit the crime of murdering her child prior to giving
birth or after; or either she will give up her child to a foster home where
it will raised far away from any family as animals are raised in shelters; or
either she will throw her baby away in the trash. If there remains anything
of her maternal instincts, she will try to find some means to take
care of this child. She might look for another man to replace the first
who after fulfilling his desires left her.
This painful reality is what has resulted in the sinful, amoral societies
wherein men claim that they want to preserve women’s rights and give
her equality with men. This reality is the greatest proof that their claim
that they seek equality is only a lie and a means of deception.
26
Women were the sacrificial ram for this call to “equality.” For her to
seek a livelihood has become a necessity of life and it is against her nature
and constitution.
A man is able to have sex with a thousand women and will never carry
anything in his belly, and still will be able to have sex with a thousand
more. While a woman might become pregnant during her first sexual
experience with any passing man who seeks only gratification. She alone
is held responsible for all the rest. She will either kill what lies in her
belly or she will be responsible for all the maintenance and what follows.
Where then is the equality?
In these societies, the un-Islamic ignorant contracts of marriage are no
longer a guarantee for women. For if a man can find a woman whom he
can enjoy without these guarantees and responsibilities, why should he
turn to marriage with its restrictions and consequences? Moreover, since
in these societies women have been made equal to men in the right to
terminate marriage, these contracts do not remain but for the briefest
period of time, sometimes not lasting more than a few hours. Again,
where is the equality?
27
Marriage in Islam
My brothers and sisters everywhere!
I call you to learn about the marriage contract as it is set forth in the
pure Islamic law that was sent down upon Allah’s final prophet and His
messenger, our master Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be
upon him).
In this contract their is such wisdom and perfection whereas it achieves
bliss, peace, and security for all men and women upon this earth.
In the [Islamic marriage contract], Allah distributed the rights and obligations
between men and women in a just and wise manner. He has appointed
for it a safety valve in the man’s hand as He (Exalted be He) has
said:
“Women have such honorable rights as obligations, but men
have a [single] degree above them.” (The Quran 2:228)
Without going into the details of this contract:
• In the [Islamic] marriage contract, Allah obligated upon the man to
provide the woman a dower11 and maintenance which includes her food,
housing, and clothing12. Allah placed maintenance of the children upon
11 Allah says:
“And give the women their dowries as a gift spontaneous.” [The Quran 4:4]
12 Allah says:
“Men are the managers of the affairs of women for that Allah has preferred one of
them over another, and for that they have expended of their property.” [The Quran
4:34]
28
the husband alone. Allah absolved women from the responsibility of
seeking a livelihood and the necessities of life for her or her children.
• Allah required from the woman obedience and sincerity toward
her husband, that to him alone she gives her all, and that she guard his
dwelling as she has been entrusted with that.
• As for sexual pleasure, each spouse is to have pleasure with the
other.13
• Among the rights that Allah gave to the man alone is the right to
separate and divorce his wife. This was such in order to preserve the secrets
of marriage, so that he is not forced to turn to injustice to the
woman, degrade her, or spread her secrets.
• Upon divorcing his wife, Allah required that a man maintain her
for the waiting period (which if she is pregnant is until she gives birth; if
she is menstruating for three periods; and for all others three months).
In any case, he is forever responsible for the maintenance of her children.
If she is going to raise the children, it is [also] his responsibility to
maintain her. By that a woman is absolved from working or seeking the
necessities of life while she is a wife or when as a mother she is raising
[his] children after divorce.
• Allah also gave women the right to leave the marriage contract. In
this case, however, she must return to him the dower he gave her, unless
he drops that condition.
13 Allah says:
“... they (i.e., your wives) are a vestment for you, and you are a vestament for them.”
[The Quran 2:187]
“And of His signs is that He created for you, of yourselves, spouses, that you might
repose in them, and He has set between you love and mercy. Surely in that are signs
for a people who consider.” [The Quran 30:21]
29
• Allah made the marriage contract “a strong pledge,”14 each one
of them, man and woman, must legally uphold this bond in this world
and will accordingly be judged in the Hereafter.
• Islam gave men the right to marry up to four women at one time,
provided he is able to maintain them all.15 Of course, a woman who accepts
this, accepts such willingly and out of consent. Allah - Glorified
and Exalted be He - has permitted this, so that no woman would remain
without a husband; no man would turn to illicit sex (for lawful means
have been facilitated for him); and so that each child would have a correct
lineage to its parents.
Without doubt those who desired to restrict a man to a single wife, arguing
for equality harshly reject that a man gather under his custody more
than one woman; where unable to achieve that.
Many men by instinct and nature cannot restrict themselves to one
woman or else he will engage in illicit sexual intercourse. When the
preachers of [this] “false” equality wanted to oppose the natural way, it
collided with them. This resulted in men taking girlfriends and lovers.
Illicit sex spread, illegitimate children multiplied, and [human] suffering
became widespread.
Among this suffering is that men have turned to raping their children.
The statistics regarding this are extremely frightful. What crime have
these “preachers of equality” brought to humanity that they have turned
fathers into predatory beasts raping their daughters, offspring, and family
members.
14 A reference to the Quran 4:21.
15 Allah says:
“... marry such women as seem good to you, two, three, four; but if you fear you will
not be equitable, then only one, or what your right hands own; so it is likelier you will
not be partial.” [The Quran 4:3]
30
This is what occurs in the closet. As for what openly occurs in public,
those whose nature has been perverted are delightful, proud and boastful
at the great number of wicked girlfriends and lovers they have. Yet
they have a fit and haughtily reject that a man be permitted to have more
than one chaste, pure wife for him alone. What a reversal of nature? And
what a false claim that they seek equality between men and women?
The truth of the matter is that it is impossible to have absolute equality
between men and women in what is specific for each of them. So long
as it is impossible to achieve absolute equality between men and women,
it is required to distribute rights and obligations [between the spouses]
according to the manner in which the Creator (Glorified and Exalted be
He) has assigned each one.
My brothers and sisters everywhere!
I call you to affirm the marriage contract in Islam as Allah sent it down
upon the final prophet and messenger, our master Muhammad (may Allah’s
peace and blessings be upon him). For when applied it is a guarantee
to achieve the blessed, good life that every reasoning person hopes
and strives for on this earth.
31
An Appeal To Save Humanity
My brothers and sisters everywhere!
We appeal you to save humanity from the wickedness into which it has
fallen as result of its distancing itself from Allah’s way and religion and
opposing His good and pure laws. We will remind you with some of the
calamities that have befallen humanity due to its running behind its passions
and traveling on Satan’s path of temptation.
Among which:
1. The Murder of One’s Offspring:
The crime of murdering children and offspring which now has reached
appalling numbers as a result of abortions performed secretly or
openly.16 This is among the results of making lawful illicit sex and immorality,
charging women with working for a living, and facilitating the
means that allow men to get women as they want.
2. The Spread of Illicit Sex and Immorality:
The making lawful of illicit sex is a great crime against humanity. Every
religion and religious law that Allah sent down from heaven has forbid-
16 Allah says condemning the pre-Islamic Arabian practice of female infanticide:
“... when the buried infant shall be asked for what sin she was slain,...” [The Quran
81:8]
“... and when any of them is given the good tidings of a girl, his face is darkened and
he grieves inwardly, as he hides himself from the people because of the evil of the
good tidings that have been given unto him, whether he shall preserve her in humiliation,
or trample her into the dust. Ah, evil is that they judge!” [The Quran 16:58-59]
