On the other hand, deviant women are incubators of all forms of evil and set a bad example for their children in all aspects of life and at every stage from infancy.
Children of such mothers only acquire corrupt values and wicked habits and qualities, for they are left without monitoring or discipline, with ignorant servants or foreign maids who can only instill the worst traits in them. This has an everlasting impact that then affects children throughout their lives, leading to unintentional consequences on their attitudes; that, in turn, may lead to their failure at school or work, and cause them to be unable to fit in society.
The mother’s role in teaching her children, especially daughters, before school age is very important as the child comes to life with zero knowledge. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {And Allah has extracted you from the wombs of your mothers not knowing a thing, and He made for you hearing and vision and intellect that perhaps you would be grateful.} [Quran 16:78] Mothers are the ones who teach their infants how to move, speak, eat, hold things and play. Children also acquire language from their parents and others around them; then, they start to recognize their own names through hearing those who call them. After this stage, children start to learn simple reading, writing and the correct pronunciation of words; and, memorization of the Name of Allah The Almighty and the principles of religion.
This important role cannot be performed by a busy mother who spends her time outside her home. Conversely, a woman who is ignorant about her religion and her duties towards her children, is not qualified to perform this role.
As the child grows to the next phase, the responsibility of the mother regarding her children’s acquisition of knowledge goes hand in hand with that of the school. She helps her children do their homework and creates a proper atmosphere at home, so that they would feel safe, secure and loved. This makes them confident, optimistic and hopeful about the future. Moreover, the mother answers her little ones’ questions at this stage, where they usually ask about anything and everything that comes to their minds. According to the soundness of her answers, their minds and hearts are filled with facts of life and they will realize the difference between truth and falsehood, and good and evil.
The importance of the mother’s role at this point, lies in her teaching her brood their religion, observing their performance of acts of worship and adherence to the attitude and morals promoted by Islam; and, in encouraging [them to practice], and making them acquainted with, its teachings that pertain to society and its etiquettes in every aspect of life. This role is complementary to the religious curricula at school, as the mother would monitor her children’s implementation of these manners and knowledge, in general.
Additionally, there are certain things that girls, in particular, need from their mothers; this depends on the latter’s awareness of such matters and their keenness on telling them about them at the suitable time. For instance, mothers should inform their daughters about what they need to know at the age of puberty; and, [later], about their responsibilities at home so that they would be aware of the rights of a husband and children, for when they get married.
All the duties mentioned above cannot be fulfilled by a mother who is not sound [in her personality and religion]. Moreover, the corruption of her creed leads her to send her children to foreign schools and goad them towards Western culture, which affects their character and alienates them from their society and religion.
Third: Problems that have afflicted men in general, and husbands and relatives, along with the rest of the society
1. The effect on husbands
The corruption of the wife may cause the husband to commit sins, follow the devil and keep away from the right path. Also, her non-adherence to the Hijab and uncovering of her beauty in the presence of other men may stir her spouse’s emotions of anger and jealousy, leading to dire consequences.
The wife who does not respect marital life harms the whole household and threatens to damage it with divorce; or, her husband may start neglecting his family, searching for another wife, resorting to cafes and places of entertainment or become addicted to smoking, drugs and intoxicants, [as a way of coping].
The problem of divorce in the West expresses this phenomenon in a region that blames Islam for making divorce lawful [and the prerogative of men in general].
Research has shown that divorce rates have reached 60 percent in Sweden, 40 percent in the United States of America, 30 percent in Germany, 28 percent in the Soviet Union and 14 percent in Finland. This study, which was published by the Stern magazine in Germany, states that two-thirds of those women who want to get a divorce in France, work outside their homes; and that 22 percent of the divorce cases in Germany are because of infidelity, 10 percent because of sexual reasons and another 10 percent are because of addiction.
As for the Arab world, the problem of divorce has reached an abnormal extent, which needs a separate analysis.
Among the social problems [that often arises from a woman’s desire to work] is her decision not to have children because she does not want to bear the troubles of pregnancy and delivery. This may even lead her to have an abortion. In fact, a wife may not even fulfill the sexual needs of her husband, which leads him to adultery or homosexuality. There may then be physical and psychological effects on his health and he may become mentally disturbed or contract sexually transmitted diseases.
The woman may also drive her husband toward bankruptcy as he earns more money to fulfill her demands by buying her jewelry and expensive clothes, and hosting parties.
2. The effect on male relatives and other men
The woman who does not adhere to the teachings of the religion regarding Hijab and [avoiding] intermingling of the sexes, constitutes a great danger for men. Hence, Islam is keen on segregating men from women, allowing only marital relations, because intermixing and the impermissible exposure of adornment cause loss of honor, corruption of people, destruction of homes and suffering of families.
It has been noted that in societies where girls and boys socializing together is allowed, youth’s morals have been stained and masculinity among men has diminished to the extent of effeminacy.
Furthermore, women who associate with men do their best to expose their beauty and adornment, and insist on attracting their attention and gaining their admiration. This leads to extravagance in [attaining] beauty and cosmetics, which leads to [financial] loss and poverty.
It also causes the spread of immorality, adultery and sexually transmitted diseases in the worldly life; and, it wreaks severe punishment in the Hereafter for violation of the teachings of the Lord of the worlds. Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
• {Tell the believing men to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do. And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.} [Quran 24: 30-31]
• {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 33: 59]
Moreover, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Prophet related what Allah The Almighty Said:
“The [forbidden] gaze is a poisonous arrow from the arrows of Satan. Whoever abstains from it out of fear of Me, I will grant him faith whose sweetness he will find in his heart.”
In a Hadeeth related by Abu Umaamah, may Allah be pleased with him, the Prophet instructed: “Beware of meeting in private with women! By Allah, no man is with a woman in seclusion, but the devil becomes their third. It is better for a man to touch a pig covered in dirt than for his shoulders to brush against the shoulders of a non-Mahram woman.”
He also warned: “Any woman who wears perfume and passes by a group of people so that they would smell her perfume is an adulteress; and every eye [that looks at her and her likes] is liable to commit adulter.” [An-Nasaa’i]
Guilt for violating the Orders of Allah The Almighty, however, is not restricted to women; it also applies to men. Falling prey to the corruption of women and the devil’s temptation does not exempt men from punishment in this life or the next, after Allah The Almighty has already warned them.
3. The effect on the whole society:
These problems that violently shake the very pillars of the family and society, such as rape, kidnapping of girls, and the phenomenon of illegitimate and homeless children, are [directly or indirectly] caused by the corruption of women. Additionally, the recent trend of unregistered marriage contracts [done on the sly] has caused new problems for the family; it obscures the social corruption that is resulting from the deviation of girls and that will affect the future of the coming generations.
The percentages of juvenile crimes and number of begging and disabled children have shot up, and this is the consequence of the destruction of the family, spouses’ immorality and neglect of children.
Finally:
Economic troubles also affect society due to the ills that inevitably result when a woman [neglects her family and] works. In addition to her own low productivity, she upsets that of her husband and children, and hinders their excellence in work and their devotion to efficiency. This has a destructive effect on the national economy.
In conclusion, I would like to praise Allah The Almighty, Who has revealed His Book to humanity as a treatment for all its diseases and a source of guidance. He Says (what means): {O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book. By which Allah guides those who pursue His pleasure to the ways of peace and brings them out from darknesses into the light, by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.} [Quran 5:15-16]
It is a Book that Allah The Almighty has promised to preserve, as He Says (what means): {Indeed, it is We Who sent down the Quran and indeed, We will be its guardian.} [Quran 15:9] This gives us hope that reform can be achieved by adhering to it and the Sunnah of the Prophet and thus returning to a virtuous Islamic society.
We ask Allah The Almighty to grant us faith and guide us to obey Him, so that this Ummah would be rectified in the worldly life and gain His satisfaction in the Hereafter.