Daughters of Islam!

Salam,
Bismillah.

On November 27, 2011 I got to attend ‘Youth Commemorates: Daughters of Islam’, an event organized by Youth Club, and heard an inspiring talk on the said theme by Dr. Farhat Hashmi.
In this post I’ll be sharing a few pointers inshaAllah. Read on.

Everything is made for a purpose. Everything is a product of something. The milk that we drink, it has so many benefits (not to mention that some people don’t like it), who manufactures it? A cow.
Similarly, the examples go on and on.

Allah SWT created this earth and then made Adam A.S from His own hands! But he was a single human being on this vast land and so he felt lonely. Thus Allah SWT created a woman, Hawwa, from Adam’s rib. Why? So that she could be his companion. This is the real purpose of a woman: to give company!

She is a companion because she was created out of man’s rib. If she was made from man’s head or feet, she would have been too high-headed or down trodden. :p

After Hawwa A.S, Quran talks about  Nooh A.S’s wife. She was not a believer. Nooh A.S preached for 950 years but his own wife did not pay heed.
Thus we get the lesson that it’s not necessary for a pious man to get a pious wife or a pious woman to get a pious husband. Keep good expectations from Allah but if you don’t get it, know that it is best for you (decreed by Allah). Nooh A.S didn’t divorce his wife even though she was not a believer.

Next we get to know about Sara A.S, wife of a prophet (Ibrahim A.S) and mother of a prophet (Ishaq A.S). She was a great woman.

Then there is Ibrahim A.S’s other wife, Hajar or Hajrah A.S. She was left alone in the middle of a desert with a baby to look after. Why? Because that land had to be prepared for Nabi S.A.W and a woman was chosen for the task. Today thousands of people relive her example and commemorate her by running between Safaa and Marwaa.
When Ibrahim A.S returned, she didn’t complain that why did you leave me all alone with a kid. Instead, when Ibrahim A.S said that he had to take Isma’eel A.S (her son) to be sacrificed in the way of Allah…she and her son were ready. Who had done Isma’eel A.S’s upbringing  in such a way that he was prepared? His mother! And think of that mother who let her own son be taken away for sacrifice without a word of complaint. (Close your eyes and imagine for a moment!!).

Then comes the wife of Lut A.S. She was not a believer and her end was opposite from that of her husband.

Then there was Musa A.S’s mother, who floated her own son in the river in a box. Imagine her situation! And then Musa A.S’s sister followed him. He was received by Fir’aun and Aasia A.S. When he went to Madyan, he encountered a girl walking with ‘haya’ (the most important characteristic in a woman..and a man as well).

Then there was the wife of ‘Imran who gave her daughter, Maryam, in the way of Allah and made a sincere du’a that was rendered effective in her future progeny.

And Maryam A.S herself, who gave birth to a son, was a single parent but raised her child courageously and in the best possible way.

And then Aamna, whose husband had died and she became the single parent of Muhammad S.A.W. And Haleema, who raised Nabi S.A.W.

Then there comes Khadija R.A, who supported Nabi S.A.W when there was no one else and struggled with her life and wealth in the way of establishment of Islam. Nabi S.A.W loved her so much that years later when he heard her sister’s voice, he started as if it was Khadija’s. He S.A.W used to send sacrificial meat to her friends as well. This is true love that does not die with the death of the person. :)

‘Aisha R.A, who was a master in hadith, medicine and ‘ilm of ansaab. Sahaba used to say when we couldn’t understand something even from Abubakr and ‘Umar R.A, we went to ‘Aisha R.A and we were satisfied. Such was the power of her speech and her grip on knowledge. She taught for almost 48 years after the death of Nabi S.A.W. Many great Companions R.A were her students.

Hafsa R.A was a wise and pious lady.

‘Umar R.A’s wife ‘Aatiqa was a great woman too, indeed.

Umme Hani was that woman whose house was declared a refuge during the conquest of Makkah.

Fatima R.A, Ali R.A’s wife, was a wonderful housewife and brought up her kids (Hassan and Hussayn R.A) perfectly.

There are scores of amazing ladies who have huge contributions for Islam. Their lives are an example for us to look up to. Here only a few names are mentioned because going into details would take too long. Search and read about their lives and relate yourself with them.

The major lesson that we get is women are best suited for their decreed job. The problem comes when they want to be like men and thus end up the wrong way. Their lives become hollow from inside because they’re not doing what they’re supposed to do. So recognize your role, accept it and be the best in the situation appointed by Allah for you. Do not underestimate the power of women. They can influence lives and bring about that much needed ‘big’ change!

Wassalam,
Hajrah. :)