Women’s Political Rights in Islaam.

Women’s Political Rights in Islaam

By: Shahid Bin Waheed شاهد بن وحيد

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمدلله رب العالمين والصلوة والسلام على اشرف الانبياء وسيدالمرسلين نبينا محمد صل ا لله عليه وعلى آله واصحابه وازواجه اجمعين - امابعد

All the praises and thanks be to Allaah, Sustainer of the Universe, and blessing and salutation to be the most distinguish of the Messengers and foremost among the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allaah be on him and on his wives, children and Companions.

Judaism and Christianity never gave the political rights to women besides treating like sub-human and/or property. Contrary to that throughout the history of Islaam, we find that Muslim woman is given full and complete political rights. Muslim women took part in serious discussions and even argued with Prophet of Islaam [Muhammad صلی الله عليه وسلم] as we read in the Glorious Qur’aan,

Surah Al-Mujadila 1

قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا وَتَشْتَكِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ يَسْمَعُ تَحَاوُرَكُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ

Allah has indeed heard (and accepted) the statement of the woman who pleads with thee concerning her husband and carries her complaint (in prayer) to Allah: and Allah (always) hears the arguments between both sides among you: for Allah hears and sees (all things).

Surah Al-Mumtahana 10

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا جَاءَكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ مُهَاجِرَاتٍ فَامْتَحِنُوهُنَّ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِهِنَّ فَإِنْ عَلِمْتُمُوهُنَّ مُؤْمِنَاتٍ فَلَا تَرْجِعُوهُنَّ إِلَى الْكُفَّارِ لَا هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ وَآتُوهُمْ مَا أَنْفَقُوا وَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَنْكِحُوهُنَّ إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ وَاسْأَلُوا مَا أَنْفَقْتُمْ وَلْيَسْأَلُوا مَا أَنْفَقُوا ذَلِكُمْ حُكْمُ اللَّهِ يَحْكُمُ بَيْنَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

O ye who Believe! When there come to you believing women refugees, examine (and test) them: Allah knows best as to their Faith: if ye ascertain that they are Believers, then send them not back to the Unbelievers. They are not lawful (wives) for the Unbelievers, nor are the (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands) for them. But pay the Unbelievers what they have spent (on their dower). And there will be no blame on you if ye marry them on payment of their dower to them. But hold not to the guardianship of Unbelieving women: ask for what ye have spent on their dowers, and let the (Unbelievers) ask for what they have spent (on the dowers of women who come over to you). Such is the Command of Allah: He judges (with justice) between you. And Allah is Full of knowledge and Wisdom. (Also see Ayaah 66:11)

The second Khalifa خليفه “Umar the Great” [Umar bin Khattab رضی الله عنه] is reported to have said:

“What is meant that: We never paid any attention to whatever was said by a woman before Islaam, nor did we ask her advice. It was only the teachings of Islaam that gave her full rights as reasonable being.”

We find another example from Islaamic teachings and/or history that the second Khalifa خليفه “Umar the Great” [Umar bin Khattab رضی الله عنه] was once discussing in the Masjid (since Masjid is not only a place of worship, but also the Parliament, the Court, the Army Headquarters etc. in Islaam) when a Muslimah (Muslim Woman) corrected him and made him declare before the public that “the woman is right and Umar [رضی الله عنه] is wrong.”

One might point out that there is a saying of the Prophet Muhammad صلی الله عليه وسلم that no country and/or nation will prosper if a woman led it. This saying has nothing to do with the dignity of women, neither it does hinder woman’s rights. It is rather due to the natural differences in the biological and psychological make-up of the two genders.

Throughout Islaamic history Muslim women has always participated in all affairs of Muslim Ummah, which is a testament that Islaam is the only religion that has ever given the political rights to women.

Monday, September 05, 2005