What Role Do Women Play in Building Society?
Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
What is the role of women in building society?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.
Equality in Responsibility
There is no doubt that Allah (Most High) created humanity as male and female so that creation would be complete and the course of life would continue. Allah (Most High) assigned responsibilities to both men and women, as He said,
“O humanity! Be mindful of your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and from it He created its mate, and through both He spread countless men and women. And be mindful of Allah—in Whose Name you appeal to one another—and (honor) family ties. Surely Allah is ever Watchful over you.” [Quran, 4:1]
Thus, women are equal to men in rights, responsibilities, and duties, as stated by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) when he said,
“Indeed, women are the counterparts of men.” [Abu Dawud; Bayhaqi; Ahmad]
Historical Role and Support
The Islamic call was first supported by the efforts of Muslim women, the first to believe in him (Allah bless him and give him peace), and his message was his wife, Lady Khadija (Allah be pleased with her).
Khadija’s (Allah be pleased with her) reaction upon hearing the news of the revelation demonstrated her deep understanding. She compared what she heard with the character of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), realizing that one endowed with such noble traits would never be disgraced by Allah (Most High).
She described him as one who maintains family ties, as reaching out to relatives is an indication of one’s readiness to do good and show kindness to people. [Muhammad al-Sadiq Arjun, Muhammad Rasul Allah]
Specific Responsibilities
A woman shares in the responsibilities designated to each, yet, due to her physical nature, the Sacred law has alleviated certain obligations for her, such as exempting her from warfare and the obligation to financially support her husband and children. Instead, she is entrusted with a noble mission—the care of the family and children. As ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (Allah be pleased with him) reported, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) say,
‘Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock. The leader is a shepherd and is responsible for his people. A man is a shepherd for his family, and he is responsible for his flock. A woman is a shepherd in her husband’s house, and she is responsible for her flock. A servant is a shepherd for his master’s wealth, and he is responsible for his flock.’ He said, ‘And I thought he said, and a man is a shepherd for his father’s wealth, and he is responsible for his flock. Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock.’” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Motherhood and Education
A woman’s role in society is vast; she is the nurturing mother who raises generations, and the condition of society, whether upright or corrupt, is measured by the mother’s righteousness or lack thereof. Therefore, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) advised choosing a wife based on her faith.
Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said,
“A woman is married for four reasons: for her wealth, her lineage, her beauty, or her religion. So, marry the one who is religious (otherwise) you will be a loser.” [Ibid.]
Moreover, a woman is both a teacher and a learner, acquiring knowledge of her religion and becoming proficient in it, then going forth to teach and guide her family and community. ‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) said,
“How excellent are the women of the Ansar! Modesty did not prevent them from gaining an understanding of their religion.” [Ibn Khuzayma]
Enjoining Good and Forbidding Wrong
A woman participates in enjoining good and forbidding wrong, within her capacity, as Allah (Most High) says,
“The believers, both men and women, are guardians of one another. They encourage good and forbid evil.” [Quran, 9:71]
May Allah grant Muslim women success in fulfilling their duties to perfect society and allow the community to thrive in a manner that pleases Allah (Most High).
And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds.
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.
