The Final Sermon: Key Themes 3
The words of our beloved Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) are full of rich lessons. Among them is his address during the farewell Hajj. This is the fourth in a series of articles on The Prophet’s Last Sermon, Lessons for Humanity.
What follows is a frequently misunderstood and misinterpreted element of the sermon. This is something that was a constant theme of the final days of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), not only during the farewell pilgrimage but also on his deathbed (Allah bless him and give him peace).
The Rights of Women
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“O people: verily you owe your women their rights, and they owe you yours. They may not lay with another man in your beds, let anyone into your houses you do not want without your permission, or commit indecency. If they do, Allah has given you leave to debar them, send them from your beds, or [finally, only] strike them in a way that does no harm. But if they desist, and obey you, then you must provide for them and clothe them fittingly. The women who live with you are in your trust, unable to manage for themselves: you took them as a trust from Allah, and enjoyed their sex as lawful through a word [legal ruling] from Allah. So fear Allah in respect to women, and concern yourselves with their welfare. Have I given the message?—O Allah, be my witness.”
The Arabs were in an age of confusion. Things would happen. At different phases before Islam, there were days when marital relations were suspended. Such as at certain festival seasons where anything would go. Now, none of that is allowed.
To only strike them in a way that does no harm is a rule not of encouragement but of only then could it be possible to physically discipline them. That too, in a way that does no harm.
Abuse, domestic violence and the like happens typically as a result of anger. Any such physical hitting is absolutely impermissible because that arises not out of an interest to rectify the relationship. It is an expression of anger and transgresses against the honor of the other person.
Here, there is a context of how you mend the relationship. So this would be done as a matter of discipline and rectification would happen in a context where there is respect and that would have a good likely result without there being harm.
This is only in the context of where they go out, commit adultery (Zina), indecency, they rebel against you wrongfully, wronging you. Only then is this order followed. This is not when you did not like the dinner, you felt she was not respectful enough of you or whatever. It is very delineated.
They Are in Your Trust
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) reportedly said, however, prescriptively, “Do not hit the female servants of Allah.” That is the Prophetic encouragement.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) mentioned, “The women who live with you are in your trust.” They are in your trust like a captive or prisoner. So take good care of them and do not treat them as if they are imprisoned or captured. That sense is lost by translating a metaphor that people would not understand into another language.
Consider, if you talked about a basketball game to a desert dweller in Mauritania, for example, by saying, “The people of Toronto killed the bulls,” you mean it metaphorically. If someone does not understand the metaphor, then you have to convey the meaning of the metaphor.
“Unable to manage for themselves.” The woman agreed to live with you. She may be foregoing working etc., to take care of your children. They have made themselves vulnerable in a sense.
A Trust from Allah
You took them as a trust from Allah. They agreed to marry you. You took them as a trust from Allah and enjoyed relations with them as lawful through a word from Allah. A word from Allah means the contract of marriage by which you entered into the sacred bond.
“So be mindful of Allah,” said the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), “with respect to women.” This is a constant theme of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace). Pay attention to their welfare. What is good for them? Is it in their worldly good? Is it in their next worldly good?
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) closed this part with emphasis again. “Have I conveyed the message? O Allah, be my witness.” Emphasis to them, expressing that he is not telling you his mere opinion. Allah says:
وَمَا یَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰۤ
إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ
“Nor does he speak from mere impulse: Naught is it but a divine inspiration being inspired” [Quran, 53:3-4, tr. Keller, Quran Beheld]
The Fraternity of Faith
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) emphasized the fraternity of faith, “O people, believers are but brothers. No one may take his brother’s property without his full consent. Have I given the message?—O Allah, be my witness.”
Hold Fast to the Book of Allah
The 11th lesson is on holding fast to the book of Allah, He (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Verily, I have left among you that which if you take it, you will never stray after me: the Book of Allah. Have I given the message?—O Allah, be my witness.”
In other of the final sermons it is reported, “The Book of Allah and my Sunna.” In other versions, “The Book of Allah and my household.”
All revolve around the same theme of holding fast to the guidance the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) has come with and the means of that guidance.
