The Basis for Gender Separation in Islam

It was a common practice in Arab society before the advent of Islam for men and women to sit together and have casual conversations. This was not considered a vice nor looked upon as a cause for suspicion.[1]

Imam Mujahid (d. 104 AH) said:

“Women would go out and walk intermingling with men, this was the display of the former times of ignorance,”[2] referring to the ayah: “and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance.” [33:33]

This practice continued into the early stages of Islam. Women believers were initially neither obliged to cover or conceal themselves from men, nor were they prohibited from intermingling or conversing with them.[3]

It was in the month of Dhūl Qʿadah in the 5th year of Hijrah, when the verses of hijab were revealed[4] that these pre-Islamic practices came to an end.

Islamic Considerations Regarding the Education of Women

Here is a list of problems that come with educating women for the purposes of gender equality and female empowerment/social advancement. (These problems do not arise when the purpose of education is to teach religion or become better mothers.)

Problem 1: It decreases the happiness and life satisfaction of women.

Problem 2: It increases the number of unmarried women because educated women generally prefer to marry even more educated, powerful men. But there is a limited supply of such men. So more women are competing for a smaller pool of men, meaning most of those women will not find a match.

Hayaa within the Home

When many of us think back and remember our grandmothers or even great-grandmothers, the picture that comes to mind is of an old woman wearing a shapeless, loose, long, flowing garment that also covered her arms and part of her neck. These standard and generic ‘nanima outfits’ were certainly not stylish, but they definitely represented the treasure which many Muslims of today have lost – hayaa, shame and modesty.

By and large, the old women hailing from that era had not received an advanced education (if any formal education at all), and even their Deeni knowledge was rudimentary due to the scarcity of maktab madrasahs. However, most of them possessed the core values of Islam in their lives, such as generosity, selflessness, humility, and most importantly – hayaa.

Every woman wants to be beautiful, really beautiful.

No amount of makeup or cosmetic procedures will make you as beautiful as haya’ will make you.

Haya’ makes a woman stunningly beautiful.

Haya’, الحياء: that elusive internal and external quality of modesty, humility, bashfulness, shyness. Refraining from indecency and immorality out of an instinctive self-preservation.

Haya’ is for both men and women, but its absence in especially women is jarring and disturbing.

An average-looking woman with haya’ is absolutely beautiful.

A physically pretty woman without haya’ is ugly.

The Arab saying goes,

جمال بلا حياء وردة بلا عطر.

“Beauty without haya’ is a rose without fragrance.”

AND THEY CALLED IT WOMEN’S LIBERATION

How Women Were Lured Out of the Home in the USA

by Areeba bint Khalid

From the 1800s to the present day, family life in the West has remarkably changed. While the West calls this change part of the women freedom movement, a look at history may show otherwise.

America before the 1800s was a farming country and ninety percent of the population lived and worked on private farms. Households were mainly self-sufficient–nearly everything needed was produced in the house. The few things that could not be produced at home were bought from local craftsmen. Some other things, especially imports from Europe, were bought from stores. Males would take care of the fields and females would take care of the home. In addition, they would engage in spinning, knitting, weaving, and taking care of the farm animals.

AMINAH ASSILMI – MY JOURNEY TO ISLAM

I was completing a degree in Recreation when I met my first Muslims. It was the first year that we had been able to pre-register by computer. I pre-registered and went to Oklahoma to take care of some family business. The business took longer than expected, so I returned to school two weeks into the semester (too late to drop a course).

I wasn’t worried about catching up my missed work. I was sitting at the top of my class in my field. Even as a student, I was winning awards in competition with professionals.

Now you need to understand that while I was attending college and excelling, ran my own business, and had many close friends, I was extremely shy. My transcripts actually had me listed as severely reticent.  I was very slow to get to know people and rarely spoke to anyone unless was forced to or already knew them. The classes I were taking had to do with administration and city planning, plus programming for children. Children were the only people I ever felt comfortable with.

ARE THE TWO OF YOU BLIND?ARE THE TWO OF YOU BLIND?

Sayyidah Ummu Salamah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) narrates the following:

I was once in the blessed presence of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) while Maimoonah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was also present. While we were with Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), ‘Abdullah bin Ummi Maktoom (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) arrived, and this was after the law of Hijaab was revealed. When ‘Abdullah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) arrived, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) instructed us, “Adopt Hijaab from him.” We replied, “O Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)! Is he not a blind man who can neither see us nor recognize us?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) responded, “Are the two of you blind? Can the two of you not see him?” (Sunan Abi Dawood #4112)

WAS KHADEEJAH (RADHIYALLAHU ‘ANHA) A “WORKING WOMAN”?

Question:

Assalaamu ‘alaikum

Respected ‘Ulama

I shared this article on your website, regarding women working, with some of my friends.

Someone then mentioned that since Khadeejah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) was a merchant and used to work, it should be fine for Muslim women to work as well.

What is the correct answer to this?

Jazakallah

SHOULD MUSLIM FEMALES ATTEND UNIVERSITY?

read time: 6 min

Opinion Piece

(Written by a university graduate who personally experienced campus life)

With the imminent onset of the university year, there is currently a vibrant debate regarding Muslim females attending university to pursue tertiary studies.

Those who support the idea of women studying at university argue that Muslims need to be progressive in their thinking. Confining women to their homes is narrow minded they say. This argument implies that all those women who choose to be homemakers are backward. But this is not at all true. Homemaking was the way of the Sahabiyaat and pious women throughout the history of Islam. Women who followed this path produced the Junaid Baghdadis and Hasan Basris of this Ummah. Homemakers are the foundation of the Muslim Ummah. If this foundation crumbles the Ummah will be left in free fall.

10 UGLY HABITS OF WIVES

read time: 4 min

If you want to have a happy marriage, stay away from these 10 ugly habits.

1. Nagging

Believe it or not, your husband’s a pretty smart guy. Really, he is. He hears what you’re saying (most of the time), he understands what needs to get done (most of the time), and he fully intends to follow through (most of the time). But, he’ll do it on his own time and in his own way, and there’s no amount of nagging you can do that will change that. Nagging will only create tension.

2. Complaining

Your life may not be perfect, but complaining about it certainly won’t make it any better. Of course, it’s important to be able to share with your husband the things that bother you, are hard for you and make you frustrated or upset. But make sure those aren’t the only things you share with him. Constant complaining and negativity can take a toll on any relationship. So, try to keep things positive.

AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR MARRIED COUPLES

read time: 2 min

This post is primarily directed at men, however it applies to women also.
Sometimes women do not get attracted to the looks of the male, rather they get attracted to his wealth,position,power etc.

Once, a man approached a scholar renowned for his profound wisdom and experience, to complain to him, saying: “When I was fascinated by my wife, she was, in my sight the most beautiful thing in this world ever created by Allāh Subhaanahu WaTa’ala.”“When I proposed to her, I began to see others equal to her in beauty.”

“When I married her, I saw many others who were more elegant than her!”

“A few years after our marriage, it appears to me as though all the women of this world are more classic and more sophisticated than my wife!”

WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE

read time: 3 min

For sisters, many of us are either pursuing degrees or academic qualifications for the purpose of securing work opportunities, due to necessity or just to enjoy the much sought after ‘sense of Independence’.

An Islamic consciousness would usually drive a sister to wonder: “To work or not to work?”

So when one of the Shuyookh was asked this question, this was his response:

❝There is a need of women to work at certain times/situations eg. widow,single, divorcee with no male mahrams to care for her or husband not working etc, but where does she work? Amongst men? Does she speak to them and they to her? She laughs with them and they laugh with her, asking each other about their affairs? She has a delightful time with them, and they have a delightful time with her, until her Hayā’ (modesty) goes away, where she wouldn’t have any significance?