Exceptional Women in Islam

Sophia Anwar, Birmingham South

History is witness to the fact that there has been much inequality between men and women. The basic right to vote, have an education, divorce or inherit is not something we should take for granted and we owe gratitude to those who campaigned and worked hard to obtain these rights. International Women’s Day brings focus to how much has been achieved by women and gives us the opportunity to celebrate the exceptional accomplishments of women.

The role of women in Islam unfortunately gets misrepresented, with the media often sending an incorrect message. These misconceptions surrounding what the Western world perceives as the poor unliberated Muslim woman could not be further from the truth.

Muslim women are making great progress in the world today, but people don’t often realise that this is neither a new phenomenon for Muslim women nor did they have to wait until the twentieth century to be liberated. Women were liberated 1400 years ago by our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) when he brought the teachings of Islam. Islam confers on women all the political rights and social rights which men enjoy and The Holy Qur’an tells us that by following a certain way of life, both men and women can attain the same spiritual heights and the requirements of piety are the same.

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told the world that God had especially entrusted to him the task of safeguarding the rights of women. Islam gave women rights that the non-Islamic world has given to women only within the past 200 years: the right to inherit property, ask for and get a divorce. The right to an education was granted equally to both sexes in Islam.

In history, the names of such extraordinary figures like Mother Teresa whose whole life was devoted to the service of mankind and Florence Nightingale “The Lady with the Lamp” making rounds of wounded soldiers at night are held in very high regard.

But what is less well known is that women also played an important role in the Muslim world as scholars, poets and warriors. One such example is Khadija Khuwaylid (may Allah be pleased with her); even before her marriage to the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), she was an important figure in her own right, and was a successful merchant in Mecca. A compassionate woman making many contributions to society at that time, she played a central role in supporting and propagating the new faith of Islam and has the distinction of being the first Muslim woman. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, in a hadith preserved in Sahih Muslim: “God Almighty never granted me anyone better in this life than her. She accepted me when people rejected me; she shared her wealth with me when people deprived me; and God granted me children only through her.”

Umme ‘Ammarah, was a member of the Banū Najjār tribe and one of the earliest converts to Islam in Medina. A Companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) she had many virtues and is most remembered for taking part in the Battle of Uhud (625 CE), in which she carried sword and shield fighting against the Meccans. She shielded the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from enemies during the battle and even sustained several lance wounds as she cast herself in front of him to protect him. It is said that after she sustained her twelfth wound, she fell unconscious and the first question she asked when she awoke a day later in Medina was “did the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, survive?”

A’ishah was also the wife of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who had perhaps the most influence on the Muslim community after his death. She played a major role as a transmitter of Islamic teachings and is one of the major narrators of ahadith, sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

As mothers, Islam has placed women at a higher status than men. As daughters, their importance is such that their upbringing leads parents to Paradise. And finally, as wives, the character of men in Islamic society is established in relation to their treatment of women.

Equality in Islam is having the same basic rights whilst celebrating our differences and enjoying the high status Islam has given us as mothers, daughters and wives. As an Ahmadi Muslim woman I want to share with the world what a high regard our religion has for women.