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Name
Hajar
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
As you know, this is Hijrah time, and many of us women may take the superficial aspect of this great event and inadvertently ignore the basic shift that we women should initiate in light of the great event of Hijrah. Do you think it is high time to reshape our role as mothers, daughters, wives in our respective communities? In what way can this role be linked to the important event of Hijrah?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
The Hijrah from Makkah to Madinah brings to our minds the great role of Muslim women since the dawn of da`wah. Women shared men equally in supporting da`wah and defending Islam without thinking of any inferiority to men.
We can notice that from Hijrah core roots that women played an effective role before, during as well as after Hijrah. We need to understand that role and apply that meaning in our daily life. There is a number of lessons I would like emphasize here:
1. We need to highlight the feeling that every human being, whether a man or a woman, is responsible in front of Allah for defending Islam and supporting da`wah.
2. We need in our educational curriculum and tarbiyah programs to explain the great meanings and values of Islam and concentrate on training children and teenagers to practice those meanings in an Islamic environment.
3. Parents, teachers, and those in charge up to the new generations need to pay a great attention of themselves to be good examples for children and youth.
4. We need to train ourselves how to improve our life and support Islam through the great values of Hijrah, such as:
a. Reliance on Allah, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knew that Allah promised to protect him but in the same time he asked Allah and prayed before starting Hijrah.
b. He then made a perfect plan to migrate from Makkah to Madinah without leaving any way for the enemies to affect his da`wah negatively. That gives us an indication how planning for our life and future is so important.
c. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave the youth, men and women an important role to play in Hijrah like `Ali, Abdullah Ibn Abi Bakr and Asma' bint Abi Bakr and we know from that the importance of training our youth to shoulder the responsibility of da`wah.
Hijrah is a great opportunity to polish our hearts and minds and to re-think our strategies to support Islam and overcome our problems and agonies.
Name
Samah
- Egypt
Profession
Question
Dear sister in Islam,
I am a wife of a religious man who calls for Allah in different contexts and aspects. What should I do to backing him up and pushing him forward regarding this blessed burden?
Answer
Dear sister,
Jazakum Allahu Khairan for caring about your husband and your noble aim towards da`wah.
I think you have lots of means and tools to support your husband and to push him to the most active way of making da`wah. Please make use of the following helpful tips:
1. Let your husband feel that he has the ability to make da`wah.
2. Let him feel that you trust and respect him as well as his mission.
3. I think you have to think about some da`wah activities that you both can do together.
4. It is very important to bear in mind that da`wah is not the responsibility of men, but it is the responsibility of every Muslim, man or woman. When you share your husband, you will be therefore encouraging him to do his best.
5. Don't forget du'aa’ and pray to Allah to strengthen your iman.
6. I advise you to read with your husband the ethics and etiquettes of da`wah, with special reflection on the seerah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) so you can access many techniques of da`wah used by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in his life.
7. Finally, you should consider that da`wah is not only by giving lectures; it is a broad concept that encompasses many aspects. It is a way to touch people's hearts and direct their attention to accept Islam as a way of life and to taste its sweetness. That could be with a smile, or a gift, or a visit, you can discover the ability which Allah grants you and use it in the service of deen.
May Allah reward you and guide you to the right path.
Name
Heba
-
Profession
Question
Would you please shed some light on the role played by Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) in Hijrah?
Answer
Asmaa’, the daughter of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) is a great example for Muslim women in every aspect. Her role in Hijrah was quite outstanding. She was a young girl in her teenage. She was married and pregnant. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) trusted her ability to support them by supplying food during their stay in the cave. There were a very few men whom the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) trusted and told them of his secret plan and Asmaa' was one of the women who knew that.
The cave is on the top of mount Thawr and it is still a very stony and difficult to climb. Asmaa' used to prepare the food and water in a bucket of leather and once she forget to tie the bucket and she tore her scarf into two parts to tie the bucket and used the other part as a scarf.
I would like to comment on this solution that Asmaa' found in this critical situation. She used her mind and thought deeply to solve the problem. She used what was available to her. That kind of mentality of challenging problematic situations to benefit from what is already in hand and invent an exit to overcome the problem, is one of the great lessons which we need to apply in our life as a Muslims. Men and women need to have the sense of responsibility, the sense of challenging the bad conditions around them everywhere and to find solutions from within themselves.
Asmaa', as I mentioned, was a wife and she was pregnant and she was looking after her sisters and brothers after her father had left.
The second brave stance when she encountered Abu Jahl and Abu Sufyan when they came to ask about her father and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). She did not answer them directly and she was brave enough to face them even when Abu Jahl smashed her face violently until her earring was broken and she started bleeding. The lesson we learn from that situation is to be brave and patient and the ability to behave wisely according to every circumstances.
Asmaa' was so kind with her grandfather, Abu Quhafa, when he came to ask about her father and was worried about their financial situation. She told him that they had enough money, She took him by the hand and put his hand on some stones and she told him that her father had left that amount. Her grandfather was satisfied and felt they were in a good condition, while Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) took all what he had to support Hijrah and left his children for Allah's care and mercy.
Asmaa' was strong enough to struggle to feed her sisters and brothers and take care of them, calm her grandfather. She is the brightest example for a woman with noble characteristics: patient, brave, kind, smart, and wise, and above all a true believer committed to Islam. Her role in Hijrah was the beginning of a very long life full with remarkable achievements.
Name
Safiah
-
Profession
Question
I know that women play great roles in the event of the Prophet's Hijrah.
What are the duties of Muslim women today to help in making da`wah in the light of what happened in the event of Hijrah?
Answer
Women can play an effective role in da`wah. Everyone has certain talents and potentials that should be utilized.
I advise you to discover yourself to know which talent you have and use them effectively to achieve your goals. If you are a teacher or an engineer or a lawyer or even without any qualifications, you can still help the da`wah in some way. Try to read a lot in the life history of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The most important thing you need while being in a group or within a larger community is to have a good relationship with people around you and to start creating useful activities among them while organizing your aims.
Moreover, you need to invite people to practice Islam and to apply the Islamic teachings in their daily lives. Try to seek Islamic occasions to organize some activities to educate people on the meanings and lessons of such blessed events. This can be through a discussion, lecture, Islamic video etc…
May Allah guide you to the right path.
Name
Selma
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
In the West there are hot debates regarding the status of woman in Islam. Could you please shed light on women’s role in the Prophet’s Hijrah?
Answer
From the dawn of da`wah, Islam came with the perfect teachings for men and women and gave each of them rights and obligations. It is a great honor for every Muslim woman to know that the first person to accept Islam was a woman, Khadijah, and the first martyr was Sumayyah (may Allah be pleased with them all).
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: "Women are the counterparts of men." If we go through the life history of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), we will find that women shared the great events such as treaties, battles, pledges of allegiance, and even in taking decisions. Women never failed to carry the responsibility of da`wah.
When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) migrated from Makkah to Madinah and he gave Asmaa', daughter of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) this great role in Hijrah.
On his way to Madinah, he passed by a woman who used to host the travelers in the desert. Her name was Umm Ma'bad. He invited her to Islam and she accepted it. She narrated some hadiths after that. The woman herself invited her husband and son to Islam. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reached Madinah, lots of girls and women were waiting for him to appreciate his Hijrah.
Away from the Hijrah, women participated and played a very important role when the Ansar signed the second treaty of Al-'Aqabah. There were two women attending the treaty and swore the oath of allegiance. They were Nusaybah Bint Ka'ab and Asmaa' bint `Amr.
During Al-Hudaybiya Treaty, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) agreed on the conditions stipulated by Quriash that seemed unfair to Muslims who refused to obey the Prophet's order to slaughter the sheep and have their haircuts as if they were performing `Umrah, Umm Salamah asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to have her haircut and slaughter her sheep and the Sahabah would follow her, and they did as she expected.
All these events give us a clear vision that Muslim women played great roles that should be taken as models by today’s Muslim women.
Name
Nahid
-
Profession
Question
Muslim women, on the strength of their unshakable personal faith, used to work for the propagation of Islam. Many of them helped to promote the cause of Islam within their respective family circles, through discussion and debate.
Do you expect Muslim women to do this today?
Answer
Jazakum Allahu Khairan for caring about Muslim women nowadays.
As you said, our foremost mothers and sahabiyat or female companions shared effectively in da'wah activities and were equal to men, and in some cases, were better and more effective than men in da'wah. That was a result of a great preparation and a good tarbiyah. We need to know that in the very early stage of da'wah, even before the five daily prayers were prescribed, there was the school of Dar Al-Arqam when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) instilled the teachings of Islam in the hearts of Muslim men and women. And through the period of Prophethood women have practically participated in each and every great Islamic event. Women were prepared theoretically and practically, and the result was such great example of women.
Nowadays, if women have the chance to be prepared theoretically and practically, understand and practice Islam, are equipped with high educational standards and shared effectively in every field of life and concentrate on the aim of shaping the real Islamic personality, I think it will be quite near to the earliest sahabiyat.
Regarding this role of preparing good examples of contemporary female Muslims, the Islamic movement is concentrating on that and there are many great examples such as Ustdha Zeinab Al-Ghazali and many other good examples in different fields. But we need the majority of Ummah, men and women, to have this awareness to regain their Islamic personalities and live with their Islamic values and get rid of the influence of material and western life.
Name
Niam
- Australia
Profession
Question
I want my 2 daughters -three and five years old- to learn more about the Islamic history and the meaning behind the Hijrah. How can I explain that for my daughters so they can grow up close to Islam?
Answer
Dear daughter,
May Allah bless you and your daughters! Jazakum Allahu Khairan for caring about establishing a good iman in your children's hearts.
As I know, your daughters are very young. At this tender age the children like stories, art, and fun activities. So you need to understand the requirements of their age and what your daughters especially like. I advise you to read the seerah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and life of his Companions so you can have a good knowledge and stories to tell your children.
It is a good idea to have a clear aim. Let us say that your aim is to make your children love the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Then you start to tell them stories about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)'s love for children and to tell them about the children of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and about his childhood. Then you start with the part you see as important and suitable for them. You should always touch their hearts with things they love such as the animals in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)'s life, tell them about the elephant who came to destroy the Ka`bah and in that year the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was born. You may draw with them the Ka`bah, birds, stones, etc.
As for the Hijrah, there are two examples: `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) who was a young boy who spent the night in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)'s bed. He was responsible also for giving back trusts and deposits to disbelievers. It is a good opportunity to talk about honesty and courage.
The second example was Usamah Ibn Zayd who was also a brave boy who stayed with the wife of the Prophet Sawdah, and he stayed also with the Prophet’s daughters Fatimah and Umm Kulthum and accompanied them in their journey to Madinah and followed the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) after few days.
You can talk to them about bravery and the love of the Prophet. You can also draw the mount of Thawr and avoid drawing the Prophet and his companion.
Name
Hawa
-
Profession
Question
Do you have any practical tips of how we, as mothers, can instill the love of Allah and the Prophet in our little kids?
Answer
The first step in your duty as a mother is shaping your children's heart and instilling the love of Allah and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in them. This meaning can only reach children's hearts with visible, tangible means. You can arrange for a picnic with your children and let them enjoy flowers, trees, rivers, animals and start to talk to them about how kind and generous Allah is to give us such beautiful things. Always talk about Allah favors and bounties in a very positive way.
Talk to them about Jannah, tell them about Jannah, its trees, its birds, its fruits, etc. and that it is the place of every obedient Muslim. Avoid any threat with Allah's punishment of hellfire. Let children have the habit of thanking Allah for every favor, verbally and practically such as giving charity or helping someone.
The same when you want to instill the love for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in their hearts. Talk to them about his infancy, his love for children. It is a very good idea to know about the features and external outlook of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and how handsome he was.
When your children love him and his character, then start to teach them his Sunnah especially in hygiene: washing hands, using right hand, going to the bathroom, fixing bedrooms, etc. tell them about the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)'s family to let the children become familiar with the meaning of seerah and after that they will be more receptive to understand more and more about the Islamic teachings.
Name
Hosam
-
Profession
Question
With the event of Hijrah approaching, is there any useful tips, books etc. to introduce this important event to our little kids?
Answer
There are huge collections of books, some of them written for parents to train them in parenting and others written for children to enable them to love the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and to know what Islam is. You need both kinds of books.
You need to choose to your children what is suitable for their age. Young children usually love to have coloring books and attractive pictures.
There are other ways such as games, especially computer games which explain the story of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his life history. Such games are very beneficial to children. You can choose ‘Rihlah Games’, that are produced by Sakhr Company.
It is better to let children invent some ways to express the event: making a card for a friend or mother, making a model of the cave and Ka'abah, etc…
Name
Hind
-
Profession
Question
I think Hijrah sheds light on the potentials possessed by Muslim woman and the significant role she can play. I wonder why some Muslims insist on limiting women's activity and role in the service of Islam while we find the events of seerah, the Hijrah for example, full of women contribution and sacrifice.
Answer
It is a painful fact that some Muslims did not read and understand the fundamental teachings of Islam, which are very clear to give us a fact and real participation of women in every event of da'wah.
However, that painful situation should be challenged with a strong will to spread an Islamic awareness among Muslim women. We should bear in mind that such awareness means that more education and deep iman should be enriched in our hearts and to have a well-planned goal and a practical step to build an active Islamic personality for women today.
