Islam represents woman in a high and sophisticated position beginning with being mother, daughter, sister, and wife. It appears in many points:
- Allah appreciated the mother and made obeying of her obligatory otherwise she ordered something forbidden in Islam. And made dutifulness to mother a good reason to win of Paradise.
- The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, had a talk with someone who asked about the person who is mostly deserved to be his companionship and the answer was your mother, the man asked then who? The Prophet said your mother. Then who? He said your mother, then who? Your father.
- Islam considered taking good care of daughters a way of entering Paradise. ‘Uqba ibn ‘Amir reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “If someone has three daughters and is patient with them and clothes them from his wealth, they will be a shield against the Fire for him.”
Ibn ‘Abbas reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “There is no Muslim who has two daughters and takes good care of them but that he will enter the Garden.”
- Islam also appreciated sisters; that the Messenger -Allah bless him- ordered to take care of sister, and made that a reason to enter the Garden. Abu Sa’id al-Khudri said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “No one has three daughters or three sisters and is good to them but that he will enter the Garden.
- Islam gave a priority to spend money on man’s mother before man’s father as well as sister before brother if they were in need, and he is able to.
It was narrated that Tariq Al-Muharibi said: “We came to Al-Madinah and the Messenger of Allah was standing on the Minbar addressing the people and saying: “The hand which gives is the upper hand. Start with those for whom you are responsible; your mother, your father, your sister, your brother, then the next closest, and the next closet.”
• Before getting married, woman should be given a dower from her fiancé. “And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift; but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, Take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.” {An- Nissa Surah. Ayah 4}
- Islam gave the wife many rights, the right of having home, money, clothes. “But he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms” {Al- Paqarah Surah. Ayah 233} “Let the women live (in ‘iddat) in the same style as ye live” {At- Tallaq. Verse 6}
- Wife also has moral rights in Islam like her right to choose good husband as it was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah said: “A previously married woman should not be married until her permission has been sought, and a virgin should not be married until her consent is sought.” They said: “O Messenger of Allah, how does she give her permission?” He said: “Her permission is if she keeps silent.”
And another moral right of wife is to get kind treatment from her husband Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “A believer must not hate (his wife) believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics he will be pleased with another”.
- Qur’an mentioned many examples of pious women who were worshiping for Allah faithfully like Pilqis the Queen of Shebaa who leaded her society to worship Allah instead of worshipping the sun. Quran also told about the wife of Pharaoh “And Allah citeth an example for those who believe: the wife of Pharaoh when she said: My Lord! Build for me a home with thee in the Garden, and deliver me from Pharaoh and his work, and deliver me from evil-doing folk”. Moreover, It mentioned Maryam ‘Mary the Virgin’ who spent her time in the Mihrab to worship Allah and had a miracle to deliver a baby Issa; Jesus. “And Mary the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity; and We breathed into (her body) of Our spirit; and she testified to the truth of the words of her Lord and of His Revelations, and was one of the devout (servants).”
- Prophet Mohammed asked Muslims to care of Kinship; alrahm (To be helpful and good to your kin, visit them and meet their needs, whether they are good to him or not) [that’s according to Almaany dictionary]. Kinship includes parents, brothers, sisters, ancestors, father’s sister and brother, mother sister and brother, sons and daughter, nieces and nephews.
Prophet Mohammad said: ‘O people! Spread (the greeting of) Salam, feed others, uphold the ties of kinship, and pray during the night when people are sleeping, and you will enter Paradise with Salam.’
And Allah curses severer of kinship bonds “Then, is it to be expected of you, if ye were put in authority, that ye will do mischief in the land, and break your ties of kith and kin?” {Muhammad Surah. Verse 22}
“Such are the men whom Allah has cursed for He has made them deaf and blinded their sight.” {Muhammad Surah. Verse 23}.
- Allah supported the woman who was discussing with Prophet Mohammad about Al-Zhihar ,which was the phrases of divorce before Islam that consider the wife forbidden like the mother forever, then some verses have been revealed talking about that woman and support her opinion and cancel the AL-Zhihar . And the Chapter’s name is Almujadilla which means the woman who is disputing with the Prophet.
“Allah has indeed heard (and accepted) the statement of the woman who pleads with thee concerning her husband and carries her complaint (in prayer) to Allah: and Allah (always) hears the arguments between both sides among you: for Allah hears and sees (all things).” “If any men among you divorce their wives by Zihar (calling them mothers), they cannot be their mothers: None can be their mothers except those who gave them birth. And in fact they use words (both) iniquitous and false: but truly Allah is one that blots out (sins), and forgives (again and again)”. {Almujadilla Surah. Verses 1, 2}
