بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Friday Sermon
HADHRAT AMIR’UL MUMINEEN MUHYI-UD-DIN
Munir Ahmad Azim
16 August 2013 ~
(08 Shawwal 1434 Hijri)
(Summary of Friday Sermon)
After having greeted all his followers (and all Muslims) round the world – mentioning the nearby islands, India, Kerala, Trinidad and Tobago etc. – with the Salutations of Peace, Hazrat Muhyi-ud-Din (atba) read the Tashahhud, Taouz and Surah Al Fatiha and then said:
~ Before starting on the subject of his sermon, Huzur (atba) informed his disciples that just before standing on the pulpit for the sermon, he received a divine message wherein Allah has informed him that from among all his disciples worldwide (the members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam), there is one special one whom Allah deeply loves. Then Huzur (atba) put emphasis on love for Allah and His Messenger, and also talked about the recent persecutions which some members of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam are facing in Kerala, India. Huzur (atba) prays that they keep firm and sincere and that Allah showers His love on them also, that they attain that divine love. (Insha-Allah). ~
A mocking man portrayed in a few lines the petty thoughts which men in general have about woman: “God created the earth, then He rested. Then He created man and He rested again. Finally, God created woman but could never afterwards enjoy rest!”
These traits are more often found in some religions which look out for a scapegoat to charge the spiritual fall of man, pillorying women (which that charge/blame) who, according to them, have always embodied evil. Islam, on the other hand, rejects this biased judgment. It was indeed the first religion to grant the woman a status which she could not have otherwise aspired to.
In the past, women had no social status. Instead, they obediently bent to the most capricious demands of men, be it concerning wealth, properties and inheritance. Besides there was also the murder of young daughters practiced in the Arab world, albeit limited to certain families. In other places (and families), those who managed to grow up and marry were still burned alive when their husbands died.
If elsewhere and at other times women have aroused respect in their direction, this was due solely to the popular pressure. On March 8, 1857, employees of a U.S. company rebelled against labour exploitation and took to the streets of New York to protest. The police were called on the scene and after the clashes and fighting that occurred, there were many dead and wounded reported. The riots did not stop but instead resumed, albeit much later, during the same month of the years 1908 and 1910. So to commemorate these events, March 8 had to be declared International Women’s Day. It was officially celebrated for the first time in Mauritius in 1978. Today, women from different social backgrounds are silently striving to get their rights, among others, to banking services, inheritance or for the protection of their property. They will be wrong to imagine that they were granted them without others having had to previously conducting bitter struggles to claim it (that liberty/freedom). Yet Islam already graciously granted it to them more than fourteen centuries ago!
By introducing this religion, Allah was actually recovering for the women their rights which men arrogantly usurped from them. As for the Holy Prophet (pbuh), he undertook to translate these rights into reality, and the Holy Quran and the Sunnah was established for posterity. This is a legacy still enjoyed by Muslims both spiritually, intellectually and socially and in terms of economics and politics.
On a spiritual level: Indeed Islam gives the man as the woman, an equal spiritual status.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
“It is He who created you from one soul and created from it its mate that he might dwell in security with her. And when he covers her, she carries a light burden and continues therein. And when it becomes heavy, they both invoke Allah, their Lord, ‘If You should give us a good (child), we will surely be among the grateful.’” (7: 190)
It is also required as well to accomplish the acts of faith, namely the daily obligatory prayers (Salat), fasting (Sawm), Zakat and the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), and as a reward, Allah will reserve the same joys for both (sexes). However, we do not ignore in truth the physiological and psychological realities that distinguish a man from a woman. That is why Allah made man guardian (Qawam) over the woman, but nevertheless, in spirituality both enjoy equal rights.
“Indeed, the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women, the obedient men and obedient women, the truthful men and truthful women, the patient men and patient women, the humble men and humble women, the charitable men and charitable women, the fasting men and fasting women, the men who guard their private parts and the women who do so, and the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so - for them Allah has prepared forgiveness and a great reward.” (33: 36)
The above verse and many other verses such as (3: 195), (9: 73) and (67: 12) demonstrate the ability of women to have equal rights in climbing the ladder of spirituality. To be convinced of this, the Holy Quran mentions the exemplary life that Mary, Mother of Jesus (as) lived: “And remember when the angels said: “O Mary, Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen among all women.” (3: 43)
On the other hand, if as a general rule, Islamic law safeguards the honour of the woman as well as that of man (33: 59) and (85: 11), however in circumstances where the weaknesses inherent in her nature is more exposed, a fortiori she receives greater protection (24: 24, 25).
On an intellectual level: Women in Islam also has the necessary faculties to her intellectual development and the Holy Quran does not contain words that might seem to make pre-primary or tertiary education less accessible to her. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) has confirmed that: “Seeking knowledge is the duty of every Muslim, male or female.” (Ibn Majah)
It is unfortunate that the Muslim woman is simply satisfying herself with the (restricted) initiation even though the pathways leading to the deep knowledge are spread out before her.
On the social level: Ensuring synergy within the foundation of every society, that is to say, the family unit requires structures built according to Islamic standards. The marital relationship is one, but contrary to what is usually done (by other religions), Islam does not allow the girl to be offered in marriage without beforehand getting her consent. Certainly, parents should guide her choice, but acceptance or refusal of the marriage proposal however remains at her discretion. Islam insists therefore, not without reason that the suitors will see each other before they commit (in marriage).
Once they have united, the husband and wife must provide each other mutual support. Both the husband serves as clothing to the woman, as she serves as clothing to him (2: 188). Indeed, the Holy Quran seeks through this allegory to emphasize the reciprocity of conjugal rights and duties (2: 229). But beyond this exchange, husbands will strive to please their women because they may feel an aversion to something which Allah has placed a greater good! (4: 20). Moreover, had the Holy Prophet (pbuh) not appointed the best man as one who cherished his family most? At least he (pbuh) always cared about the welfare of women. Two incidents are sufficient to establish this fact.
During a trip where several of them (women) accompanied the Holy Prophet (pbuh), he told the camel drivers not to hurry as they were not aware that they were transporting ‘crystals’, that is to say frail beings (women). He also compared the woman to the chest bone, which if persisted to be bent would inexorably break. In other words, the woman is who she is, a separate entity with the qualities and defects of her own.
On the political front: Islam requires equal rights (for both men and women) even in the field of politics, where Muslim women can vote in elections, be appointed to positions of different political colours, or assist in any other way the government in the management of public affairs at local and national levels. The Islamic history has also retained the Muslim woman’s many contributions to community life as well as the development of Muslim countries.
And to close this topic for now on one aspect of Islam, a topic that verily does not completely exhaust the material in question, I quote an American judge, namely Pierre Craibites who has made the following the relevant remarks: “Muhammad, 1300 years ago, assured to the mothers, wives and daughters of Islam a rank and dignity (still) not generally assured to women by the laws of the West.”
May Allah help us all, men and women of the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam to respect the rights of each and all and we give back force and light to the strivings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to advance the equality of women in the society, so that the so-called modern society recognizes that freedom of women is not in the exploitation of women or simply a day to celebrate her, but that they realise the fact that it is Islam which has always strived to make shine her true value and rights in the world until the Last Day! Insha-Allah, Ameen.
