Status of Woman in Islam

A woman is a flower vase of beauty and fragrance. So smell her gently, do not wrestle with her! - Imam Ali (as) Women are like flowers. Do not put on them responsibilities they can not bear! - Imam Ali (as) According to Islam, being a human, woman is even superior to angels and all other living organisms. If she performs any good task or deed, she will be equally blessed as much as a man will for his good deeds. She is the benefactor and patron of Islam, as lady Khadija (Wife of Holy Prophet [saw]). She is a partner of prophethood, as lady Fatima (Daughter of Holy Prophet [saw]). She is one of the greatest leaders, as lady Zainab (Daughter of Imam Ali [as]) She superior to man, as a mother. She's respectable like a saint. She is precious like an expensive pearl. She is honorable like a delicate rose. Islam emphasizes the equality of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or social status. Islam has prescribed different roles and responsibilities for men and women, with each gender complementing the other. Centuries before the modern world recognized women's rights, Islam acknowledged the equality of the two genders, and abolished the barbaric ritual of burying infant daughters alive, an outrageous crime practiced by the Arabs before the time of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). Islam made women aware of their rights and gave them an identity, a personality, freedom, and independence. These rights, among others, include the right to inherit, to own property, to obtain a divorce, to collect a dowry, and to gain child custody. Regarding the equality of the genders, the Holy Qur'an states: "Surely the men who submit and the women who submit, and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women and the humble men and the humble women, and the almsgiving men and the almsgiving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard, and the men who remember Allah much and the women who remember-Allah has prepared, for them forgiveness and a mighty reward." (33:35) Muslims consider four ladies to be the most noble and pious: 1. Aasiya - Wife of Fir'awn / Pharoah (peace be upon her) 2. Maryam / Mary - Mother of Isa / Jesus (peace be upon her) 3. Khadija - Wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon her) 4. Fatima - Daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon her) Status of Woman in Islam

Perfect Muslim Marriage Guidelines

May God's blessings and mercy be on your Marriage is Prophet's tradition in life, it is not a mere bond and unity between two physical bodies. rather it is the assemblage of two spirits. Marriage is not aimed at attaining a transient joy, rather at reaching human perfection and perpetuating the human generation.

Be merited wife for your husband as God wants you to be; a woman with a prosperous life in this world and a guaranteed salvation in the other world. The following steps may help you to recognize your duties as a wife and to better fulfill them.

One: Accompany your husband to reach his sacred goal and be a partner in safeguarding the marital life. For the true love is not to look at each other in the eyes, rather to look towards the same direction. Know that accompanying your husband in same affairs would add to the beauty of marriage life.

Two: Try to habituate yourself to religious performances inside the house such as recitation of the Holy Quran in the morning, reading books following the news etc. It would have more effect on you if you do it together with your husband.

Three: Do not separate yourself from the people and do not let the marriage prevent you from participating in social affairs. For your duty to defend the truth and help the deprived is not only limited to singleness. Be aware that marriage is not a golden cage to surround yourself with rather husband and wife are as two wings of a bird, the existence of both of which are essential for flying. It is with the cooperation of each other that you will have a prosperous life.

Four: Your house should be as simple as the Prophet's house; its only decoration being love, affection, and unity not the luxury things for nothing is more beautiful than love and affection and greater than simplicity.

Five: If your husband attempts to misguide you towards the fire of the hell be stronger and guide him to the heaven. Do not accompany him if he is making sin, for your deeds will be the only intercessor on the resurrection day not your husband and/or the children.

Six: Be a conscience to your husband; stop him from making any sin and encourage him to worship. By doing this you will become a woman whom the Holy Prophet (SAW) described as: "After his faith in God, the believer has not achieved anything better than a nice wife who would make him happy and help him in serving God."

Seven: Read books about the children and the methods of upbringing before having a baby for your child is a trust that God has given you to take care of. Be careful of how you bring him up and how you make his personality.

Eight: Do not permit any gap to separate you and your husband in Jihad, if he is jailed or killed in this way then you should continue his struggle. Be like the wife of "Wahab" for when he was killed in the battle she took the pole of the tent and fought the enemy with it. After she was killed by the sword of the enemy. her spirit joined her husband's in heaven.

Or be like Zainab (SA) and destroy the oppressor with your speech and show his bloody clothes to the people so they would feel the depth of the oppression.

Nine: Be patient and accompany your husband in bearing the difficulties and pressures of life, and encourage him to resistance when he is disappointed. Help him when there is nobody else to solace him. Be like Hazrat Khadijeh (SA) whom the Holy Prophet (SAW) said about:

"She (Hazrat Khadijeh) helped me when people degraded and excommunicated me and believed me when others disbelieved me."

Be aware that any man needs a wife to be beside him in facing the difficulties; a wife who would stay in the same line with her husband when everybody else is opposing him and who would give confidence to him to face tike problems.

Ten: As his loyal assistant arrange your husband's room for his social activities respect his decisions, and help him to manage his social affairs. By doing this his love for the house and the family would increase.

Eleven: Do not interfere in all his affairs for he is not your necklace or the button of your shirt, rather he is a human being who has to face many problems. Do not attempt to impose your idea on him or supervise his activities for the freedom of every being should be considered.

Twelve: Serve your husband for it would strengthen the marriage bond and would have the great blessings of God. Imam Sadiq (AS) said: "One benefactor woman is better than a thousand wicked men and God would close seven gates of the hell and open eight gates of the heaven to the wife who serves her husband for seven days."

He also says: "Among the rights of the husband which the wife should fulfill are, cooking the food welcoming the husband when he enters the house, preparing the towel and water (as in those days there was no tap water and the wife used to bring the water in a pitcher so the man could wash his hands with) an not avoiding him."

Thirteen: Talk about generosity and optimism to your husband and invigorate these characteristics in him. Encourage him in bearing the burden of his great responsibilities and know that your encouragement is the most effective one. The effect of your husband on the people is a reflection of the effect of you on him.. If you treat your husband as a polite, successful, brave, faithful and honest man then he would become a man with all these characteristics. Be a great wife who stands behind a great husband.

Fourteen: Learn from the skills of your husband what you do not know and use his experiences. Teach him whatever he does not know. Be aware that a successful life is not achieved only when the man is pious but when the woman is pious as well.

Fifteen: Contentment is the most beautiful characteristic that one may have in the world. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: "God will not accept the good deeds of the wife who imposes more than her husband could afford on him and when she meets God she will find him angry with her."

Be a follower of Hazarat Fatimah Zahra (SA). When Imam Ali (AS) one day saw her pale face, he asked: "What has happened to you, Fatimah?" She answered: "We did not have anything in the house for three days." The Imam said: "Why didn't you tell me?" She replied: "My father, the Prophet of God told me in the wedding night: Fatimah, eat when Ali brings food otherwise do not ask for it."

Sixteen: Be the first to reconcile when there is a quarrel between you and your husband for God has said: "And if a woman fears ill usage or desertion on the part of her husband, there is no blame on them if they effect a reconciliation between them and reconciliation is better." Reveal your affection to your husband and teach him a lesson with your reconciliation that he would never forget.

Seventeen: Avoid anger and jeer. Do not argue much and do not reveal the other's faults. Do not ask for a life like the other's for it would weaken the marriage bond. Forget and forgive things that might upset you. Your life is now different from when you were single since you are sharing your life with somebody else.

God willing these points may remind our dear sisters of some of their great responsibilities and help them to become a faithful wife.

Perfect Muslim Marriage Guidelines

Umma United

Umma United is a social network dedicated to users with an interest in religion and Muslim culture. Umma United lets you express yourself, share information, exchange and meet while continuing to respect differences.

It is Umma United’s goal to build a strong on-line community for Muslims and people all over the world with an interest in Islamic culture, and to become a community and forum for interaction and dialogue.

We feel that Muslims must have their own online social network champion and that this tool must answer their specific needs:

stay in contact with the community through contact management
discuss, chat, get to know each other through discussion groups or virtual world
find a soul mate via a match making agency
facilitate job seeking and accommodation hunting thanks to classified ads allowing people to post job offers etc.
share experiences – blogs, travel blogs, sharing videos, etc…
promote events, activities, family reunions
access to community services, find for example a halal restaurant, travel agency, the closest mosque (with maps and directions)
learn other opinions on the latest film or TV show or books…

Umma-United

Boikot Israel Memudharatkan Islam

Saya menulis sebagai respon kepada artikel yang disiarkan oleh seorang kakitangan di universiti saya berkenaan isu memboikot produk Israel dan sekutunya. Sungguhpun saya percaya yang respon ini berkemungkinan besar tidak akan dibaca oleh beliau tetapi saya mahu para membaca sekalian mempunyai pengetahuan tentangnya.

Artikel tersebut berkisar tentang pendapat penulis dan rakannya yang kurang bersetuju dengan cadangan memboikot barangan Israel atas sebab beliau dan sahabatnya melihat perkara ini dari sudut Usul Fiqh atau lebih terperinci Prinsip Maslahah(kepentingan umum).

Kata beliau dengan memboikot barangan Israel kita akan menyebabkan ekonomi umat Islam khususnya di Malaysia terjejas. Contoh yang diberi adalah berkenaan soal memboikot McDonald yang majoriti pekerjanya beragama Islam akan menyebabkan ramai pekerja Islam kehilangan pekerjaan lalu menganggur dan seterusnya berkemungkinan menggunakan cara yang tidak dihalalkan oleh Islam untuk menyara diri seperti mencuri, melacur atau mengedar dadah.

Sungguhpun saya bukan seorang ulama' mahupun ahli dalam bidang usul fiqh, saya melihat hal ini sebagai tidak bertepatan dengan Prinsip Maslahah, lantas meragukan rujukan yang dibuat oleh penulis artikel terhadap prinsip tersebut.

Sepanjang pengetahuan saya prinsip yang dianjurkan Islam apabila kita berhadapan dengan situasi di mana kita tidak mempunyai pilihan kecuali memilih antara melaksanakan salah satu di antara dua perkara yang kedua-duanya memudaratkan, adalah wajar untuk kita membandingkan keduanya dan memilih perkara yang lebih kurang mudharatna daripada yang satu lagi. Dengan sebab itulah prinsip dharurah dibenarkan dalam Islam.

Contohnya, kita berhadapan dengan situasi kapal karam dan kita terapung tanpa arah di tengah lautan dan kehausan, harus bagi kita meminum air kencing walaupun pada dasarnya air kencing memudharatkan jika diminum kerana bukan sahaja najis malahan mengandungi toksik kerana sekiranya kita tidak minum atau meminum air laut maka kita akan mati terhidrat. Sebabnya, mudharat yang akan berlaku berpunca daripada meminum air kencing adalah lebih sedikit jika dibandingkan dengan meminum air laut atau berterusan dalam kehausan yang akan menyebabkan kematian.

Jadi jika dilihat daripada isu sama ada merelakan umat Islam di Palestin dibunuh atau merelakan umat Islam kehilangan pekerjaan dengan memboikot Produk Israel, saya rasa tanpa perlu berfikir panjang kita akan sampai kepada kesimpulan yang bahawasanya membiarkan umat Islam dibunuh itu adalah lebih besar mudharatnya daripada membiarkan umat Islam dibuang kerja.

Katakanlah boikot ini berlangsung dengan jaya sehingga menebabkan McDonald gulung tikar, saya rasa yang terjejas hanyalah pekerja di syarikat tersebut tapi bukan pembekal mahupun penternak ayam kerana jumlah penggemar ayam tidak berkurang dengan penutupan McDonald. Mereka tetap akan makan ayam cuma tidak dengan resepi yang digelar Ayam Goreng McD dan sebagainya.

Jadi saya tidak rasa yang pertimbangan penulis artikel tersebut terhadap Prinsip Maslahah dalam Usul Fiqh boleh digunapakai.

Dipetik daripada: syfadh.blogspot.com

9 kategori sembahyang

Percaya ke kita bila disebutkan bahawa hanya 1 atau 2% sahaja umat Islam yang sembahyang? Kalau kita tak percaya maknanya mungkin kita belum faham makna sembahyang. Bila kita tanya budak kecil apa itu sembahyang, dia jawab, sembah Tuhanlah!.Betullah tu, pandai pun dia jawab.

Kita tanya pula diri kita yang dah dewasa ini, betul ke kita dah sembah Tuhan bila kita sembahyang? Sebagai panduan, berikut adalah 9 golongan manusia dalam hal sembahyang. Yang betul-betul boleh dikira sembahyang ialah kategori 7,8 dan 9 sahaja. Yang lain itu hakikatnya termasuk dalam golongan 98 atau 99% yang tak sembahyang... takut juga kita dibuatnya.


1. Golongan yang langsung tidak bersembahyang dan menolak perintah sembahyang.

Mereka ini namanya saja Islam, tetapi memang tak mahu sembahyang. Malah tak tahu pun macam mana hendak sembahyang dan tak ambil peduli langsung tentang sembahyang. Mengikut Hadis, mereka ini dihukum sebagai kufur. Kalau dah kufur... confirmlah kekal selama-lamanya dalam Neraka... waliauzubillah.

2.Golongan yang bersembahyang tanpa ilmu sembahyang.

Mereka ini sembahyang sebab terikut-ikut orang lain sembahyang.Tetapi yang sebenarnya, tak tamat ilmu sembahyang pun. Mereka ini tidak tahu yang mana satu rukun dan yang mana satu sunat. Bacaan pun tak betul, yang panjang jadi pendek dan yang pendek jadi panjang. Sah batalnya tidak tahu, bab bersuci pun tidak beres lagi. Sembahyang begini tentulah tidak diterima ALLAH SWT. Macamlah orang yang bagi jawapan tak betul dalam exam, mana cikgu nak luluskan. Tak passlah jawabnya!

3.Golongan yang ada ilmu sembahyang tetapi tak kuat nak lawan nafsu.

Mereka ini lulus subjek Pengetahuan Agama Islam, kadang-kadang boleh score A1 lagi. Tapi bila Brazil masuk World Cup final, sembahyang pun qada'.Kadang-kadang terlepas waktu kerana sibuk sangat buat kerja nak cari duit. Kalau sembahyang pun, sembahyang exercise sahaja. Tonggang tonggek untuk lancarkan peredaran darah tapi fikiran mereka boleh round seluruh dunia. Mereka ini golongan yang fasik atau zalim. Untuk mudah nak faham, mereka ini golongan Islam yang jahat. Macam mana yang dikatakan jahat? Mengadap Tuhan boleh lagi nak main-main... kalau depan raja pun orang dah kata biadap, inikan pula depan Tuhan, Raja segala raja.Mereka ini kalau tak merayu minta ampun, alamatnya akan dihalau dari istana raja (kalau dengan Tuhan - Syurgalah) Kalau dah dihalau dari Syurga, kemana agaknya kita kena pergi, sudah tentu semua dah maklum!

4. Golongan yang lalai dalam sembahyang

Mereka ini satu tangga lebih baik dari yang tadi. Mereka dah tak main qada' sembahyang. Kadang-kadang bila frust atau dalam keadaan stress, cukup rajin pula sembahyang jemaah dimasjid atau di surau. Orang sangka mereka ini orang baik-baik, tetapi sebenarnya belum lagi. Kalau kita nak tahu, diwaktu sembahyang hati dan fikiran mereka selalu melayang teringatkan problem yang masih tak selesai. Contohnya bergaduh dengan isteri, ceti dah datang, kunci hiang dll. Kadang-kadang sungguh hebatnya sampai teresak-esak menangis dalam sembahyang. Bukan tangiskan dosa dan takutkan Tuhan tapi sebab melayan perasaan sendiri. Dan ada dikalangan mereka yang lebih hebat lagi, bila bagi salam, kunci pun dapat! Memang tepatlah kalau mereka ini dikatakan golongan yang lalai.Mereka ini termasuk juga golongan yang biadap dengan Tuhan, macam orang yang berdepan dengan raja tapi buat hal sendiri. Raja tetap marah kerana tidak dihormati. Di Akhirat nanti, tempat mereka ialah di Neraka Wail, waliauzubillah.

5.Golongan yang sembahyang tarik tali.

Mereka ini lebih baik sikit dari yang di atas iaitu sentiasa tarik tali antara ingat bacaan sembahyang dengan tidak. Kadang-kadang ingat, kadang-kadang lalai. Macamlah orang yang ada penyakit amnesia (hilang ingatan). Kejap sedar, kejap tak sedar. Baru cakap separuh jalan, dah pengsan. Kalau raja rasa yang penyakit ini dah teruk, tentu raja suruh dia tinggal di hospital agar penyakitnya boleh di"rawat ".Kalau masih terkawal, ada peluang juga tinggal di kalangan tetamu raja. Jadi, golongan ini walaupun bersembahyang tapi belum selamat. Sebab terpulanglah kepada Tuhan, macam mana Than nak beri 'markah'. Golongan ini bila sedar, hendaklah banyak meminta ampun kepada ALLAH, moga-moga ALLAH terima mana-mana bahagian sembahyang yang dia ingat, manakala yang lalai tidak dikira. Disamping itu, hendaklah mereka terus tingkatkan kualiti sembahyang mereka.

6.Golongan yang tidak memahami sepenuhnya maksud bacaan dalam sembahyang.

Mereka ini fikirannya tidak lagi melilau-lilau atau bertarik tali dalam sembahyangnya. Mereka dah boleh beri tumpuan pada bacaan-bacaan dan lafaz-lafaz yang diucap dalam sembahyang. Sembahyang mereka pun nampak cantik dan sempurna. Kalau baca Fatihah, kalah lidah orang Arab, tetapi tak ubah macam duit palsu sahaja. Nampak macam yang original tapi tak ada nilai apa-apa. Mereka ini sebenarnya tak faham apa yang dibaca... dan tak nak pula belajar makna bacaan sembahyangnya. Nak khusyuk macam mana?... memanglah impossible! Inilah golongan awamul muslimin. Golongan ini juga belum selamat. Kalau di depan raja, mereka ini ibarat burung kakak tua yang tak faham apa yang diperkatakannya. Manusia yang berperangai burung kakak tua didepan Tuhan, manalah Tuhan suka!

7.Golongan yang selamat.

Mereka bersembahyang dengan tepat sebagaimana yang dikehendaki ALLAH. Selain sembahyangnya tepat secara zahir, fikiran dan hatinya dapat ditumpukan sepenuhnya kepada sembahyang. Faham pula apa yang diucapkan dalam sembahyang.
Kalau di istana, mereka inilah yang layak jadi tetamu raja. Mereka berkelakuan sopan dan pandai menghormati raja. Raja pun suka pada mereka.Raja tidak berat hati nak offer duduk lama-lama dalam istananya. Golongan ini selamat di dunia dan di Akhirat dan dapat masuk Syurga.Mereka inilah yang dikatakan orang-orang soleh.

8.Golongan muqarrabin

Mereka bukan sahaja khusyuk dalam sembahyang, tetapi dapat juga rasa lazat dalam sembahyang, lebih lazat dari makan sate Kajang. Bila baca tentang azab ALLAH, kecut hati dan perut mereka.Bila baca tentang rahmat ALLAH, hati mereka cukup tenang dan gembira. Mereka benar-benar dapat menjiwai sembahyang mereka. Darjat mereka ini lebih tinggi dari golongan 7. Kalau di istana raja, mereka ibarat pekerja-pekerja yang setia dengan raja. Bukan saja mereka memuliakan raja, bahkan semua titah raja dilaksanakan dengan sungguh-sungguh dan rasa seronok. Tak bagi gaji pun tak apa, asalkan dapat berkhidmat kpd raja. Orang begini, memanglah boleh terus menerus duduk di dalam istana. Nak keluar masuk istana, tak payah soal siasat. Cukup tunjukkan punch card. Malah raja bagi pula kemudahan-kemudahan istimewa untuk mereka. Di Akhirat nanti, mereka bukan sahaja selamat, tetapi tidak banyak dihisab di Padang Mahsyar. Mereka ini bukan sahaja tidak melakukan perkara yang haram dan makruh, malah yang harus juga dijadikan ibadah.




9. Golongan siddiqin

Golongan ini golongan yang luar biasa. Mereka ini bukan kena paksa diri untuk sembahyang tetapi betul-betul seronok nak sembahyang. Bukan rasa lazat sahaja, tetapi sangat terhibur dan begitu asyik mahsyuk kpd ALLAH sewaktu sembahyang (macam orang yang sedang memadu cinta) Mereka ini terdiri dari kalangan para rasul dan anbia' ALLAH. Mereka ini ibarat menteri-menteri dan panglima raja. Mereka boleh rasa terhibur kalau terpaksa gadaikan nyawa sendiri untuk selamatkan raja. Mana raja tak sayangkan mereka!. Keluar masuk istana langsung tidak diperiksa. Malah banyak keistimewaan yang dianugerahkan raja kpd mereka.Nasib mereka di Akhirat tak payahlah nak dicerita. Merekalah yang menjadi wakil Tuhan untuk selamatkan manusia.

Begitulah 9 kategori golongan manusia dan sembahyangnya... dimana kita agaknya? Bila diperiksa sembahyang kita agaknya belum lulus lagi. Ingatkan rasa lega dah tunaikan sembahyang, rasa dah cukup baik tetapi rupa-rupanya belum selamat lagi. Rupa-rupanya masih derhaka dan sangat biadap dengan Tuhan. Masya-ALLAH tak sedar yang kita derhaka dalam buat taat!. Marilah kita berusaha sungguh-sungguh untuk meningkatkan sembahyang ke peringkat 7 atau 8 kalau kita sayangkan diri kita. (Peringkat 9 memang tak boleh untuk orang macam kita). Moga-moga kita selamat di dunia dan Akhirat. Amin ya Rabbal 'aalamin..