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Womens' Rights in Islam
Does Islam consider Women deficient in intelligence and religion
There is a famous saying (hadith) by Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, that is constantly misunderstood and sometimes misused by some prejudiced people to attack Islam and prove that in Islam men are considered a higher grade of humans than women.
The hadith is found in the Translation of Sahih Bukhari, Book 6: Menstrual Periods, Volume 1, Book 6, Number 301 it states:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
Once Allah's Apostle went out to the Musalla (Mosque to offer the prayer) of 'Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women)."
They asked, "Why is it so, O Allah's Apostle ?"
He replied, "You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you."
The women asked, "O Allah's Apostle! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?"
He said, "Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?"
They replied in the affirmative.
He said, "This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?"
The women replied in the affirmative.
He said, "This is the deficiency in her religion."
Now lets take a look at the explanation of this hadith..
First :
let us try to understand what the word intelligence here mean.. Intelligence here rather means intellect, that is why many scholars consider translation as a cause for the misunderstanding of this hadith.
That is why some consider the above translation as wrong and give the following as its correction
“The Messenger of Allah once said to a group of women: O Women, give charity. I see the majority of those in hellfire to be women. They said: why is it so, O Messenger of Allah? He said: You rebuke a lot and you are disobedient towards your husbands. I have not seen any one who has more influence on an intelligent and sensible man, than you, although you are deficient in intellect and religion. A cautious, sensible man can easily be led astray by you. The women asked: O Allah's Messenger, what is deficient in our intellect and religion? He said: Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man? They replied in the affirmative. He said: This is the deficiency in your intelligence'... 'Isn't it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menstruation? The women replied in the affirmative. He said: This is the deficiency in your religion.''
They give the following explanation to the above hadith
In this narrative of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, according to a normal principle of the classical Arabic language, some words have been suppressed. The words "Naqisa'tul-`aql wal-deen" translated as: "deficient in intellect and religion" have the noun "umu'r" suppressed. The complete phrase is: "Naqisa'tu umu'ril-`aql wal-di'n" or "Naqisa't fi' umu'ril-`aql wal-di'n" i.e. "deficient in responsibility in matters pertaining to intellect and religion.
A thorough deliberation on the narrative in the light of the above explanation would clarify the meaning of this narrative. The Prophet , peace and blessings be upon him, directs the group of women to give a lot of charity to balance out their weaknesses. He then informs them of two of their important weaknesses, i.e., they are quick in rebuke and are disobedient to their husbands. Both these qualities may result in making the family life very miserable. He then expresses his surprise at their influence on their men by saying that although God has reduced their responsibility in matters pertaining to practical wisdom and religion, strange as it is, they have a tremendous influence on their men. (http://www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=540)
Second :
Arab philosophers consider the human mind has two parts one which has all his instinct-based behavior, as well as his being God’s trustee on earth which is the one that Allah created inside man. The other one is based on the intelligence, intellect and brilliance. Consequently, they say that some humans can have one strong and the other deficient whether men or women equally.
Based on Arab philosophers theory, The famous scholar Al-Mawardi said that the real intellect is the one responsible for the human actions as Allah’s vicegerent on earth. That is the one meant by the word (intelligence) in this hadith. That is why the hadith said (deficient in intelligence and religion) i.e. used the woman’s deficiency in intellect with her having less religious responsibilities. The hadith actually speaks of the part of the mind responsible for the human as vicegerent on earth.
As for her deficiency in intellect, Women can not control her feelings as much as man and is more patient and merciful than man and is much easily moved by tragic situations than man which is her nature that is why her responsibilities as Allah vicegerent on earth are less. For example she does not have to financially support the family while financially supporting the family is one of the man’s major responsibilities. Another example is her testimony in debt registration sessions or transactions which is a field not frequently tackled by women, which requires great accuracy and understanding of financial matters, in this case her testimony is half that of a man (please refer to page 21 for further discussion of this point in Islam).
As for her deficiency in religion it is because during her menstruation she does not fast or pray.
Both deficiencies are not meant to humiliate or underestimate women but rather understanding her nature. Women have less responsibilities as Allah vicegerent on earth that is the part of their intellect that is missing but it never means that women are brainless, unwise, less intelligent or even less religious than men. The hadith rather empathizes women nature as the part of humanity responsible for emotions and mercy than men.
Before we leave this matter we have to say here that in various occasions the Holy Quran and Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, praised women intelligence and wisdom.
The holy Quran praised Belqees The Queen of Sheba’s wisdom and narrated her story with Prophet Soloman, blessings be upon him, in the following verses
“She said: O chiefs! give me advice respecting my affair: I never decide an affair until you are in my presence They said: We are possessors of strength and possessors of mighty prowess, and the command is yours, therefore see what you will command. She said: Surely the kings, when they enter a town, ruin it and make the noblest of its people to be low, and thus they (always) do; And surely I am going to send a present to them, and shall wait to see what (answer) do the messengers bring back." (AlNaml – 32:35)
Belquees, the Queen of Sheba was a woman in a ruling position. She represented a democratic ruler who consulted with her people before making important decisions.
“It was said to her: Enter the palace; but when she saw it she deemed it to be a great expanse of water, and bared her legs. He said: Surely it is a palace made smooth with glass. She said: My Lord! surely I have been unjust to myself, and I submit with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord of the worlds." (AlNaml – 44)
After witnessing what God gave Solomon, she became a Muslim, while still the Queen of Sheba. When she saw the interior of Solomon’s palace, she thought it was a pool of water, and she (pulled up her dress) exposing her legs. He said, "This interior is now paved with crystal." She said, “My Lord! surely I have been unjust to myself, and I submit with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord of the worlds"
In another hadith a woman came asking the prophet and he praised her wisdom and eloquence. The Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, consulted his wives, may Allah be pleased with them, in many critical occasions and followed their opinion like in case of Um Salama, may Allah be pleased with her, during the treaty of Hudaibeya which is explained later in the section (Examples of How the Islamic society treated women)
From the above discussion we can easily conclude that Islam regards woman as equal to man, the fact that she has less responsibilities as God’s vicegerent on earth does not underestimate her capabilities but rather empathizes her nature as more passionate than man which is a necessity for the continuity of life on earth.
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