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Womens' Rights in Islam

Examples of How the Islamic society treated women
The Four Guided Caliphs

Abu-Bakr El-Siddik, may Allah be pleased with him

  • There was an old, blind woman in Medinah. Omar Ibn Elkhattab, may Allah be pleased with him used to visit her. He noticed that whenever he went to her he found that someone had already taken care of all her affairs (cleaning the house, cooking..etc.). Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, watched her house to know who was taking care of her affairs. He found out that it was Abu Bakr Al-Siddik who was at that time the Muslim Caliph. He actually took care of her himself (without that aid of servants). The Muslim Caliph, may Allah be pleased with him, used to clean her house and cook for her.

Umar Ibn Elkahttab, may Allah be pleased with him

  • We have previously mentioned that in the age of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, a lady, Al Shafa bint Abdullah Ibn Abd Shams, was assigned the position of official business transactor/manager of the market of Medina.

  • There is also this famous story that while Omar bin Al-Khattab was lecturing in the mosque he gave an opinion concerning the financial settlement after divorce. A woman heard him and disputed with him in the matter loudly, in front of all the male attendants. Omar did not rebuke her. Nevertheless, he realized that she was right and her opinion is better than his so he said: ‘Omar was wrong and a woman was right.’

Othman Ibn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him

  • The marriage life of Othman and his wife Ruqaya, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was an example for humanity as a whole. They loved each other so much that there was a verse that ever body in Mecca knew that says : the best couple a human can see is Ruqaya and her husband Othman, may Allah be pleased with them.

  • When his noble wife Ruqaya, may Allah be pleased with her, the daughter of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was dying, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered Othman to stay beside her and not to attend the battle of Badr which is the first battle for Muslims. To that extent Islam understood the need for a dying woman to have her beloved husband beside her. To that extent Islam understood the need of a man to be beside his dying wife. By Prophet Muhammad’s own command, Othman, may Allah be pleased with him, stayed beside his wife and left Jihad (fighting in the battle field for the sake of Allah). This incident is among the false accusations that some rebels later used against Othman, may Allah be pleased with him. The claimed that he left the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and stayed beside his wife forgetting that his wife was actually dying and that Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered him to stay beside her.

Ali Ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him

  • In the time of Umar, a child was born to a woman six month after her marriage. When the case came to the notice of Umar he was of the view that it was clear case of adultery and as such the woman should be sentenced to punishment for adultery. Umar referred the case to Ali. No evidence was forthcoming to the effect that the woman had any illicit liaison before marriage. Ali held that the mere fact that the child had been born six months after the marriage would not be a sufficient ground for convicting the woman.

    Ali pointed out that in the Holy Quran the period from conception to the weaning of the child is laid down at thirty months, and the period of the weaning of the child after birth is given as two years. This means that though under normal circumstances a child is born after nine months, a child may be born after six months under abnormal conditions. The woman was accordingly let off and absolved of the charge of adultery. That story proves how Muslims were never partial against women. They followed justice without any kind of discrimination.

    Actually there are countless examples of incidents in which companions of the prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, honored women and respected their opinions. Mother of the believers Aisha, may allah be pleased with her, had her Fatawa (religious opinion) during the caliphate of Othman and Umar who would seek her opinion in many occasions. Abu Mussa Al-Ashari, may Allah be pleased with him, one of the greatest companions of the prophet said that they have never disputed a matter related to Islam and went to ask Aisha unless they found her knowing the answer. Lots of the companions would seek her opinion regarding various issues in the noble sunnah.

    That is of course beside the honoring of the mother and the wife which was expressed in both Quran and sunnah which was mentioned in many locations through out this research.