Defending the Woman's Rights

Chapter Twelve : Additional Advocacy

In this last chapter of 'supporting woman's rights' it is worth mentioning that the Islamic teachings have widely advocated woman, more than her legal rights and far better than the feminism movements. In fact, these teachings are 'in addition to the rights'. All the cases of such rights are innumerable; only some are mentioned here :

Equality between children

Equality is a doubtless Islamic principle, which is applicable to all fields of life and all people. According to some traditions, equality should be considered even in paying attention to and looking at people.

Equality in the family and among the children is emphasized too :

One day, Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) saw a man with two kids. The man kissed one of his children and left the other. Then, the Prophet (a.s.) said to him, "Would it not be better to treat them equally?" 1

The Prophet of Islam (a.s.) has emphasized the treating of family members equally :

________________________ 1 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 21/ 487.

The Prophet (a.s.) said a man who had granted something to one of his children, "Did you give the same to all your children?" That man replied, "No!" The Prophet (a.s.) said, "Fear Allah and treat your children justly!" 1

Though equality is emphasized in Islam, the Islamic teachings sometimes permit to overlook the origin of equality in dealing with daughters and sons :

The Messenger of Allah (a.s.) said, "When one of you goes to the bazaar, buys something, and brings it to his children, let him first begin (in distributing it) with the daughters ..." 2

We understand from this Prophetic speech that girls are more preferred.

It is also narrated in some traditions :

The Prophet (a.s.) said, "Treat your children equally in giving. If I wanted to prefer, I would prefer women."

That is why the great author of wasail al-Shi'a has called this chapter of his book : "The Chapter of the recommendation of buying gifts for wife and children and beginning (in distributing them) with daughters".

Sentimental Treatment towards Daughters

The parents' kind treatment to their children is recommended in Islam, but it is more recommended towards girls :

Imam Ridha (a.s) narrated from the Prophet (a.s.) his saying, "Allah the Almighty is kinder to females than He is

________________________ 1 Al-Hayat, 6/ 409. 2 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 21/ 514.

to males ... no one delights a woman of his near kin, except that Allah will delight him on the Day of Judgment." 1

As a result, this chapter of Wasa'il al-Shia is entitled: "The Chapter of the Recommendation of being more kind and compassionate to girls (than to boys)". And this is an evident privilege for woman and an exception to the law of equality.

Woman and the Position of Motherhood

In the Islamic teachings, father and mother have very high positions and should be honored. As for mother, this attention is more emphasized and that she has a higher position than the father's.

The Prophet of Islam (a.s.) said, "If you are offering a recommendable (not obligatory) prayer and your father calls for you, do not cut it (the prayer), but you can cut it if your mother calls for you." 2

The Prophet (a.s.) said, "The Paradise is beneath the feet of mothers." 3

Imam Baqir (a.s) narrated, "Prophet Moses (a.s) begged Allah saying, '0 my Lord, advise me!' ... Allah said to him, 'I recommend you about (being kind to) your mother.' Moses (a.s) asked again, '0 my Lord, advise me!' Allah said to him, I recommend you about your mother.' The third time Moses (a.s.) asked, '0 my Lord advise me!' Allah said to him, "I recommend you about your father!' Imam Baqir (a.s) stated, "That is why two thirds of kindness and

________________________ 1 Wasa'il al-Shi'a,., 21/ 367. 2 Mustadrak A1-Wasa'il 15/ 181. 3 Ibid 15/ 180.

dutifulness should be for the mother and one third for the father." 1

Imam Ridha (a.s) said, "Know well that the right of mother is the most essential and most obligatory right on you, because she bears the hardships of pregnancy like no one else. She delightfully and wholeheartedly cares for her child and resists all the problems that no one can ever be patient with. She is satisfied to remain hungry but her child satiate and thirsty but he is quenched. She remains without clothes, but her child clothed. She puts him in the shadow and she remains under the sun. So let gratefulness, dutifulness, and kindness be to her as much as that; though you cannot satisfy the least of her due right except with the assistance of Allah." 2

Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated that one day a man came to the Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) and said, "I had a daughter whom I brought up until she became adolescent. Then I dressed and adorned her with fine clothes and ornaments and took her to a well. I threw her to the bottom of the well. The last word I heard from her was 'O father!' What is the ransom of that?" The Prophet (a.s.) asked him, "Is your mother alive?" The man said, "No!" "Do you have a maternal aunt alive?" the Prophet asked. The man said, "Yes!" The Prophet (a.s.) then said, "Be dutiful to your aunt, because she is like your mother and this can ransom what you had done." 3

Allama Majlisi says, "This tradition shows the preference of the mother and her relatives to father and paternal

________________________ 1 Mustadrak A1-Wasa'il. 15/180. 2 Ibid., 15/ 18. 3 Al-Kafi, 2/ 162; Bihar al-Anwar, 74/ 58.

relatives. It also indicates the importance of dutifulness to maternal aunt among other relatives of the mother." 1

This statement of the Prophet (a.s.) shows the greatness of motherhood and the most remarkable Divine position of woman. The major sin of killing one's child, which seems too cruel and obscene to be forgiven, is forgivable only by doing good to the mother or the maternal aunt. Making them happy is the compensation of this major sin. This shows the importance of the mother and then the aunt. if the mother is not available, the aunt replaces her, but not even the father, the paternal uncle, or any other male relative.

Another worthy point is that the only reparation for such a major sin is kindness and dutifulness to the mother or the aunt, and not their prayer. In other words, only their happiness makes up for this cruel sin and brings about Allah's forgiveness.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated, "One day, someone came to the Prophet (a.s.) and asked, 'O messenger of Allah, to whom should I be pious?' The Prophet (a.s.) said, 'To your mother.' The man asked, "then to whom?' The Prophet (a.s.) said, To your mother.' The man asked again, 'then to whom?' The Prophet (a.s.) said, 'to your mother.' Then the man asked, 'then to whom?' The Prophet (a.s.) said, 'To your father." 1

Allama Majlisi says, "Due to this tradition, it is derived that three fourths of kindness and piety should be for the mother. It is also said that it is to exaggerate in being kind to the mother. The reason behind that is clear, because the

________________________ 1 Bihar al-Anwar, 74/ 58. 2 Al-Kafi, 2/ 159.

mother tries and tolerates hardships for her children more than the father. Some verses in the sura of Luqman confirm this fact." 1

Imam Ridha (a.s) narrated from his father from Imam Sadiq (a.s) his saying, "If Allah knew something less than (ugh), in order to give up the undutifulness to parents, He would surely mention it." 2

As it is clear, the holy Qur'an mentions the mother's rights more than the father's.

(And We have enjoined on man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and weaning of him was thirty months.) 3

"Doing of good to the parents is not dependent on their belief or religion; even if the parents do not follow the true religion, serving and respecting them is necessary according to the clear commands of the Qur'an." 4

This advocacy of woman, as mother, is an Islamic principle. Now, compare it with the claims of the western feminists and their method of supporting woman in the western society! The western society treats old men and old women in a bad way and teaches this to the society at large :

"... Today's society is very indifferent to old people. To me, this is the first civil society in which old parents are not available in their grown-up children's homes. Surprisingly, they do not condemn it. If we look at such bad and immoral

________________________ 1 Bihar al-Anwar, 74/ 49, 42. 2 Ibid. 3 Qur'an, 46: 15. 4 Bihar al-Anwar, 74/ 38.

behavior from a non-western point of view, we would find it so obscene ..." 1

The outcome of the western capitalism's behavior toward the old is their sadness and loneliness in the aging process, which may lead to horrible suicides, leaving a stigma on the face of the present century's humanism of the western capitalist systems.

"... The suicide rate among old people is the lowest rate in Iran, compared to the same statistics of the West. The reason for this may be the strong family ties and the great respect to the old in the Iranian culture." 2

The western capitalism is based on capital and profit, and not on the human and spiritual values, and still boasts of defending the human rights.

Therefore, it is evident that a mother woman has more rights than the father man does. The question here is that: have the extremist supporters of woman's rights really defined such rights for her? Or could women have reached the high position that Islam has taken them to?

'Treating women kindly and taking much care of them' is an Islamic advocacy, in addition to the original rights. The Holy Qur'an states :

(... And treat them (women) kindly.) 3

As we have mentioned earlier, 'goodness' (or kindness) includes observing not only the legal rights, but also the

________________________ 1 The Future of Capitalism and 12 Other Articles, p. 108, the Article 'Why I don't like Western Civilization" by Arnold Twinbee. 2 Ali Islami Nasab Bojnurdi, Bohran-e Khodkoshi, p. 94, First edition, Ferdows Publications, 1371. 3 Qur'an, 4: 19.

humane-ethical values. If some people treat woman only as far as her legal rights, they do not follow the Qur'anic command, because 'goodness' is more than the usual and specified legal rights.

The Last Will

Great men mention their best and most valuable experience at their last moments of life and recommend of the most important principles and most necessary matters of life. Therefore, it is very interesting that according to Imam Ali (a.s) the last will of Prophet Mohammad (a.s.) was about women.

Imam Kadhim (a.s) narrated from Imam Ali (a.s) his saying, "Fear Allah! Fear Allah as to women! Because the last word of your Prophet (a.s.) was: 'I recommend you to be kind to women ..." 1

Following the prophet's way, Imam Ali (a.s) emphasized advocating women's rights and safety, using important phrases, especially the name of the Almighty 'Allah', which is above any other word. It means remember Allah or fear Allah in your behavior towards women and in observing their rights.

These two unique and divine figures mention the woman's rights in their last wills. It shows the importance of the woman's rights in Islam that are much more than the positive laws of defending the rights of woman of nowadays.

________________________ 1 Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, 14/ 255.

The Cause of Blessing

Women and girls are the cause of Allah's blessing and mercy.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said, "When a girl is born for a man, Allah sends an angel who spreads his wings over the girl's head and chest... and one who spends on her is helped (by Allah)." 1

Some families, especially in the past, considered daughters a burden, because they could not work and earn money. Sons then worked and daughters remained at home. The Infallible Imams (a.s), however, stressed that though women or daughters remain at home and do not do economic activities, they bring about Allah's blessing and mercy.

Once, Ishaq bin Ammar asked Imam Sadiq (a.s): "Is the tradition narrated by people true that someone came to the Prophet (a.s.) complaining of his poverty and the Prophet (a.s.) recommended him to get married... until he ordered him of that for three times?" Imam Sadiq (a.s) said, "Yes, it is true. Livelihood comes when there are women (wives) and children (in one's house)." 2

Better than Jihad

The Prophet of Islam (a.s.) often declared that the serving of mother would be better than jihad (the holy war). Jihad and its value in Islam is beyond any doubt. It is the most valuable activity according to some traditions. Every worthy

1 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 15/ 104. 2 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 14/ 26.

activity may have less value than another worthier one, except jihad and the martyrdom in the way of Allah, which is the best activity. However, one night of being with one's mother and serving her is considered worthier than one year of jihad along with the Prophet (a.s.).

One day, a man came to the Prophet (a.s.) and said, "I am an active young man and I like to go to jihad, but I have a mother who hates that." The Prophet (a.s.) said to him, "Go back home and stay with your mother. By Allah Who has sent me with the truth as prophet, her (the mother) delight with you one night is better than your jihad in the way of Allah for one year." 1

Gabriel and Women

Gabriel (a.s.), the Revelation Angel, always recommended about women. This is mentioned in this Prophet's tradition :

The Prophet (a.s.) said, "Gabriel often and always recommended me about woman, until I thought that divorcing her would not be allowed at all, except because of a proved sin (adultery)." 2

The word 'always' in this tradition is very clear; it means that Gabriel recommended about women's rights any time he came down to the Prophet (a.s.), advocated them, and reminded the Prophet (a.s.) of their concerns. This was so much repeated and stressed that Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) thought that the divorcing of women was forbidden, except in case of an obvious adultery. And this is another case of the Islamic advocacy of women more than their usual rights.

________________________ 1 Al-Kafi, 2/ 163; Bihar al-Anwar, 71/ 59. 2 Uddat al-Da'i, 62; Bihar al-Anwar, 103/ 253.

The Criterion of Preference

The criterion of preference, value, and nearness to the position of the Prophet (a.s.) in the Hereafter is the doing of good to women and wives.

The Prophet (a.s.) said, "The nearest of you to me in my sitting place on the Day of Judgment is the best of you to his wife." 1

Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) also said, "The best of people in faith are those who are the kindest to their wives, and I am the kindest of you to my wife (wives)."

This behavior of the Prophet (a.s.) is the criterion for superiority and preference in Islamic.

The Great Reward

In the Islamic teachings, great reward is promised to be given in the afterlife to those who tolerate their wives' anger and bad-temperedness, do not seek to avenge on them, and do not separate the family by divorce.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated from the Prophet (a.s.) his saying: "One, who is patient with his wife's bad temper seeking the reward of Allah, Allah will give him (as) the reward of the grateful servants." 2

Imam Ali (a.s) mentions some behavioral, conversational, and thinking faults of some women in a sermon of Nahjol Balagha. He stresses the doing of good to such women :

________________________ 1 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 8/ 507. 2 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 7/ 124.

He said, "Humor them (women) in any case and speak to them kindly that they may improve their behaviors." 1

As we see, kind and courteous treating is recommended even towards women with bad behavior and conduct, but not violence and revenge. The statements of the Commander of the Believers (Imam Ali) (a.s) also indicate that ethical and humane treatment is an educational principle. This is a delicate point in the family relations for changing a bad behavior with logical speech and conduct.

Women's Artistic Feelings

Husbands should respect their wives' artistic feelings, not imposing their own mood on the family life.

Sheikh Kulayni in his book al-Kafi 2 narrates a tradition from Imam Baqir (a.s) under the chapter "make up and ornament". This constructive tradition is about the behavior of Imam Husayn (a.s) towards his wife :

Imam Baqir (a.s.) said, "One day, some people came to (Imam) Husayn bin Ali and said to him, 'O son of the messenger of Allah! We see some things in your house that we hate.' There were simple carpets and cushions in his house. He (Imam Husayn) said, 'We get married to women and pay them their dowries by which they buy whatever they like that we have nothing to do with it."' 3

________________________ 1 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 7/ 130. 2 Al-Kafi, 6/ 476. 3 Musnad al-Imam al-Shahid, 3/ 245.

It is clear that according to the Islamic criteria this kind of life is not luxurious extravagance, which is forbidden and not allowed for any Muslim. The phrase 'simple carpets' in the tradition implies the same thing, too.

Keeping away from the forbidden extravagance, the rest of lawful and moderate furniture is up to women's taste and artistic feelings. They can decorate the house as they like and feel beauty. This is the most amount of respect to women's thought, understanding, and taste in the family, denying any imposition and superiority of men.

When two different tastes exist in the family, sometimes men's tastes and feelings overcome the women's. This is in fact a non-Islamic moral, contrary to what was mentioned about the life of Imam Husayn (a.s).

Woman's opinions should also be taken into account concerning food and men should follow their family's taste. This has been stated in the following Prophet's tradition.

The Messenger of Allah (a.s.) said, "A faithful man eats as his wife likes, but as for a hypocrite, his wife eats as he likes." 1 This is another moral of true Muslims, who regard their wives' artistic feelings and tastes, contrary to hypocrite people. Can we find such importance and value given to women in the western feminist movements? Do they really advocate women?

________________________ 1 Bihar al-Anwar, 62/ 291.

Love of Women and its Position in Faith

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said, "Whenever one loves his wife more, his faith increases." 1

Imam Sadiq (a.s) in another tradition has compared the love of the Divine leaders with the love of women. He said, "... whenever he (an adherent) loves us more, he loves women more." 2

Keeping in mind that Islam denies excessive lust as the only goal of marriage, the meaning of such traditions becomes clearer, proving the value of compassion to women. Loving women approaches people to the position of the Prophet (a.s.) in the Hereafter, too.

The Prophet (a.s.) said, "The nearest of you to me in my sitting place on the Day of Judgment is the best of you to his wife." 3

It was pointed out that one's faith depends on the kind of one's behavior toward women; serving and treating them kindly promotes one's position. As was mentioned in part (the Criterion of Preference) of the same chapter, the Prophet (a.s.), the ever-best one in ethics, was the kindest of all to his family, and this is the criterion of the Islamic beliefs.

One's religious perfection depends on marriage, too. The Islamic teachings emphasize marriage and the marital relations as perfection of one's belief. Abandoning the marital relationship, on the other hand, is a destructive

________________________ 1 Wasa;il al-Shi'a, 14/ 11. 2 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 8/ 507. 3 Ibid.

factor and a non-Islamic moral. In other words, leaving the society and living a life of loneliness is incongruous with the Islamic teachings. Only one tradition is sufficient in this regard :

Imam Sadiq (a.s) narrated from the Prophet (a.s.) his saying: "One, who gets married, preserves a half of his religion...let him fear Allah in the other half ..." 1

Thus, the true faith is guaranteed by marriage and marital relations, while deserting marriage is a lack in faith. This completing role is a great position given to woman in Islam, and not in any other school of thought or other religion. The playing of this role is possible in two ways; either the woman completes her husband's faith, or the marital relations develop and maintain the faith. Anyhow, the value of woman and her vital role in maintaining and strengthening the religious beliefs become manifest.

A Half of the Martyrs' Reward

The human activities and attempts have different values and hence require different rewards. The highest value and reward belongs to the martyrs' sacrifice of their lives. So few activities may have as a half of the reward of martyrdom. The Prophet (a.s.) has set such a reward for women's work at home :

One day, some man came to the Prophet (a.s.) and said, "I have a wife who welcomes me when I come home, and escorts me when I leave. When I am sad, she asks me, Why are you sad? If you are worried about your livelihood, know that our sustenance is not in your hands. And if you are

________________________ 1 Al-Kafi, 5/329.

worried about your Hereafter, may Allah increase your sadness.' Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) said to him, 'Surely, Allah has laborers, and this (wife) is one of His laborers. She shall get like the half of the reward of martyrs." 1

Woman's work at home and her kind behavior to her husband is as working for Allah and it equals a half of the reward of martyrdom; a position far above the specified rights of women.

Instances of valuing and advocating women are numerous in the Islamic teachings, only some of which were mentioned in this cursory research. In these last lines, a tradition of the great Prophet of Islam (a.s.) deserves to be pointed out :

The Messenger of Allah (a.s.) was informed of Sa'd Ibn Ma'ath's death. Hearing this, the Prophet (a.s.) hastened to Sa'd's house along with his companions. The Prophet (a.s.) ordered to wash Sa'd's body while he (the Prophet) was leaning to the door (looking sadly). Sa'd's body was washed, embalmed with camphor, enshrouded, and put in a coffin. Then the Prophet (a.s.) followed Sa'd's body (to the graveyard with others) without his shoes and cloak. He sometimes carried the right side of the coffin and sometimes the left side, until they reached the graveyard. The Prophet (a.s.) then came down in the grave, put the body inside it, placed bricks, and frequently said, 'Give me some bricks! Give me some mud!' He leveled the bricks by putting mud between them. Then, he poured soil on it and smoothed its surface. He said, "I know that this grave would become old and ruined, but Allah likes His servants when doing something to complete it properly ...'

________________________ 1 Wasa'il al-Shi'a, 14/ 17.

Then Sa'd's mother said, '0 Sa'd! May you enjoy the Paradise!' The Prophet (a.s.) told her, 'Be quiet! Do not judge on your Lord's verdicts! Sa'd is being afflicted by the pressing (of the grave) ...' Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) returned and people followed him, asking, 'O messenger of Allah! We saw that you did to Sa'd what you have never done to anyone else; you followed his dead body with no shoes or cloak, ordered to wash his body, offered the prayer on him, and put him in the grave yourself. Then, you said that Sa'd was afflicted by the grave pressing! The Prophet (a.s.) said, 'Yes, that is right, because there was something bad in his treatment toward his wife." 1

Such respect and valuation from the Prophet (a.s.) implies that Sa'd was certainly not sinful, disobedient, or oppressor servant, not violating the obligatory rights of his wife and family. If he was so, the Prophet (a.s.) would undoubtedly not regard him so highly or behave so respectfully in his funerals, but would behave normally as toward others. Sa'd was very pious Muslim and he certainly observed the rights of his wife and family. The words of Prophet Muhammad (a.s.), however, are about something more than the normal rights; it was the observing of ethical values in treating women. In fact, Sa'd was pressed in the grave because he was not good-tempered and humorous with his wife.

These delicate criteria exist in no other school, but in Islam. In the end, it would be fit to mention a high and valuable saying of Sheikh Saduq, whose deep knowledge of Islamic sciences is manifest to everyone. The nearness of his age to the age of the infallible Imams (a.s) makes his narrations still more authentic. In defining the obligations

________________________ 1 Bihar al-Anwar, 6/220; quoted from Ilal al-Sharayi' and Amali of Sheikh Toosi.

and criteria of Shiism, he says, "... from the conditions of the Twelver Shia are 'certainty' (absolute faith in the oneness of Allah) ... 'trustworthiness to good and bad people (giving back deposits to their faithful and unfaithful owners)' ... 'and being kind to women'." 1

Those who claim to be Shi'a should follow the principles of Shiism principles and treat women accordingly.

________________________ 1 Bihar al-Anwar, 10/ 405.

Note from the Translator

"Fatima is a part from me ..."

These are the words of Prophet Muhammad (a.s.) about his daughter Fatima az-Zahra (a.s), in the Arabian pagan era of burying the daughters alive! It is the tribute of a father to his daughter in the same age and place as the Arab fathers got dark faces from the news of their daughters' birth! In fact, this is the praise and value Islam has given to Muslim women, which is not observed in any other religion or school of thought.

The present book seeks to review the Islamic support of woman's rights, away from going to extremes, in order to manifest the woman's high status and enlighten the opinion of the existing generation, and especially women.

Being my third translation effort in the Islamic topics, this work is hoped to be a little more successful than the other two, namely 'Shiism in Sunnism' and 'Commentary on Du'a Kumayl'. However, I still need the readers' probable suggestions and criticisms regarding my translation. You can communicate with me at... haminia@gmail.com.

Qom, Birthday anniversary of Fatima al-Ma'suma (a.s). November, 2007.