Studying Islam

Post Reply

Username

Invalid Username or Password

Password

Format

Message Icon

Message

- Forum Code is ON
- HTML is OFF

Smilies

[quote]from studying islam module and Understanding Islam web site

Specific Directives in exceptional circumstances.

In the age of the Prophet Mohammad Pbuh in Madinah when some miscreants started teasing and besmearing the characters of Muslim women, the Almighty in Surah Ahzab bade the wives of the prophet Pbuh, his daughters and other Muslim women to draw their cloaks over them when they go out to places which were insecure. Dressed thus, they would be distinguished from women of lewd character and they would not be teased on the pretext of being outwardly similar to women of low character. It is reported that that when Muslim women in the dark of night or in the dim of dawn would go out to relieve themselves these miscreants would get after them and when they would be called to account they would say that they actually thought that these honourable ladies were in fact slave-women. (Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Qur’an al Azim vol 3).

Those who harass believing men and believing women unjustifiably shall bear the guilt of slander and a grievous sin. O’Prophet! Enjoin your wives, your daughters, and the wives of true believers to draw their cloaks over them [when they go out]. This makes it more probable that they may be distinguished [from slave women] and not be harassed. God is ever forgiving and merciful. If the hypocrites and those who have the ailments [of jealousy] in their hearts and the scandal mongers of Madinah do not desist. We will rouse you against them, and their days in that city will be numbered. Cursed be they; wherever found, they would be seized and put to painful death. (33:58-61).

It is evident from the words and their context in which they are used that the directive mentioned in the preceding verses was not of permanent nature. Owing to similar reasons, the Prophet Pbuh also forbade Muslim women from travelling alone on long journeys and from walking on pathways within a crowd of men.

The believing women were directed to take their outer garments and cover themselves to help them be identified as free believing women. This aided them in avoiding any harassment by some of the hypocrites who were out to scandalize the believing women in general and the household of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in particular. Since the edict was meant for the believing women who were directly facing the related situation, there would have been no reason for them to ignore the directive. Therefore, they showed a response expected from pure believing women. The directive contained in the referred verse of Surah Ahzab is not a general commandment of the Shariah. It only pertains to a specific situation and was introduced to cope with a problem at hand[/quote]

Mode

Check here to be notified by email whenever someone replies to your topic

Show Preview