After
knowing the Hadith, "Seeking of knowledge is
compulsory on every Muslim male and female", and
other texts which make the acquisition of knowledge
compulsory on both males and females, there remains no
need to write a special article on this subject.
Moreso because this subject was touched on in the
journal "al-Qasim" volumes one and two. But
because of a few incidents and peculiarities (which
are connected more to the condition of Indian women)
and which are witnessed quite often, it is necessary
to write a special and detailed article on this
subject, and is therefore being repeated.
It
should be known in this introduction that as far as
has been pursued, there are people who think in three
different ways:
(1) there are those who do not oppose nor support the
education of women. At the same time they do not place
any importance on it,
(2) those who are completely opposed to it, and
(3) those who support it totally. All three groups
have different shortcomings. The fault of the first
group, which is the greatest and severest fault, is
that it does not regard any need whatsoever to educate
women. This total disregard is both in their men and
women. The proof of these people which has actually
put them into confusion is the question whether women
have to seek employment, because of which arrangements
have to be made for their education? From this we can
deduce that these people have not understood the
object of education, they have not pondered over those
verses and Ahaadith which have made the acquisition of
knowledge compulsory on both male and female, nor have
they understood the type of education which is fard.
So it should be understood that the object of
knowledge is not to get employment because knowledge
which is compulsory to acquire is not knowledge for a
livelihood but knowledge of the Deen, knowledge with
which man's beliefs, actions, dealings, society, and
character are put in order, and the fruit of which in
this world is that he is blessed with the wealth of
"they are the ones who are on guidance from their
Lord", and in the hereafter he gets the glad
tidings of "they are the one's who are
successful". So the necessity of acquiring Deeni
knowledge is obvious, both textually and logically.
The textual proofs are as follows:
1)
"The acquiring of knowledge is wajib on every
Muslim." (Bayhaqi on the authority of Anas)
2)
"The acquiring of knowledge is a faridah
(compulsory duty) on every Muslim." (Daylami on
the authority of Ali)
3)
"The acquisition of fiqh (understanding of Deen)
is wajib on every Muslim." (Hakim in his Tarikh
on the authority of Anas)
4)
"Acquire knowledge and pass it on to the
people." (Darqutni on the authority of Abu Saeed,
and Bayhaqi on the authority of Abu Bakr)
5)
"Acquire knowledge before it is raised." (Daylami
on the authority of Ibne Mas'ud on the authority of
Abu Hurayrah)
6)
"O people! hold on to knowledge before it is
raised." (Tabrani and Khateeb on the authority of
Abu Umamah)
7)
"O people! seek knowledge before it is
raised." (Ahmad and Daarmi, Tib and Abu al-Shaykh
in his tafseer, and Ibne Mardawiyya on the authority
of Abu Umamah)
8)
"Destruction for the one who has no
knowledge." (on the authority of Hudhayfah)
Apart
from this, there are other proofs which refer to the
acquisition of knowledge for both males and females.
As
for a logical proof: for reformation, beliefs and good
deeds are compulsory. And beliefs and good deeds are
dependent on acquiring knowledge of them. This is
something that is obvious. And that thing upon which a
compulsory thing is dependent, is also compulsory. So
to acquire knowledge is also compulsory. Nevertheless,
that deeds are dependent on knowledge is something
that is very obvious. But if we go a little further,
then it even becomes seen or observed. Consequently,
the state in which uneducated women are, can be seen
by all: that they cannot distinguish between kufr and
shirk, nor do they have any love for Iman and Islam.
They blurt out whatever they want with regards to
Allah Ta'ala. They talk against the laws of Islam with
arrogance. In order to bear children or to subdue the
husband to their whims, they will try anything that
they are shown, whether it be witchcraft, charms,
magic or special incantations irrespective of whether
these things are permissible or not. If this is the
state of their beliefs, then what can be said of their
salaat and fasting? So much so that apart from
discarding these duties, some of them even mock at
them, and go even further by taking ill-omens from
them. In other words, some of them do not perform
their salaat despite knowing that it is fard. Others
do not respect it and do not regard it as compulsory,
while others take ill omens from it and regard it as a
cause of harm. The latter two reach the stage of
absolute kufr, while the first is regarded as fisq and
a major sin. If this is the condition of their salaat
and fasting, wherein no money is spent, then what will
the condition of their zakaat and hajj be? One should
not even bother to ask about these things. And if this
is the condition of their beliefs and Ibaadaat, then
there is no possibility of putting right their
business and social dealings (mu'aamalaat). This is so
because salaat, fasting, etc. are regarded as Deeni
activities. As for business dealings, the majority of
people regard them as worldly activities. It is for
this reason that it is only the very pious ones who
try to set right their mu'aamalaat. What improvements
can uneducated women make?
If
this is the condition of their mu'aamalaat, then when
will their minds ever go towards reforming society (mu'aasharat)?
This is so because mu'aamalaat are regarded as huquq
al-ibad (the rights of fellow beings), as opposed to
mu'aasharat because this aspect of huquq al-ibad is
not apparent in it. Therefore, giving importance to
this is extremely minimal. If there is so much of
complacency with regard to mu'aamalaat and mu'aasharat,
when will any efforts be directed towards internal
character, such as humility, sincerity, fear, love,
patience, gratitude, etc.? We know that to a large
extent the effects of mu'aamalaat, and to a less
degree, the effects of mu'aasharat reach other people.
Hence, at times they are even regarded as pious or
disgraced, depending on their mu'aamalaat and
mu'aasharat. But when it comes to one's internal
character or condition, then even its overwhelming
effect is restricted to ones self. As a result of it
being concealed, others do not even come to know of it
whereby a person could be addressed as a religious or
irreligious person. It is for this reason that giving
importance to it is very rare, so much so that this is
even the case among the pious. Then what can be
expected of the masses?
Be
that as it may, the real cause and reason for this
complacency in all religious matters is a paucity of
knowledge of the Deen. So where there is no knowledge
at all, and added to this where the intellect is
naturally deficient (because women are naturally
deficient intellectually, meaning that where there is
no intellect and no knowledge) then there will be no
limit to the shortcomings mentioned in the above
matters. Both intellect and experiences bear testimony
to the fact that without knowledge, actions cannot be
put right. And to set right one's actions is wajib and
fard. Consequently, the acquisition of Deeni knowledge
being compulsory, as had been claimed above, has now
also been proven logically. And prior to this, it was
also proven textually (i.e. through Ahaadith). It has
now been established both ways that to acquire
knowledge of the Deen is compulsory.
Those
who feel that there is no need for women to acquire
knowledge because they do not have to seek employment,
have been proven to be wrong. This is the answer to
their assumption. However, there could be some doubt
that by establishing that acquiring Deeni knowledge is
compulsory, it does not necessarily mean that it
becomes compulsory to acquire education in the normal
way: that books should also be taught to women.
Instead, it could be acquired by asking and
questioning the ulama. The answer to this doubt is
that this is correct, and we do not even say that
education in the normal way is compulsory. However, at
this point, three principles are worthy of noting:
(1)
If something is compulsory, everything that will aid
in fulfilling it will also be compulsory. For example,
a person is unable to go for Hajj on foot. But in his
time, trains and ships have been set aside to
undertake that journey and he also has the money and
ability to undertake that journey. It will therefore
be compulsory on him to intend to undertake the
journey, purchase the ticket and board the train or
ship. To purchase the train or ship ticket and to
board it in itself is not compulsory on him according
to the Shariah, but because it is a means to
fulfilling a fard act (i.e. hajj), it will also become
compulsory on him. This is called fard bil-ghayr (i.e.
compulsory because of another factor).
(2)
Experience has shown that for knowledge to be well
preserved in the minds, the study of books is
nesessary. This happens to be the normal way of
education. And to preserve Deeni knowledge is
compulsory. So based on the first principle, it will
also be compulsory to impart Deeni knowledge in the
normal way. However, this is wajib alal-kifayah, i.e.
in every place, there should be a few persons who have
studied the Deen and who can answer the questions of
those who need to know.
(3)
It has also been established that to have ulama among
the males is not sufficient to fulfil the Deeni
requirements of women. There are two reasons for this:
(1) Because of purdah (this is one of the most
important of obligatory acts). It is almost impossible
for all women to be able to go to the ulama. If the
menfolk were to be used as a means, then some women do
not even have anyone whom they could use. In some
places, even the men give no importance to matters of
Deen, so where will they take the responsibility of
finding out for others? For such women it becomes
extremely difficult to find out matters of the Deen.
If by chance, access to someone is possible, or she
has a father, son, brother, etc. in the house who is
an aalim, then there are certain matters which women
cannot ask them about. There may be such informality
with the husband, but for all of them to have such
husbands is generally impossible. In order to fulfil
the general needs of women, there is no alternative
but to have such women who are educated and from whom
other women could get answers to all their questions.
Based on this, it is established that to impart Deeni
knowledge to women in the normal way, is wajib. So
now, this doubt has also been cleared and it has been
established that it is a necessity to have a system of
education for women similar to that of men. This wrong
notion that there is no need to educate women has been
totally uprooted.
We
will now deal with the second group which is opposed
to the education of women and which regards it as
extremely harmful. It is their claim that most
educated women are liberal, fearless, shameless,
cunning and immoral. Especially if she knows how to
write, she becomes even more daring. She writes to
whoever she wants and sends messages and greetings to
whoever she wishes. Similarly, others also get the
urge to express their desires by sending letters to
her. When these messages reach her, she gets affected
by them and also sends compassionate replies. This
bond grows until whatever was bound to happen,
happens. At times she does not reply, but keeps
silent. Those who are ill at heart take this as a sign
of acceptance and try to fill this void in the future
by sending messages, greetings and letters. It is a
general principle that, that which is written affects
the ears. Furthermore, the ways of expression of some
people are very enchanting and women are soft-hearted
by nature. So for the web of shaytaan to spread is not
surprising. If a woman to whom a letter was written
was displeased, and she even expressed her
displeasure, but fearing the consequences of what her
husband or family members would say or do, she did not
inform them about this. In this way, those who wrote
the letter will be safe from any harm. They will get
more bold and at the next opportunity, they will write
again. All this happened because the women were
educated. If they were uneducated, they would not have
been able to write anything, nor would anyone come to
know of them, and this whole chapter would have been
closed.
This
evil becomes even more conceivable when a particular
woman's articles begin to appear in the newspapers. By
reading these articles, those shayateen who are
conversant with the language are able to gauge the
complexion, nature, feelings and thoughts of the
writer. The sparks of such a fire spread even wider,
especially if what she has written is in the form of a
poem. These days, the outrage is even greater, because
out of boastfulness, the name and even address of the
writer is clearly stated, that she is the wife of so
and so, or the daughter of so and so, residing in a
particular place. All these evils came about because
of their being able to read and write. If all these
secret liaisons were discovered by the husband or
family members, then because educated people are
quick-witted and good at making-up stories, she will
come up with such explanations and excuses that no
word will come against her. She will make excuses and
pretentions and begin crying and say that she had said
this and not that, etc.
She
might even threaten to kill or drown herself until
that poor person who had enquired about it will have
to flatter her and he will not even dare uttering a
word about it again.
Another
evil prevalent in these educated women is that they
read all sorts of books: love-stories, suspense,
sexually explicit novels and poems that arouse one's
desire. Due to this, one's nature becomes corrupted.
At times, they read these poems aloud and their voices
are heard by the neighbours and on the street. Someone
becomes enchanted with her voice and falls onto her
heels. Even if he is unsuccessful in his pursuits, she
is bound to become a cause of disgrace and distress.
This
is the crux of the beliefs of these people. I do not
deny nor reject these incidents, but I will definitely
say that these people have worked with
short-sightedness. They have not pondered over the
reality of these incidents. The reality is that
education is not responsible for all these evils. The
responsibility either lies on the system of education,
or the syllabus, or the methodology, or poor planning.
In other words, it could have happened that those
books were not taught with which one could learn the
rules of halaal and haraam, details of reward and
punishment, the method of moulding one's character,
and with which one could attain fear, reverence,
understanding and respect for haqq (truth). They have
just been taught to read the alphabets and left at
that. Out of their own choice, they studied different
booklets in Urdu and increased their mastery over
reading and writing. By getting the title of
"educated person", they have given education
a bad name. So it is obvious that merely learning the
alphabets cannot be called education, nor can it take
the responsibility of reforming their actions and
conditions.
Alternatively,
it could have happened that despite the syllabus being
beneficial and adequate, no effort was made to embed
the themes of that syllabus into their hearts and
nothing was done to ensure that they were put into
practice. For example, if a girl who has been taught
that gheebah (back-biting) is a sin does indeed make
gheebah, she should be reminded immediately that what
she is doing is contrary to what she learnt. Or she
was taught the necessity of hijaab (seclusion) or of
speaking in a low tone, and thereafter a shortcoming
or negligence was noticed in this respect, then she
should be immediately reprimanded. Or she was taught
to regard the greed for wealth and jewellery with
contempt and later she expressed the desire for
expensive clothing or unnecessary jewellery, then she
should be immediately made mindful of this. In this
way there is a hope that noble characteristics and
good deeds will be inculcated in her.
Alternatively,
it could have happened that her very nature and
disposition did not have that capability and
potential. Then in such a case, the idiom
"imparting knowledge to the one who does not have
the potential is like placing a ball on a dome"
and the poem "how can a good sword be made from
inferior steel?" Without good education, a person
cannot become an insaan (total human)" will both
apply. This discussion was connected to their very
circumstances and actions. And as for those actions
that were enumerated in regard to other corrupt
persons, this is due to poor planning. The best way of
combating this is to exercise sternness by employing
the men-folk as intermediaries. They should be clearly
informed that these are the causes of such evils.
If
these are the causes, then why are the women
singled-out? If men had to face these same causes,
they would also become like this. So on what grounds
are women being stopped from education and men given
full freedom in this respect? In fact, given full
importance? After pondering on the reason for this
difference, we find no answer except that evils
committed by women or attributed to them are regarded
as a cause of disgrace and distress. And if the same
evils are committed by men or attributed to them, then
society does not regard them as a cause of disgrace
and distress. It is for this reason that when it
applies to women, these evils have been regarded as
barriers to their education, and not when it applies
to men. Apart from this, it is obvious from the
Shariah point of view, that when it comes to
education, men and women are equal. If sinning is evil
and worthy of condemnation for women, then so is the
case for men. And if it is a cause of chastity and
honour for men, then in the same way it is also for
women. So, if both are equal according to the Shariah,
but unequal according to custom (urf), and this
discrimination is actually practised, then it clearly
shows that custom is being given preference over the
Shariah. This is a very big branch of ignorance the
cause of which is pride and self-glorification and
nothing else. This is not my claim alone; the
opposition also acknowledge this. Accordingly, very
often we hear them saying that a man is like a
utensil: if it gets dirty ten times, and thereafter
you wash it, it gets absolutely clean. A woman,
however, is like the lustre of a pearl: if it comes
off even once, it cannot come on again. In other
words, this clearly means that when it comes to men,
they regard sinning very lightly. And for women, they
regard it very seriously. Apart from pride, there is a
very great possibility of passing a fatwa (religious
verdict) of istikhfaaf (belittling the rules of the
Shariah).
Now,
just the third group is left. These people support and
defend the education of women but have erred in
determining or laying down a system for it. Some of
their mistakes have already been incorporated when
discussing the second group above. For example,
teaching the women to read the alphabets only and
thereafter leaving them to read the different booklets
and magazines of their choice. Or, for example, not
ensuring that they put into practice what they learn -
different examples in this respect were also
mentioned. We will now mention some other mistakes of
theirs. For example, instead of teaching them Deeni
knowledge, some of the women are taught History,
Geography and English. Worse than this, they also
teach them the Bible. This is due to just blind
following of the Europeans. In other words, they feel
that the worth and credibility of their syllabus is
dependent on this. But they do not think that even if
there was no difference between the two of us in
regard to customs, habits, natural inclinations and
peculiarities, the greatest distinction of religion
still exists. That we follow the religion of Islam and
they either follow no religion (which is the case with
a majority of them), or they follow a religion opposed
to our religion. Therefore, they will either have no
religious education, or if they do have, it will be
superficial, or it will be worldly education, or
education of some other religion. In any case, this
system of education of theirs has a specific basis.
But if we had to choose their system of education, on
what basis is it going to be? If the purpose of their
education is different, as has just been mentioned,
and our goal is different, as had been briefly
explained when rectifying the mistakes of the first
group, i.e. rectifying the beliefs, actions,
transactions, social dealings, and morals; and this
goal is dependent on Deeni knowledge - then it is
obvious that for us to adopt their system of education
is unsuitable or incompatible. However, if one also
feels the need to earn a livelihood as well, then
there will be no harm if one learns those sciences
after having acquired Deeni knowledge. Those sciences
refer to those things upon which one's livelihood is
dependent, such as English, History, Geography, etc.
Apart from these things, such a person will have no
need to study the Bible.
It
is obvious that the need to earn a livelihood is only
experienced by men and not women, the reason being
that the responsibility for supporting and providing
for them is on the men. Secondly, Islam has emphasized
purdah for women, and those specific ways whereby a
livelihood could be earned are dependent on specific
branches of knowledge. And these branches cannot be
learnt while in purdah. Therefore, to teach them these
things is fruitless and a waste of time. In fact,
apart from being fruitless, it will also be harmful,
as will be explained later. In any case, these
sciences which are known as "modern
education" are in no way proper for women.
However, it would be good to have sufficient knowledge
of certain worldly aspects such as writing,
Mathematics, some sort of handicrafts, etc., so that
if at any time there is no one to see to their needs,
they could earn a living.
As
for learning good manners, then whoever wishes, he
could check and see for himself that no other system
or education can teach good manners and character the
way Deen can. Hence, take a person who has been
totally influenced by Deeni knowledge and another
person who has been totally influenced by modern
civilization. Thereafter, compare their character,
social dealings and transactions, and you will find
that there is a world of difference between the two.
However, if someone regards pretention and deception
as culture, then his mistake will be that he has
misunderstood the meaning of a particular concept. At
this very moment, if some religious person comes to
mind who has some short-coming in real character, then
the reason for this will be that he did not take full
benefit from Deeni knowledge. In other words, Deen has
many aspects: beliefs, actions, mu'aamalaat
(transactions), mu'aasharat (social relations), and
self-purification. Some people regard only salaat and
fasting as knowledge of the Deen and only people who
fulfil these duties as religious people. This is a
mistake in itself. To have sufficient knowledge of all
the aspects of Deen mentioned above is called Deeni
knowledge. And those who abide by the rules of all
these aspects are called religious people. So that
person who was called a religious person but was found
to be wanting in his character, is in reality not
fulfilling all the aspects of the Deen. And the
discussion is on that person who is influenced by all
the aspects. Now the doubt has been cleared. The
author has written a booklet entitled "The Rights
of Knowledge" which clears similar doubts and is
worth reading.
In
short, culture and good manners cannot be learnt from
any system of education the way it can be learnt from
Deeni education. It is this very Deeni knowledge which
brought about that character and good manners in our
ancestors, and which was not only acknowledged by
Europe but also adopted by it. However, we are totally
unaware of the "wealth" that is in our homes
and begging from others. How beautiful the words of
Maulana Rumi are! He says: "There is a basket
full of bread on your head, and yet you are going door
to door searching for a crumb. You are standing in
knee-deep water, and yet you are distressed out of
hunger and thirst."
Some
people get their daughters educated at the hands of
liberal and shameless women. Experience has shown that
the company one keeps has a definite effect on one's
character and emotions. This is more so when the
person in whose company one is, is followed and
respected. Obviously, who can be more worthy of
following and respect than one's teacher? So in this
case, that liberalism and shamelessness will also come
into these girls. In my opinion, the best woman is the
one in whom hayaa'(shame and self-restraint) is
natural. This is the key to all good. When this is not
found, then no good can be expected, nor can any evil
be discounted. The rule, "when hayaa' goes away
from you, then do whatever you wish", is general.
But in my opinion, the generality in "whatever
you wish" is applicable more to women than men.
This is so because men still have aql (intellect) as a
deterrent, while women have a shortfall of this as
well. Therefore, they will not have anything to stop
them.
Similarly,
if the female teachers are not like this, but the
class mates and school mates are like this (i.e.
liberal and shameless), then being close to them will
also cause many harms.
After
this discussion, the condition of two evils, which are
presently widespread, may also have come to the fore.
One is the construction of girl's schools, and like
normal madrasahs, to allow girls of different
communities, classes, and thoughts, to come there
daily. Even if the teacher is a Muslim, even if they
come in cars, and even if they come here and stay in
secluded places; incidents have shown and experience
has proven that here such causes are combined, that
they have a detrimental effect on their morals. This
company has proven to be destructive to their
chastity. And if the teacher is also like this, then
it is like having a double dose of a bitter pill.
The
second evil is that if a girl mixes with a teacher of
a mission school by going to her daily or weekly for
tuition in something or some craft, then both her
chastity and Iman will be in danger. It is extremely
distressing that some people regard these evils as a
means of honour and call these teachers into their
very homes. In my opinion, let alone these great evils
which a girl gets trapped in on account of being a
child and blindly following someone; even if an
elderly Muslim woman follows this teacher and gets
into a conversation with her even once, then too it
will be dangerous. Some of those harms which we had
promised to enumerate are these which have just been
mentioned. And some of them have been mentioned when
discussing the opinions of the second group.
The
best method for girls is the one that came down to us
from generation to generation. That two or three girls
get together according to their relations and then
study. As far as possible, they should try and get a
female teacher who does not charge any fees because
experience has shown that this type of education is
more blessed and more effective. But if there is no
alternative, there is no harm in paying. Where no
female teacher is available, then the menfolk of the
house should undertake to teach them. This is in
regard to the system of education. As for the
syllabus, then as far as possible, they should be
taught to read the Quran correctly. Thereafter, Deeni
books which have been written in simple language and
in which all aspects of the Deen have been dealt with
completely (in my opinion, the ten parts of Bahishti
Zewar are sufficient to fulfil this need). If the men
of the house are imparting the education, then those
matters that are "shameful" should be left
out and taught through their wives. If this is not
possible, then these matters should be marked off so
that they can remember them and once they get more
mature, they will automatically understand them.
Alternatively, if her husband is an aalim, she could
ask him, or her husband could inquire from an aalim on
her behalf.
At
the end of Bahishti Zewar, there is a list of some
beneficial books, the reading and studying of which
will be very beneficial for women. If all cannot be
studied, then a necessary number should be studied and
the balance be kept for reading. Together with
education, practising on the knowledge should also be
seen to. It should also be ensured that the desire to
teach be inculcated in them so that they have some
contact with knowledge throughout their lives. In this
way, there will be a constant revival and yearning for
ilm and amal (knowledge and practicing on it). They
should also be urged that at no time should they be
negligent in reading beneficial books. After
completing their necessary syllabus, if it is found
that they have the potential, they should be directed
towards learning Arabic so that they are able to
understand the Quran, Hadith, and Fiqh (jurisprudence)
in the original language. In my opinion, those girls
who read the translation of the Quran only, make many
errors in understanding it. Therefore, for most of
them this is not good.
All
this was in regard to reading. As for writing, if
there are indications that there is no shamelessness
or boldness in her nature, there will be no harm in
learning to write. In order to carry out household
necessities, there is also a need to know how to
write. But if one foresees harm, then instead of
trying to learn unnecessary (not wajib) things, it
would be better to save one's self from evils. In such
circumstances, she should not be taught to write, nor
should she learn by herself. This is the verdict of
the wise on the issue of women learning to write.
I
now end this article and perhaps there will be no need
to repeat it.
Ashraf
Ali Thanwi
Shawwal
1331 A.H.
GLOSSARY
(Explanation
of Islamic Terms)
Aabid:
One who preoccupies himself with ibaadah and shows
relatively less interest towards knowledge.
Aalim:
One who has attained a considerable amount of Islamic
knowledge. He could also be referred to as an Islamic
scholar.
Allah:
Almighty God. The most well-known of His many names.
Allah refers to the one and only being who is worthy
of worship.
Auliya:
Plural of wali. Literally means friend. But in Islamic
terminology it refers to the close friends of Allah.
Baitul
Maqdis: Also known as Masjidul Aqsa or the furthest
musjid. It is situated in Jerusalem and is the third
most sacred place in Islam. It is popularly referred
to as Baitul Muqaddas.
Banu
Isra'eel: Literally means the children of Isra'eel. It
refers to the progeny of Hadrat Ya'qub alayhis salaam.
Barakah:
Literally means "blessings". Also used to
refer to the experiencing of abundance even in things
which are little.
Bid'ah:
Literally means an "innovation". In Islam it
refers to introducing new things into religion which
have no basis in the Quran or Sunnah. In addition to
this, to regard these new things as acts of ibaadah. A
bid'ah is a major sin in Islam.
Dajjal:
Also known as the one-eyed Dajjal. He will be from
among the Jews and will appear before Qiyamat. He will
cause a lot of corruption in the world and will
eventually be killed by Hadrat Isa alayhis salaam.
Deen:
Literally means "religion". Here it refers
to the religion of Islam.
Dua:
Supplication, prayer or devotional phrases.
Durood:
Salutations to Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Eid:
Literally means "feast, festival". In Islam
it refers to that day which is celebrated after the
month of Ramadaan and also on the 10th day of Zil
Hijjah.
Eid-gah:
That place where the Eid salaat is performed.
Fard:
Literally means "compulsory". In Islam it
refers to those acts and things which are compulsory
on a Muslim. Abandoning or abstaining from a fard act
is a major sin. To reject a fard act amounts to kufr.
Fatwa:
A formal legal opinion or verdict in Islamic law.
Ghayb:
Literally means "the unseen". In Islam it
refers to all those things that are unseen by man and
at the same time believing in them is essential.
Examples of the unseen are: hell, heaven, angels, etc.
A Muslim has to believe that no one has the knowledge
of the unseen except Allah.
Ghayr-
mahram:
Refers to all those people with whom marriage is
permissible.
Ghusl:
Literally means "bath, wash". In Islam it
refers to the washing of the entire body from head to
toe without leaving a single place dry.
Hadith:
Hadith literally means "speech". In Islam it
refers to the sayings and actions of Rasulullah
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Those sayings and actions
that have been endorsed or approved by him also fall
under the purview of Hadith.
Haid:
Monthly periods or menstruation experienced by a
woman.
Hajj:
Literally means "pilgrimage". In Islam it
refers to the annual pilgrimage to Makkah. Hajj is the
fifth pillar of Islam.
Halaal:
That which is lawful or permissible in Islam.
Haraam:
That which is unlawful or prohibited in Islam.
Haud-e-Kauthar:
The fountain of abundance. This is the fountain from
which the believers will be given water on the day of
judgement.
Hijaab:
See Purdah.
Ibaadah:
Literally means "worship". In Islam it
refers to all those acts with which one renders
worship to Allah Ta'ala.
Iblis:
This is the name of shaytaan, or the cursed devil.
Ihraam:
Two pieces of unstitched cloth which are donned by the
person performing Hajj or Umrah.
Ilhaam:
Literally means "inspiration". Here it
refers to those things or ideas which Allah puts into
the minds of His pious servants.
Imaan:
Literally means "faith". Here it refers to
believing in Allah Ta'ala as the one and only God and
believing that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is
His messenger.
Imam
Mahdi: He will make his appearance when the Muslims
will be at their weakest. With his advent, the greater
signs of qiyamat will commence. He will be the leader
of the Muslims. After his death, Hadrat Isa alayhis
salaam will take over the reigns of leadership.
Istihaada:
This refers to blood which flows from a woman out of
her normal periods. This is irrespective of whether it
flows out of her normal menstruation period or out of
her normal nifaas period.
Istinja:
Cleansing of one's private parts after having relieved
oneself. A person can cleanse himself with water or
clods of earth.
Jaahil:
Literally means "an ignorant person". Here
it refers to one who is ignorant of the knowledge of
Islam irrespective of whether it is general knowledge
of Islam, or knowledge of the rules and regulations of
Islam.
Jahannam:
Hell. A dweller of hell is called a jahannami.
Jannah:
Heaven or paradise. A dweller of heaven or paradise is
called a jannati.
Jinn:
Refers to beings that have been created by fire. They
take on different shapes and forms.
Ka'bah:
The most sacred place in Islam situated in Makkah al-Mukarramah.
Commonly referred to as the "House of
Allah".
Kafir:
Literally means "a disbeliever". In Islam it
refers to one who rejects Allah and who does not
believe in Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as the
final messenger of Allah.
Kalimah:
Refers to the basic tenet of Islam, i.e. bearing
witness that there is none worthy of worship except
Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Karaamaat:
Plural of karaamat. Literally means a miracle. But in
Islam it refers to miracles performed by saints and
other pious servants of Allah. These miracles are
performed only through the will of Allah. Saints
cannot perform any miracles of their own accord.
Kashf:
Literally means "manifestation".
Khalifah:
Literally means "successor". In Islamic
political theory it refers to the Islamic head of
state. Commonly spelt "caliph".
Khilaal:
This term is generally used in the act of wudu. It
refers to the passing of fingers either through one's
beard or passing of fingers of one hand through the
fingers of the other hand, or even passing of the
little finger through the toes.
Kuffar:
Plural of kafir.
Kufr:
The state of disbelief.
Makruh:
That which is disliked or detestable. Makruh is of two
types: makruh-e-tahrimi and makruh-e-tanzihi.
Makruh-e-tahrimi is that which has been established by
a proof which is not absolute. The one who rejects it
is regarded as a fasiq (open sinner). A person who
does something that falls under this category without
any valid reason will be committing a sin and will
deserve punishment. Makruh-e-tanzihi is that which if
left out, will be worthy of reward and if carried out,
will not entail any punishment.
Mani:
Semen or sperm.
Masah:
The act of passing of wet hands over a particular part
of the body.
Mas'ala:
Literally means "an issue, problem or
question". In Islamic jurisprudence, it refers to
a rule, or regulation. The plural of mas'ala is
masa'il.
Mazi:
Pre-coital fluid. A thin fluid generally released by
the private parts of both men and women at the time of
passion.
Ma'zur:
Literally means "one who is excused". In
Islamic jurisprudence it refers to that person who has
certain sickness due to which he is excused or
exempted from certain acts. For further details refer
to the chapter concerning the ma'zur.
Mehr:
Dowry which is given to the wife at the time of
marriage.
Mi'raj:
Literally means "ascension". In Islam it
refers to the ascension of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam to the seven heavens wherein he
communicated with Allah.
Miswaak:
A thin stick or twig which is used to clean the teeth.
Mu'aamalaat:
Literally means "transactions". Generally
refers to all those transactions and dealings wherein
some money or other type of wealth is involved.
Mu'aasharat:
Literally means "society". In Islamic
terminology it refers to one's social relationships
and social dealings.
Muharram:
The first month of the Islamic calendar.
Mu'jizah:
Literally means a "miracle". In Islam it
refers to miracles performed by prophets. Prophets do
not perform miracles out of their own accord but
through the direction and will of Allah.
Musalli:
One who is offering salaat.
Mushrikeen:
Plural of mushrik. A polytheist or one who ascribes
partners to Allah.
Mustahab:
Literally means "preferable or
desirable".Refers to that act which was done by
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam or the Sahabah
very occasionally. Carrying out these actions entails
reward and leaving them out does not entail any
punishment.
Nafl:
Literally means "optional". According to the
jurists it has a similar ruling to that of mustahab.
Najaasat:
Refers to impurity. Najaasat is of two types:
najaasat-e-ghaleezah (heavy impurity) and
najaasat-e-khafeefah (light impurity). The rules
concerning najaasat have already been mentioned in the
relevant chapters.
Najis:
That which is impure.
Nifaas:
Refers to the flowing of blood after child-birth.
Purdah:
An Urdu word meaning "seclusion". It is an
equivalent of the Arabic word "hijaab".
Refers to the seclusion of women from strangers. There
are different stages of purdah, the highest of which
is that the woman should not come out of her home
except for some valid Islamic reason.
Qada:
Literally means "carrying out or
fulfilling". In Islamic jurisprudence it refers
to fulfilling or completing those duties that one may
have missed due to some reason or other.
Qiblah:
The direction in which one faces when offering salaat.
Qiyaamat:
The day of resurrection.
Sahabah:
The companions of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam. They are those who saw him while they were
Muslims and also died in a state of Islam.
Sahabi:
Singular of sahabah.
Sajdah:
The act of prostrating.
Salaat:
Literally means "prayer". In Islam it refers
to a specific act in which one prays to Allah. It is
one of the five pillars of Islam.
Shariah:
The Islamic Law.
Shayateen:
Plural of shaytaan.
Shaytaan:
The accursed devil, Iblis. He was from among the jinn.
Shirk:
Polytheism or ascribing partners to Allah.
Sunnat:
Sunnat is that action which Rasulullah sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam did or sanctioned. Sunnat is of two
types: sunnat-e-mu'akkadah and
sunnat-e-ghayr-mu'akkadah. Sunnat-e-mu'akkadah is that
which Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
continuously carried out. To leave out such a type of
sunnat is a sin and one is punished for this. However,
there is no harm if one leaves it out because of some
valid excuse.
Sunnat-e-ghayr-mu'akkadah
is that which Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
carried out, but also left out at times without any
reason. To follow such a type of sunnat entails reward
and to leave it out does not necessitate any
punishment.
Tafsir:
Literally means "commentary or explanation".
In Islamic terminology it refers to the commentary or
exegesis of the Quran.
Taqdir:
Predestination. That is, whatever befalls a person,
whether good or bad, has been predestined by Allah.
Tawaaf:
Literally means "circumambulation". In Islam
it refers to the act of walking around the Ka'bah. It
is not permissible to make tawaaf of any other place
irrespective of how sacred it may be.
Ta'wiz:
An amulet which is generally suspended around the
neck.
Tayammum:
The act of purifying oneself with pure sand in the
absence of water.
Ta'zias:
Structures portraying the tomb of Hadrat Husayn (R.A)
which are generally carried in processions during
Muharram. This is an innovation and should be totally
rejected.
Ulama:
Plural of Aalim.
Ummat:
Literally means "community or nation". Here
it refers to the Muslim community or nation.
Umrah:
Commonly referred to as the "lesser
pilgrimage". It is similar to Hajj with the
exception that many rites of Hajj are left out and
that it could be performed throughout the year.
Wahi:
Literally means "revelation". In Islam it
refers to the revelations that were sent down to the
different prophets from time to time.
Wajib:
Literally means "obligatory". In Islamic
jurisprudence it refers to that act which has not been
established by an absolute proof. Leaving out a wajib
without any valid reason makes one a fasiq and entails
punishment.
Wali:
Singular of auliya.
Waqf:
Endowment. In Islamic law it refers to endowing a
place or thing in the name of Allah.
Wudu:
Literally means "purity or cleanliness". In
Islamic terminology it refers to the act of washing
oneself before offering salaat.
Zakaat:
Literally means "purity". In Islam it refers
to alms-giving or charity of a stipulated amount. It
is one of the five pillars of Islam.
Zam
zam: Name of a well in Makkah. The water that comes
out from this well is called zam zam water. Drinking
of zam zam water is included in the rites of Hajj.
After
knowing the Hadith, "Seeking of knowledge is
compulsory on every Muslim male and female", and
other texts which make the acquisition of knowledge
compulsory on both males and females, there remains no
need to write a special article on this subject.
Moreso because this subject was touched on in the
journal "al-Qasim" volumes one and two. But
because of a few incidents and peculiarities (which
are connected more to the condition of Indian women)
and which are witnessed quite often, it is necessary
to write a special and detailed article on this
subject, and is therefore being repeated.
It
should be known in this introduction that as far as
has been pursued, there are people who think in three
different ways:
(1) there are those who do not oppose nor support the
education of women. At the same time they do not place
any importance on it,
(2) those who are completely opposed to it, and
(3) those who support it totally. All three groups
have different shortcomings. The fault of the first
group, which is the greatest and severest fault, is
that it does not regard any need whatsoever to educate
women. This total disregard is both in their men and
women. The proof of these people which has actually
put them into confusion is the question whether women
have to seek employment, because of which arrangements
have to be made for their education? From this we can
deduce that these people have not understood the
object of education, they have not pondered over those
verses and Ahaadith which have made the acquisition of
knowledge compulsory on both male and female, nor have
they understood the type of education which is fard.
So it should be understood that the object of
knowledge is not to get employment because knowledge
which is compulsory to acquire is not knowledge for a
livelihood but knowledge of the Deen, knowledge with
which man's beliefs, actions, dealings, society, and
character are put in order, and the fruit of which in
this world is that he is blessed with the wealth of
"they are the ones who are on guidance from their
Lord", and in the hereafter he gets the glad
tidings of "they are the one's who are
successful". So the necessity of acquiring Deeni
knowledge is obvious, both textually and logically.
The textual proofs are as follows:
1)
"The acquiring of knowledge is wajib on every
Muslim." (Bayhaqi on the authority of Anas)
2)
"The acquiring of knowledge is a faridah
(compulsory duty) on every Muslim." (Daylami on
the authority of Ali)
3)
"The acquisition of fiqh (understanding of Deen)
is wajib on every Muslim." (Hakim in his Tarikh
on the authority of Anas)
4)
"Acquire knowledge and pass it on to the
people." (Darqutni on the authority of Abu Saeed,
and Bayhaqi on the authority of Abu Bakr)
5)
"Acquire knowledge before it is raised." (Daylami
on the authority of Ibne Mas'ud on the authority of
Abu Hurayrah)
6)
"O people! hold on to knowledge before it is
raised." (Tabrani and Khateeb on the authority of
Abu Umamah)
7)
"O people! seek knowledge before it is
raised." (Ahmad and Daarmi, Tib and Abu al-Shaykh
in his tafseer, and Ibne Mardawiyya on the authority
of Abu Umamah)
8)
"Destruction for the one who has no
knowledge." (on the authority of Hudhayfah)
Apart
from this, there are other proofs which refer to the
acquisition of knowledge for both males and females.
As
for a logical proof: for reformation, beliefs and good
deeds are compulsory. And beliefs and good deeds are
dependent on acquiring knowledge of them. This is
something that is obvious. And that thing upon which a
compulsory thing is dependent, is also compulsory. So
to acquire knowledge is also compulsory. Nevertheless,
that deeds are dependent on knowledge is something
that is very obvious. But if we go a little further,
then it even becomes seen or observed. Consequently,
the state in which uneducated women are, can be seen
by all: that they cannot distinguish between kufr and
shirk, nor do they have any love for Iman and Islam.
They blurt out whatever they want with regards to
Allah Ta'ala. They talk against the laws of Islam with
arrogance. In order to bear children or to subdue the
husband to their whims, they will try anything that
they are shown, whether it be witchcraft, charms,
magic or special incantations irrespective of whether
these things are permissible or not. If this is the
state of their beliefs, then what can be said of their
salaat and fasting? So much so that apart from
discarding these duties, some of them even mock at
them, and go even further by taking ill-omens from
them. In other words, some of them do not perform
their salaat despite knowing that it is fard. Others
do not respect it and do not regard it as compulsory,
while others take ill omens from it and regard it as a
cause of harm. The latter two reach the stage of
absolute kufr, while the first is regarded as fisq and
a major sin. If this is the condition of their salaat
and fasting, wherein no money is spent, then what will
the condition of their zakaat and hajj be? One should
not even bother to ask about these things. And if this
is the condition of their beliefs and Ibaadaat, then
there is no possibility of putting right their
business and social dealings (mu'aamalaat). This is so
because salaat, fasting, etc. are regarded as Deeni
activities. As for business dealings, the majority of
people regard them as worldly activities. It is for
this reason that it is only the very pious ones who
try to set right their mu'aamalaat. What improvements
can uneducated women make?
If
this is the condition of their mu'aamalaat, then when
will their minds ever go towards reforming society (mu'aasharat)?
This is so because mu'aamalaat are regarded as huquq
al-ibad (the rights of fellow beings), as opposed to
mu'aasharat because this aspect of huquq al-ibad is
not apparent in it. Therefore, giving importance to
this is extremely minimal. If there is so much of
complacency with regard to mu'aamalaat and mu'aasharat,
when will any efforts be directed towards internal
character, such as humility, sincerity, fear, love,
patience, gratitude, etc.? We know that to a large
extent the effects of mu'aamalaat, and to a less
degree, the effects of mu'aasharat reach other people.
Hence, at times they are even regarded as pious or
disgraced, depending on their mu'aamalaat and
mu'aasharat. But when it comes to one's internal
character or condition, then even its overwhelming
effect is restricted to ones self. As a result of it
being concealed, others do not even come to know of it
whereby a person could be addressed as a religious or
irreligious person. It is for this reason that giving
importance to it is very rare, so much so that this is
even the case among the pious. Then what can be
expected of the masses?
Be
that as it may, the real cause and reason for this
complacency in all religious matters is a paucity of
knowledge of the Deen. So where there is no knowledge
at all, and added to this where the intellect is
naturally deficient (because women are naturally
deficient intellectually, meaning that where there is
no intellect and no knowledge) then there will be no
limit to the shortcomings mentioned in the above
matters. Both intellect and experiences bear testimony
to the fact that without knowledge, actions cannot be
put right. And to set right one's actions is wajib and
fard. Consequently, the acquisition of Deeni knowledge
being compulsory, as had been claimed above, has now
also been proven logically. And prior to this, it was
also proven textually (i.e. through Ahaadith). It has
now been established both ways that to acquire
knowledge of the Deen is compulsory.
Those
who feel that there is no need for women to acquire
knowledge because they do not have to seek employment,
have been proven to be wrong. This is the answer to
their assumption. However, there could be some doubt
that by establishing that acquiring Deeni knowledge is
compulsory, it does not necessarily mean that it
becomes compulsory to acquire education in the normal
way: that books should also be taught to women.
Instead, it could be acquired by asking and
questioning the ulama. The answer to this doubt is
that this is correct, and we do not even say that
education in the normal way is compulsory. However, at
this point, three principles are worthy of noting:
(1)
If something is compulsory, everything that will aid
in fulfilling it will also be compulsory. For example,
a person is unable to go for Hajj on foot. But in his
time, trains and ships have been set aside to
undertake that journey and he also has the money and
ability to undertake that journey. It will therefore
be compulsory on him to intend to undertake the
journey, purchase the ticket and board the train or
ship. To purchase the train or ship ticket and to
board it in itself is not compulsory on him according
to the Shariah, but because it is a means to
fulfilling a fard act (i.e. hajj), it will also become
compulsory on him. This is called fard bil-ghayr (i.e.
compulsory because of another factor).
(2)
Experience has shown that for knowledge to be well
preserved in the minds, the study of books is
nesessary. This happens to be the normal way of
education. And to preserve Deeni knowledge is
compulsory. So based on the first principle, it will
also be compulsory to impart Deeni knowledge in the
normal way. However, this is wajib alal-kifayah, i.e.
in every place, there should be a few persons who have
studied the Deen and who can answer the questions of
those who need to know.
(3)
It has also been established that to have ulama among
the males is not sufficient to fulfil the Deeni
requirements of women. There are two reasons for this:
(1) Because of purdah (this is one of the most
important of obligatory acts). It is almost impossible
for all women to be able to go to the ulama. If the
menfolk were to be used as a means, then some women do
not even have anyone whom they could use. In some
places, even the men give no importance to matters of
Deen, so where will they take the responsibility of
finding out for others? For such women it becomes
extremely difficult to find out matters of the Deen.
If by chance, access to someone is possible, or she
has a father, son, brother, etc. in the house who is
an aalim, then there are certain matters which women
cannot ask them about. There may be such informality
with the husband, but for all of them to have such
husbands is generally impossible. In order to fulfil
the general needs of women, there is no alternative
but to have such women who are educated and from whom
other women could get answers to all their questions.
Based on this, it is established that to impart Deeni
knowledge to women in the normal way, is wajib. So
now, this doubt has also been cleared and it has been
established that it is a necessity to have a system of
education for women similar to that of men. This wrong
notion that there is no need to educate women has been
totally uprooted.
We
will now deal with the second group which is opposed
to the education of women and which regards it as
extremely harmful. It is their claim that most
educated women are liberal, fearless, shameless,
cunning and immoral. Especially if she knows how to
write, she becomes even more daring. She writes to
whoever she wants and sends messages and greetings to
whoever she wishes. Similarly, others also get the
urge to express their desires by sending letters to
her. When these messages reach her, she gets affected
by them and also sends compassionate replies. This
bond grows until whatever was bound to happen,
happens. At times she does not reply, but keeps
silent. Those who are ill at heart take this as a sign
of acceptance and try to fill this void in the future
by sending messages, greetings and letters. It is a
general principle that, that which is written affects
the ears. Furthermore, the ways of expression of some
people are very enchanting and women are soft-hearted
by nature. So for the web of shaytaan to spread is not
surprising. If a woman to whom a letter was written
was displeased, and she even expressed her
displeasure, but fearing the consequences of what her
husband or family members would say or do, she did not
inform them about this. In this way, those who wrote
the letter will be safe from any harm. They will get
more bold and at the next opportunity, they will write
again. All this happened because the women were
educated. If they were uneducated, they would not have
been able to write anything, nor would anyone come to
know of them, and this whole chapter would have been
closed.
This
evil becomes even more conceivable when a particular
woman's articles begin to appear in the newspapers. By
reading these articles, those shayateen who are
conversant with the language are able to gauge the
complexion, nature, feelings and thoughts of the
writer. The sparks of such a fire spread even wider,
especially if what she has written is in the form of a
poem. These days, the outrage is even greater, because
out of boastfulness, the name and even address of the
writer is clearly stated, that she is the wife of so
and so, or the daughter of so and so, residing in a
particular place. All these evils came about because
of their being able to read and write. If all these
secret liaisons were discovered by the husband or
family members, then because educated people are
quick-witted and good at making-up stories, she will
come up with such explanations and excuses that no
word will come against her. She will make excuses and
pretentions and begin crying and say that she had said
this and not that, etc.
She
might even threaten to kill or drown herself until
that poor person who had enquired about it will have
to flatter her and he will not even dare uttering a
word about it again.
Another
evil prevalent in these educated women is that they
read all sorts of books: love-stories, suspense,
sexually explicit novels and poems that arouse one's
desire. Due to this, one's nature becomes corrupted.
At times, they read these poems aloud and their voices
are heard by the neighbours and on the street. Someone
becomes enchanted with her voice and falls onto her
heels. Even if he is unsuccessful in his pursuits, she
is bound to become a cause of disgrace and distress.
This
is the crux of the beliefs of these people. I do not
deny nor reject these incidents, but I will definitely
say that these people have worked with
short-sightedness. They have not pondered over the
reality of these incidents. The reality is that
education is not responsible for all these evils. The
responsibility either lies on the system of education,
or the syllabus, or the methodology, or poor planning.
In other words, it could have happened that those
books were not taught with which one could learn the
rules of halaal and haraam, details of reward and
punishment, the method of moulding one's character,
and with which one could attain fear, reverence,
understanding and respect for haqq (truth). They have
just been taught to read the alphabets and left at
that. Out of their own choice, they studied different
booklets in Urdu and increased their mastery over
reading and writing. By getting the title of
"educated person", they have given education
a bad name. So it is obvious that merely learning the
alphabets cannot be called education, nor can it take
the responsibility of reforming their actions and
conditions.
Alternatively,
it could have happened that despite the syllabus being
beneficial and adequate, no effort was made to embed
the themes of that syllabus into their hearts and
nothing was done to ensure that they were put into
practice. For example, if a girl who has been taught
that gheebah (back-biting) is a sin does indeed make
gheebah, she should be reminded immediately that what
she is doing is contrary to what she learnt. Or she
was taught the necessity of hijaab (seclusion) or of
speaking in a low tone, and thereafter a shortcoming
or negligence was noticed in this respect, then she
should be immediately reprimanded. Or she was taught
to regard the greed for wealth and jewellery with
contempt and later she expressed the desire for
expensive clothing or unnecessary jewellery, then she
should be immediately made mindful of this. In this
way there is a hope that noble characteristics and
good deeds will be inculcated in her.
Alternatively,
it could have happened that her very nature and
disposition did not have that capability and
potential. Then in such a case, the idiom
"imparting knowledge to the one who does not have
the potential is like placing a ball on a dome"
and the poem "how can a good sword be made from
inferior steel?" Without good education, a person
cannot become an insaan (total human)" will both
apply. This discussion was connected to their very
circumstances and actions. And as for those actions
that were enumerated in regard to other corrupt
persons, this is due to poor planning. The best way of
combating this is to exercise sternness by employing
the men-folk as intermediaries. They should be clearly
informed that these are the causes of such evils.
If
these are the causes, then why are the women
singled-out? If men had to face these same causes,
they would also become like this. So on what grounds
are women being stopped from education and men given
full freedom in this respect? In fact, given full
importance? After pondering on the reason for this
difference, we find no answer except that evils
committed by women or attributed to them are regarded
as a cause of disgrace and distress. And if the same
evils are committed by men or attributed to them, then
society does not regard them as a cause of disgrace
and distress. It is for this reason that when it
applies to women, these evils have been regarded as
barriers to their education, and not when it applies
to men. Apart from this, it is obvious from the
Shariah point of view, that when it comes to
education, men and women are equal. If sinning is evil
and worthy of condemnation for women, then so is the
case for men. And if it is a cause of chastity and
honour for men, then in the same way it is also for
women. So, if both are equal according to the Shariah,
but unequal according to custom (urf), and this
discrimination is actually practised, then it clearly
shows that custom is being given preference over the
Shariah. This is a very big branch of ignorance the
cause of which is pride and self-glorification and
nothing else. This is not my claim alone; the
opposition also acknowledge this. Accordingly, very
often we hear them saying that a man is like a
utensil: if it gets dirty ten times, and thereafter
you wash it, it gets absolutely clean. A woman,
however, is like the lustre of a pearl: if it comes
off even once, it cannot come on again. In other
words, this clearly means that when it comes to men,
they regard sinning very lightly. And for women, they
regard it very seriously. Apart from pride, there is a
very great possibility of passing a fatwa (religious
verdict) of istikhfaaf (belittling the rules of the
Shariah).
Now,
just the third group is left. These people support and
defend the education of women but have erred in
determining or laying down a system for it. Some of
their mistakes have already been incorporated when
discussing the second group above. For example,
teaching the women to read the alphabets only and
thereafter leaving them to read the different booklets
and magazines of their choice. Or, for example, not
ensuring that they put into practice what they learn -
different examples in this respect were also
mentioned. We will now mention some other mistakes of
theirs. For example, instead of teaching them Deeni
knowledge, some of the women are taught History,
Geography and English. Worse than this, they also
teach them the Bible. This is due to just blind
following of the Europeans. In other words, they feel
that the worth and credibility of their syllabus is
dependent on this. But they do not think that even if
there was no difference between the two of us in
regard to customs, habits, natural inclinations and
peculiarities, the greatest distinction of religion
still exists. That we follow the religion of Islam and
they either follow no religion (which is the case with
a majority of them), or they follow a religion opposed
to our religion. Therefore, they will either have no
religious education, or if they do have, it will be
superficial, or it will be worldly education, or
education of some other religion. In any case, this
system of education of theirs has a specific basis.
But if we had to choose their system of education, on
what basis is it going to be? If the purpose of their
education is different, as has just been mentioned,
and our goal is different, as had been briefly
explained when rectifying the mistakes of the first
group, i.e. rectifying the beliefs, actions,
transactions, social dealings, and morals; and this
goal is dependent on Deeni knowledge - then it is
obvious that for us to adopt their system of education
is unsuitable or incompatible. However, if one also
feels the need to earn a livelihood as well, then
there will be no harm if one learns those sciences
after having acquired Deeni knowledge. Those sciences
refer to those things upon which one's livelihood is
dependent, such as English, History, Geography, etc.
Apart from these things, such a person will have no
need to study the Bible.
It
is obvious that the need to earn a livelihood is only
experienced by men and not women, the reason being
that the responsibility for supporting and providing
for them is on the men. Secondly, Islam has emphasized
purdah for women, and those specific ways whereby a
livelihood could be earned are dependent on specific
branches of knowledge. And these branches cannot be
learnt while in purdah. Therefore, to teach them these
things is fruitless and a waste of time. In fact,
apart from being fruitless, it will also be harmful,
as will be explained later. In any case, these
sciences which are known as "modern
education" are in no way proper for women.
However, it would be good to have sufficient knowledge
of certain worldly aspects such as writing,
Mathematics, some sort of handicrafts, etc., so that
if at any time there is no one to see to their needs,
they could earn a living.
As
for learning good manners, then whoever wishes, he
could check and see for himself that no other system
or education can teach good manners and character the
way Deen can. Hence, take a person who has been
totally influenced by Deeni knowledge and another
person who has been totally influenced by modern
civilization. Thereafter, compare their character,
social dealings and transactions, and you will find
that there is a world of difference between the two.
However, if someone regards pretention and deception
as culture, then his mistake will be that he has
misunderstood the meaning of a particular concept. At
this very moment, if some religious person comes to
mind who has some short-coming in real character, then
the reason for this will be that he did not take full
benefit from Deeni knowledge. In other words, Deen has
many aspects: beliefs, actions, mu'aamalaat
(transactions), mu'aasharat (social relations), and
self-purification. Some people regard only salaat and
fasting as knowledge of the Deen and only people who
fulfil these duties as religious people. This is a
mistake in itself. To have sufficient knowledge of all
the aspects of Deen mentioned above is called Deeni
knowledge. And those who abide by the rules of all
these aspects are called religious people. So that
person who was called a religious person but was found
to be wanting in his character, is in reality not
fulfilling all the aspects of the Deen. And the
discussion is on that person who is influenced by all
the aspects. Now the doubt has been cleared. The
author has written a booklet entitled "The Rights
of Knowledge" which clears similar doubts and is
worth reading.
In
short, culture and good manners cannot be learnt from
any system of education the way it can be learnt from
Deeni education. It is this very Deeni knowledge which
brought about that character and good manners in our
ancestors, and which was not only acknowledged by
Europe but also adopted by it. However, we are totally
unaware of the "wealth" that is in our homes
and begging from others. How beautiful the words of
Maulana Rumi are! He says: "There is a basket
full of bread on your head, and yet you are going door
to door searching for a crumb. You are standing in
knee-deep water, and yet you are distressed out of
hunger and thirst."
Some
people get their daughters educated at the hands of
liberal and shameless women. Experience has shown that
the company one keeps has a definite effect on one's
character and emotions. This is more so when the
person in whose company one is, is followed and
respected. Obviously, who can be more worthy of
following and respect than one's teacher? So in this
case, that liberalism and shamelessness will also come
into these girls. In my opinion, the best woman is the
one in whom hayaa'(shame and self-restraint) is
natural. This is the key to all good. When this is not
found, then no good can be expected, nor can any evil
be discounted. The rule, "when hayaa' goes away
from you, then do whatever you wish", is general.
But in my opinion, the generality in "whatever
you wish" is applicable more to women than men.
This is so because men still have aql (intellect) as a
