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Injunctions of the Qur'an
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Ahadith of the Holy Prophet
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Rights in the Light of Qur'an and Hadith
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Views of the Scholars
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INJUNCTIONS OF THE QUR'AN
Verses of
the Qur'an regarding the rights of woman as daughter are quoted below:
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Allah
(thus) directs you as regards your children's (Inheritance):to the
male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two
or more, their share is two thirds of the inheritance; if only one,
her share is a half. (4:11)
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When news
is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his
face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he
hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had!
Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the
dust? AM what an evil (choice) they decide on! (16:58‑59)
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Kill not
your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them
as well as for you: Verily the killing of them is a great sin. (17:31)
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To Allah
belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He
wills (And plans). He bestows (children) male or female according to
His will (and Plan), or he bestows both males and females, and He
leaves barren whom He will: For He is Full of Knowledge and Power.
(42:49‑50)
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When the
female (infant), buried alive, is questioned‑ for what crime she was
killed; (&1:8‑9)
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II ‑ AHADITH OF '1 HE PROPHET
Ahadith of
the Holy Prophet on the subject are as follows:‑
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Anas
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: Whoever maintains two girls
till they attain maturity, he and I will come on the Resurrection Day
like this; and he joined his fingers. (Muslim)
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Ayesha
reported: A woman came to me, while there were two of her daughters
with her. She was begging of me, but found nothing from me except one
date which I gave her. She divided it between her two daughters and
she herself did take nothing out of it. Then she got up and went away.
The Holy Prophet came and I informed him (of it). He said: Whoever
suffers for any thing on account of these daughters and (still) treats
them with kindness, they will be a shield for him from Hell. (Bukhari
and Muslim)
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Ibn Abbas
reported that the Messenger of Allah said: If anybody has got a female
child, and then does neither bury her alive, nor treats her unjustly,
nor prefers his children (meaning male children) to her, Allah will
admit him in Paradise. (Abu Daud)
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Soraqa‑b‑Malek
reported that the Holy Prophet said: Shall I not teach you the best
form of charity? ‑ (maintaining) your daughter who has been returned
to you, who has got no earning member except you. (Ibn Majah)
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Ayesha
reported: I have seen none more resembling in manners, guidance and
conduct (in another narration‑in talk and speech) of the Holy Prophet
than Fatimah. Whenever she came to him, he used to stand up for her
and then take her by the hand, kissed her and would make her sit in
his seat. (Abu Daud)
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III ‑ RIGHTS IN THE LIGHT OF QUR'AN AND HADITH
Rights
granted to the woman in the status of daughter by the Qur'an and Hadith
are discussed below:
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The
Qur'an, in the verses 58 and 59 of its chapter 16, draws a very vivid
picture of the pagan Arabs on the birth of a daughter. According to
the Qur'an, if any one of them receives the news about the birth of a
daughter, his face turns black
and he is
enraged. He starts hiding himself from his people because of the `evil
news'. He asks himself: "Should I bear this insult and keep up with it
or should I bury it alive." The Qur'an declares their thinking as evil
and abolished this cruel custom. The birth of females was looked upon
as a bad omen in the family not only by the heathen Arabs of
pre‑Islamic era but it is still so in some people in Pakistan. Some
curse their luck for the birth of daughters, some blame the wives for
their birth and the other blame the husbands for producing daughters.
The Qur'an says that Allah creates what He will. He bestows daughters
on whom He will and He blesses with sons whom He will. He, even, makes
barren whom He will. (42:49‑50)
Therefore, no body should feel ashamed of or insulted on the birth of
a daughter, neither he should blame his luck or anybody else for
causing the birth of daughters. Birth of a daughter is a blessing and
the Prophet of Islam said: They will be a shield (for parents) for
hell. (Bukhari, Muslim).
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The evil
and cruel custom of burying the female children alive or killing them
in infancy was abolished by Islam. The daughters were considered to be
an economic burden and the poor families used to dispose of them by
killing them. The Qur'an made the infanticide a great sin and warned
the parents not to do so, since God Who provides them sustenance would
also provide for their children. (Al‑Qur'an 17:31)
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According
to the well reported traditions, some of which have been reported
above, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) raised the status of
daughters and promised high rewards for those who bring up daughters
and do not prefer sons over them. He himself set a good example by
holding his daughters in high esteem and respect and by according them
best treatment. Whenever his daughter Fatimah used to visit him, the
Holy Prophet would stand up, kiss her and made her sit in his place.
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The
daughters are entitled to share in inheritance of their fathers,
mothers and near relatives. In case the deceased leaves one daughter
only, she is entitled to one‑half and in case of two or more
daughters, they would get two‑third of inheritance. But if the
deceased leaves sons and daughters, the share of two daughters would
be equal to one son. (Al‑Qur'an 4:11)
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A father
must provide for the maintenance of his infant children, and in
absence of nurse the mother is bound to suckle her infant at breast.
But the father is not bound to maintain his children if they have got
means of their own. If the father is poor and incapable of earning,
the mother, if she is rich, is bound to maintain her children. (Hedayah)
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Slaying
of daughters is such a heinous crime that on the day of Judgement, God
would not even talk to their murderer. God would simply take evidence
of the girl‑child who was buried alive and would punish her murderer
very severely. (Al‑Qur'an 81:8‑9)
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IV ‑ VIEWS OF THE SCHOLARS
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Authors
of the Encyclopedia of Seerah write about the position of woman
particularly of daughter in pre‑Islamic era as under:
"The
history of human civilization bears evidence that woman was regarded
as an embodiment of depravity, shame and sin in the world. The birth
of a daughter so embarrassed a father that he could not raise his head
for shame. The in‑law relations were looked upon as base, mean and
disgraceful. For this reason, .the inhuman custom of disposing of
daughters by killing them had become common among .many nations.
Besides the illiterate, ignorant people, the learned scholars and
religious leaders also disputed for generations the question whether
Allah had granted women a soul. In Hinduism, the woman stood debarred,
from being educated in the Vedas. Buddhism did not recognise salvation
for one having sex relations with woman. Christianity and Judaism
looked upon woman as the source of all the evil committed by man in
the world. In Greece, housewives were entitled to receive no
education, nor training in culture, nor social rights. Only the
prostitute was entitled to all these things! The condition in Rome,
Iran, China, Egypt and other centres of human civilization was not
very different." The change brought about by Islam has been discussed
by the authors in these words: "It is Islam which revolutionised this
state of affairs not only legally and practically but also
intellectually. Islam has indeed changed the mentalities of both the
man and woman. The concept of giving the woman her rights and a place
of honour in society has in fact been created in man's mind by Islam.
The slogans of women's right, women's education and women's
emancipation that one so often hears these days are in fact an echo of
the revolutionary call raised by the Holy Prophet of Islam, who
changed man's way of thinking for all time to come. It was the Prophet
of Islam who first taught the world that woman is as much a human
being as man".
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Syed
Ameer Ali writes: "But the Teacher who in an age when no country, no
system, no. Community gave any right to woman, maiden or married,
mother or wife, who, in a country where the birth of a daughter was
considered a calamity, secured to the sex rights which are only
unwillingly and under pressure being conceded to them by the civilized
nations in the twentieth century, deserves the gratitude of humanity."
He describes the position of daughter in Islamic Society in these
words: As Tong as she is unmarried‑ she remains under the parental
roof, and until she attains her majority she is, to some extent, under
the control of the father or his representative. As soon, however; as
she is of age, the law vests in her. all the rights which belong to
her as an independent human being. She is entitled to share in the
inheritance of her parents along with her brothers, and though the
proportion is different, the distinction is founded on the relative
position of brother and sister. A woman who is sui juris can
under no circumstances be married without her own express consent,
"not even by the sultan." On her marriage she does not lose her
individuality. She does not cease to be a separate member of society.
(The Spirit of Islam)
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