Women's Rights in Islam by Dr. Muhammad Sharif Chaudhry (Chapter 15)

Women's Rights in Islam by Dr. Muhammad Sharif Chaudhry (Chapter 15)

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WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN ISLAM
By Dr. Muhammad Sharif Chaudhry

CHAPTER 15

Women and Jihad

Injunctions of the Qur'an

Ahadith of the Holy Prophet

Women's Participation in Jihad

I ‑ VERSES OF THE QUR'AN

Some of the verses of the Holy Qur'an which exhort the believers to fight in the way of Allah, with their wealth and lives, are cited as follows:‑

Fight in the cause of Allah, those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. (2:190)

Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the Cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew. (9:41)

No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor on one ill (if he joins not the war):Rut he that obeys Allah and His Apostle, (Allah) will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous penalty. (48:17)

[Back to the start of this chapter]

II ‑ AHADITH OF THE PROPHET

The Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about the participation of Muslim women in Jihad are presented as follows:‑

Umme Atiyyah reported: I accompanied the Holy Prophet in seven battles. I remained in the rear for their luggage, prepared food for them, nursed the wounded and attended the sick. (Muslim)

Anas reported that the Holy Prophet used to take Umme Sulaim and some other women of Ansar with him in Jihad. The women used to give water and nurse the wounded. (Muslim)

It has been reported on the authority of Anas that on the day of Hunain, Umme Sulaim took out a dagger she had in her possession. Abu Talha saw her and said: Messenger of Allah, this is Umme Sulaim. She is holding a dagger. The Messenger of Allah asked her: What for are you holding this dagger? She said: I took it so that I may tear open the belly of a polytheist who comes near me. The Messenger of Allah began to smile .... (Muslim)

Anas‑b‑Malik reported: On the Day of Uhud some of the people, being defeated, left the Holy Prophet, but Abu Talha stood before him covering him with a shield. The narrator further reported: I saw Ayesha‑hint‑Abu Bakr and Umme Sulaim. Both of them had tucked up their garments, so I could see the anklets on their feet. They were carrying water skins on their backs and would pour water into the mouths of the people. They would then go back (to the well), would fill them again and would return with water .... (Muslim)

Yazid‑b‑Hurmuz reported that Najda wrote to Ibn Abbas inquiring of him five things... (Among them was): Tell me whether the Messenger of Allah took women to participate with him in Jihad; (if he did), whether he allotted them a regular share from the booty?... Ibn Abbas wrote to him: The Messenger of Allah did take them to the battle ...They would treat the wounded and were given a reward from the booty, but he did not assign any regular share for them .... (Muslim)

Abdullah‑b‑Umar reported the Messenger of Allah forbade to kill women and children. (Bukhari‑Muslim)

[Back to the start of this chapter]

III ‑ WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN JIHAD

The Arabic word Jihad is derived from the verb Jahada which means "he exerted." So literally Jihad means `exertion' or `striving'. It generally means, however, a war undertaken for a just cause and for the defence of Islam. The Qur'an permits war in case of defence only. No aggressive war is allowed. The Qur'an says: "Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, and begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loves not aggressors". (2:190)

Jihad is of two types; ‘Jihad bil mal' and ‘Jihad bil nafs' which means striving with one's wealth and striving with one's life. In other words, one can participate in Jihad by actually fighting against the enemy with his life or by contributing his wealth in the war fund. The Qur'an commands the believers to wage both the types of Jihad when it says:"...And struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is the best for you, if ye (but) knew". (9:41)

In case of invasion, it is the bounden duty of every male adult Muslim citizen of an Islamic state to take up arms and defend his motherland. Though it is not obligatory for women to participate in actual fighting, yet they have not been barred by the Qur'an and Sunnah to do so. At least the Qur'an has not counted them in the list of the persons who have been exempted from participation. It says: "There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war)"‑ (48:17). So far as Jihad with wealth is concerned, it is the duty for both the men and women to contribute, according to their means, to the defence fund, and the history is witness of many examples of the sacrifices of Muslim women when they sold their ornaments (so dear to the female nature) for such contributions.

Many incidents have been reported in the history of Islam when the women rendered very valuable services in the battlefield like nursing of the wounded warriors, providing them water, preparing food her them, looking after their luggage etc. Even they did not hesitate to take up arms in case of need. It is recorded in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to take Muslim women like Umme Atiyyah, Umme Sulaim and many others who used to nurse the wounded, attended the sick and provided them water. Even Hadrat 'Ayesha the wife of the Prophet participated in the Battle of Uhud and supplied water to the mujahideen.

Umme Sulaim even took up a dagger to tear open the belly of a polytheist in the Battle of Hunain. Safiyah‑bint‑Abdul Muttalib killed a Jew who was spying for the enemies of Islam during the Battle of the Confederates.

Samiyah‑hint‑Khabat, mother of the famous companion Hadrat Ammar‑b‑Yasir, was the first Muslim whose blood was shed in the way of Allah. She was mercilessly persecuted and ultimately killed by Abu Jahl, the arch enemy of Allah and His Messenger, for her acceptance of Islam and refusal to return to disbelief. So the honour of being first martyr of Islam goes to a woman as the honour of being first who accepted Islam had already been achieved by a woman (Hadraf Khadi jah wife of the Prophet (PBUH).

According to Ibn Abbas, the Prophet of Allah used to give reward to the women who participated in Jihad out of the booty, though he did not assign for them any regular share.

[Back to the start of this chapter]

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WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN ISLAM By Dr. Muhammad Sharif Chaudhry
CHAPTER 15
Women and Jihad
Injunctions of the Qur'an Ahadith of the Holy Prophet Women's Participation in Jihad I ‑ VERSES OF THE QUR'AN Some of the verses of the Holy Qur'an which exhort the believers to fight in the way of Allah, with their wealth and lives, are cited as follows:‑ Fight in the cause of Allah, those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. (2:190) Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the Cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew. (9:41) No blame is there on the blind, nor is there blame on the lame, nor on one ill (if he joins not the war):Rut he that obeys Allah and His Apostle, (Allah) will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow; and he who turns back, (Allah) will punish him with a grievous penalty. (48:17) [Back to the start of this chapter] II ‑ AHADITH OF THE PROPHET The Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) about the participation of Muslim women in Jihad are presented as follows:‑ Umme Atiyyah reported: I accompanied the Holy Prophet in seven battles. I remained in the rear for their luggage, prepared food for them, nursed the wounded and attended the sick. (Muslim) Anas reported that the Holy Prophet used to take Umme Sulaim and some other women of Ansar with him in Jihad. The women used to give water and nurse the wounded. (Muslim) It has been reported on the authority of Anas that on the day of Hunain, Umme Sulaim took out a dagger she had in her possession. Abu Talha saw her and said: Messenger of Allah, this is Umme Sulaim. She is holding a dagger. The Messenger of Allah asked her: What for are you holding this dagger? She said: I took it so that I may tear open the belly of a polytheist who comes near me. The Messenger of Allah began to smile .... (Muslim) Anas‑b‑Malik reported: On the Day of Uhud some of the people, being defeated, left the Holy Prophet, but Abu Talha stood before him covering him with a shield. The narrator further reported: I saw Ayesha‑hint‑Abu Bakr and Umme Sulaim. Both of them had tucked up their garments, so I could see the anklets on their feet. They were carrying water skins on their backs and would pour water into the mouths of the people. They would then go back (to the well), would fill them again and would return with water .... (Muslim) Yazid‑b‑Hurmuz reported that Najda wrote to Ibn Abbas inquiring of him five things... (Among them was): Tell me whether the Messenger of Allah took women to participate with him in Jihad; (if he did), whether he allotted them a regular share from the booty?... Ibn Abbas wrote to him: The Messenger of Allah did take them to the battle ...They would treat the wounded and were given a reward from the booty, but he did not assign any regular share for them .... (Muslim) Abdullah‑b‑Umar reported the Messenger of Allah forbade to kill women and children. (Bukhari‑Muslim) [Back to the start of this chapter] III ‑ WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION IN JIHAD The Arabic word Jihad is derived from the verb Jahada which means "he exerted." So literally Jihad means `exertion' or `striving'. It generally means, however, a war undertaken for a just cause and for the defence of Islam. The Qur'an permits war in case of defence only. No aggressive war is allowed. The Qur'an says: "Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, and begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loves not aggressors". (2:190) Jihad is of two types; ‘Jihad bil mal' and ‘Jihad bil nafs' which means striving with one's wealth and striving with one's life. In other words, one can participate in Jihad by actually fighting against the enemy with his life or by contributing his wealth in the war fund. The Qur'an commands the believers to wage both the types of Jihad when it says:"...And struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is the best for you, if ye (but) knew". (9:41) In case of invasion, it is the bounden duty of every male adult Muslim citizen of an Islamic state to take up arms and defend his motherland. Though it is not obligatory for women to participate in actual fighting, yet they have not been barred by the Qur'an and Sunnah to do so. At least the Qur'an has not counted them in the list of the persons who have been exempted from participation. It says: "There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war)"‑ (48:17). So far as Jihad with wealth is concerned, it is the duty for both the men and women to contribute, according to their means, to the defence fund, and the history is witness of many examples of the sacrifices of Muslim women when they sold their ornaments (so dear to the female nature) for such contributions. Many incidents have been reported in the history of Islam when the women rendered very valuable services in the battlefield like nursing of the wounded warriors, providing them water, preparing food her them, looking after their luggage etc. Even they did not hesitate to take up arms in case of need. It is recorded in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to take Muslim women like Umme Atiyyah, Umme Sulaim and many others who used to nurse the wounded, attended the sick and provided them water. Even Hadrat 'Ayesha the wife of the Prophet participated in the Battle of Uhud and supplied water to the mujahideen. Umme Sulaim even took up a dagger to tear open the belly of a polytheist in the Battle of Hunain. Safiyah‑bint‑Abdul Muttalib killed a Jew who was spying for the enemies of Islam during the Battle of the Confederates. Samiyah‑hint‑Khabat, mother of the famous companion Hadrat Ammar‑b‑Yasir, was the first Muslim whose blood was shed in the way of Allah. She was mercilessly persecuted and ultimately killed by Abu Jahl, the arch enemy of Allah and His Messenger, for her acceptance of Islam and refusal to return to disbelief. So the honour of being first martyr of Islam goes to a woman as the honour of being first who accepted Islam had already been achieved by a woman (Hadraf Khadi jah wife of the Prophet (PBUH). According to Ibn Abbas, the Prophet of Allah used to give reward to the women who participated in Jihad out of the booty, though he did not assign for them any regular share. [Back to the start of this chapter]
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