Nisaa's Islamic Page

Assalaamu Alaikum
 
 

Pillars of Islam

 Marriage in Islam

Women's Rights in Islam
 

Your God is one God: as to those who believe not in the Hereafter, their hearts refuse to know, and they are arrogant. "  Qur'an 16:22
 

Muslim Beliefs

ALLAH: This is the name for "God" in Arabic. Allah is not a human, not a male and not a female. We only say the term "He" when referring to Him because there is no "It" in Arabic. All nouns are automatically masculine or feminine.  Allah created everything and was never created. He is never born, He never has children and the human mind cannot encompass His magnitude and greatness.  He is loving but just, merciful but stern. Only by surrendering to His will can we come into accordance with His universal will.

ANGELS: They are not human.  They are the servants of Allah and never rebel against him. We believe in a devil creature called Shaytan (Satan) but he is not a fallen angel.  He is a creature called a Jinn who rebelled against Allah. Angels record our good deeds and bad and are behind the events of nature and enforce Allah's will in the universe, although He doesn't need their help.

BOOKS: Allah has sent revelation to thousands of humans throughout history. Some of those revelations were organized bodies of teachings meant to be recorded as "books" whether written or oral to be handed on to future generations. We know the names of five of these books. They are: the scrolls of Ibrahim, The Torah of Musa. The Zabur (Psalms) of Dawud. The Injeel of 'Esa (Gospel of Jesus) and the Qur'an of Muhammad. Only the last book has survived until the present day. All others have been lost or altered so much so that they are all but worthless.

MESSENGERS: These are Allah's Prophets and Message-bringers to whom Allah gave revelation. Every nation and race on earth received at least one in the past. They all taught the same message: to surrender to Allah and do right. Thus we say they all taught Islam. The first was Adam and the last was Muhammad. The Qur'an mentions the name of 25 Prophets and Messengers.

THE LAST DAY: Human history will end one day. Allah will end the earth at some future date and all human beings that ever lived will be raised up for Judgment Day. After each person's good and bad deeds as well as their beliefs are examined, they will be sent to either Paradise (Jannah) or Hell (Jahannam).

MEASUREMENT: Allah has measured the length of our life in this world, our economic status, where we will die, etc... The word "Qadr" is sometimes translated as destiny or pre-destination or even fate. But the word actually means "to measure."

LIFE AFTER DEATH: Eternal life in either Heaven or Hell for our souls based on what we believed and did while we lived in the world. Some people will be taken out of hell and admitted to heaven when the term of their punishment is over.

Now, all the [false gods] are an enemy to me, except the Lord of all the worlds; It is He who guides me; it is He who gives me to eat and drink, and whenever I am sick it is He who heals me; and it is He who makes me to die and then will bring me to life. And upon Him, I pin my hope that He would forgive my sins on the day of Judgment.
[Ash-Shu'ara (The Poets) S. 26 A. 77-82]

Belief ( Imaan ) and declaration (shahadah) that there is no God to be worshiped except Allah (the one God) and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him) is his messenger.

Prayers (salat) offered five times a day as a duty towards Allah. They purify the heart and prevent temptation towards doing wrong. Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. A Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities.

Fasting ( Siyaam ) once a year, from sunrise to sunset throughout the entire month of Ramadan in particular and additional days in following the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad.

Charity (Zakat) literally means purity, while its technical meaning designates the annual amount in-kind or cash that a Muslim with means must distribute among the rightful beneficiaries from his yearly net savings. The religious and spiritual significance of Zakat is much deeper and more lively than its Humanitarian and socio-political value.

Hajj (Pilgrimage) The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it.

"And marry those among you who are single (i.e., a man who has no wife and a woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the saalihoon (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allah will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people)." [al-Noor 24:32 – interpretation of the meaning].

The head of the household must select a righteous and suitable wife based on the following conditions described in various ahaadeeth:

"A woman may be married for four things: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty or her religion. Choose the one who is religious, may your hands be rubbed with dust [i.e., may you prosper]!" (Agreed upon). "This world is all temporary conveniences, and the greatest joy in this life is a righteous wife." (Reported by Muslim, 1468).

"Let every one of you have a thankful heart, a remembering tongue [remembering Allah] and a believing wife who will help him with regard to the Hereafter." (Reported by Ahmad, 5/282, and al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Maajah from Thawbaan. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 5231). According to another report: "A righteous wife to help you with your worldly and religious affairs is the best treasure anyone could have." (Reported by al-Bayhaqi. Saheeh al-Jaami’,4285).

"Marry one who is loving and fertile, for I will be proud before the other Prophets of your great numbers on the Day of Resurrection." (Reported by Ahmad. Saheeh al-Irwa’, 6/195). "I advise you to marry virgins, for their wombs are more fresh, their mouths are more sweet and they are more content with little." According to another report: "… and they are less likely to deceive." (Reported by Ibn Maajah. Al-Silsilah al-Saheeh, 623).

Just as a righteous wife is one of the four elements of happiness, so a bad wife is one of the four elements of misery, as it says in the saheeh hadeeth: "One of (the elements of) happiness is a righteous wife, who when you see her you feel pleased, and when you are away, you feel that you can trust her with regard to herself and your property. And one of (the elements of) misery is a bad wife who when you see her, you feel upset, she keeps attacking you verbally, and when you are away, you do not feel that you can trust her with regard to herself and your property."

On the other hand, it is also essential to look at the situation of the prospective husband who is proposing marriage to the Muslim woman, and to agree to his proposal in accordance with the following conditions:

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "If there comes to you one with whose religion and character you are pleased, then marry your daughter [or sister, etc.] to him, otherwise there will be fitnah and great corruption in the land."

All of the above must be achieved through asking the right questions, verifying facts, gathering information and checking sources, so that the home will not be corrupted or destroyed. The righteous man and righteous woman together will build a righteous home, because "the vegetation of a good land comes forth (easily) by the Permission of its Lord, and that which is bad, brings forth nothing but a little with difficulty…" [al-A’raaf 7:58 – interpretation of the meaning].

If one's wife is righteous, this is a blessing indeed, and this is from the Bounty of Allah. If she is not that righteous, then it is the duty of the head of the household to strive to guide her. Any of the following scenarios may apply:

A man may marry a woman who is not religious in the first place, because he himself is not religious at first, or he may have married her in the hope of guiding her, or under pressure from his relatives, for example. In these cases he must strive hard to guide her.

A man must also realize from the outset that guidance comes from Allah, and that Allah is the One Who reforms people. One of His blessings to his slave Zakariya was, as He said (interpretation of the meaning): "… and [We] cured his wife for him…" [al-Anbiya’ 21:90]. This curing or reforming may have been physical or religious. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: "She was barren and could not have children, then she had a child." ‘Ataa’ said: "She was harsh of tongue, and Allah reformed her."

Paying attention to and correcting her worship of Allah in all aspects.
Encouraging her to pray at night (qiyaam al-layl)
Encouraging her to read Qur’aan
Encouraging her to memorize adhkaar and remember the appropriate times and occasions for saying them
Encouraging her to give charity
Encouraging her to read useful Islamic books
Encouraging her to listen to useful Islamic cassettes that can increase knowledge and strengthen eemaan – and continuing to supply her with them.
Choosing good, religious friends for her, with whom she can form ties of sisterhood and have good conversations and purposeful visits.
Protecting her from evil and blocking off all avenues for it to reach her, by keeping her away from bad companions and bad places.