Islam is not just a true religion but also a social order that enables individuals to attain the cherished goal of material happiness and welfare in the world and to prepare them for the next world through righteousness and virtuous deeds.Islam removes the possible causes which may breed corruption. It strikes hard at the root of evil and suggests measures which may bring about peaceful, happy and harmonious relations among the Muslims.It puts restraint to such impelling forces which might play a disastrous role in degenerating the mind of young men and women.
As 23 year old Delhi girl who was assualted last week clings on to threads of life , this incident has outraged the entire country and rightly so. Thousands of people are erupting in protests resulting in a huge wave of pressure on the Government to take take solid, substantial action on the issue once and for all.
As the ugly details of the rape and brutal assault on the 23 year old survivor come to light, people have taken to the streets and forced our political leaders to take immediate action and various ways are being suggested to prevent such incidents.We take a peek into ancient wisdom and try to find out how Islam deals with the issue of protecting honour of women.
Islam has given multi pronged solution to this issue. We take a look at just a few of them:
-Islam Commands women to dress modestly to prevent them from lustful glances.
-Men are commanded to respect women just like they want women of their household to be respected.
-A Woman is commanded not to go alone on a long journey and should have male relative as escort.
-Orderliness in society is brought through promotion of institution of marriage.
-capital punishment to people guilty of outraging the modesty of women.
-The punishment is given publicly to induce fear of law in the hearts of would be criminals
Islam Commands women to dress modestly to prevent them from lustful glances
The Qur’an instructs Muslim women to observe veil.The Arabic word for “veiling” is hijab. Lexically it means “cover”.The hijab cuts off the ill thoughts and the greed of the sick hearts. The clothing must hang loosely and not be so tight and fitting as to show the shape of the woman’s body. The garment should be thick and opaque so as not to display the skin colour and form of the body beneath it.
O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of Allah’s signs, that they may take heed.”
(Holy Quran ,Chapter 7:Verse 26)
O Prophet! Say to your wives, your daughters and the women of believers that (while going out) they should draw their veils as coverings over them
(Holy Qur’an , Chapter 33:Verse 59)
Yahya related to me from Malik from Muslim ibn Abi Maryam from Abu Salih that Hazrat Abu Hurayra said,
{Narrated by Imam Malik in Al-Muwatta, Book on Dress,Hadith #7}
“Women who are naked even though they are wearing clothes, go astray and make others go astray, and they will not enter the Garden nor will they experience its fragrance, and its fragrance can be experienced from as far as the distance travelled in five hundred years.”
Hazrat Ayesha reported that Hazrat Asma came to the Holy Prophet(Peace be upon him) wearing very fine clothes. The Prophet(Peace be upon him) turned his face and said:
“O Asma! When a woman attains the puberty, no part of her body should be exposed to others except face and palms.”
{Narrated by Abu Dawood}
Men are commanded to respect women just like they would want women of their household to be respected.
Men are commanded to respect women just like they would want women of their household to be respected.Here is a incident from life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).
One day, a young man (apparently Julaybib) asked Allah’s Messenger(Peace be upon him) for permission to fornicate, since he could not restrain himself. Those who were present reacted in various ways.
{Ibn Hanbal, 5:256-57}
Some scoffed at him, others pulled his robe, and still others readied themselves to hit him. But the compassionate Prophet(peace be upon him) drew him near and engaged him in conversation.
He began by asking him:“Would you let someone do this with your mother?”
to which the young man replied: “My mother and father be your ransom,O God’s Messenger, I don’t agree with that.”
The Prophet(peace be upon him) said:“Naturally, no one agrees that his mother should be a party in such a disgraceful act.”
He then continued asking Julaybib the same question, but substituting daughter, wife, sister, and aunt for mother.
Every time Julaybib replied that he would not agree to such an act. By the end of this conversation, Julaybib had lost all desire to fornicate.
But Allah’s Messenger(Peace be upon him) concluded this “spiritual operation” with a supplication.
Placing his hand on Julaybib’s chest, he prayed: “O God, forgive him, purify his heart, and maintain his chastity.”
Julaybib became a model of chastity. Some time later he married through the intermediation of Allah’s Messenger(peace be upon him)
Islam brings orderliness in society by promoting the institution of marriage
Islam brings orderliness in society by promoting the institution of marriage. Marriage is a door from the doors of righteousness for the person with the correct intention.
Allah Ta’ala also states:
(Surah Noor Verse 32)
“And enjoin in marriage those among you who are not married, and your deserving slaves and bondwomen…”
It is stated in a Hadith:“Those among you who are able to marry, should marry…”
(Bukhari Shareef Hadith 5065, Muslim Shareef Hadith 3464)
Parents have been advised is to marry off children once they reach a suitable age.
Hazrat Abu Sa’eed and Ibne Abbas Ä narrate that RasoolAllah(Peace be upon him) said, “Whoever has children should give them a good name, teach them manners and once they have reached puberty should arrange for their marriage.
(Mishkaat-ul-Masabih,Hadith 3138)
If a child is not married (at a suitable age) and as a result of that he commits sins (adultery) then the sin will be on the father.”
A Woman is commanded not to go alone on a long journey and should have a male relative as an escort
It is related from Ibn ‘Abbas that he heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, “A man should not be alone with a woman, nor should a woman travel except with a dhu mahram.(i.e. her husband or a person whom she cannot marry in any case for ever; e.g. her father, brother, etc.).”
{Sahih Bukhari ,Kitab Al-Jihad, Hadith 2844}
A man stood up and said, “Messenger of Allah, I have been written down for such-and-such an expedition and my wife has gone out on hajj.”
He said. “Go and make hajj with your wife.”
Capital punishment to the one who outrages modesty of a woman
Stoning for adultery is mass-transmitted from the Prophet, upon him peace, both as verbal injunction (Hadith “The child belongs to the household where he is born and the adulterer gets stones”) and actual deed (stoning of Maa`iz ibn Maalik, Allah be well-pleased with him) cf. al-Kattani, Nazm al-Mutanathir (p. 105-106 §181-182).
Abdul Jabbar ibn Wail ibn Hujr reported on the authority of his father that a modesty of a woman was outraged in the Prophet(peace be upon him)’s times.
{Sunan Tirmidhi,BOOK OF HUDUD,Hadith #1483}
He let her off, but appointed hadd(capital punishment) on the man who had assaulted her.
The punishment is given publicly to induce fear of law in the hearts of ,would be criminals.
May Almighty Allah make the society realise the wisdom behind Divine laws revealed to mankind to get rid of the crime prevelant in society Ameen!
