WOMEN IN ISLAM

WOMEN AND ISLAM with them. The Prophet used to pay special attention to strict and full observance of prayer. Yet so great was his consideration for women that sometimes, when he heard babies crying, he would cut short the prayer. He said, “Sometimes I stand up for prayer, intending to do a long one. Then I heard a baby cry, so I cut short the prayer, not wanting to make things difficult for the child’s mother. (Sahih aI-Bukhari, Hadith No. 707) Thus, when God says that He created man’s mate from the same soul, He means that women are of the same species as men. God made them that way, so there should be harmony between the two sexes so that there may be peace and harmony in family life. In this way, together, they may be able to build a better society and the world. Some Sayings of the Prophet Now we come to certain sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad, in which the Arabic word ‘dhil’ has been mentioned for the word ‘rib.’ The first thing that has to be remembered here is that these traditions are about ordinary women and do not refer to the creation of Adam and Eve. It is the manner of every woman’s creation that is being dealt with, not precisely that of Eve. One of the relevant sayings is as follows: “Treat women well, for they have been created from a rib.” (Sahih aI-Bukhari, Hadith No. 5186)