WOMEN’S SPIRITUAL ROLE IN MUSLIM HISTORY
Islam established gender equality in society in the complete sense. Of men and women, the Quran states: “You are members, one of another.” (3:195) According to a tradition, the Prophet of Islam observed: “Men and women are two halves of a single unit.” (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 236)
Such teachings in the Quran and Hadith ushered in a new age of gender equality in the Muslim world of the time. With this freedom, women could play a significant role in society, particularly the women who belonged to the royal families. They had more opportunities and more exposure. They were also highly educated according to the standard of the time. One of these was Maryam Zamani, Emperor Akbar’s mother.
Once, Mulla Abdun Nabi, Akbar’s teacher, insulted the emperor in the court. Akbar was enraged and wanted to punish him, which could even have been a death sentence. However, his mother, Maryam Zamani, intervened and calmed him down. She told him his pardon would go down in history in these words. “An emperor having all the power at his disposal forgave the offender.”
Such incidents abound in history, but usually, these are related to either a ‘mother’ like Maryam Zaman, a ‘daughter’ like Jahan Ara, or a wife like Noor Jahan. This is why people fail to see these roles beyond this framework. They could not extend their roles to general situations in society.
Studies in biology and history show that women have been specially gifted with the qualities required for establishing normal relations.
What are the traits of exemplary Muslim women? Let us first consider their everyday level of existence on which adherence to their religion broadly means paying the dues of God and men in purely personal matters. In particular, it means true belief in God and the carrying out of His commandments; strict adherence to justice in all worldly transactions; withstanding the temptations of the self as instigated by Satan; paying what is due to God in terms of one’s wealth and life; giving the Hereafter priority over the present world; being guided by Islamic ethics in dealing with one’s family, relatives and friends; in effect, invariably dealing with all matters in the manner approved of by Islam.
Next in importance to these feminine duties is the training and nurturing of children. Most women become mothers, and the relationship between mother and child is of the utmost importance because the mother’s influence can be used for ends that may be good or evil, depending upon the mother’s proclivities. As a Muslim, of course, she clearly must use her maternal influence to bring her children up as moral beings. If they have deviated from moral rectitude, she must reform them. Everything that she does should be for their ethical and intellectual betterment.
On a higher plane, talented women can further the cause of religion when the right opportunity presents itself. There are innumerable examples in Islamic history of such work having been successfully carried out by women.
The need of the hour is for more women to recognise their spiritual abilities to perform their roles far more effectively and on a far grander scale. Once this feminine potential is realised, the world will be better for all.
