Question:
Assalamualaikum respected Mufti sahib……I am from Karachi Pakistan and congratulate your for your great work for Muslim Ummah and make Du’aa to Allah about your success, I want to ask you few questions . Please explain me with Qur’an and Hadith (1) the education of women in Islam ?
(2) HIJAAB (PURDAH) of women in Islam?
(3) Rasoolullah (Sallallaahu alaiyhi Wasallam) ordered Muslim men and women to obtain ILM, I want to ask is this Dunyawi ilm or Deeni ilm?
(4) some of my friend told me about the Hadith “At the near of day of Judgment
(Qiyaamah) one group of Muslim is that who love me too much but they will go to JAHANNAM, because they exceed me to ALLAH in love” is this a correct (Sahih) Hadith, please tell me in detail about this (may ALLAH forgive me if I am wrong)…….may ALLAH give you good health and happy life, and best reward
and the highest stage (Darjah) in Aakhirah. JAZAKALLAH KHAIR.
Answer:
1, 3) It is Fardh upon women to acquire that amount of knowledge which will enable them to correctly discharge the obligations of Deen pertaining to them and aid them in abstaining from Haraam acts. There are certain secular subjects which are Fardh-e-Kifayah for them to study, such as treatment of female related disorders.
If a lady wishes to further her Islamic studies or study other lawful secular subjects, she is allowed to do so provided the limits set by Shari’ah are fully observed. This knowledge would rather prove to be beneficial, if directed to serve Islam and the Muslims. (Muqaddamah-e-Durrul Mukhtaar, Vol. 1, Page 31)
2) In the Qur’an, Allah has instructed the Muslim women to conceal the entire body from those men with whom they are allowed to get married and that they should not display their beauty before them. In Surah Noor, verses, 31, 58, 60 Allah mentions, “And tell the believing women that: “They should cast down their gazes and preserve their chastity, and not display their ornaments except that which is apparent of it.” And let them draw their head-coverings over their bosoms, and let them not display their finery except to their husbands, or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands (fathers-in-law), or their own sons, or the sons of their husbands (step-sons), or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or the sons of their sisters (nephews), or their (Muslim) women, or the women in their possession (slaves), or such male subordinates who have no (sexual) interest (need), or such infants who are not cognisant of the secrets of women. And let the believing women not strike their feet so that the ornaments which they conceal be made known. And turn unto Allah all together O you believers, perhaps you prosper.”
“O you who believe! Let those who are in your ownership, and those who have not reached the age of puberty among you seek permission at three occasions. Before the morning Salaat, and when you lay off your clothes at noon, and after Eshaa’ Salaat. (These) three moments are of your privacy. Besides these moments there is no blame on you or on them. They move up and about to one another. This is how Allah expounds the laws for you. And Allah is Omniscient, All Wise.”
“As for the elderly women who are seated (due to menopause), who no longer expect wedlock, well there is no sin on them that they lay off their outer garments without displaying their charms. And if they refrain (from that too), it will be to their advantage. And Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing.”
In Surah Ahzaab, verse 59 Allah says, “O Nabi e! Say to thy spouses and to thy daughters and to the women of the believers to draw part of their cloaks close onto them. In this way they will soon be recognised, hence not be molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
You can study the Tafseer of these Aayaat in the Kitaab, Ma’aariful Qur’an by Mufti Shafee’ Uthmaani. Furthermore, you should read the works of Moulana Aashiq Ilaahi Saheb on the subject of Pardah and also a book written by Moulana Thafeerud Deen, “Islaam Ka Nitham-e-Iffat Wa Ismat”.
These books can easily be obtained from any Islamic bookstore in Karachi.
And Allah Ta’ala knows best
Mufti Muhammad Ashraf
Darul Iftaa
Jameah Mahmoodiyah
Springs
27 August 2005
21 Rajab 1426