04 - Emergence of Islam and a Revolution: Creation of the Women - Ramadan Reflections 2023

On the fourth day of Ramadan 2023/1444, we review the theme of "Emergence of Islam and a Revolution in the Status of Women: Creation of Women." From today on-wards, we turn our focus to the dawn of Islam, the revelation of the Quran and the revolution which Prophet Muḥammad brought about to change the understanding of people. Right at the outset, we must look at the creation of the human being – as many people – then and now, seem to think that the women is less a human due to how God created them. Right at the beginning of the 4th chapter, which is ironically entitled An-Nisa – The Women – Allah initiates the discussion by taking us back to the creation of humanity: O humankind! In due reverence for your Lord, keep from disobedience to Him Who created you from a single human self, and from it created its mate, and from the pair of them scattered abroad a multitude of men and women. In due reverence for Allah, keep from disobedience to Him in Whose name you make demands of one another, and (duly observe) the rights of the wombs (i.e. of kinship, thus observing piety in your relations with Allah and with human beings). Allah is ever watchful over you. (4:1) Whereas other religions and societies that were build on a lack of Divine teachings looked at women in a negative light, Islam sought to ensure its followers that a woman was every much a human; she had her own free will and her own freedoms – social, political, economic, etc. – obviously in the framework of the teachings of Allah as laid down in the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muḥammad and his family.