Women in Islam (The Place of Women in Pure Islam)

The purpose of this booklet is to consider the place of women in the pure teaching of Islam. It must be recognized that not every Muslim, nor every Muslim nation follows all of these teachings. These teachings come from both the Qur'an and the Hadith. The Hadith is 'The Tradition of Mohammad', that is, the stories of Mohammad's deeds and sayings. This Hadith is of paramount importance side by side with the Qur'an in the formation of the religious life of a human being and for the attainment of perfection. Indeed a Qur'an minus Hadith remains unintelligible in many cases in the work- a-day life of a man. The commentator Jalal-ud-Din as-Suyouti said that the Hadith is the commentary on the Qur'an and its explanation. This is why almost all commentaries rely in the first place on the Hadith to explain the Qur'an. The authentic Hadith is believed to be nothing short of revelation, [for the Qur'an says of Mohammad] as he does not speak out of low desires. The only difference between the Qur'an and the Hadith is that whereas the former was revealed directly through Gabriel with the very letters that are embodied from Allah, the latter was revealed without letters and words. Thus, next to the Holy Qur'an, the Hadith is the second source of the Islamic Law of social and personal behavior, because the commandments of the Holy Prophet are as binding on the believers as the commandments of Allah. Whenever Allah and the Apostle have decided a matter, it is not for a faithful man or woman to follow a course of their own choice. A Muslim therefore stands in absolute need of a copy of the Qur'an and a copy of the Hadith for the guidance of his life. The chapters include: Men's Superiority, Women's Deficiencies, What is a Woman?, Husband's Rights, Woman's Rights, Man's Prerogatives, The Significance of the Marriage Contract, The Significance of the Dowry, Spiritual Standing of Women, and a Conclusion.