In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

All praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of all Being, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate, the Master of the Day of Judgment.1 May Allah’s mercy and peace be upon all of His Messengers and truthful and pure Prophets; and may His mercy and peace be upon the master of the children of Adam and the seal of the Prophets, our Prophet Muhammad, the trustworthy Messenger; and may His mercy and peace be upon Muhammad’s family, companions and whoever follows his guidance till the Day of Judgment.

To Proceed:

My brothers and sisters everywhere! With this essay, I am not singling out the adherents of Islam—to which I ascribe—but rather I am writing this essay to every man and woman throughout the whole world.

I ask Allah that He facilitates that this essay reaches every ear, falls under the sight of every eye, and is understood by every heart.

By Allah, I have written this essay sincerely. I do not seek from anyone reward or praise. I only seek to convey to all my brethren in humanity, irrespective of their races or religions, an aspect of the great message that Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullah, Allah’s final messenger to all the peoples of the earth, was sent with.

Specifically, I have chosen to explain the wisdom behind those laws that Allah has legislated regarding women. As contingent upon these laws, an individual’s bliss on earth is gained and his humanity is achieved. Moreover, these Islamic regulations pertaining to women have been singled out for attack by the enemies of humanity, who seek to follow their desires and who are short-sighted. Rather, they have put an end to a person’s bliss on earth and exchanged that with misery and a wretched life.

They have attacked these Divine regulations, so that they may turn humanity away from Allah’s true religion, His straight path, and bliss in this world and the next – toward which the final Messenger of all Divine messages came to give glad tidings and to invite all humanity to receive.

Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullah is Allah’s Prophet and the Final Messenger Sent by Allah to the Inhabitants of Earth My brothers and sisters everywhere! You should know that the Messenger, Muhammad the son of ‘Abdullah (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) is Allah’s Messenger in reality and truth. The evidences that show his veracity are abundant. None but an infidel, who out of arrogancealone, could deny these signs.

1. Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that till his death. Among all his people, he was known as being truthful and trustworthy.  Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of Religion or any previously sent Message. He remained like that for his first forty years.  Revelation then came to Muhammad with the Quran that we now have between our hands. This Quran mentioned most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the greatest detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they were found in the Torah sent down to Moses and in the Gospel sentdown to Jesus. Neither the Jews or Christians were able to belie him regarding anything that he said.

2. Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) also foretold of everything that would occur to him and his community after him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of Chosroes2 and Caesar, and the establishment of the religion of Islam throughout the earth. These events occurred exactly as Muhammad foretold, as if he was reading the future from an open book.

3. Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) also brought an Arabic Quran that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The Quran challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Quran. The eloquent Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Quran. Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been able to compose words that equal – or even approach – the order, grace, beauty, and splendor of this Glorious Quran.

4. The life history of this Noble Prophet was a perfect example of being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely for the reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of Allah.

5. Allah instilled great love for Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him. This love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him. Till today, those who believe in Muhammad honor and love him. Anyone of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and wealth to see him, even if but once.

6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad, who is the most influential human in history. Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by those who believe in him. Upon remembering Muhammad, the believers in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him. They do such with full hearts and true love for him.

7. Nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still followed in all his doings by those who believe in him. Those who believe in Muhammad, sleep in the manner he slept; purify themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he purified himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and clothe themselves.

Indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in Muhammad adhere to the teachings he spread among them and the path that he traveled upon during his life.

During every generation, from his day till our time, the believers in this Noble Prophet have fully adhered to his teachings. With some, this has reached the degree that they desire to follow and adhere to the Prophet’s way in his personal matters regarding which Allah has not sought of them to adhere to in worship. For example, some will only eat those specific foods or only wear those specific garments that the Messenger liked.

Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad repeat those praises of Allah, special prayers, and invocations that he would say during each of his actions during day and night, like: what he would say when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the house, entering and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom, going to sleep and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent, observing the new fruit on trees, eating, drinking, dressing, riding, traveling and returning from travel, etc.

Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad fully perform – even to the minute detail – every act of worship – like prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage – as this Noble Messenger (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) taught and as he himself performed.

All of this allows those who believe in him, to live their lives in all aspects with this Noble Messenger as their example, as if he was standing before them, for them to follow in all their doings.

8. There has never been nor will there ever be a man anywhere upon this earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience in all matters – small and large alike – as has this Noble Prophet.

Since his day, in every region of the earth and during every period, this Noble Prophet has been followed by individuals from all races, colors and peoples. Many of those who followed him were previously Christians, Jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any religion. Among those who chose to follow him, were those who were known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight. They choose to follow this Noble Prophet after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the evidences of his miracles. They did not choose to follow Muhammad out of compulsion or coercion or because they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers.

Indeed many of the followers of this Prophet (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him), chose to follow him during the time when Islam was weak, when there were few Muslims, and when there was severe persecution of his followers on earth. Most people who have followed this Prophet (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) have done so not to acquire some material benefits. Indeed many of his followers have suffered the greatest forms of harm and persecution as a result of following this Prophet. Despite all this harm and persecution, this did not turn them back from his religion.

My brethren! All of this clearly indicates to anyone possessing any sense, that this Prophet was truly and really Allah’s messenger and that he was not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke about Allah without knowledge.

10. With all this, Muhammad came with a great religion in its creedal and legal make-up. Muhammad described Allah with qualities of complete perfection, and at the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any imperfection. Neither the philosophers or the wise could ever describe Allah like such. Indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human mind could conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete ability, knowledge, and greatness; Who has subdued the creation; Who has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large; and Who possesses such perfect mercy.

Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on earth like the laws that Muhammad brought for all spheres of human activity – like, buying and selling, marriage and divorce, renting, testimony, custody, and all other contracts that are necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.

11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom, morals, good manners, nobleness of character as what this honorable Prophet (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) brought.

In a full and complete manner, Muhammad spread a teaching regarding character and manners toward one’s parents, relatives, friends, family, humanity, animals, plants and inanimate objects. It is impossible for the human mind alone to grasp all of that teaching or come with a similar teaching.

All of that unequivocally indicates that this Messenger did not bring any of this religion from his own accord, but that it was rather a teaching and inspiration that he received from the One Who created the earth and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous architecture and perfection.

12. The legal and creedal make-up of the religion that the Messenger, Muhammad, (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) brought resembles the engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that indicates that He who created the heavens and the earth is the One Who sent down this great law and upright religion.

The degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon Muhammad is to the same degree of inimitability of the Divine creation of the heavens and earth. For just as humanity cannot create this universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like Allah’s law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him).

O my brothers and sisters everywhere! Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

This is a call from Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) to all humanity irrespective of their creeds or religions.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), the Lord and Creator, calls humanity to fear Him and to know that He has created them from a single soul, Adam, humanity’s father (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).

From Adam, Allah created his mate, and she is Eve. (It has been mentioned upon the tongue of the final Messenger and Prophet, Muhammad, who is truthful and believed in, that Allah took a rib from Adam and from it created his mate Eve).

Through the joining of every male and female from the offspring of Adam and Eve, Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) made all of humanity (with the exception of Jesus (upon him Allah’s mercy and peace) who was created by Allah, from the Virgin Mary without any father, but by Allah’s Word3 and the blowing of the angel of Jesus’ soul into Mary.

After Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He), the Lord, taught us that He created all of us from a single soul and commanded us that we fear Him; He then commands us a second time to observe our duty toward Him and warns us from cutting the ties of the womb.

The womb (or ‘rahm’ in Arabic) is that place from where the child grows. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) derived for this organ a name from His names; Allah is ar-Rahman4 and this organ is known as the ‘rahm’. This is so, because Allah calls us to be merciful with one another and in particular with those whom we are linked with by a single womb.

For this reason among humans the mother is the most merciful as her child grew and developed in her womb. After the mother, the most merciful among humans is the father, as it was his seed that brought forth the fetus in the womb of the mother. After the parents, the most merciful are the full brothers and sisters as they all are joined by a single womb in which they grew and by one father who was their seed. After the siblings, the most merciful are half-brothers and half-sisters, who share the same mother, as they all are from a single womb even if their fathers are different; and then after them are half-brothers and halfsisters from a single father; and so forth.

This mercy shared between all humanity is what distinguishes them from all animals.

For all of humanity is united by a single, distant womb, the womb of Eve, and are then united in closer wombs, like the womb that links brothers and sisters. This mercy shared by humanity is the greatest matter that Allah distinguished humans with from all other animals on earth.

Neither intelligence itself nor the ability to provide for one’s needs is what distinguishes humans from animals. The worms in the earth, the animals that crawl on the ground, the beasts and birds, each knows how to acquire the necessities for its existence, how to store its food, how to protect and raise its offspring; and how by its wits to reach the end of its natural life span provided no event terminates its life.

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) then informs us in this verse that He is ever watchful over all of us.

Among the meanings of His watchfulness over us is that He knows whatever we do during night or day, secretly or openly. Indeed Allah knows our thoughts and what our hearts conceal. Every instant He looks at us. Nothing is hidden from His Eyes that sleep not. He is acquainted with our secrets, He hears our words, and He enumerates our deeds.

Allah has appointed for us the system, law, and way that He required from us to follow in all our affairs. Allah revealed this system, law, and way to every generation and people upon the tongues of His messengers and prophets, whom He sent to humanity during every age, beginning with Adam (who was a prophet to whom Allah spoke) and concluding with Muhammad (who is Allah’s messenger and prophet for all humanity from the moment that Allah sent him till the Hour of Judgment is established and these heavens and earth come to an end).

Upon the basis of this system, law, and way that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent down, He will judge us concerning we did. Did our actions agree with the truth and occur as Allah commanded and legislated for us? Or did we in this life travel according to our whims and desires and by what we legislated for our own selves and by what our minds devised.

My brothers and sisters everywhere! Islam’s law that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent down to His Messenger Muhammad came to announce that women (exactly like men) are full human beings. Women are therefore required to follow the way appointed by Allah.

A woman (like a man) is therefore obligated with all three degrees of this religion: Islam (outward submission to Allah), Iman (inward faith in Allah), and Ihsan (perfection of worship of Allah.

It is thus required for every woman to testify that there is none deserving worship but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger; to pray; to give charity; to fast; and to make a pilgrimage to Allah’s House if she has the means.

It is likewise required for every woman to believe in Allah, His angels, His scriptures, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in Allah’s decree (and that the good and evil consequences thereof are from Allah.

These are the fundamentals of Islam and Iman.

It is likewise required for every woman to worship Allah as if she sees Him. For although she cannot see Allah, she must believe that He sees whatever she does in secret and in public.

Women (exactly like men) have been commanded with these three levels of the religion (Islam, Iman, and Ihsan).

Women are also obligated to enjoin good and forbid evil; to wage jihad by saying that which is truthful; and to adhere to all noble behavior, like: truthfulness, trustworthiness, courage, modesty, and self-respect.

Every Muslim woman is commanded to be steadfast in her religion and not to be negligent with her faith. It is impermissible for her – under any pressure or compulsion – to open her heart to accept the word of disbelief.

Clearly when Islam charged women with all these duties and in all these obligations made her equal to men, the intent was to honor her and permit her reach the highest degree of perfection of her being.

For the duties that Allah has obligated humanity with are but a means to honor us. Prayer, as well as fasting, is an honor for the servant and means to raise his rank. To adhere to Allah’s straight path and the manners of Islam are, without doubt, means to honor us and not humiliateus as is imagined by those who are ignorant of Allah and follow their desires.

Such people think and imagine that a human being who does not believe in Allah, does not uphold the trust of these duties, and does not perform what Allah has commanded him is of a higher standing than the believer who adheres to the obligations of Islam. Such an idea is ignorance and renders human beings on par with the animals.

Humans have been created to be tried by Allah and have been charged with fulfilling these duties to Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) and 5 Like the ideas of Western feminism which necessitate disbelief not only in Allah, the Quran, and the Messenger Muhammad, but indeed a rejection of every scripture and messenger sent by Allah for humanity.

His creatures.6 As for animals, while they have been by created by Allah, they have not been charged with this trust.7

Whoever considers that human being who does not uphold what Allah has obligated an equal to those who fulfill what Allah has obligated is like those who consider humans and animals to be equal. For this reason, Allah has said:

And He has said:

The disbeliever in Allah is a guilty criminal, for he does not know whom He is to worship, his Creator, his Protector, his Lord, and He Who created this universe in which he lives. The disbeliever enjoys what Allah has blessed him with and yet forgets the One Who blessed and preferred him with such blessings. As for the believer, he is the honorable servantwho knows His Lord, God whom He worships, and Creator. He fulfills what Allah has obligated and travels upon the path that Allah has delineated for him.

1 The Quran 1:1-3.
2 The royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia.
3 Allah said ‘Be’ and Jesus came into being.
4 Which in Arabic means the All-Merciful.
5 Hence every Muslim woman falls under Allah’s statement:
6 Allah says: “Blessed be He in whose hand is the Kingdom – He is powerful over everything – who created death and life, that He may try you which of you is fairest in works…” [The Quran 68:1-2]
“I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me [alone].” [The Quran 51:56]
7 Allah says:
“We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of it; and man carried it. Surely he is unjust, ignorant. That Allah may chastise the hypocrites, men and women alike, and the polytheists, men and women alike; and that Allah may turn again unto the believers, men andwomen alike. Allah is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.” [The Quran 33:72-73]