Скачать или смотреть Gender Equality and Differences in Islam - The Duties of Men and Women - Sayyed Muhammad Rizvi

As we celebrate the birth anniversary of the first granddaughter of the Holy Prophet, Hazrat-e-Zainab binte Ali, Maulana Rizvi discusses gender differences in Islam and the perception of gender differences in Islam by non-Muslims.

Sayyed Rizvi mentions that Allah (SWT) says in Surah Nisa that men and women should not compete with one another for what Allah has given them. Maulana also talks about the relationship between a husband and his wife. Non-Muslims misunderstand the different rulings given for husbands and wives and use them as an excuse to criticize the gender inequality in Islam when in reality, there is no inequality. Gender is not a quality of difference in Islam therefore it is a worthless criteria for comparison. In Islam, men or women are not superior to each other in anyway but they are different from each other. Western culture considers equality to be similarity, Islam says men and women are equal but this equality is not based on their similarity. Allah says in the Quran that there is no difference in the potential for men and women in attaining noble virtues. He also says in the Quran that the doer of good will enter Jannah (Heaven) regardless of what gender they are, as long as they are a believer.

Maulana also goes on to compare the gender specific laws of Islam to other religions. He has no trouble proving that Islamic laws are more equal while dealing with different genders as opposed to major sects such as Judaism and Christianity. In pre-Islamic Arab times, baby girls were considered a disgrace in the community. It is interesting to note that the Prophet's only surviving child was a female named Fatima.

Gender differences in Islam are duties assigned to different genders with a family and social context. Allah (SWT) has made women more emotional and men more rational, this doesn't put either one down. Sayyed Rizvi uses the example of when two people go together on a trip, it has to be decided who will make the final decision once they come to a crossroads or else they will be lost. A husband does not own the wife, she does not have to obey him save for two things. A husband must take care of his wife and provide for her.

Remembering Bibi Zainab and her husband Abdullah bin Jaffer, it is important to note that Abdullah bin Jaffer knew Bibi Zainab was close to Imam Hussein (AS) so he did not object to her going with Imam Husein (AS) as he left Medina.

Maulana ends with the topic of abuse. If a Muslim man abuses his wife it is a Muslim that has done this but when a man from another faith does it, he is just a regular citizen. All religious communities deal with the problem where it's followers do not fully implement the religious beliefs of the community into their lives. This does not mean the entire community is at fault, it is just one bad apple that must not be used as a stereotype for the entire barrel.

Recorded on the birth anniversary of Bibi Zainab (AS)
Jamadi 1433 - March 27 2012

Kauthar Wa Nahr
Abundance and Sacrifice