Marriage Is the Prophet’s Sunnah

Question:   Salam. I have a question: To my knowledge the Sunnah is what the Prophet did and advised but it is not compulsory, yet I hear that you have to get married as it is sunnah, but surely if it is sunnah then you have a choice and I don’t know whether this is right or wrong. Someone said that the great Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that if you don’t get married then you are not one of us. Please explain which is correct..

Jazakum Allahu khayran.

 

 

Answer:   Salam, Thank you for your question and for trusting our page with finding a convincing answer for you.

 

There are three correct concepts in your message, so let’s start by pointing them out:

 

1. It is correct that the Sunnah is what Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, did, or recommended for Muslims worldwide to do from his time until the end of time.

2. As you mentioned, doing a sunnah act is not compulsory, and one does not reap sins for leaving out regular practice of Sunnah; and, yes, you have a choice regarding what you choose to do. Yet there is a huge reward (thawab) to be gained from following in the footsteps of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as mentioned in numerous ayahs (verses of Qur’an), for example ones that mean:

*{And obey Allah and the Messenger, that you may be shown mercy.}* (Aal `Imran 3:132)

*{And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they!}* (An-Nisaa’ 4:69)

3. Marriage is indeed of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad and all the other Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them all) as mentioned in the Prophetic tradition that your friend referred to: Some of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) asked his wives about the acts that he performed in private. Someone among them (his Companions) said: I will not marry women; and another said: I will not eat meat; and someone among them said: I will not lie down in bed. He (the Prophet) praised Allah and glorified Him, and asked: What has happened to these people that they say such-and-such, whereas I observe the Prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and abstain (from fasting); I also marry women. And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with me (Muslim).

In his explanation of the meaning of “And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with me,” An-Nawawi says: If the disobedience were due to a misinterpretation, the meaning of “not of my follower” would suggest “one who did not follow my way.” However, if someone disobeyed out of objection thinking that his way is better than the Prophet’s, the meaning of “not of my follower” would mean he is no longer one of us because behaving this way equates to kufr (disbelief).

This, then, implies that if someone does not marry because he has not yet found a suitable mate, or he does not have the means, or has some defect that prevents him from marrying, or even because he personally does not have any strong desire to marry, then he would not fall into the category of one who is not of the Muslims. One who thinks that celibacy is better than marriage would fall into this category.

Now, having pointed out the facts in your question, let’s explain the duties of a Muslim to obey Allah’s rules in the universe so as to obtain His mercy. First of all, let’s ask ourselves two important questions:

1. Why were we created?
The answer to this question is very clearly stated in the Qur’an in numerous ayahs, for example one that means:

*{ And I have not created the jinn and the men except that they should serve Me.}* (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)

From this we learn that our entire life should be dedicated to pleasing Allah, Who created us solely for this purpose. One of our duties towards our Creator is to bring to existence good Muslims (through Allah’s power, of course). In Islam, the only way to do so is by getting married. Islam is an advocate of marriage and the formation of stable families. Other forms of sexual liaisons between individuals are prohibited in Islam.

2. Why did Allah send Prophet Muhammad?
The answer to this question will tell us why one gains a lot from following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, and the answer to it is also in the verses of the Qur’an that mean:

*{Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent exemplar for him who hopes in Allah and the latter day and remembers Allah much.}* (Al-Ahzab 33:21)

*{Your companion does not err, nor does he go astray; nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed, the Lord of Mighty Power has taught him.}* (An-Najm 53:2-5)

From these verses we learn that Prophet Muhammad was sent as a live example and role model for Muslims to follow until the end of time. A good Muslim—after reading this praise in the Qur’an and after learning the life story of Prophet Muhammad—will certainly want to model his behavior according to this “most praiseworthy” man (which is the meaning of the name Muhammad). Prophet Muhammad got married, recommended marriage, prohibited celibacy, and provided Muslims with a complete day-to-day “manual” on the marital life under all possible circumstances through his own marriages.

Prophet Muhammad recommended marriage for Muslims for several reasons.

The Importance of Marriage in Islam

1. Marriage in Islam has aspects of both `ibadah (worship) of Allah and mu`amalah (transactions between human beings).

In its `ibadah aspect, marriage is an act pleasing to Allah because it is in accordance with His commandments that husband and wife love each other and help each other to rear their children to become true servants of Allah.

In its mu`amalah aspect, marriage is a lawful response to the basic instincts of intimacy. The Shari`ah (Islamic law) has prescribed detailed rules for translating this into a system of rights and duties. You will notice that many surahs of the Qur’an discuss the rules of marriage, family relations, and domestic etiquette. This certainly brings our attention to the importance of forming a family.

The Prophet considered marriage for a Muslim as half of his religion because it shields him from promiscuity, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, etc., which ultimately lead to many other evils like slander, quarreling, homicide, loss of property, and disintegration of the family.

2. Allah created men and women as company for one another so they can procreate and live in peace and tranquility according to the commandments of Allah and the directions of His Messenger. Sexual desires were created by Allah for these specific reasons, and Muslims are instructed on how to channel these desires to live a happy, settled life. In a verse of the Qur’an Allah says what means:

*{And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.}* (Ar-Rum 30:21)

In contrast to other religions which consider celibacy or monasticism as a great virtue and a means of salvation, Islam considers marriage as one of the most virtuous and approved institutions.

3. Marriage protects the chastity of Muslims, and protects society from the dangerous social and physical diseases we see around us now in societies that refrain from marriage under false pretences of “freedom” when in actuality it’s only slavery to Satan’s wishes. Islam recognizes the emotional and physical needs in humans, which if not fulfilled—or if fulfilled haphazardly—will result in chaos. The Prophet instructed: “O you young men! Whoever is able to marry should marry, for that will help him to lower his gaze and guard his modesty” (Al-Bukhari). Modesty was regarded as a great virtue by the Prophet.

4. According to modern sciences, marriage has a lot of gains for the individual and for society. For example, modern psychology proves that married individuals are a lot more productive and less prone to serious illness and chronic stress, and children raised in stable homes are much more successful and useful to themselves and to society.

5. According to Islamic history, a special mother or wife is always the key factor behind the success of exceptional people. We have, for example, the mothers of Imam Malik and Imam Al-Bukhari; Asma’ bint Abi Bakr, mother of `Abdullah ibn Az-Zubair; and Fatimah the Prophet’s daughter, wife of `Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Is Marriage Compulsory in Islam?

A Muslim always has a choice; he is never forced to do things as long as he knows the consequences of his choice and is fully responsible for the outcome of his actions. Applying this basic concept to marriage, the favored option by Allah is to find a good, pious mate and get married.

Muslims who want to please Allah must not choose celibacy for no reason while they are capable of getting married. And Muslims who are unable to get married for acceptable reasons are still expected to refrain from premarital sex until Allah wills it for them to afford marriage.

Marriage is compulsory for a man if he has the means to easily pay the dower and to support a wife and children; he is healthy; and he fears that if does not marry he may be tempted to commit fornication.

Marriage is also compulsory for a woman if she has no other means of maintaining herself and she fears that her sexual urge may push her into fornication.

But even for a person who has a strong will to control his/her sexual desire, who has no wish to have children, and who feels that marriage will keep him/her away from his/her devotion to Allah, marriage is commendable.

The general opinion is that if a person, male or female, fears that if he/she does not marry he/she will commit fornication, then marriage becomes wajib (obligatory). If a person has strong sexual urges, then it becomes wajib for that person to marry. Marriage should not be put off or delayed, especially if one has the means.

Marriage is not recommended for a man who does not possess the means to maintain a wife and future family, who has no sex drive, or who dislikes children.

The Qur’an and the Sunnah clearly show that marriage is a mithaq—a solemn covenant (agreement). It is not a matter that can be taken lightly. One should follow the Islamic rules for selecting a mate for life, and should be mature enough to understand the demands of marriage so that the union can be a lasting one.

Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of the institution of marriage in Islam. May Allah guide you and all Muslims to good loving mates.

 

Why Not More Than Four Wives?

Name of Questioner Mahmoud   – Egypt   Title Why Not More Than Four?   Date 15/Apr/2008   Question Dear Sir, I have been asked by a foreigner why the figure 4 was identified as the maximum number of wives a Muslim can hold? As the question came from a non-Muslim, I have considered to convince him form a non-Muslim stand. However, I promised him to come with a better answer from an imam.     I have given the following justifications:   1- We, as religious people, will not accept a mockery question. So, it either be a serious one to know and take further consideration, or if you just want to waste time we are not interested to proceed;   2- For any religion we have to believe in what God says without asking for the reason behind it;   3- We believe first why God has given that license for man and when and how it should be used. Then, I have some examples of an ill wife or a wife who can’t bring children or other examples including the case of war where 30 million men were killed;   4- I ask him if he knew the number of men and women live and how come the balance is made.. At last, I want to send him even better answer Thanks in advance for your support and please excuse my language. Regards.           Topic Marriage   Name of Counselor Fadel Soliman

Answer

Salam, Mahmoud.     Thank you for your question.   Actually this is one of the main accusations used to attack Islam with and a very frequently asked question.   Polygamy, in its two forms preceded Islam; those two forms are polygyny or marrying several wives and polyandry or marrying several husbands. Islam came restricting it to polygyny alone, as well as limiting the number of wives to a maximum of four wives under the condition of being extremely just in treating them equally.   What is funny is that those attacks on Islam are not coming from monogamous societies, but rather polygamous ones too.   Recent studies reveal that 45-55% of married women and 50-60% of married men engage in extramarital sex at some time or another during their relationship. (Atwood & Schwartz, 2002 – Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy)   Most experts do consider the ‘educated guess’ that at the present time some 50 to 65 percent of husbands and 45 to 55 percent of wives become extramaritally involved by the age of 40, to be a relatively sound and reasonable one. Peggy Vaughan, The Monogamy Myth, first published in 1989 by Newmarket Press, third edition published 2003.   Therefore western societies are not necessarily monogamous ones.   What is the difference between Islamic polygyny and western polygamy?   1. In Islam, a woman can not have more than one husband because it is the right of every child to know his/her biological father; while in some countries, there is a huge percentage of children who do not know their fathers.   2. In Islam, the second woman will be a legitimate wife and her children will be officially legitimate children who will inherit and carry the names of their fathers, while in western polygamy the second woman is a mistress who ends up as a single mother and her children neither inherit nor carry the names of their fathers.   3. In Islam, a man marries more than one wife under the condition of being extremely fair and treating them equally; while in the west it is just to enjoy himself out of wedlock not caring for any consequences that may occur to the woman.   4. In Islam, cheating on one’s wife is strictly forbidden, while according to the law in most — if not all — western countries cheating on one’s wife is legal.   In some Muslim countries, like Egypt, informing the first wife is a must, after that she can choose whether to accept to stay as a wife or get a divorce. In all cases no one will be forced to live a life against his/her wish, neither the man will be deprived of his right to marry the woman that he wants, nor will a woman be forced to live with a man that she dislikes.   And the Shariah in all cases gave the woman the right to Khul` (divorcing the man through a judge) even without the need for giving a strong reason. For example, the woman who asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to divorce her from her husband, when he asked her for her reasons, she said; “I dislike him.”   The argument on this legislation is about the right of the man to marry in secret and not let his first wife learn about his marriage to another.   Men were created polygamous because of a need in human society. There is normally a surplus of women in most human societies:   1. The surplus is a result of men dying in wars, violent crimes and women outliving men;   2. The upsurge in homosexuality further increases the problem.   If systems do not cater to the need of surplus women, it will result in corruption in society. For example, after World War II, when suggestions to legalize polygamy were rejected by the Church, Germany legalized prostitution.   German prostitutes are considered as workers like any other profession. They receive health benefits and pay taxes like any other citizen.   Furthermore, the rate of marriage has been steadily declining as each succeeding generation finds the institution of marriage more and more irrelevant.   Divine legislation looks at the society as a whole seeking to maximize benefit. Dr. Abu Aminah Bilal Philips says, if a certain legislation benefits the majority of the society and causes some emotional harm to a minority, the general welfare of the society is given precedence.   I totally agree with Dr. Philips. But, I would actually like to add that legislating polygyny is not in fact hurting most women. It is actually hurting those who are married among women and are not ready to share their husbands with other women who are unmarried and are ready to share in those men who are financially able to marry. Because it is the right of every woman to have a man and fulfill her social and sexual needs.   I always mention this personal experience on this matter. As one of my aunts who lived a 35-year love story with her husband and was never able to have children, decided to make the dream come true. So she married him to another woman, rented for them an apartment in the same building.   And when the new wife got her first child, who happened to be a baby girl, she named her Hanan, after my aunt’s name. Today, the man goes to work everyday and both women take breakfast together with three children playing around them.   The question is: if there are people who accept such solutions for their problems, why would any other people prevent it?   Finally, polygyny means more women getting married and more men having extra social and financial responsibilities. This is why it is rarely practiced. In Egypt, less than 2% of the marriages are plural marriages; while the percentage increases in higher economies up to 10%. The question remains, in whose favor is it?   Dear brother, I like your approach in attempting to answer. It just needs fine tuning.   First, when it comes to explaining to a non-Muslim that we should follow some instructions even though we might not comprehend the wisdom behind them, we need first to explain to him what the meaning of the word Islam is, being submissive to the will of God, who created the man and the woman and therefore knows what is best for both of them.   So, sometimes we can understand the wisdom behind some of God’s instructions and sometimes we do not, but we always have to follow it in order to live a happy life. The number 4 in case of polygamy is a perfect example.   Second, only talk about Islam, you should not speak on behalf of other religions, and say (in all religions people should follow ….) because this can cause you embarrassment, if he tells you: this is inaccurate, the XYZ religion does not ordain blind following on its followers etc.   I hope this answers your question. Please keep in touch.   Salam.

Tiga Persoalan Asas Yang Mesti Dijawab

Ada tiga persoalan asas yang perlu kita tanya diri kita sendiri.

1. Dari mana kita datang?
2. Kenapa kita datang ke muka bumi ini?
3. Ke manakah kita akan dikembalikan?

Mari kita renung diri kita. Adakah kita pernah terfikir untuk mengeluarkan persoalan yang begitu asas ini di dalam hati kita? Bagi seorang jurutera, dia mungkin pernah menjawab soalan rumit termodinamik atau jet combustion. Bagi seorang doktor, dia mungkin pernah menyelesaikan masalah pengaliran darah di dalam otak atau soalan anatomi yang kompleks. Seorang jurutera nuklear pula mungkin pernah menemui formula atom yang sofistikated. Seorang pakar matematik pula mungkin pernah menjawab soalan kalkulus yang memerlukan super komputer untuk mencari penyelesaiannya. Tidak kurang juga seorang ahli astronomi membuat pengiraan yang panjang bagi kedudukan sesuatu bintang atau galaksi.

Walaupun soalan-soalan kompleks atau penemuan-penemuan yang canggih yang dijumpai oleh manusia di zaman ini, namun kita mesti kembali kepada tiga persoalan asas seperti di atas. Supaya kita mengenal siapa kita sebenarnya. Apa tujuan hidup kita di dunia ini. Adakah matinya kita sama seperti matinya kucing atau anjing di jalanan. Cuba kita lihat ke langit! Bagaimana burung-burung terbang di angkasa. Bagaimana jet direka. Kenapa turunnya hujan. Untuk apa. Untuk siapa. Berapa besar langit di hadapan kita. Berapa luas. Berapa jauh. Betapa cantiknya langit, awan, bulan, matahari, bintang, galaksi, dan bermacam-macam lagi yang kita lihat dengan mata kita atau dengan bantuan teleskop.

Ya Allah apa-apa yang Engkau jadikan ini tidaklah dengan sia-sia! Itulah ungkapan yang keluar dari lidah kita. Subhanallah.

 

Jizyah, Compulsion and Islam

Name of Questioner Muhammad   – Singapore   Title Jizyah, Compulsion and Islam   Date 28/Feb/2008   Question Salam, I have a question regarding the history of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). For one of his dawah, Prophet Muhammad sent a letter to a country called Najran if I’m not wrong. They were mostly Christians and had received the Prophet’s invitation to join Islam. Please correct me if I’m wrong. What I like to know is that the Prophet told them they had to pay the jizyah if they didn’t join Islam. And if they didn’t want to pay, they would have to fight against the Muslims in a war.   Is this true? Would the Prophet use this kind of strategy to get people to join islam? Thank you in advance for answering.     Topic Prophetic Ethics   Name of Counselor Mohsen Haredy

Answer

Salam, Muhammad.   Thank you for your interesting question. Thank you also for your keenness to have a clear picture of the history of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).   The ABCs of Dawah   Let me start with the last part of your question. Simply put, it is a fact that throughout his life, Prophet Muhammad never forced anybody to join Islam. He was applying the clear statement made by Allah in the Quran which can be translated as follows:   *{Let there be no compulsion in religion.}* (Al-Baqarah 2:256)   His dawah was based on calling people to Islam with wisdom and good exhortation. In doing so, he was following the divine order which reads:   *{Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and have disputations with them in the best manner; surely your Lord best knows those who go astray from His path, and He knows best those who follow the right way.}* (An-Nahl 16:125)   Therefore, his mission was to let people know about his message and just to call them to follow it. Here ends his mission. The issue of guidance is always left to Allah Who guides whom He chooses. The Prophet was told in the Quran:   *{Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases, and He knows best the followers of the right way.}* (Al-Qasas 28:56)   Najran’s Delegation   Concerning the specific incident you mentioned in your question, Najran is located south of Makkah towards Yemen. It included seventy three villages. They arrived in Madinah in the year 9 A.H. The delegation comprised sixty men. Twenty-four of them were of noble families. Three out of twenty-four were at one time leaders of Najran.   When that group of delegates arrived in Madinah, they met the Prophet, exchanged inquiries with him. When he called them to Islam and recited the Quran to them, they refused. They asked him what he thought about Jesus (peace be upon him. The Prophet , he waited a whole day till the following Quranic reply was revealed to him:   *{Verily, the likeness of Jesus before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’ — and he was.}* (Aal `Imran 3:59)   After long discussions with the Prophet, the chiefs of the delegation came to him and said: “We grant you what you have demanded.” The Prophet acknowledged that agreement and ordered them to pay jizyah. In return they will have the covenant of Allah and His Messenger. He gave them a covenant that provides for practicing their religious affairs freely. They asked the Prophet to appoint a trustworthy man to receive the money agreed on for peace, so he sent them the trustworthy man of this nation Abu ‘Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarrah to receive the amounts of money agreed on in the peace treaty. (Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum)   It is worthy mentioning here that Najran’s delegation stayed at the Prophet’s mosque. They were free to practice their Christian rituals inside the mosque while hanging the cross on their bodies. The Muslims were protecting and serving them as they were guests in the Prophet’s mosque.   The Dhimmah Covenant   The covenant that the Prophet concluded with Najran’s delegation was the first to include the word dhimmah (pledge of security).   The covenant granted them protection that embraces their property, their souls, their land, their religion, those of them who were present or absent, and all that which they possessed, whether ample or little. No bishop, monk, or priest shall be removed from his office. No army shall enter their land. If anyone of the people of Najran demanded their rights, justice must be given to him. Neither shall they oppress nor shall they be oppressed.   Today, there is no place for the word dhimmah. It can be replaced by citizenship. And the term ahl al-dhimmah can be replace by the term citizens.   Jizyah   As we have seen the covenant did not mention the jizyah. Muslims were paying zakah which was used in all sorts of services and social welfare. It was fair to make non-Muslims pay jizyah. So, it was a compensation for not going to war as it was not fair to ask these non-Muslim citizens to fight with Muslims against fellow believers of their same religion.   The Companions and Successors absolved non-Muslims who participated with Muslims in defending their country from the tax. Because of this, Suraqah ibn Amr absolved Armenians from paying jizyah in 22 AH, as did Habib ibn Maslamah Al-Fahri with the non-Muslims of Antioch. The Companions of Abu Ubaidah ibn Al-Jarrah, with his approval and the Companions’ approval, absolved a non-Muslim community on the Turkish–Syrian border known as Al-Jarajimah. (Dr. Mohammad Salim Al-Awa, A Lecture delivered at the Arab Christian Media Men Conference, The Middle East Council of Churches, Beirut, Oct. 10, 2002.)   In today’s world, non-Muslim citizens living in Muslim countries perform military service and protect their nations. Therefore, it is not obligatory on them to pay jizyah.   Non-Muslim Minorities   In Muslim countries, non-Muslim citizens are guaranteed the freedom to practice their religion. Their places of worship are protected and no one is allowed to attack them.   Non-Muslims are our neighbors, classmates, co-workers, etc. Muslims are to treat them gently. There is much to agree on with non-Muslims. Islam does not disrespect anyone for whatever reason. We have a saying in Islam attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet’ cousin, that says: (People are of two types, either those who are brothers in faith or those who are brothers in humanity.)   So, Muslims are the brothers of non-Muslims in humanity regardless of their different beliefs.   The Quran recommends Muslims to show non-Muslims who are not at war with Muslims kindness. We read what means:   *{Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you in the matters of your religion and those who did not expel you from your homes, that you show them courtesy and kindness and act justly with them because Allah loves those who are Just.}* (Al-Mumtahanah 68:8)   This is what Islam teaches Muslims. If some Muslims are not practicing this, then the problem is with the Muslims’ understanding of Islam not with Islam itself. Islam should not be judged by the bad practice of Muslims.   I hope this answers your question. Please keep in touch.   Salam.

Multiple Wives in Paradise: What Is for Women?

Name of Questioner Muslimah   – United Kingdom   Title Multiple Wives in Paradise: What Is for Women?   Question As-salamu `alaykum. Some traditional Muslims believe that Muslim men will be rewarded with 70 houris specially created for them and two believing women from this life. This is very demeaning and offensive to all women.A question comes to my mind at this point. Why would God cause jealousy between husband and wife on this earth when He promises to give the same cause of jealousy (multiple wives) in Heaven to one gender (man) as a reward? Who put love, mercy, and affection between the spouses? It is sad to find that in traditional Muslim literature the concept of Heaven is a place specially created for men; there is no equality between men and women.For men, Heaven is simply an extension of the earth where they established control and dominance over women through legitimizing unsanctioned polygamy and unlimited sex with females. One man’s Heaven is a woman’s Hell. This is supported by scholars, as a majority of them state that Paradise is a place of fulfillment of desires, and men—being prone to polygamy—will receive this as a reward. My question is, how is it possible that Allah Almighty will grant the fulfillment of the desires of the male but not of the female—that is, to not share her husband with multiple women? What about women who are patient in this life, hoping that their desire of not sharing their husbands will come true? I have read that scholars state that Allah will remove the “jealousy” from the heart of the women so they shouldn’t worry about it. Please explain how does this justify anything? Instead of her desire/wish being fulfilled, she will be brainwashed, but on the other hand men won’t have to give up anything. Why won’t Allah remove the lust to have multiple wives from their hearts in order to please the female servants, while He will remove jealousy from the hearts of females in order to please male servants? How come jealousy is a “female” product? When men are jealous, their jealousy is labeled as “ghayrah” (attack on morality). Bur when women are “jealous”, they are labeled as jealous beings? How I see it, being neutral, jealousy is a human product and not just a female thing. Allah created one mate, at least that’s what is mentioned in the Qur’an, for Adam (peace be upon him). Therefore it is the fitrah of every male and female to feel “jealousy” when it is about sharing one’s spouse. Men are more possessive and would react in a similar way, even worse when it is about sharing their spouse. The reason is because we are both human beings. I totally agree with the “acceptance” of polygamy in this life, because it is a “solution” advised in the situations to avoid the haram. But it is discouraged by putting conditions on it. But paradise is every Muslim’s (men and women) goal. It doesn’t sound/feel right to the fitrah that it will be more rewarding towards men and again will require females to sacrifice and share. No matter how you put it, it is sharing the reward when one’s husband will have at least two other wives. Does Allah love men more than women? A male martyr will receive 70 wives, but if a female servant of Allah dies for Jihad fisabillillah, she will still be required to share her husband with other wives. This concept is very discouraging and offensive towards Muslim sisters. I personally feel like crying because it seems that no matter how hard I work to please Allah, even go as far as giving up my life for Allah Almighty, my reward will not be equivalent to that of a male servant.     Date 23/Aug/2005   Name of Counsellor Sano Koutoub Moustapha Topic Muslim Creed, Muslim Belief, The Unseen

Answer

Wa `alaykum as-salamu wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Sister, first of all, we’d like to say that we are impressed by your question, which emanates from a thoughtful heart. May Allah Almighty help us all adhere to the principles of this true religion, Islam, and enable us to be among the dwellers of Paradise in the Hereafter. Paradise is the abode of the believers in the Hereafter. Allah has prepared for His believing servants, males and females, in Paradise indescribable bliss which no eye has seen, no ear has heard of, and that has never ever crossed the minds of people, to the extent that even the person who has the least blessings in Paradise will think that he is the most blessed one. In more than one Qur’anic verse, Allah Most High, calls upon His servants to do their utmost in order to be favored with Paradise. For example, He says, (And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil).) (Aal `Imran 3: 133) As regards your question, we’d like to inform you that in Paradise believing men and women will be showered with blessings; there is no room for discrimination based on sex in Paradise. The life of women in jannah will be as pleasant and happy as the life of men. Allah is not partial to any sex. He created both of them and He will take care of both of them according to their needs and desires. Let us all work to achieve the jannah and then, in sha’ Allah, we will find there what will satisfy all of us fully. In his response to your question, Dr. Sano Koutoub Moustapha, professor of Fiqh and its Principles, International Islamic University, Malaysia, states the following: Thank you so much for your very interesting comments and understanding of the issue of polygamy and the blessings given to men in Heaven. I congratulate you for your logical ability and critical way of looking at things. However, I shall also confirm to you the issue of polygamy, be it in this life or the hereafter, it should not be classified as a privilege but rather a solution as you correctly mentioned in your arguments. In other words, Islam does not open the door of polygamy for all men as it does not open it to women at all. As you may know well that each ruling or law has an exception and the exception is not the principle, therefore, we can not judge a law through its exceptions. In this regard, I shall remind you that rewarding a mujahid with many wives doesn’t mean betraying the female mujahid. It simply means there is a such reward for those mujahids who are looking for it. In other words, there is no compulsion upon all mujahids to accept or reject this reward. It is exactly the same thing as the polygamy in this life. It is meant for those who want it, not for every single mujahid. Yet every Muslim man and woman who is allowed to enter Heaven is given the opportunity to get whatever he or she wants as clearly stated in the Qur’an and many Hadiths of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). This means that those women who don’t want their husbands to have more could be granted this wish and desire. At the same time if the husbands of those women want to have more than them Allah is great and can satisfy each of them in the way He, the Almighty, wants. Therefore, a woman should not be frustrated for a privilege of polygamy offered to men. This is not, for sure, at the expense of woman. Heaven is meant for both men and women, both of them are equally entitled to get what they wish for. Certainly, there would be no clashes in their wishes, if any, the Almighty knows how to please each of them. Having said that, I shall inform you that the existing setup of humans in terms of desire, would be changed on the Day of Judgment. In other words, both men and women would not be allowed to enter Heaven in their existing physical makeup. They will be in a better and greater form as stated by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Both of them would enjoy living together and having whatever they wish and like. Finally, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) describes Heaven as a place where there are many things which no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard before and no heart has ever felt. Let us pray the Almighty to grant us this great and wonderful place. Let us work harder and harder to be in this place. It is only through our full submission to the will and the orders of Allah that we will one day be granted this place.

The Reward of Women in Paradise

Name of Questioner Muslimah   Title The Reward of Women in Paradise   Question Respected scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum. Whenever I read the Holy Qur’an, it always makes me wonder what would be the life of a female in Paradise or Jannah. The Qur’an talks about life after death and gives information that how a MAN’s life is going to be in the other life. They will live in gardens where there are rivers and trees full of fruits. But I never read a passage that describes the lives of women in Jannah. If so, please let me know where in the Qur’an I can find information in this regard. How will women be rewarded in Paradise?   Date 09/Dec/2004   Name of Mufti IOL Shari`ah Researchers   Topic The Unseen

Answer

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Sister, first of all, we’d like to say that we are impressed by your question, which emanates from a thoughtful heart. May Allah Almighty help us all adhere to the principles of this true religion, Islam, and enable us to be among the dwellers of Paradise in the Hereafter, Ameen! As regards your question, it should be clear that Paradise is the abode of happiness; all its dwellers, males or females, will be showered with Allah’s blessings and favors. There is no discrimination in this regard between men and women. It is righteousness and good deeds that elevates one’s rank in Jannah and exalts his/her position. In more than one Qur’anic verse, Allah, Most High, calls upon His servants to do their utmost in order to be favored with Paradise. For example, He says, (And vie one with another for forgiveness from your Lord, and for a Paradise as wide as are the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who ward off (evil). ) (Aal `Imran 3: 133) In this context, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, former President of the Islamic Society of North America, states:   Jannah or Paradise is not for men alone. It is prepared for both, righteous men and righteous women. All the joys and blessings of Jannah are for both of them. Allah has mentioned in the Qur’an that He put both Adam and his wife Hawwa’ (Eve) in Jannah after creating them, and He told them to eat and enjoy everything (except the fruit of one tree). [See al-Baqarah 2: 35; al-A`raf 7: 19] Thus, all the trees, gardens and rivers of Jannah are made for both men and women and they both will enjoy them. All Believers, males and females, will enter the Jannah. Allah says, ( Gardens of perpetual bliss: they shall enter there, as well as the righteous among their fathers, their spouses, and their offspring) (ar-Ra`d 13: 23) Further, Allah says, (Indeed, the people of Paradise will be happily occupied. They and their wives shall be in shades, reclining on raised couches. There are for them fruits and there is for them all that they ask for…) (Ya-Sin 36: 55-57) In the Hereafter Allah will say to the Believers, (Enter the Garden, you and your wives, you will be made glad. There will be brought round for them trays of gold and goblets, and therein is all that the souls desire and eyes find sweet and you will stay there forever. This is the garden, which you are made to inherit because of what you used to do. Therein for you is fruit in plenty whence to eat. ) (Az-Zukhruf 43: 70-73) There are many other places in the Qur’an where it is mentioned that men and women both will find their reward and none will be deprived. [See: Aal `Imran 3: 195; An-Nisa’, 4: 124; An-Nahl 16: 97; Al-Ahzab 33: 35; Ghafir 40: 40] The life of women in Jannah will be as pleasant and happy as the life of men. Allah is not partial to any gender. He created both of them and He will take care of both of them according to their needs and desires. Let us all work to achieve the Jannah and then, in sha’ Allah, we will find there what will satisfy all of us fully. This verse clearly denotes that those women who do righteous deeds are rewarded with Paradise and given a high rank that is equal to the good deeds they have offered. Shedding more light on this issue, we’d like to cite the following fatwa issued by the outstanding Muslim scholar, Sheikh ibn Jibreen: There is no doubt that reward in the Hereafter encompasses both men and women. This is based on the following Qur’anic verses: ( Lo! I suffer not the work of any worker, male or female, to be lost) (Al `Imran 3: 195) (Whosoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer, We will give a good life. ) (An-Nahl 16: 97) (And whoever does righteous good deeds, being a male or a female, and is a true believer, such will enter Paradise. ) (An-Nisa 4: 124) (Verily, the Muslims, men and women, the believers, men and women… Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward. ) (Al-Ahzab 33: 35) Allah mentions them entering into Paradise together, saying: (They and their wives will be in pleasant shade. ) (Ya Sin 36: 56) (Enter Paradise, you and your wives, in happiness. ) (Az-Zukhruf 43: 70) Allah also mentions that He will recreate women in Paradise in the following verse: ( Lo! We have created them a (new) creation. And made them virgins… ) (Al-Waqi`ah 56: 35-36) That is, Allah will recreate the elderly women and make them virgins; the same will be done for old men, Allah will make them youth. It is also mentioned in the Hadith that the women of this worldly life have a superiority over Al-hur Al-`In due to the acts of worship and obedience that they performed in this world. Therefore, the believing women will enter Paradise just like the believing men. If a woman had a number of husbands, she, upon entering Paradise with them, would choose among them the one with the best character and behavior. Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: http://www.uh.edu/campus/msa/articles/fatawawom/aqida.html#paradise Thus, rest assured dear sister that Allah never wrongs anyone, male or female, nor does He, Almighty, deprive any person of his/her work’s fruit.