Islam came to liberate women. It may seem so farfetched or even absurd, especially with all the provocation and legislation being computed in the West, but during the time before Prophet Muhammad, women and baby girls were considered a burden.
Islam is the way of life for Muslims all across the globe. Like many religions, Islam also has dietary guidelines for Muslims to adhere to. The general words used are ‘Halal’ and ‘Haram’.
We can’t help but to wonder, why are we being created and left in this world? Is there anywhere in the Quran and hadith that can help us to answer this question?
Take advantage of five before five: your youth before your old age, your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your free time before your work, and your life before your death.
Previously we talked about the companions spending their wealth in the cause of Islam, mainly to support the work of spreading Islam and helping those in need. We have pointed out that although the companions spent their wealth for others, it doesn’t mean that Islam forbid us from pursuing wealth.
But what inspires the companions and people of faith to give their wealth, possessions and assets to others? , the wealth that they had worked so hard to acquire?
Reading surah al-Hadid from beginning to end, we will discover a great secret that we ourselves may have been groping to find before. How to give birth to a generation that gives all their possessions in the cause of the ad-deen?
What was the great motivation from heaven that had caused them to want to help the government led by Rasulullah صلى الله عليه وسلم without the slightest feeling of loss or regret from the properties that were spent?
ءآمِنوا بِاللهِ وَرَسولِهِ وَأَنفِقوا مِمّا جَعَلَكُم مُّستَخلَفينَ فيهِ ۖ فَالَّذينَ ءآمَنوا مِنكُم وَأَنفَقوا لَهُم أَجرٌ كَبيرٌ
“Believe in Allāh and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made out successive inheritors. For those who have believed among you and spent, there will be a great reward.” (Al-Hadid: 57)
May we be among those who will spend in the cause of deen.
Source: Ustadh Syaari Ab Rahman
We’ve always been bombarded with stories of the prophet’s companions donating all their money and material wealth. Prophet Muhammad SAW himself is known to being poor. Does this means Islam is against wealth and into poverty?
According to Ustadh Kamilin Jamilin, PhD, Islam is never against the ummah seeking and exploring the world for wealth as we are actually encouraged to find wealth through ways that are guided and permitted in Islam. Making an effort to gather wealth would be one of the many ways to help others in need, as long as we put Allah first. Allah Himself has instructed us to seek for His overflowing rizq.
فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةُ فَٱنتَشِرُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مِن فَضْلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
And when the prayer is ended , then disperse in the land and seek Allah ‘ s bounty , and remember Allah much , that ye may be successful . (AlJumuah verse 10)
This is why in Islam, we have zakat as one of the Five Pillar of Islam . It denotes a duty for every Muslims who meets the criteria of wealth to contribute back to those in need. All wealth comes from Allah so that we would be able to share with others from what was made through us. In our wealth, there is the rizq of others too.
نِعْمَ الْمَالُ الصَّالِحُ لِلْمَرْءِ الصَّالِحِ
“O ‘Amr! How excellent lawful wealth is in the hands of a righteous person!”
(Sahih. Ahmad and Al-Bukhari).
One of Prophet Muhammad’s companions, Umar al-Khattab initiated the Bayt al-Mal (Malay: Baitul Mal), or House of Weatlh in 634CE, to administer the society’s wealth distribution. Uthman al-Affan who ruled the Islamic Caliphate after Umar even instructed the Bayt al-Mal institution to administer savings for the future generation.
This shows the importance of wealth in Islam and the vital instruction that wealth is not for the greatest benefit of certain individuals and exclusive groups only. In this light, Islam preaches equitable distribution of wealth and abhors a socio-economic system that breeds and condones wealth inequality between members of society. Wealth sharing in Islam is for the nurturing and strengthening of social solidarity, and not for social disintegration which will weaken a society.
May Allah make us among those who spend our wealth for charity. Ameen.
Sources: sunnah.com, https://today.salamweb.com/
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Given that Muslim societies generally have been slow to give women the empowerment that the Quran and the sunnah had granted them, it is not too farfetched to say that in the face of this systemic weakness it is women themselves who have to always be on the alert, to come forward, and do whatever they can to protect and defend themselves. In short, to mobilise themselves in order to restore the empowerment that is their God-given right.
Women were actively engaged in public, political, economic and educational spheres of the early Islamic society. Appointments to the influential posts were based on qualifications and skills of the individual, and not on his or her gender.
Muslim women today are still not adequately empowered with respect to :
economic participation and opportunity;
educational attainment;
health; and
political participation.
As simple as it may seem to others, wearing hijab; is not that easy! One day you feel you’re ready; the next day you feel too overwhelmed and you want to take it off all together!
