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Islam FAQ (Part 6/15): Marriage Laws in Islam

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Asim Mughal

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Mar 20, 2006, 12:31:38 AM3/20/06

Archive-name: islam-faq/part6
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 1995/3/27
Version: 3.3
Organization: Alumni Association, Caltech, Pasadena, California

Redistribution for profit, or in altered content/format
prohibited without explicit written permission of the author.
Any other redistribution must include this copyright notice and
attribution.

Frequently Asked Questions: Part 6
__________________________________

This message is automatically posted to 'soc.religion.islam'
every month and when updated. This lists answers to most
commonly asked questions on the forum. Contributions & changes
are requested and should be directed to: mug...@caltech.edu

OVERVIEW: The Frequently Asked Questions document for
Islam has been divided in parts. Below is the index.

Part 1 - Welcome & Index
Part 2 - Info on Islamic News Groups
Part 3 - Introduction to Islam
Part 4 - God & Worship
Part 5 - Islam, Quran & Muhammad (PBUH)
Part 6 - Marriage Laws in Islam
Part 7 - Women In Islam
Part 8 - Life after Death, Moral System & Human rights in Islam
Part 9 - Islam: Prophethood, Jesus & Trinity
Part 10 - Islam: Farrakhism & Malcom X
Part 11 - Islamic Internet Guide: Islamic Resources on Internet
Part 12 - Other Islamic Resource Guides on Internet
Part 13 - Islamic Literature: Books & Video
Part 14 - Islamic Calendar & Prayer Time Table for 1994
Part 15 - Misc: List of Halal Foods

________________________________________________________

PART 7: Marriage Laws In Islam

Contents

--Articles--
1. Marriage ........................................................ from IINN
2. Whom to Marry ................................................... from IINN
3. Mahr ............................................................ from IINN
4. Intimacy ........................................................ from IINN
5. Walima .......................................................... from IINN
6. Duties & Rights After Marriage .................................. from IINN
7. Advices to Husbands ............................................. from IINN
8. Advices to Wives ................................................ from IINN
--Announcements--
9. Archive Info ..............................................................
10. Credits ...................................................................

Articles .....................................................................

1. Marriage ........................................................ from IINN

Spouses:

Allah, most Gracious says about spouses in Quran:

Among His signs is [the fact] that He has created spouses for you among
yourselves so that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has
planted love and mercy between you; In that are signs for people who
reflect. Qur'an [30 : 21]

He has planted affection and mercy between you. Qur'an [30: 12] and
says:

They are a garment for you and you are a garment to them. Qur'an [2 :
187]

Consider this in conjunction with the following verse:

The best garment is the garment of God-consciousness Qur'an [7 : 26]

It requires that a husband and wife should be as garments for each
other. Just as garments are for protection, comfort, show and
concealment for human beings, Allah expects husbands and wives to be for
one another.

And the believers, men and women, are protecting friends of one another;
they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and they establish worship
and they pay the poor-due, and they obey Allah and His messenger; as for
those, Allah will have mercy on them; Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise. Allah
hath promised to believers - men and women - gardens underwhich rivers
flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting
bliss; but the greatest bliss is the good pleasure of Allah: This is the
supreme felicity.

Qur'an [9 : 71 - 72]

2. Whom to Marry ................................................... from IINN

Allah also gives us freedom and urges us to:

...Marry the women of your choice... Qur'an [4 : 3] Similarly, for the
women:

"A girl came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and informed him that
her father had married her to her cousin against her wishes, whereupon
the Prophet allowed her to exercise her choice. She then said, 'I am
reconciled to what my father did but I wanted to make it known to women
that fathers have no say in this matter'". - Hadith narrated by Ibn
Majah

Narrated Abdullah: "We were with the Prophet, peace be upon him, while
we were young and had no wealth whatever. So Allah's Apostle, peace be
upon him, said, `O young people! Whoever among you can marry, should
marry, because it helps him lower his gaze and guard his modesty, and
whoever is not able to marry, should fast, as fasting diminishes his
sexual power.'"

Narrated Abu Huraira: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, `A woman is
married for four things, i.e., her wealth, her family status, her
beauty, and her religion. So you should marry the religious woman
[otherwise] you will be a loser.'"

3. Mahr ............................................................ from IINN

Mahr is the gift that is given by the husband to his wife at wedding. It
can be anything in any amount, as agreed by the bride and bride-groom.

Allah says about Mahr in the Chapter `Woman' in Quran:

And give the women (on marriage) their Mahr as a free gift. Qur'an [4 :
4]

If you had given the latter a cantar (of gold i.e. a great amount) for
dower (Mahr) take not the least bit of it back ... Qur'an [4 : 20]

Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to a man,
`Marry, even with (a Mahr equal to) an iron ring.'"

4. Intimacy ........................................................ from IINN

Intimacy is seen as an act of procreation. An eye for the what is about
to come is kept open in this respect as well. The following prayer
reminds us of God, results of our actions and reminds us of our
commitment to train our offspring.

Narrated Ibn Abbas: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, `If anyone of
you, when having a sexual intercourse with his wife says:

In the name of Allah! O Allah! Protect me from Satan and protect what
you bestow upon us (i.e. an offspring) from Satan. and if it is destined
that they should have a child, then Satan will never be able to harm
him.'"

5. Walima .......................................................... from IINN

Walima is the wedding reception given to friends and family after the
consummation of marriage. It is given by the husband on this auspicious
occassion, showing his happiness and sharing it with the friends and
family.

Abdur Rahman bin Auf said, "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said to me,
`Give a wedding banquet, even with one sheep.'"

Narrated Abu Musa: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, `Set the
captives free, accept the invitation (including to a wedding banquet),
and pay a visit to the patients.'"

By this saying of the Prophet, peace be upon him, it is also enjoined
upon us to join in the happiness of our brothers.

6. Duties & Rights After Marriage .................................. from IINN

Duties and Rights of Husband and Wife after marriage:

Allah informs us about the just rights of each other on us:

But, in accordance with justice, the wife's rights (with regard to their
husbands) are equal to the (husband's) rights with regard to them,
although men are a degree above them; and Allah is Almighty, Wise.
Qur'an [2 : 228]

The statement that men are a degree above women means that authority
within the household has been give to the husband in preference to the
wife because a heavier burden has been placed on his shoulders by
another verse of the Quran which says:

Men shall take full care of women, because Allah has given the one more
strength than the other, and because they support them from their means.
Qur'an [4 : 34]

7. Advices to Husbands ............................................. from IINN

Jabir Narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, gave these
instructions in his sermon during Farewell Pilgrimage: "Fear God
regarding women; for you have taken them [in marriage] with the trust of
God." [Mishkat]

Narrated Aisha, God's messenger said: "Among the believers who show most
perfect faith are those who have the best disposition, and are kindest
to their families." [Tirmidhi]

Narrated Abu Huraira, God's messenger said: "The believers who show the
most perfect faith are those who have the best disposition and the best
of you are those who are best to their wives." [Tirmidhi]

Aisha has related that the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, would enter
the house with a pleasing disposition and a smile on his lips.
[Uswa-i-Hasana]

Narrated Al-Aswad: "I asked Aisha, `What did the Prophet, peace be upon
him, do at home?' She said, `He used to work for his family and when he
heard the call for the prayer, he would go out.'" [Bukhari]

Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle, peace be upon him, said, `The
woman is like a rib; if you try to straighten her, she will break. So if
you want to get benefit from her, do so while she still has some bent.'"
[Bukhari]

Narrated Abu Huraira: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, `Whoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt (trouble) his
neighbor. And I advise you to take care of women, for they are created
from a rib and the most crooked portion of the rib is its upper part; if
you try to straighten it, it will break, and if you leave it, it will
reamin crooked, so I urge you to take care of women. [Bukhari]

Narrated Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As: "Allah's Apostle, peace be upon
him, said, `O Abdullah! Have I not been informed that you fast all the
day and stand in prayer all night?' I said, `Yes, O Allah's Apostle!' He
said, `Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave them at
other times; stand up for the prayer at night and also sleep at night.
Your body has a right over you and your wife has a right over you.'"
[Bukhari]

Narrated Ibn Umar: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said, `All of you
are guardians and are responsible for your wards. The ruler is a
guardian and the man is a guardian of his family; the lady is a guardian
who is responsible for her husband's house and his offspring; and so all
of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards.'"

Men should forbear any shortcomings of women in view of the following
verse of Quran:

Live with them in kindness; even if you dislike them, perhaps you
dislike something in which God has place much good. Qur'an [4 : 19]

8. Advices to Wives ................................................ from IINN

Anas reported God's messenger as saying, "When a woman observes the five
times of prayer, fasts during Ramadan, preserves her chastity and obeys
her husband, she may enter by any of the gates of paradise she wishes
(in other words nothing will prevent her from entering paradise)."
[Mishkat]

Um Salma reported God's messenger as saying, "Any woman who dies when
her husband is pleased with her will enter Paradise." [Tirmidhi]

Abu Huraira told that when God's messenger was asked which woman was
best, he replied, "The one who fills [her husband] with joy when he sees
her, obeys him when he directs and does not oppose him by displeasing
him regarding her person or property." [Mishkat]

Providing for wife and family:

Quran teaches us to be reasonable and fair to our wives and family.

House women wherever you reside, accoding to your circumstances, and do
not harass them in order to make life difficult for them. Qur'an [65 :
6]

The statement of Allah in the chapter `Woman':

`Men are protectors and maintainers of women.' Qur'an [4 : 34]

Bukhari quotes the following verse under the heading: .. the superiority
of providing for one's family:

(O Mohammed!) They ask you what they ought to spend. Say: That which is
beyond your needs. Thus Allah make clear to you His Signs in order that
you may give thought (to it) in this worldly life and the Hereafter.
Qur'an [2 : 219-220]

Narrated Abu Masud Al-Ansari: "The Prophet, peace be upon him, said,
`When a Muslim spends something on his family intending to receive
Allah's reward, it is regarded as Sadqa (spending in the name of God)
for him.'"

We should always remember that Allah is the one who gives us, we are
mere trustees of the funds.

Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle, peace be upon him, said, `Allah
said, O the son of Adam! Spend, and I shall spend on you.'"

Narrated Abu Huraira: "Allah's Apostle, peace be upon him, said, `The
best alms is that which you give when you are rich, and you should
support your dependants first.'" [Bukhari]

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger, peace be upon him, as saying: "Of
the dinar (unit of currency) that you spend as a contribution in God's
path, or to set free a slave, or as charity given to a needy, or to
support your family, the one yielding the greatest reward is that which
you spent on your family. [Muslim]

Announcements ................................................................

9. Archive Info ..............................................................

This FAQ is archived at several sites and is available for public
retrieval thru anonymous FTP, E-MAIL, Gopher & World Wide Web.

-- Anonymous FTP --

Site: rtfm.mit.edu
Dir: /pub/usenet/news.answers/islam-faq/

Site: ftp.uu.net
Dir: /pub/usenet/news.answers/islam-faq/

Site: ftp.cco.caltech.edu
Dir: /pub/calmsa/islam-faq/

-- E-MAIL --

Send E-mail to: mail-...@rtfm.mit.edu

Text of E-mail Message:

send usenet/news.answers/islam-faq/part6
quit

-- GOPHER --

Site: gopher.caltech.edu 70
Path: Computing Information/
CCO anonymous ftp archive/
pub/
calmsa/
islam-faq/

Site: latif.com 70
Path: Resources relating to Islam/
Soc.Religion.Islam

-- World-Wide-Web (WWW) --

One recommended interface is 'mosaic,' below are mosaic 'home pages.'

URL at USENET Archive site:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/islam-faq/faq.html

URL at Caltech MSA site:
http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~calmsa/links.html

10. Credits ...................................................................

The author wishes to thank all those who contributed in any capacity for
the original one part FAQ or this multi-part FAQ.

-- SOURCES --

The basic introduction and literature presented in the FAQ is from
brochures on Islam distributed by Institute of Islamic Information &
Education (III&E). These brochures were typed in electronic form by
Ms.M.Ahmed.

The information on soc.religion.islam forum (in Part 2) has been
compiled from USENET archives and administrative logs of
Soc.Religion.Islam moderator panel.

What is III&E?

III&E is an acronym for the Institute of Islamic Information & Education
which was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1985. The III&E is
registered in the State of Illinois and recognized by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) as a not-for-profit religious organization.

More information can be obtained by contacting Dr. M. Amir, III&E, P.O.
Box 41129, Chicago, IL 60641-0129, U.S.A.; Fax: (312) 777-7199; or
or Tel: (312) 777-7443.

-- FORMAT --

The format of the FAQ series has been done by utilizing resources of
Islamic Information & News Network (IINN). A custom program, Nebula,
written by editors of IINN for generating newsletters has been used.

What is IINN?

Islamic Information & News Network is a forum dedicated to educate the
network community on issues relating to Islam and Muslims in an academic
& non-political environment. Weekly digest is available on internet by
subscribing to MUS...@ASUACAD.BITnet (A Bitnet listserv list) and on
USENET: bit.listserv.muslims.

-- Permissions --

Permission to post this multi-part FAQ has been obtained by the
following:

o Institute of Islamic Information & Education (III&E)
o Islamic Information & News Network (Mus...@PSUVM.bitnet)
o Moderator(s) of News.Answers (Thomas Khoenig & P.Huang)

# End of Islam FAQ Part 6 #

Asim Mughal

unread,

Mar 20, 2006, 12:31:39 AM3/20/06

Archive-name: islam-faq/part7

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 1995/3/27
Version: 3.3
Organization: Alumni Association, Caltech, Pasadena, California

Redistribution for profit, or in altered content/format
prohibited without explicit written permission of the author.
Any other redistribution must include this copyright notice and
attribution.

Frequently Asked Questions: Part 7
__________________________________

OVERVIEW: The Frequently Asked Questions document for
Islam has been divided in parts. Below is the index.

________________________________________________________

PART 7: Women In Islam

Contents

--Articles--
1. Hijab (Veil) and Muslim Women ...................... from Ms.Naheed Mustafa
2. Women In Islam .................................................. from IINN
3. Women's Liberation through Islam ............................... from III&E
4. Human Rights - Equality ........................................ from III&E
5. Civil Rights - Freedom of Choice & ............................. from III&E
6. Social Rights .................................................. from III&E
7. Political Rights ............................................... from III&E
8. Economic Rightrs ............................................... from III&E
9. Rights of a Wife ............................................... from III&E
10. Duties of a Wife ............................................... from III&E
11. Conclusion - Rights of Women ................................... from III&E
12. Who Practices Polygamy? ........................................ from III&E
--Announcements--
13. Archive Info ..............................................................
14. Credits ...................................................................

Articles .....................................................................

1. Hijab (Veil) and Muslim Women ...................... from Ms.Naheed Mustafa

"My body is my own business" by Naheed in The Globe

>Dated: 25 Sep 1993 16:35:02 -0500

MULTICULTURAL VOICES: A Canadian-born Muslim woman has taken to wearing
the traditional hijab scarf. It tends to make people see her as either a
terrorist or a symbol of oppressed womanhood, but she finds the
experience LIBERATING.

I OFTEN wonder whether people see me as a radical, fundamentalist Muslim
terrorist packing an AK-47 assault rifle inside my jean jacket. Or may
be they see me as the poster girl for oppressed womanhood everywhere.
I'm not sure which it is.

I get the whole gamut of strange looks, stares, and covert glances. You
see, I wear the hijab, a scarf that covers my head, neck, and throat. I
do this because I am a Muslim woman who believes her body is her own
private concern.

Young Muslim women are reclaiming the hijab, reinterpreting it in light
of its original purpose -- to give back to women ultimate control of
their own bodies.

The Qur'an teaches us that men and women are equal, that individuals
should not be judged according to gender, beauty, wealth, or privilege.
The only thing that makes one person better than another is her or his
character.

Nonetheless, people have a difficult time relating to me. After all, I'm
young, Canadian born and raised, university-educated -- why would I do
this to myself, they ask.

Strangers speak to me in loud, slow English and often appear to be
playing charades. They politely inquire how I like living in Canada and
whether or not the cold bothers me. If I'm in the right mood, it can be
very amusing.

But, why would I, a woman with all the advantages of a North American
upbringing, suddenly, at 21, want to cover myself so that with the hijab
and the other clothes I choose to wear, only my face and hands show?

Because it gives me freedom.

-o-o-o-

WOMEN are taught from early childhood that their worth is proportional
to their attractiveness. We feel compelled to pursue abstract notions of
beauty, half realizing that such a pursuit is futile.

When women reject this form of oppression, they face ridicule and
contempt. Whether it's women who refuse to wear makeup or to shave their
legs, or to expose their bodies, society, both men and women, have
trouble dealing with them.

In the Western world, the hijab has come to symbolize either forced
silence or radical, unconscionable militancy. Actually, it's neither. It
is simply a woman's assertion that judgment of her physical person is to
play no role whatsoever in social interaction.

Wearing the hijab has given me freedom from constant attention to my
physical self. Because my appearance is not subjected to public
scrutiny, my beauty, or perhaps lack of it, has been removed from the
realm of what can legitimately be discussed.

No one knows whether my hair looks as if I just stepped out of a salon,
whether or not I can pinch an inch, or even if I have unsightly stretch
marks. And because no one knows, no one cares.

Feeling that one has to meet the impossible male standards of beauty is
tiring and often humiliating. I should know, I spent my entire teen-age
years trying to do it. It was a borderline bulimic and spent a lot of
money I didn't have on potions and lotions in hopes of becoming the next
Cindy Crawford.

The definition of beauty is ever-changing; waifish is good, waifish is
bad, athletic is good -- sorry, athletic is bad. Narrow hips? Great.
Narrow hips? Too bad.

Women are not going to achieve equality with the right to bear their
breasts in public, as some people would like to have you believe. That
would only make us party to our own objectification. True equality will
be had only when women don't need to display themselves to get attention
and won't need to defend their decision to keep their bodies to
themselves.

Naheed Mustafa graduated from the University of Toronto last year with
an honours degree in political and history. She is currently studying
journalism at Ryerson Polytechnic University

NOTE:

This article appeared in IINN (Islamic Information & News Network)
publications. The Permission of Reprinting granted by "Islamic
Information & News Network" (Muslims @ Asuacad.Bitnet).

2. Women In Islam .................................................. from IINN

Source: Islamic Center of Southern California

Typed in by: Ms.Iraj Ali

SEPARATING FACTS FROM FICTION

o Islam gave woman the right to reject a marriage proposal free from
pressure and by mutual agreement to specify in the marriage contract
that she has the right to divorce. If she deems the marriage to have
failed beyond repair.

o Islam does not require woman to change her name at marriage.

o Islam protects the family and condemns the betrayal of marital
fidelity. It recognize only one type of family, husband and wife united
by authentic marriage contract.

o "Heaven is at the feet of mothers" is a basic Islamic teachings.

This article appeared in IINN (Islamic Information & News Network)
publications. The Permission of Reprinting granted by "Islamic
Information & News Network" (Muslims @ Asuacad.Bitnet).

3. Women's Liberation through Islam ............................... from III&E

Today people think that women are liberated in the West and that the
women's liberation movement began in the 20th century. Actually, the
women's liberation movement was not begun by women but was revealed by
God to a man in the seventh century by the name of Muhammad (peace be
upon him), who is known as the last Prophet of Islam. The Qur'an and the
Traditions of the Prophet (Hadith or Sunnah) are the sources from which
every Muslim woman derives her rights and duties.

4. Human Rights - Equality ........................................ from III&E

Islam, fourteen centuries ago, made women equally accountable to God in
glorifying and worshipping Him - setting no limits on her moral
progress. Also, Islam established a woman's equality in her humanity
with men.

In the Qur'an, in the first verse of the chapter entitled "Women," God
says, "O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you
from a single soul and from it its mate and from them both have spread
abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward
Allah in Whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and towards the
wombs (that bore you). Lo! Allah has been a Watcher over you." (4:1)

Since men and women both came from the same essence, they are equal in
their humanity. Women cannot be by nature evil (as some religious
believe) or then men would be evil also. Similarly, neither gender can
be superior because it would be a contradiction of equality.

5. Civil Rights - Freedom of Choice & ............................. from III&E

In Islam, a woman has the basic freedom of choice and expression based
on recognition of her individual personality. First, she is free to
choose her religion. The Qur'an states: "There is no compulsion in
religion. Right has been made distinct from error." (2:256)

Women are encouraged in Islam to contribute their opinions and ideas.
There are many traditions of the Prophet (pbuh) which indicate women
would pose questions directly to him and offer their opinions concerning
religion, economics and social matters.

A Muslim woman chooses her husband and keeps her name after marriage. A
Muslim woman's testimony is valid in legal disputes. In fact, in areas
in which women are more familiar, their evidence is conclusive.

6. Social Rights .................................................. from III&E

The Prophet (pbuh) said: "Seeking knowledge is a mandate for every
Muslim (male and female)." This includes knowledge of the Qur'an and the
Hadith as well as other knowledge. Men and women both have the capacity
for learning and understanding. Since it is also their obligation to
promote good behavior and condemn bad behavior in all spheres of life,
Muslim women must acquire the appropriate education to perform this duty
in accordance with their own natural talents and interests.

While maintenance of a home, providing support to her husband, and
bearing, raising and teaching of children are among the first and very
highly regarded roles for a woman, if she has the skills to work outside
the home for the good of the community, she may do so as long as her
family obligations are met.

Islam recognizes and fosters the natural differences between men and
women despite their equality. Some types of work are more suitable for
men and other types for women. This in no way diminishes either's effort
nor its benefit. God will reward both sexes equally for the value of
their work, though it may not necessarily be the same activity.

Concerning motherhood, the Prophet (pbuh) said: "Heaven lies under the
feet of mothers." This implies that the success of a society can be
traced to the mothers that raised it. The first and greatest influence
on a person comes from the sense of security, affection, and training
received from the mother. Therefore, a woman having children must be
educated and conscientious in order to be a skillful parent.

7. Political Rights ............................................... from III&E

A right given to Muslim women by God 1400 years ago is the right to
vote. On any public matter, a woman may voice her opinion and
participate in politics. One example, narrated in the Qur'an (60:12), is
that Muhammad (pbuh) is told that when the believing women come to him
and swear their allegiance to Islam, he must accept their oath. This
established the right of women to select their leader and publicly
declare so. Finally, Islam does not forbid a woman from holding
important positions in government. Abdur-Rahman Ibn Auf consulted many
women before he recommended Uthman Ibn Affan to be the Caliph.

8. Economic Rights ................................................ from III&E

The Qur'an states: "By the creation of the male and female; Verily, (the
ends) ye strive for are diverse." (92:3-4)

In these verses, God declares that He created men and women to be
different, with unique roles, functions and skills. As in society, where
there is a division of labor, so too in a family; each member has
different responsibilities. Generally, Islam upholds that women are
entrusted with the nurturing role, and men, with the guardian role.
Therefore, women are given the right of financial support.

The Qur'an states: "Men are the maintainers of women because Allah has
made some of them to excel others and because they spend of their wealth
(for the support of women)." (4:34)

This guardianship and greater financial responsibility is given to men,
requires that they provide women with not only monetary support but also
physical protection and kind and respectful treatment.

The Muslim woman has the privilege to earn money, the right to own
property, to enter into legal contracts and to manage all of her assets
in any way she pleases. She can run her own business and no one has any
claim on her earnings including her husband. The Qur'an states:

"And in no wise covet those things in which Allah hath bestowed His
gifts more freely on some of you than on others; to men is allotted what
they earn, and to women, what they earn; but ask Allah of His bounty,
for Allah hath full knowledge of all things." (4:32)

A woman inherits from her relatives. The Qur'an states: "For men there
is a share in what parents and relatives leave, and for women there is a
share of what parents and relatives leave, whether it be little or much
- an ordained share." (4:7)

9. Rights of a Wife ............................................... from III&E

The Qur'an states: "And among His signs is that He created for you mates
from among yourselves that you may live in tranquillity with them, and
He has put love and mercy between you; Verily, in that are signs for
people who reflect." (30:21)

Marriage is therefore not just a physical or emotional necessity, but in
fact, a sign from God! It is a relationship of mutual rights and
obligations based on divine guidance. God created men and women with
complimentary natures, and in the Qur'an, He laid out a system of laws
to support harmonious interaction between the sexes.

"...They are your garments and you are their garments." (2:187)

Clothing provides physical protection and covers the beauty and faults
of the body. Likewise, a spouse is viewed this way. Each protects the
other and hides the faults and compliments the characteristics of the
spouse.

To foster the love and security that comes with marriage, Muslim wives
have various rights. The first of the wife's rights is to receive mahr,
a gift from the husband which is part of the marriage contract and
required for the legality of the marriage.

The second right of a wife is maintenance. Despite any wealth she may
have, her husband is obligated to provide her with food, shelter and
clothing. He is not forced, however, to spend beyond his capability and
his wife is not entitled to make unreasonable demands. The Qur'an
states: "Let the man of means spend according to his means, and the man
whose resources are restricted, let him spend according to what Allah
has given him. Allah puts no burden on any person beyond what He has
given him." (65:7)

God tells us men are guardians over women and are afforded the
leadership in the family. His responsibility for obeying God extends to
guiding his family to obey God at all times.

A wife's rights also extend beyond material needs. She has the right to
kind treatment. The Prophet (pbuh) said: "The most perfect believers are
the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their
wives." God tells us He created mates and put love, mercy, and
tranquillity between them.

Both men and women have a need for companionship and sexual needs, and
marriage is designed to fulfill those needs. For one spouse to deny this
satisfaction to the other, temptation exists to seek it elsewhere.

10. Duties of a Wife ............................................... from III&E

With rights come responsibilities. Therefore, wives have certain
obligations to their husbands. The Qur'an states: "The good women in the
absence of their husbands guard their rights as Allah has enjoined upon
them to be guarded." (4:34)

A wife is to keep her husband's secrets and protect their marital
privacy. Issues of intimacy or faults of his that would dishonor him,
are not to be shared by the wife, just as he is expected to guard her
honor.

A wife must also guard her husband's property. She must safeguard his
home and possessions, to the best of her ability, from theft or damage.
She should manage the household affairs wisely so as to prevent loss or
waste. She should not allow anyone to enter the house whom her husband
dislikes nor incur any expenses of which her husband disapproves.

A Muslim woman must cooperate and coordinate with her husband. There
cannot, however, be cooperation with a man who is disobedient to God.
She should not fulfill his requests if he wants her to do something
unlawful. A husband also should not take advantage of his wife, but be
considerate of her needs and happiness.

11. Conclusion - Rights of Women ................................... from III&E

The Qur'an states: "And it becomes not a believing man or a believing
women, when Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad) have decided on an affair
(for them), that they should (after that) claim any say in their affair;
and whoso is rebellious to Allah and His Messenger, he verily goes
astray in error manifest." (33:36)

The Muslim woman was given a role, duties and rights 1400 years ago that
most women do not enjoy today, even in the West. These are from God and
are designed to keep balance in society; what may seem unjust or missing
in one place is compensated for or explained in another place. Islam is
a complete way of life.

-- Mary Ali and Anjum Ali

12. Who Practices Polygamy? ........................................ from III&E

Polygamy has been practiced by mankind for thousands of years. Many of
the ancient Israelites were polygamous, some having hundreds of wives.
King Solomon (peace be upon him) is said to have had seven hundred wives
and three hundred concubines. David (Dawood) had ninety-nine and Jacob
(Yacub, peace be upon them both) had four. Advice given by some Jewish
wise men state that no man should marry more than four wives. No early
society put any restrictions on the number of wives or put any
conditions about how they were to be treated. Jesus was not known to
have spoken against polygamy. As recently as the seventeenth century,
polygamy was practiced and accepted by the Christian Church. The Mormons
(Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) has allowed and practiced
polygamy in the United States.

Monogamy was introduced into Christianity at the time of Paul when many
revisions took place in Christianity. This was done in order for the
church to conform to the Greco-Roman culture where men were monogamous
but owned many slaves who were free for them to use: in other words,
unrestricted polygamy.

Early Christians invented ideas that women were "full of sin" and man
was better off to "never marry." Since this would be the end of mankind
these same people compromised and said "marry only one."

In the American society many times when relations are strained, the
husband simply deserts his wife. The he cohabits with a prostitute or
other immoral woman without marriage. Actually there are three kinds of
polygamy practiced in Western societies: (1) serial polygamy, that is,
marriage, divorce, marriage, divorce, and so on any number of times; (2)
a man married to one woman but having and supporting one or more
mistresses; (3) an unmarried man having a number of mistresses. Islam
condones but discourages the first and forbids the other two.

Wars cause the number of women to greatly exceed the number of men. In a
monogamous society these women, left without husbands or support, resort
to prostitution, illicit relationships with married men resulting in
illegitimate children with no responsibility on the part of the father,
or lonely spinsterhood or widowhood.

Some Western men take the position that monogamy protects the rights of
women. But are these men really concerned about the rights of women? The
society has so many practices which exploit and suppress women, leading
to women's liberation movements from the suffragettes of the early
twentieth century to the feminists of today.

The truth of the matter is that monogamy protects men, allowing them to
"play around" without responsibility. Easy birth control and easy legal
abortion has opened the door of illicit sex to woman and she has been
lured into the so-called sexual revolution. But she is still the one who
suffers the trauma of abortion and the side effects of the birth control
methods. Taking aside the plagues of venereal disease, herpes and AIDS,
the male continues to enjoy himself free of worry. Men are the ones
protected by monogamy while women continue to be victims of men's
desires. Polygamy is very much opposed by the male dominated society
because it would force men to face up to responsibility and fidelity. It
would force them to take responsibility for their polygamous
inclinations and would protect and provide for women and children.

Among all the polygamous societies in history there were none which
limited the number of wives. All of the relationships were unrestricted.
In Islam, the regulations concerning polygamy limit the number of wives
a man can have while making him responsible for all of the women
involved.

"Marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that
you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one or one
that your right hands possess. That will be more suitable, to prevent
you from doing injustice." (Qur'an 4:3)

This verse from the Qur'an allows a man to marry more than one woman but
only if he can deal justly with them. Another verse says that a person
is unable to deal justly between wives, thus giving permission but
discouraging.

"You will never be able to deal justly between wives however much you
desire (to do so). But (if you have more than one wife) do not turn
altogether away (from one), leaving her in suspense..." (Qur'an 4:129)

While the provision for polygamy makes the social system flexible enough
to deal with all kinds of conditions, it is not necessarily recommended
or preferred by Islam. Taking the example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace
be upon him) is instructive. He was married to one woman, Khadijah, for
twenty-five years. It was only after her death when he had reached the
age of fifty that he entered into other marriages to promote
friendships, create alliances or to be an example of some lesson to the
community; also to show the Muslims how to treat their spouses under
different conditions of life.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was given inspiration from Allah about
how to deal with multiple marriages and the difficulties encountered
therein. It is not an easy matter for a man to handle two wives, two
families, and two households and still be just between the two. No man
of reasonable intelligence would enter into this situation without a
great deal of thought and very compelling reasons (other than sexual).

Some people have said that the first wife must agree to the second
marriage. Others have said that the couple can put it into the marriage
contract that the man will not marry a second wife. First of all,
neither the Qur'an nor Hadith state that the first wife need be
consulted at all concerning a second marriage let alone gain her
approval. Consideration and compassion on the part of the man for his
first wife should prompt him to discuss the matter with her but he is
not required to do so or to gain her approval. Secondly, the Qur'an has
explicitly given permission for a man to marry "two or three or four."
No one has the authority to make a contract forbidding something that
has been granted by Allah.

The bottom line in the marriage relationship is good morality and
happiness, creating a just and cohesive society where the needs of men
and women are well taken care of. The present Western society, which
permits free sex between consenting adults, has given rise to an
abundance of irresponsible sexual relationships, an abundance of
"fatherless" children, many unmarried teenage mothers; all becoming a
burden on the country's welfare system. In part, such an undesirable
welfare burden has given rise to bloated budget deficits which even an
economically powerful country like the United States cannot accommodate.
Bloated budget deficits have become a political football which is
affecting the political system of the United States.

In short, we find that artificially created monogamy has become a factor
in ruining the family structure, and the social, economic and political
systems of the country.

It must be a prophet, and indeed it was Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) who directed Muslims to get married or observe patience until one
gets married. 'Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported Allah's messenger as saying,
"Young man, those of you who can support a wife should marry, for it
keeps you from looking at strange women and preserves you from
immorality; but those who cannot should devote themselves to fasting,
for it is a means of suppressing sexual desire." (Bukhari and Muslim)

Islam wants people to be married and to develop a good family structure.
Also Islam realizes the requirements of the society and the individual
in special circumstances where polygamy can be the solution to problems.
Therefore, Islam has allowed polygamy, limiting the number of wives to
four, but does not require or even recommend polygamy.

In the Muslim societies of our times, polygamy is not frequently
practiced despite legal permission in many countries. It appears that
the American male is very polygamous, getting away with not taking
responsibility for the families he should be responsible for.

--Mary Ali

(NOTE: In this article polygamy has been used to mean polygyny meaning
having two or more wives. Islam forbids polyandry meaning having two or
more husbands.)

Announcements ................................................................

13. Archive Info ..............................................................

This FAQ is archived at several sites and is available for public
retrieval thru anonymous FTP, E-MAIL, Gopher & World Wide Web.

-- Anonymous FTP --

Site: rtfm.mit.edu
Dir: /pub/usenet/news.answers/islam-faq/

Site: ftp.uu.net
Dir: /pub/usenet/news.answers/islam-faq/

Site: ftp.cco.caltech.edu
Dir: /pub/calmsa/islam-faq/

-- E-MAIL --

Send E-mail to: mail-...@rtfm.mit.edu

Text of E-mail Message:

send usenet/news.answers/islam-faq/part7
quit

-- GOPHER --

Site: gopher.caltech.edu 70
Path: Computing Information/
CCO anonymous ftp archive/
pub/
calmsa/
islam-faq/

Site: latif.com 70
Path: Resources relating to Islam/
Soc.Religion.Islam

-- World-Wide-Web (WWW) --

One recommended interface is 'mosaic,' below are mosaic 'home pages.'

URL at USENET Archive site:
http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/islam-faq/faq.html

URL at Caltech MSA site:
http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~calmsa/links.html

14. Credits ...................................................................

The author wishes to thank all those who contributed in any capacity for
the original one part FAQ or this multi-part FAQ.

-- SOURCES --

The information on soc.religion.islam forum (in Part 2) has been
compiled from USENET archives and administrative logs of
Soc.Religion.Islam moderator panel.

What is III&E?

More information can be obtained by contacting Dr. M. Amir, III&E, P.O.

Box 41129, Chicago, IL 60641-0129, U.S.A.; Tel: (312) 777-7443 Fax:
(312) 777-7199.

-- FORMAT --

What is IINN?

-- Permissions --

Permission to post this multi-part FAQ has been obtained by the
following:

o Institute of Islamic Information & Education (III&E)
o Islamic Information & News Network (Mus...@PSUVM.bitnet)
o Moderator(s) of News.Answers (Thomas Khoenig & P.Huang)

# End of Islam FAQ Part 7 #

Asim Mughal

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Mar 20, 2006, 12:31:39 AM3/20/06

Archive-name: islam-faq/part8

Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: 1995/3/27
Version: 3.3
Organization: Alumni Association, Caltech, Pasadena, California

Redistribution for profit, or in altered content/format
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Any other redistribution must include this copyright notice and
attribution.

Frequently Asked Questions: Part 8
__________________________________

OVERVIEW: The Frequently Asked Questions document for
Islam has been divided in parts. Below is the index.

________________________________________________________

PART 8: Life after Death,Moral System & Human Rights in Islam

Contents

--Articles--
1. Life After Death ............................................... from III&E
2. Moral System In Islam .......................................... from III&E
3. God Consciousness .............................................. from III&E
4. Social Responsibilities ........................................ from III&E
5. Parents & others ............................................... from III&E
6. Human Rights In Islam .......................................... from III&E
7. Human Rights in an Islamic State ............................... from III&E
--Announcements--
8. Archive Info ..............................................................
9. Credits ...................................................................

Articles .....................................................................

1. Life After Death ............................................... from III&E

The question whether there is a life after death does not fall under the
jurisdiction of science, as science is concerned only with
classification and analysis of data. Moreover, man has been busy with
scientific inquiries and research, in the modern sense of the term, only
for the last few centuries, while he has been familiar with the concept
of life after death since times immemorial. All the prophets of God
called their people to worship God and to believe in life after death.
They laid so much emphasis on the belief in life after death that even a
slight doubt in it meant denying God and made all other beliefs
meaningless. The very fact that all the prophets of God have dealt with
this metaphysical question of life after death so confidently and so
uniformly - the gap between their ages being thousands of years - goes
to prove that the source of their knowledge of life after death as
proclaimed by them all, was the same, i.e., Divine revelation. We also
know that these prophets of God were greatly opposed by their people,
mainly on the issue of life after death, as their people thought it
impossible. But in spite of opposition, the prophets won many sincere
followers.

The question arises: what made those followers forsake the established
beliefs, traditions and customs of their forefathers, notwithstanding
the risk of being totally alienated from their own community? The simple
answer is: they made use of their faculties of mind and heart and
realized the truth. Did they realize the truth through perceptual
consciousness? Not so, as perceptual experience of life after death is
impossible.

Actually, God has given man, besides perceptual consciousness, rational,
aesthetic and moral consciousness too. It is this consciousness that
guides man regarding realities that cannot be verified through sensory
data. That is why all the prophets of God while calling people to
believe in God and life after death, appeal to the aesthetic, moral and
rational consciousness of man. For example, when the idolaters of Makkah
denied even the possibility of life after death, the Quran exposed the
weakness of their stand by advancing very logical and rational arguments
in support of it:

"And he has coined for us a similitude, and has forgotten the fact of
his creation, saying: who will revive these bones when they have rotted
away? Say: He will revive them Who produced them at first, for He is the
Knower of every creation, Who has appointed for you fire from the green
tree, and behold! you kindle from it. Is not He Who created the heavens
and the earth, able to create the like of them? Yes, and He is indeed
the Supreme Creator, the All-Knowing." (36:78-81)

At another occasion, the Quran very clearly says that the disbelievers
have no sound basis for their denial of life after death. It is based on
pure conjecture:

"They say, 'There is nothing but our present life; we die, and we live,
and nothing but Time destroys us.' Of that they have no knowledge; they
merely conjecture. And when our revelations are recited to them, their
only argument is that they say, 'Bring us our fathers, if you speak
truly.' (45:24-25)

Surely God will raise all the dead. But God has His own plan of things.
A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and then again
the dead will be resurrected to stand before God. That day will be the
beginning of the life that will never end, and that Day every person
will be rewarded by God according to his or her good or evil deed.

The explanation that the Quran gives about the necessity of life after
death is what the moral consciousness of man demands. Actually, if there
is no life after death, the very belief in God becomes irrelevant, or
even if one believes in God, that would be an unjust and indifferent
God: having once created man and not concerned with his fate. Surely,
God is just. He will punish the tyrants whose crimes are beyond count:
having killed hundreds of innocent persons, created great corruptions in
the society, enslaved numerous persons to serve their whims, etc. Man's
having a very short span of life in this world, and this physical
world's too being not eternal, punishments or rewards equal to the evil
or noble deeds of persons are not possible here. The Quran very
emphatically states that the Day of Judgment must come and God will
decide about the fate of each soul according to his or her record of
deeds:

"Those who disbelieve say: The Hour will never come unto us. Say: Nay,
by my Lord, but it is coming unto you surely. (He is) the Knower of the
Unseen. Not an atom's weight, or less than that or greater, escapes Him
in the heavens or in the earth, but it is in a clear Record. That He may
reward those who believe and do good words. For them is pardon and a
rich provision. But those who strive against our revelations,
challenging (Us), theirs will be a painful doom of wrath." (34:3-5)

The Day of Resurrection will be the Day when God's attributes of Justice
and Mercy will be in full manifestation. God will shower His Mercy on
those who suffered for His sake in the worldly life, believing that an
eternal bliss was awaiting them. But those who abused the bounties of
God, caring nothing for the life to come, will be in the most miserable
state. Drawing a comparison between them, the Quran says:

"Is he, then, to whom We have promised a goodly promise the fulfillment
of which he will meet, like the one whom We have provided with the good
things of this life, and then on the Day of Resurrection he will be of
those who will be brought arraigned before God?" (28:61)

The Quran also states that this worldly life is a preparation for the
eternal life after death. But those who deny it become slaves of their
passions and desires, make fun of virtuous and God-conscious persons.
Such persons realize their folly only at the time of their death and
wish to be given a further chance in the world but in vain. Their
miserable state at the time of death, and the horror of the Day of
Judgment, and the eternal bliss guaranteed to the sincere believers are
very beautifully mentioned in the following verses of the Holy Quran:

"Until, when death comes unto one of them, he says, 'My Lord send me
back, that I may do right in that which I have left behind! But nay! It
is but a word that he speaks; and behind them is a barrier until the day
when they are raised. And when the Trumpet is blown there will be no
kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of one another. Then
those whose scales are heavy, they are successful. And those whose
scales are light are those who lose their souls, in hell abiding, the
fire burns their faces and they are glum therein." (23:99-104)

The belief in life after death not only guarantees success in the
Hereafter but also makes this world full of peace and happiness by
making individuals most responsible and dutiful in their activities.

Think of the people of Arabia. Gambling, wine, tribal feuds, plundering
and murdering were their main traits when they had no belief in life
after death. But as soon as they accepted the belief in One God and life
after death they became the most disciplined nation of the world. They
gave up their vices, helped each other in hours of need, and settled all
their disputes on the basis of justice and equality. Similarly the
denial of life after death has its consequences not only in the
Hereafter but also in this world. When a nation as a whole denies it,
all kinds of evils and corruptions become rampant in that society and
ultimately it is destroyed. The Quran mentions the terrible end of 'Aad,
Thamud and the Pharaoh in some detail:

"(The tribes of) Thamud and 'Aad disbelieved in the judgment to come. As
for Thamud, they were destroyed by the lightning, and as for 'Aad, they
were destroyed by a fierce roaring wind, which He imposed on them for
seven long nights and eight long days so that you might see the people
laid prostrate in it as if they were the stumps of fallen down palm
trees.

"Now do you see remnant of them? Pharaoh likewise and those before him
and the subverted cities. They committed errors and those before him,
and they rebelled against the Messenger of their Lord, and He seized
them with a surpassing grip. Lo, when the waters rose, We bore you in
the running ship that We might make it a reminder for you and for
heeding ears to hold. So when the Trumpet is blown with a single blast
and the earth and the mountains are lifted up and crushed with a single
blow, then on that day, the Terror shall come to pass, and the heaven
shall be split for upon that day it will be very frail. Then as for him
who is given his book in his right hand, he shall say, 'Here take and
read my book! Certainly I thought I should encounter my reckoning.' So
he shall be in a pleasing life in a lofty garden, its clusters nigh to
gather.

"'Eat and drink with wholesome appetite for that you did long ago, in
the days gone by.'

"But as for him who is given his book in his left hand, he shall say:
'Would that I had not been given my book and not known my reckoning!
Would that it had been the end! My wealth has not availed me, my
authority is gone from me.'" (69:4-29)

Thus, there are very convincing reasons to believe in life after death.

First, all the prophets of God have called their people to believe in
it.

Secondly, whenever a human society is built on the basis of this belief,
it has been the most ideal and peaceful society, free of social and
moral evils.

Thirdly, history bears witness that whenever this belief is rejected
collectively by a group of people in spite of the repeated warning of
the Prophet, the group as a whole has been punished by God even in this
world.

Fourthly, moral, aesthetic and rational faculties of man endorse the
possibility of life after death.

Fifthly, God's attributes of Justice and Mercy have no meaning if there
is no life after death.

2. Moral System In Islam .......................................... from III&E

Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a
whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances.
To achieve these rights Islam provides not only legal safeguards but
also a very effective moral system. Thus whatever leads to the welfare
of the individual or the society is morally good in Islam and whatever
is injurious is morally bad. Islam attaches so much importance to the
love of God and love of man that it warns against too much of formalism.
We read in the Quran:

"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards East or West;
but it is righteousness to believe in God and the Last Day and the
Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance,
out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans for the needy, for the
wayfarer, for those who ask; and for the freeing of captives; to be
steadfast in prayers, and practice regular charity; to fulfill the
contracts which you made; and to be firm and patient in pain (or
suffering) and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are
the people of truth, the God-conscious." (2:177)

We are given a beautiful description of the righteous and God-conscious
man in these verses. He should obey salutary regulations, but he should
fix his gaze on the love of God and the love of his fellow men.

We are given four heads:

a) Our faith should be true and sincere,

b) We must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellow-men,

c) We must be good citizens, supporting social organizations, and

d) Our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken in all
circumstances.

This is the standard by which a particular mode of conduct is judged and
classified as good or bad. This standard of judgment provides the
nucleus around which the whole moral conduct should revolve. Before
laying down any moral injunctions Islam seeks to firmly implant in man's
heart the conviction that his dealings are with God who sees him at all
times and in all places; that he may hide himself from the whole world
but not from Him; that he may deceive everyone but cannot deceive God;
that he can flee from the clutches of anyone else but not from God.

Thus, by setting God's pleasure as the objective of man's life, Islam
has furnished the highest possible standard of morality. This is bound
to provide limitless avenues for the moral evolution of humanity. By
making Divine revelations as the primary source of knowledge it gives
permanence and stability to the moral standards which afford reasonable
scope for genuine adjustments, adaptations and innovations, though not
for perversions, wild variation, atomistic relativism or moral fluidity.
It provides a sanction to morality in the love and fear of God, which
will impel man to obey the moral law even without any external pressure.
Through belief in God and the Day of Judgment it furnishes a force which
enables a person to adopt the moral conduct with earnestness and
sincerity, with all the devotion of heart and soul.

It does not, through a false sense of originality and innovation,
provide any novel moral virtues nor does it seek to minimize the
importance of the well-known moral norms, nor does it give exaggerated
importance to some and neglect others without cause. It takes up all the
commonly known moral virtues and with a sense of balance and proportion
it assigns a suitable place and function to each one of them in the
total scheme of life. It widens the scope of man's individual and
collective life - his domestic associations, his civic conduct, and his
activities in the political, economic, legal, educational, and social
realms. It covers his life from home to society, from the dining-table
to the battlefield and peace conferences, literally from the cradle to
the grave. In short, no sphere of life is exempt from the universal and
comprehensive application of the moral principles of Islam. It makes
morality reign supreme and ensures that the affairs of life, instead of
dominated by selfish desires and petty interests, should be regulated by
norms of morality.

It stipulates for man a system of life which is based on all good and is
free from all evil. It invokes the people, not only to practice virtue,
but also to establish virtue and eradicate vice, to bid good and to
forbid wrong. It wants that the verdict of conscience should prevail and
virtue must not be subdued to play second fiddle to evil. Those who
respond to this call are gathered together into a community and given
the name "Muslim". And the singular object underlying the formation of
this community ("Ummah") is that it should make an organized effort to
establish and enforce goodness and suppress and eradicate evil.

Here we furnish some basic moral teachings of Islam for various aspects
of a Muslim's life. They cover the broad spectrum of personal moral
conduct of a Muslim as well as his social responsibilities.

3. God Consciousness .............................................. from III&E

The Quran mentions it as the highest quality of a Muslim:

"The most honorable among you in the sight of God is the one who is most
God-conscious." (49:13)

Humility, modesty, control of passions and desires, truthfulness,
integrity, patience, steadfastness, and fulfilling one's promises are
moral values which are emphasized again and again in the Quran. We read
in the Quran:

"And God loves those who are firm and steadfast." (3:146)

"And vie with one another to attain to your Sustainer's forgiveness and
to a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth, which awaits the
God-conscious, who spend for charity in time of plenty and in time of
hardship, and restrain their anger, and pardon their fellow men, for God
loves those who do good." (3:133-134)

"Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is
wrong; and bear patiently whatever may befall you; for this is true
constancy. And do not swell your cheek (with pride) at men, nor walk in
insolence on the earth, for God does not love any man proud and
boastful. And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; for the
harshest of sounds, indeed, is the braying of the ass." (31:18-19)

In a way which summarizes the moral behavior of a Muslim, the Prophet
(PBUH) said:

"My Sustainer has given me nine commands: to remain conscious of God,
whether in private or in public; to speak justly, whether angry or
pleased; to show moderation both when poor and when rich, to reunite
friendship with those who have broken off with me; to give to him who
refuses me; that my silence should be occupied with thought; that my
looking should be an admonition; and that I should command what is
right."

4. Social Responsibilities ........................................ from III&E

The teachings of Islam concerning social responsibilities are based on
kindness and consideration of others. Since a broad injunction to be
kind is likely to be ignored in specific situations, Islam lays emphasis
on specific acts of kindness and defines the responsibilities and rights
of various relationships. In a widening circle of relationship, then,
our first obligation is to our immediate family - parents, husband or
wife and children, then to other relatives, neighbors, friends and
acquaintances, orphans and widows, the needy of the community, our
fellow Muslims, all our fellow human beings and animals.

5. Parents & others ............................................... from III&E

Respect and care for parents is very much stressed in the Islamic
teaching and is a very important part of a Muslim's expression of faith.

"Your Sustainer has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you
be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your
lifetime, do not say to them a word of contempt nor repel them, but
address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them the
wing of humility and say: My Sustainer! Bestow on them Your mercy, even
as they cherished me in childhood." (17:23-24)

OTHER RELATIVES

"And render to the relatives their due rights, as (also) to those in
need, and to the traveler; and do not squander your wealth in the manner
of a spendthrift." (17:26)

NEIGHBORS

The Prophet (PBUH) has said:

"He is not a believer who eats his fill when his neighbor beside him is
hungry"; and: "He does not believe whose neighbors are not safe from his
injurious conduct."

Actually, according to the Quran and Sunnah, a Muslim has to discharge
his moral responsibility not only to his parents, relatives and
neighbors but to the entire mankind, animals and trees and plants. For
example, hunting of birds and animals for the sake of game is not
permitted. Similarly, cutting trees and plants which yield fruit is
forbidden unless there is a very pressing need for it.

Thus, on the basic moral characteristics, Islam builds a higher system
of morality by virtue of which mankind can realize its greatest
potential. Islam purifies the soul from self-seeking egotism, tyranny,
wantonness and indiscipline. It creates God-conscious men, devoted to
their ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence and discipline and
uncompromising with falsehood, It induces feelings of moral
responsibility and fosters the capacity for self control. Islam
generates kindness, generosity, mercy, sympathy, peace, disinterested
goodwill, scrupulous fairness and truthfulness towards all creation in
all situations. It nourishes noble qualities from which only good may be
expected.

6. Human Rights In Islam .......................................... from III&E

Since God is the absolute and the sole master of men and the universe,
He is the sovereign Lord, the Sustainer and Nourisher, the Merciful,
Whose mercy enshrines all beings; and since He has given each man human
dignity and honor, and breathed into him of His own spirit, it follows
that, united in Him and through Him, and apart from their other human
attributes, men are substantially the same and no tangible and actual
distinction can be made among them, on account of their accidental
differences such as nationality, color or race. Every human being is
thereby related to all others and all become one community of
brotherhood in their honorable and pleasant servitude to the most
compassionate Lord of the Universe. In such a heavenly atmosphere the
Islamic confession of the oneness of God stands dominant and central,
and necessarily entails the concept of the oneness of humanity and the
brotherhood of mankind.

Although an Islamic state may be set up in any part of the earth, Islam
does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical
limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universal fundamental
rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected
under all circumstances whether such a person is resident within the
territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace or
at war. The Quran very clearly states:

"O believers, be you securers of justice, witness for God. Let not
detestation for a people move you not to be equitable; be equitable -
that is nearer to God-fearing." (5:8)

Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without
justification. And if anyone violates this sanctity of human blood by
killing a soul without justification, the Quran equates it to the
killing of entire mankind.

"...Whoso slays a soul not to retaliate for a soul slain, nor for
corruption done in the land, should be as if he had slain mankind
altogether." (5:32)

It is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, the sick
or the wounded. Women's honor and chastity are to be respected under all
circumstances. The hungry person must be fed, the naked clothed and the
wounded or diseased treated medically irrespective of whether they
belong to the Islamic community or are from among its enemies.

When we speak of human rights in Islam we really mean that these rights
have been granted by God; they have not been granted by any king or by
any legislative assembly. The rights granted by the kings or the
legislative assemblies, can also be withdrawn in the same manner in
which they are conferred. The same is the case with the rights accepted
and recognized by the dictators. They can confer them when they please
and withdraw them when they wish; and they can openly violate them when
they like. But since in Islam human rights have been conferred by God,
no legislative assembly in the world or any government on earth has the
right or authority to make any amendment or change in the rights
conferred by God. No one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw
them. Nor are they basic human rights which are conferred on paper for
the sake of show and exhibition and denied in actual life when the show
is over. Nor are they like philosophical concepts which have no
sanctions behind them.

The charter and the proclamations and the resolutions of the United
Nations cannot be compared with the rights sanctioned by God; because
the former are not applicable on anybody while the latter are applicable
on every believer. They are a part and parcel of the Islamic Faith.
Every Muslim or administrator who claims himself to be Muslim, will have
to accept, recognize and enforce them. If they fail to enforce them, and
start denying the rights that have been guaranteed by God or make
amendments and changes in them, or practically violate them while paying
lip service to them, the verdict of the Holy Quran for such government
is clear and unequivocal:

"Those who do not judge by what God has sent down are the disbelievers."
(5:44)

7. Human Rights in an Islamic State ............................... from III&E

1. THE SECURITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY:

In the address which the Prophet delivered on the occasion of the
Farewell Hajj, he said: "Your lives and properties are forbidden to one
another till you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection." The Prophet
has also said about the dhimmis (the non-Muslim citizens of the Muslim
state): "One who kills a man under covenant (i.e., dhimmi) will not even
smell the fragrance of Paradise."

2. THE PROTECTION OF HONOR:

The Holy Quran lays down:

i) "You who believe, do not let one (set of) people make fun of another
s= et."

ii) "Do not defame one another."

iii) "Do not insult by using nicknames."

iv) "Do not backbite or speak ill of one another." (49:11-12)

3. SANCTITY AND SECURITY OF PRIVATE LIFE:

The Quran has laid down the injunction:

i) "Do not spy on one another." (49:12)

ii) "Do not enter any houses unless you are sure of their occupant's
consent." (24:27)

4. THE SECURITY OF PERSONAL FREEDOM:

Islam has laid down the principle that no citizen can be imprisoned
unless his guilt has been proven in an open court. To arrest a man only
on the basis of suspicion and to throw him into a prison without proper
court proceedings and without providing him a reasonable opportunity to
produce his defense is not permissible in Islam.

5. THE RIGHT TO PROTEST AGAINST TYRANNY:

Among the rights that Islam has conferred on human beings is the right
to protest against government's tyranny. Referring to it the Quran says:
"God does not love evil talk in public unless it is by someone who has
been injured thereby." (4:148)

In Islam, as has been argued earlier, all power and authority belong to
God, and with man there is only delegated power which becomes a trust;
everyone who becomes a recipient of such a power has to stand in awful
reverence before his people toward whom and for whose sake he will be
called upon to use these powers. This was acknowledged by Hazrat Abu
Bakr who said in his very first address: "Cooperate with me when I am
right but correct me when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow
the commandments of Allah and His Prophet; but turn away from me when I
deviate."

6. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION:

Islam gives the right of freedom of thought and expression to all
citizens of the Islamic state on the condition that it should be used
for the propagation of virtue and truth and not for spreading evil and
wickedness. The Islamic concept of freedom of expression is much
superior to the concept prevalent in the West. Under no circumstances
would Islam allow evil and wickedness to be propagated. It also does not
give anybody the right to use abusive or offensive language in the name
of criticism. It was the practice of the Muslims to enquire from the
Holy Prophet whether on a certain matter a divine injunction had been
revealed to him. If he said that he had received no divine injunction,
the Muslims freely expressed their opinion on the matter.

7. FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION:

Islam has also given people the right to freedom of association and
formation of parties or organizations. This right is also subject to
certain general rules.

8. FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND CONVICTION:

Islam has laid down the injunction: "There should be no coercion in the
matter of faith." (2:256)

On the contrary, totalitarian societies totally deprive the individuals
of their freedom. Indeed, this undue exaltation of the state authority
curiously enough postulates a sort of servitude, of slavishness on the
part of man. At one time slavery meant total control of man over man -
now that type of slavery has been legally abolished but in its place
totalitarian societies impose a similar sort of control over
individuals.

9. PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS:

Along with the freedom of conviction and freedom of conscience, Islam
has given the right to the individual that his religious sentiments will
be given due respect and nothing will be said or done which may encroach
upon his right.

10. PROTECTION FROM ARBITRARY IMPRISONMENT:

Islam also recognizes the right of the individual not to be arrested or
imprisoned for the offenses of others. The Holy Quran has laid down this
principle clearly: "No bearer of burdens shall be made to bear the
burden of another." (35:18)

11. THE RIGHT TO BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE:

Islam has recognized the right of the needy people for help and
assistance to be provided to them: "And in their wealth there is
acknowledged right for the needy and the destitute." (51:19)

12. EQUALITY BEFORE LAW:

Islam gives its citizens the right to absolute and complete equality in
the eyes of the law.

13. RULERS NOT ABOVE THE LAW:

A woman belonging to a high and noble family was arrested in connection
with theft. The case was brought to the Prophet, and it was recommended
that she might be spared the punishment of theft. The Prophet replied:
"The nations that lived before you were destroyed by God because they
punished the common man for their offenses and let their dignitaries go
unpunished for their crimes; I swear by Him Who holds my life in His
hand that even if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, had committed this
crime, I would have amputated her hand."

14. THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AFFAIRS OF STATE:

"And their business is (conducted) through consultation among
themselves." (42:38) The "Shura" or the legislative assembly has no
other meaning except that the executive head of the government and the
members of the assembly should be elected by free and independent choice
of the people.

Lastly, it is to be made clear that Islam tries to achieve the above
mentioned human rights and many others not only by providing certain
legal safeguards but mainly by inviting mankind to transcend the lower
level of animal life to be able to go beyond the mere ties fostered by
the kinship of blood, racial superiority, linguistic arrogance, and
economic privileges. It invites mankind to move on to a plane of
existence where, by reason of his inner excellence, man can realize the
ideal of the Brotherhood of man.

Announcements ................................................................

8. Archive Info ..............................................................

This FAQ is archived at several sites and is available for public
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9. Credits ...................................................................

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# End of Islam FAQ Part 8 #

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