The Muslim Woman and Hijab...

The woman is Islam is very important.
Woman is the mirror of home, of family is an exemple for family society. She proud use the veil.
Hijab for the muslim woman means modesty, feminity, degnity and freedome.
Our children are our responsibility.
Our husbands are our leaders as well as our partners.
Our parents are our trust.

We can not neglect any of these duties in the search for fulfillment. If we follow our basic nature we will find fulfillment

in these tasks. the woman can work.
The woman can be a doctor or lawyer or engineer. She has the mental capacity

to do so and the physical abilities. However, she is better suited to be a mother, a wife, a daughter. She does not have

In a famous incident, a man came to the Prophet (SAW) and asked:

"O Messenger of Allah! to whom should I show kindness? He replied: Your mother, next your mother, next your mother, and then comes your father..." (Sunan Abu Dawud)

The Quran also discusses the immense honor and respect due to both parents, and especially to mother:

"And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is the final destination." (Luqman 31:14)

Allah (SWT) did not create humans without reason. Nor did He create them for the sake of spending their time in pointless activity. He created them for 'ibaadah in the complete meaning of 'ibaadah - worship of Him as the one Almighty Lord of the Worlds. 'Ibaadah refers not just to ritual, physical, and mental acts of 'ibaadah such as salaah, siyaam, zakaah, and Hajj.

These are the arkaan of 'ibaadah. The true and complete meaning of the word 'ibaadah includes much more. As Ibn Taymiyah puts it, 'ibaadah is "a comprehensive word that refers to all that Allah loves and all that pleases Him."

So…how does all this tie in with a woman and free time? If we examine the question and take a deeper look at exactly how 'ibaadah is performed in a woman's life, the desire for "free time" takes on a new meaning. Adh-Dhahabee related in Sayr A'laam An-Nubalaa from Asmaa bint Yazeed ibn As-Sakan (radiallahu 'anhaa) that she went to the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and said,

"O Messenger of Allaah, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you. I have come to you on behalf of the women. Verily Allaah has sent you to men and women. We have believed in you. We do not go out and we remain in your homes. We are your source of physical pleasure. We carry your children. A man goes out to pray jum'ah and jamaa'ah, and follows the janaazah. And if you go out for hajj, or 'umrah, or jihaad, we look after your wealth. We wash your clothing. We raise your children. Shall we not share in the reward?" The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) turned to his Companions and said, "Have you ever heard anything a woman has said better than what she has said?"

Then he (SAW) said to her,

"Understand O woman, and inform the other women. Indeed a woman's perfection of her relationship with her husband, her seeking his pleasure, and doing that which he approves of is equivalent to all of that." Asmaa left exclaiming "Laa ilaaha illallaah. "

Here, the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) explains an important aspect of 'ibaadah which applies uniquely to women. He informs us of the way to her success and how she has been granted this distinguished form of worship, one that many of us complain about. It is equivalent to jihaad, praying jum'ah and jamaa'ah. It is commensurate to participating in the janaazah, performance of hajj and 'umrah. This 'ibaadah is the perfection of her relationship with her husband her seeking his pleasure, obeying him, and doing that which he approves of. It is the caring for her children and her home and remaining within her home. Allah, ta'aalaa, in His incomparable mercy, has provided her with other deeds which replace those deeds that men usually perform, so that she may achieve equal reward.

One might argue that most all women participate in these actions on a daily basis, even the disbelieving women. However, the concerns of a Muslim woman are nobler. She sets her sights high in her actions. She is aware that her every act, when performed Islamically, is an expression of her worship of Allaah, ta'aalaa. What is it that makes a woman wish for free time? Usually it is a need for a more personal time period wherein she may direct her energies into something that she would individually benefit from and enjoy. There is nothing wrong with this and indeed, when done with the correct intention, this too falls into 'ibaadah. However, the waste of free time is an evil that many of us succumb to. The world is filled with opportunities for us to waste our time. Shaytaan whispers here and there and before you know it we've intended well but failed to follow through. All of us are prone to wasting our time or failing to take opportunities to use our time well.

Affairs OUTSIDE our home can be harmful as well as haraam. Would you even think that going shopping could fall into this? Don't be surprised. Islam directs that a woman is primarily meant to remain in her home. She may come out for her needs. If she goes out, according to the conditions of the sharee'ah, for a need which her husband cannot fulfill for her, then there is nothing against that. But, sometimes we fall into a western mentality of role sharing. Now there is nothing wrong with a husband helping his wife out and vice-versa. However, a woman taking over responsibilities of the husband with the intention of "making things easier on him" is skirting on the questionable. This is particularly so when we talk of shopping and other such needed but not always necessary tasks. A better way would be to organize herself and her household affairs and that of her children by simplifying her lifestyle and cutting back on the unnecessary.

A Muslim woman's constant going to the markets to make the household purchases and her desire to do so is wrong. Some women have no intention to purchase anything. They just want to walk around the market and see what's new. Maybe there's a new style, new material, something nice. So she has no true need to go out. And we know the hadeeth of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) who said,

"If a woman goes out of her home Shaytaan will attract attention to her presence." [At-Tirmidhi Saheeh]

meaning he will draw attention to her presence and make use of the opportunity either in tempting her or tempting others through her. If a woman remains in her home then shaytaan cannot do this. The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) also said that if a woman goes out of her home she

"appears in the form of a shaytaan and she leaves in the form of shaytaan." [Muslim]

Fear Allah (SWT)! Place this feeling into everything that you approach in your life. Keep in mind the pillars of our Deen - not just that of Eemaan and Islam but particularly of Ihsaan - "to worship Allaah as if you see Him and, though you cannot see Him, know that He sees you" [Mutafaqun 'alaih]. What a powerful statement! Make it words to live by. Also remember that our entire lives and the world around us is a test.

When a Muslim man decides to get married, he searches for a good wife who will also be a good mother to his future children by her. In Islam, the very first quality a man should look for in a wife is not her beauty, her wealth or family name, but how much she fears Allah (SWT) and obeys His commandments. Is she a pious Muslimah? In the words of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW):

"Women may be married for four reasons: for their property, their rank, their beauty, and their religion: so get the one who is religious and prosper."

By asking family and friends to guide him to such a woman by word of mouth, he may then visit her family. At the same time, if a woman’s father or guardian sees an eligible man whom he thinks is a suitable person for his daughter, he is allowed to ask that particular man if he would consider marrying his daughter.

Before a yes or no answer is decided upon by the woman, she should try to find out about her prospective suitor’s background, as regards piety, honesty, character, and whatever else might concern them as a future couple together. This can be done by having her family speak with the man himself, and by having them ask others about his background. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:

"When a man comes to you (seeking marriage) in whom you are satisfied with his character and religion, let him marry."

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