By Rameez Bhat
If you observe and think about different kinds of things around you, you will eventually come across the reality: Almighty Allah has created everything with a purpose. Each and every creation, be it trees, planets, sun, moon, stars, rather everything is beneficial to the universe.
In a living planet, Almighty Allah has created bunch of things, which are advantageous for the human beings as well as for the non-humans. Among all of them, he has created a most beautiful thing, and that is a woman.
A woman who is your mother, your sister and, your wife. As we all are gloriously aware about the fact that life depends on water and oxygen. But I think, without a woman, you can’t survive. It is the more sustaining thing than oxygen and water!
Nowadays a person having a daughter is considered as the most unfortunate person in the living planet. The ongoing scenario is somewhat pertinent to that period when the ignorant people from the Arabian Peninsula buried their daughters alive in the graves. It was because they suffered from hypocrisy. They were considered as the most hypocrite persons in the world.
But after Almighty Allah sent the most honourable person in this world, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), everything changed. The Prophet gave full rights to women. The Quran provides clear-cut evidence that woman is completely equated with man in the sight of God in terms of her rights and responsibilities.
The Quran states: “Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will we give a new life that is good and pure, and we will bestow on such their reward according to their actions.” [Noble Quran 16:97, see also 4:124].
Woman, according to the Quran, is not blamed for Adam’s first mistake. Both were jointly wrong in their disobedience to God, both repented, and both were forgiven. [Noble Quran 2:36, 7:20-24].
Just think, if the creator is not biased, then who are we to bias the creation? In fact, the last Prophet (pbuh) said: Whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favour his son over her, God will enter him into Paradise. [Ibn Hanbal, No. 1957].
The Quran clearly indicates that marriage is sharing between the two halves of the society. And that its objectives, besides perpetuating human life, are emotional well-being and spiritual harmony. It’s based on love and mercy. The beloved Prophet further said: “The most perfect believers are the best in conduct and best of you are those who are best to their wives.” [Ibn-Hanbal, No. 7396].
At present, we are fast-flying toward the developed nations in a field of education, technology and so forth, but simultaneously we are more ignorant than those Arabs, who buried their girls alive.
Now, we put them to death through foeticide. Why this scorned attitude for our girl children? This is truly an undignified period for the whole mankind. Our women are halted from doing good deeds, for instance, if a girl or a woman wants to establish their own business, they are disowned by their own families even by their own neighbours.
Instead of exhortative for doing such kind of line of work, they are being hushed-up. They are being forced to beg on streets. It’s a kind of inhumane nature toward the most beautiful creation of the creator.
In order to serve humanity, she can become a businesswoman. She may choose her career in the field of medicine to serve the humanity. Rather in every field she can take a part. But instead of appreciating, they are being exploited, abducted, gang-raped, killed, and considered as the inferior creature.
We all know what happened in that cold night of February 23, 1991 in the remote village of Kunan Poshpora. How many of our sisters, daughters, mothers and wives have been raped by the soldiers who rhythmically are claiming to defend us. At the same time, my sisters Asiya and Nelofar were abducted raped and thrown in a stream.
People protested for their justice, even the leaders from the various organizations gave strike calls for their justice. Even politicians gave assurance for their justice. But, neither have they got any kind of justice, nor the guilty have been punished.
Is it because that they were the women?
Venting her Woes
Oh, man! I too have a right to defend. You considered me deplorable. Oh, man! I too have a full right to live. My beloved ones blemished my face by throwing acid on my blooming face. I am frightened to move freely on the beautiful streets of my society. Even I can’t utter purposeful suggestions in my family.
Is it because I am woman that I haven’t any right to express my substantive words? The right to freedom of speech gets wedged for me.
In overriding buses, I am being harassed. For applying my job to get rid from unemployment, I am asked for compromise. This is how I am being treated.
Oh, my beloved ones! I am also your mother, who sustains you in her abdomen for nine months. After giving you birth, I trouble my sleep to care for you. I didn’t try to enjoy the marriage of my brother because I care for you.
Oh, my beloved ones! I am also your sister who gave you company when you felt unhappy. At the same time, I am your wife who helped you at every moment of your life. But you still exploited me!
You are being misconceived about me. Believe me once. I will make you feel proud.
In past I was buried alive. I was treated as a slave in every aspect of my life. I was buckled-down. Now, you are killing me inside the womb. I wonder, why this discrimination?
I have been given full rights in every religion, but I wonder why it was common practice to lead me astray. If you are truly the faithful followers of your own religions, believe me, you will not stamp out me from your life.
Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) was very merciful and gracious toward women and gave them honour and dignity. But why don’t you try to give us dignity and honour?
Back to Discourse
We are witnessed how many disgruntle incidents happened in our hapless society against woman. Women haven’t much regard in our society. They are treated mischievously. Oh, humankind! Don’t you think that woman is the most ravishing creation of the creator? She is created of the creator to give you company.
Simultaneously, she is very kind hearted soul on this living planet. She is having ocean of love and fondness. She is such a kind-hearted that even if your words strike her, her heart melts down the moment you beg her for forgiveness. At the same time, she became your friend. She became your partner.
In any unconditional situation she became the prominent supporter for your strength. They are ready to give you a company in any situation.
Throughout the period of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) women were honoured and respected sincerely.
But presently, their dignity remained a myth! They are being harassed every time and everywhere. We need to change our behaviour toward them.
Post script: ”If you educated a man, you educated an individual, but if you educated a woman, you educated a whole nation.”
Treat woman kindly, and give them utmost esteem, as they are the beautiful creations of Allah. Women are blessings for men in the form of a mother, a sister, a daughter and a wife. They are interdependent to each other. So let’s change our behaviour toward this beautiful creation.
(Rameez Bhat is a Srinagar-based columnist)
