15.04.2012 - Women's Series [Part 1]

Topic: Women Inspired by the Beloved
Speaker: sister Noor Jehan

This halaqa is based on a lecture series by Dr. Hisham Al-Awadi and focuses on Muslim women around the Prophet Muhammad [SAW], or influenced by his example and advice, their impact on the history of Islam, and their contributions to this Ummah. It can be found at www.kalamullah.com

*Halaqa*

With the help of Allah [SWT] we are hoping to learn about the values that the great women in Islamic history possessed in order to incorporate  those same values and ideals in our own lives in today's society.

Before we begin...
- Who is your female role model?
- Why her? What are some of her qualities or values that influenced your choice?

Aims of this series

• Gain confidence in our Islamic history and heritage and understand that women played a major role in that history
  - How can we fully appreciate men such as Imam Malik, or Shaykh ibn Katheer, or Imam ash-Shafi' without appreciating their mothers who raised them?
  - How can we appreciate the revelation of the Qur'an without Khadija [RA]. Or fiqh [jurisprudence] without Aysha [RA]?
• Understand just who and what the woman is to society and how she contributes or should contribute
• Learn who YOU are and how YOU can make your mark on History and build your jannah.

Organization

• Stories are not related in chronological order but rather, are based on certain values and/or concepts.
• Stories are chosen based on their relevance to these values and how dramatic or powerful an impact they will have on a modern audience.
• They have been arranged according to the following titles/concepts/values:
  - Energy
  - U-Turn
  - Connect
  - Made Men [as in men were made by them]
  - Success
  - Impact [on society]
  - Excellence [in knowledge, aspirations, ambitions, Himmah which means determination]
  - Love
• Each week, inshaAllah, we will attempt to cover the great Muslim women that served these values and/or concepts.

Before we begin studying women in Islam, however, there are a few VERY IMPORTANT principles to keep in mind:

1.  Allah [SWT] is our Creator; He is neither male nor female and therefore remains completely impartial to either gender.
   - Since He is our Creator it is He alone who knows us best and knows what is best for us.
   - Part of iman is to trust Allah [SWT], i.e.: to accept His commands and the infinite wisdom that is behind everything He ordains or does.
   - There is no favourism whatsoever in Islam towards either gender. That is a misconceptions nurtured by modern society at large.
   - Men and women are mentioned an equal number of times in the Qur'an [Rijaal-men-24, Nisaa-women-24]
   - Remember that Allah [SWT] is Al-ADL [the Just], down to the most infinite detail. If you have doubts about the fairness of Islam towards women then you are in fact questioning Allah's wisdom and justice and this is leading to shirk, the worst sin.
   
2. Be objective and open-minded and always look at the bigger picture
   - Do not let your own life experiences with men and women influence how you approach studying this issue. Look beyond yoruself     

[to be continued]

01.04.2012 - Complicated: A-Z's of Women's Fiqh [Part 1]

Topic: Women's Fiqh
Speaker: Razia Hamidi

This halaqa was given by Razia who shared with us her knowledge on the topic after attending this class.

*Halaqa*

Chapter 1: Virtues of Having Daughters
- Allah [SWT] created Eve from Adam’s rib – side by side so that they are equal to one another. On the day of judgement, Allah says in the Quran that He will ask the girls directly for what reason they were buried; the fact that Allah [SWT] will ask this question to the girls directly as opposed to the fathers who committed the crime emphasizes that they [the fathers] are not even worth being spoken to.

- During Battle of Uhud, Prophet Muhammad [SAW] was only left with a handful of people; while all the strong men ran away, it was Umm Imaarah who protected him, left, right and centre; Battle of Hunainh, again, Umm Imaarah had the Muhammad [SAW]'s back. We are aware of the hadith concerning someone having two or three daughters will enter paradise, same goes if you adopt girls.

Naming the Child
- Only have 7 days up till the baby’s born to name the baby
- Name change is allowed
- There is no proof that Arabic names are recommended
- Can’t name the daughters after the names of Angels or names of the Quran

The Urine of the Female Infant
- Clear cut difference – touching anything impure won’t break your wudhu ex. touching a dog
- Ex. Prophet was once praying, dirt on his shoes, so removed his shoes and continued to pray – shoes had impurity but still continued praying
- If one is praying and carrying a baby that has feces than the Salah becomes invalid because Prophet Muhammad [SAW] removed his shoes right away
- Touching awrah with lust will break your wudhu but other than that, it won’t.

Photography, Paintings, and Sculpture
- Photographs are permissible because your just capturing a moment; similar to looking in the mirror i.e. a reflection of an image
- Worst though is making pictures to challenge Allah’s creations
- Haraam – to make an image of something that has a ruh – dragon not real so that’s fine

Sleeping Arrangements
- Regardless of gender, children need to be separated by the age of 10 – sleep in different places, if not, then separate covers
- As long as kids don’t have an understanding of awrah, then it’s fine; but once they understand, we have to separate them
- One can give children a bath until they reach puberty but once they do then it is haraam

Signs of Puberty
- Sometimes kids develop light hair this isn’t a sign of puberty
- Umar [RA] came to the Prophet [SAW] when he was 14 and said I want to be listed in the army and Prophet [SAW] turned him away; when he came back at 15, then Prophet [SAW] allowed him to register; this happened to 14 companions

FAQS
- With regards to doctors, women should start with looking for a female Muslim doctor, then a male Muslim doctor, and then non-Muslim female and male doctors.
- Preference obviously given to male doctors because they are more familiar but today there is a code of ethics so issues of non Muslim vs. Muslim are not necessarily a major concern.
- Praying in front of images is fine; Prophet Muhammad [SAW] used to pray around idols
- Regarding wudhu, for men they wipe their wet hands on their hair forward then backwards - Aisha [RA] said for a woman, it’s enough for her to go backwards.

Menstruation
- Shariah defines menstruation not by the days but the by the blood flow
- Brown stuff is still considered part of the menstruation
- Example: If you generally get your period for 10 days and say first two days you’re getting bleeding than nothing happens for four days than you get a bleeding on the 7th day, it is still within your period even though you didn’t bleed for four days in the middle – but because it’s within your cycle, it means it’s still your period
- Haraam to pray when you’re in your menses
- Women in menses are exempt from the last tawaf in Hajj
- Not allowed to go around the Kabah if in your menses
- Permissible to go to the masjid if needed. [i.e. community centres etc and weekly classes; can also attend for Ramadhan Taraweeh  to continue to partake in the routine – can just sit at the back or in a separate area]
- Perfect Ghusl – start by cleaning your private parts, then perform wudhu, wash here and body, and then pour water over you three times, on right and left sides.

Worship
- Eid – part of the sunnah to give khutba related to women’s issues
- Partitions in the masajid during the time of the Prophet [SAW] did not exist but if you’re putting it for the purposes of privacy it’s fine; during the Prophet’s time, women left the masjid even before the men were done – so something to keep in mind – today’s time, it’s fine as it does create privacy for the women
- Prophet Muhammad [SAW] promised any parent who lost a child, jannah as their end reward