Ibn Al Jawzee raheemahullaah said
“A woman is an accountable individual just as a man is. She is obliged to seek knowledge of her duties so that she may perform them properly.”
The importance of knowledge in Islaam is so lofty and important that it was given as a commandment in the Quraan. “Read in the name of your Lord , who has created all that exists.” Sarah AlaQ (96:1)
With the above mentioned in mind, we want to get into how women play a role in this field of seeking knowledge and being knowledgeable. Understanding how deficient this world would be without the presence of knowledgeable women.
All throughout history examples of pious knowledgeable women have shown its effects on a global scale. We are our children’s first examples of what it means to be upright and intelligent. Also in our families and communities we represent for more than just ourselves. We represent Islaam and muslim women everywhere.
But in truth what are we representing every time we interact with our husbands, children, family, friends, community and more? Are we showing examples of the prophets wives and how they were? Are we speaking like them, behaving like them, dressing like them, having good manners and character like them? And how can we do so if we don’t even know who they are and what they stood for?
We cannot be our best and represent the best if we do not have knowledge. So many of the women today have lost the essence of what being an upright knowledgeable woman really is. We have so many present examples that are thrown in our faces and made to be fair seeming when in reality, its nothing more than the trick of the shaytaan to distract us from the greater good.
“Knowledge precedes statements and actions.” Or “Knowledge precedes words and deeds.” This statement is an everyday thought for the muslim. If we do not have the knowledge about something, how can we carry it out?!
Sure every woman will not be a scholar and we are not expected to overwhelm ourselves either. However many of us are not even doing our level best! We can all stand to do a bit better in different areas. We must understand and realize that if we are good intelligent women, then we will produce and generate the same for the next generation. After all, what is the reward for good other than good?!
There are ways in which women deliver knowledge that men don’t . Wisdom that women have that is unique. Character and mannerisms that are passed onto our offspring from birth . These things and much more are some subtleties that are exclusive to women. They may seem minor but have impacted entire nations both in good and bad ways.
The best of knowledge is the knowledge of our Lord and the religion of Al-Islaam. Many women walk around with a PHD and Masters from various universities yet have the slightest understanding or knowledge about her Lord and religion. Secular knowledge plays a major role yes. However we have lost the balance between proper education seeing as secular knowledge has dollar bills attached, everyone is QUICK to get the secular first. But what about our hereafter….Where that piece of paper degree will not answer those questions in the grave for us. Nor will money buy us a sweet spot in the grave either. Unless we used that secular education in the way of Allaah, we need to really be careful.
Everyone’s path to Jannah is different. We must all find those good deeds that Allaah loves that are easiest for us to do consistently and keep at it! But no matter what we do in life , it will ALWAYS revolve around knowledge. Any path we tread, step we take, move we make, we will always have to find out the “know how” and that is knowledge.
The effects knowledgeable women have on entire families and communities is amazing. If only we realize that we MUST seek the religious knowledge. Take advantage of our time more and act upon whatever knowledge we do learn right away is a start.
Beginning with ourselves first if we seek knowledge then we become better worshippers to Allaah.
In turn this makes us have more taQwa (more fearful of Allaah and mindful).
Then we spread that which we’ve learned of knowledge and good, and it effects others and they act upon it as well.
And since we have more exposure to the next generation of muslims (our children and other peoples children) then we not only end up helping ourselves , we also end up aiding the next generation to be even better than we are.
We are that other half that is needed in productive societies. Without knowledgeable , healthy , productive women, this nation and others will fall apart! And this is EXACTLY why the western society is set up to tear the family structure apart by removing the mother from the home. Giving the women male authority by throwing her into the work force away from her family in an attempt to reverse the roles of women and turning them into men.
What’s extremely strange is that , everyday women around the world are working…..working for OTHER people’s families. Serving them in restaurants, hospitals, schools, daycares and more. And although it is completely permissible for a woman to work in Islaam, we have lost focus. We’ve not realized that we work for other people’s families only to neglect ours! We are so caught up into the “rat race” that we cannot even see what’s happening . Our family structures are torn apart because of the removal of righteous, knowledgeable women. And the increase of these broken families are a sure proof of this.
Some will read this and argue many things. Some may say ” I have bills” , “Its my husbands fault I work” , “I didn’t choose this life” , “I love to work” and the list goes on. Those excuses may genuinely have some validity to them. However what are we doing to preserve and protect knowledge of religion of Al-Islaam as women? If we seek only to chase the dollar , and never learn our religion and act upon it, then what will we have saved up for our hereafter where we will abide therein forever?
Every woman lives a different lifestyle. And we are not expected to all be the same as we all have different paths to tread. However no matter what lifestyle we lead, Allah comes first! We are representatives of Islaam every single time we walk out our doors. Every time we marry, have children, have coworkers and colleagues , neighbors etc , we say something through our actions and deeds.
So the question is…. “Is our knowledge preceding our actions and deeds?”
Until next time In shaa Allaah , May Allaah bless, preserve and protects us all Aameen.
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