After learning, in first part, that the Holy Qur’an valued women enough to assert their equality with men, and changed their standing in society for the better, though some questions arise –
- What is meant by the statement that Hawwa, the first ever woman of human race was born from the ribs of Adam?
- How is it justified to say that men are leaders of women
- Whether the recompense for a female blood is half to that of a man?
- Why a woman’s testimony is considered half to that of a man by the court of Islamic law?
Read the First Part Here:
Keeping in view the subject of this series, it seems important to explain all these questions. Let’s begin with the first question now – the rest will be discussed at length in later parts.
The Quran Says:
“O’ human being have fear of your Lord who created you from a single soul. From that soul He created its mate, and through them He bestrewed the earth with countless men and women.” (Al-Nisa 4, Verse-1)
Now, there can be two possible explanations for the words, “From that soul He created its mate” First, this mate was created from that very soul and second that its mate was created through its race. As per first possibility – Adam was created first and Hawwa was created out of him. Second possibility shows – that an image of Human being was created first and out of that image Adam and Eve were created separately.
Well, there is an established rule for the proper understanding of the Quran that if a Quranic Verse does not unfold its meaning at one place; all other verses on the same topic should be studied for the proper comprehension. For example, the following verse of Al-Nihal.
“Allah has given from among yourselves your mates, and through them He granted you sons and grandsons. He has provided you with good things” (Al-Nahal-16:72)
“This verse conveys the sense that the wives are created from the race of human beings and not from the ribs of their husbands.”
Another verse of Al-Rum says:
“And of His sings is that He gave you mates from among yourselves, that you might live in tranquility with them. And put love and kindness in your hearts. Surly there are signs in this for thinking people.” (Al-Rum 30:21)
When we try to understand the meaning of the verse -I of Al-Nisa in the light of the above quoted verses, the real sense of the matter becomes crystal clear. It is so because no part of the Quran is contradictory to another, rather the whole book gives the same sense.
Now we take a look on a few reference books –
One hadith is related through the reference of Abu Huraira and has been mentioned in the book of Hadith like Bukhari Kitab Nikah, Kitabul Ahadis-ul- Anbia and Muslim- Kitabul Razaat. The wording of the reference though, is different everywhere as it was quite natural that a person heard something from the Apostle and related it to a person of the next generation and so on. Thus, this Hadith reached the compiler of the book of Hadith two hundred years after the death of the Prophet. It is obvious that the wording of the saying is not the same when it passes through this process. The main motive behind all this is to convey the sense understood by the listener. Thus, it is important and essential that every Hadith be understood in the light of the Quran which is the most authentic and basic document of Islam.
While studying Hadith, all relevant Hadiths must be kept in mind and no separate meaning of one Hadith should be derived in order to avoid any doubt.
After this brief discussion it becomes easy for us to reflect upon the above-mentioned Hadith. The only narrator of this Hadith is Abu Huraira. It seems as if the Apostle was telling people to be nice to their wives and try to pull on with them. They should not try to mould them according to some strict rules but should rather tackle them wisely. Meaning, if their wives start complaining, suspecting and creating problems for them, then they should try to convince them and satisfy them with love and politeness. Therefore, the Apostle related women’s psyche to a rib. If, straightened by force, it may break. Thus, if a man treats his wife according to some strict code of rules, it might result in unpleasant marriage, or even separation.
The Quran and the Hadith are full of such examples and they always accord their idiomatic sense. So, the different narrators have expressed the same statement in different words. If we study it as a whole, it becomes clear that women are not born from the ribs of men, rather they pass through all stages of birth like men.
Thus, it is proved that there is no such concept in Islam that a woman is inferior to man and is subservient to him as she is born from his ribs.
Continued ……….
(Based on research & viewpoint of an Islamic Scholar)