Beginilah Al-Quran Glorifying Women
By: chaplain Jauhar Ridloni Marzuq, Lc., MA.
How Alquran glorify woman? In the course of history, women have been wronged by many centuries. Their position is considered inferior to men, made as the scapegoat of mistakes and sources of humiliation for mankind, considered not part of human beings or half human, and deprived of their rights such as obtaining inheritance, proper education, and so on.
This happened not only to civilizations outside of Arabia, but also to Arab societies before Islam came. But when Islam came with Al-Quran as the holy book, the position of women is honored as it should be.
Islam defines the characteristics of women as beings who are honored along with men, given an honorable position, have a big responsibility to bear, both inside and outside the home, to the opportunities that Islam gives women to be able to participate seriously. and useful in society.
Shift in Position for Women
However, along with the changing times and the cycles of time, the position of women experienced a slight shift, to the lowest level as happened at the beginning of the fourteenth century Hijriah.
Then with the start of the modern colonial era, there was also a violent clash between Western civilization and Islamic society which caused various side effects, among others, marked by the emergence of two contradictory streams regarding the position of women.
First, a flow that is affected and dazzled by Western civilization, so that it accepts the sweetness of the bitterness and the pros and cons of that civilization.
Second, a sect that completely closes its eyes to then only want to follow the inheritance left by their ancestors without seeing the benefits and disadvantages.
Alquran Present to Glorify Women
In the middle of these two extreme poles, Al-Quran present in the middle way. Al-Quran contains a lot of verses that lift and position women in their proper position. The glory of women bestowed by Al-Quran This can be seen from several things:
First, Dalam Al-Quran khithab (editorial call or call) addressed to men and women alike, starting from the determination of human dignity to their responsibility in criminal law matters.
Indeed, there are several aspects that mention the specificity of men and women in terms of their nature and instincts of creation. But in its origin, the basic relationship between men and women in Islam is equality. The differences in some aspects are considered as exceptions because they are so few.
Therefore, any effort that leads to the abolition of this original law is a grave mistake which is against Islamic law. Regarding the stipulation of equality between men and women, Imam Ibn Rushd said as follows: "The law of origin for men and women is the same, unless there is a provision regarding differences in accordance with the Shari'a."
In fact, sometimes in one editorial invitation or exclamation, men and women are mentioned simultaneously. This is a gift from Allah as an affirmation of the equality of men and women.
Was It True That Women Was Created From the Ribs of Men?
Second, Al-Quran states that men and women are created from the same origin.
So far, we have been influenced by a view that says woman was created from the rib of man or Adam. This kind of thinking basically comes from the references of the Book of People who are often referred to as israiliyyat.
In Al-Quran, it is never mentioned that woman was created from the rib of man. What does exist is that it implies that the process of creating men and women is the same.
Allah SWT said in QS An-Nisa:
أيها ٱلناس ٱتقوا ربكم ٱلذى خلقكم من نفس وحدة وخلق منها زوجها وبث منهما رجالا كثيرا ونسآء وٱتقوا ٱلله ٱلذى تسآءلون به وٱلأرحام إن ٱلله كان عليكم رقيبا
"O people, fear your Lord who created you from the one nafs, and from him Allah created a mate, and from both of them Allah gave birth to many male and female. And fear Allah who by (using) his name that you ask each other, and (pehharalah) the relationship of friendship. Indeed, Allah always watches over and supervises right ... " (Surah An-Nisa: 1).
This verse states that humans were created from one nafs. What does the nafs mean? There are many scholars' interpretations of the word Nafs. But according to the interpretation of Sheikh Muhammad Abduh, the word nafs here means the type or nation as Allah says:
لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمْمَِر
"Truly there has come to you an Apostle of your own nation / people / kind, it is hard to feel your suffering, really wants (faith and safety) for you, very compassionate and compassionate towards the believers." (Surah At-Taubah: 128).
From this, then in essence this verse does not indicate that women were created from male body parts, either ribs or anything else. What you want to be lifted from this verse is Allah's blessing to humans, where He created their partners (both wife and husband) not from other types, such as angels or jinn, but created from the kind of man himself. If our partners were created from the jinn or the angels, then it would be painful for us to live our lives.
Regarding the origin of the creation of women, there are several verses that imply that the creation of man and woman is no different. "And the nafs (soul) and its perfection (creation)." (Surah Ash-Shams: 6). "By night when it covers (daylight) and day when it is bright, and the creation of men and women, in fact your efforts are indeed different. " (Surah Al-Lail: 1-4).
Then what about the hadith which states that women were created from ribs?
It is narrated from Abu Hurairah radliallahu 'anhu that the Messenger of Allah said: "Willing (in goodness) in women, because women are created from the ribs, and the most bent of the ribs is the base. If you try to straighten the bent rib, it could break. But if you let it then he will still be bent. For that, advise the women. (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).
This hadith, although using the word min (dari), the Prophet's intention is not to show the origin of women's creation, but to describe the character of a woman. The word min here is more accurately defined as "like", not "from".
The figurative meaning is considered to be more capable of explaining the theme of the hadith, so that it can be understood: women are created from traits such as ribs — which are bent — and cannot be straightened out, let alone forcefully. This understanding would be easier for reason to understand.
Equal Humanitarian Rights and Responsibilities
Third, Al-Quran states that there are equal human rights and responsibilities between men and women.
Allah SWT said: "So their Lord allowed his request (saying): 'Verily I do not waste the deeds of those who do good among you, whether male or female, (because) some of you are descended from some of the others. So those who emigrated, who were driven out of their hometown, who were hurt on My path, who fought and were killed, I will surely erase their mistakes and I will certainly enter them into heaven that flows the rivers below as a reward from this side. God. And Allah on His side is a good reward. " (Ali Imran: 190-195).
From this verse we get that the responsibilities, rights and obligations of men are not different. They are both obliged with certain shari'a, and both will get reward or sin for their practice.
Fourth, Al-Quran clearing the faults of Eve.
There is a popular view that the Prophet Adam was expelled from heaven because of the seduction of Eve to eat khuldi fruit. If there was no human Eve would have remained in heaven. It was women who made humans to be sent down to earth, so that the point of error and sin was inflicted on the Eve.
When we read the verses Al-Quranwhat happened was not the case. Al-Quran never mentions that Eve persuaded Adam to eat the khuldi. There is, it is Adam who is immediately whispered and seduced by the devil.
"So We said: 'O Adam, verily this (devil) is an enemy to you and to your wife, so do not ever let him take you both out of heaven, causing you to be harmed. Surely you will not starve in it, nor will you be naked, and behold, you will not be thirsty, nor will the heat of the sun be under it. 'Then Satan whispered evil thoughts to him (Adam), saying:' O Adam, will I show you the tree of khuldi and the kingdom that will not perish? ' (Surah Taha: 117).
It was not only Eve who ate the khuldi fruit, but both (Adam and Eve): "'So both of them ate from the fruit of the tree, and appeared to both of their genitals and began to cover them with leaves (which were in) heaven."
Not only there, after mentioning that the mistakes were made by both (Adam and Eve, not only Adam or Eve), the one who was blamed by Allah was only Adam. Eve is not considered sinful or responsible for the mistake of eating the khuldi fruit.
"So both of them ate from the fruit of the tree, and appeared to both of them their genitals, and they began to cover them with leaves (which are in) heaven, and Adam was disobedient to God and he went astray. " (Surah Taha: 121).
Look, at the end of this verse Allah only blamed Adam by saying "Adam disobeyed God and he was astray. God did not blame Eve. This teaches us that the one responsible for this error is still Adam even though they both eat together, because Adam is the leader. Wallahua'lam.
The material of this study has been submitted online by Ustadz Jauhar Ridloni Marzuq, Lc., MA. at the Expatriate Study event for mothers in Hong Kong, Tuesday last week.
