Feminism is defined as the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. What might surprise you to know is that the Qur’an — God’s final revelation to mankind — rejects this idea of the equality of the sexes outright. The Qur’an is clear that the “male is not like the female” and that “men are responsible for women”. For those of us who hold fast to the Qur’an and believe it to be from God, it is imperative that we reject the insane and insidious ideology of feminism, proclaim the truth from God and mend our ways before the command of God i.e the Day of Judgment comes.
Before I proceed, I wanted to give credit to Brother Gerrans and Alan Watt for many of the ideas in this talk. All the following translations are from The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation which you can read for free here.
When the wife of ʿImrān said: “My Lord: I have vowed to Thee what is in my womb in consecration, so accept Thou from me; Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.”
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (3:35-36)
Then when she had given birth to her, she said: “My Lord: I have given birth to a female,” — and God knew best to what she was to give birth; and the male is not like the female — “And I have named her Mary; and I seek refuge in Thee for her and her descendants from the accursed satan.”
The ruling elites of today have successfully destroyed the nuclear family unit — after their forbears had already destroyed the tribal and extended family units — by means of feminism. This did not happen overnight and today’s degenerate society is a direct consequence of the careful planning done by the elites over many centuries. The end goal was always to destroy the pillars (of family, tribe, religion) of a society which insulated an individual from the tyranny of the state. The elites know that once these structures crumble, man will be at the complete mercy of the state. And we can see that is precisely what has happened in the West: a disbeliever today has no recourse for protection or provision unless he follows the dictates and policies of the state. I say disbeliever because a believer in God understands that all protection and provision is from God alone and he is therefore immune to such threats given by the state.
Traditionally, societies, accepted and encouraged the differentiation between the role of a man and a woman, a husband and his wife, a father and a mother. But now, we are being told that the ancients were fools who only wanted to oppress women. Not so, these roles were natural and God-given and are meant for the welfare and protection of both men and women.
As we shall see, the Qur’an has a lot to talk about the rightful roles of men and women. Bur first, let us establish clearly the God assigned relationships between a man and his wife.
Men are responsible for women by what God has favoured one of them over another, and by what they spend of their wealth; and the righteous women are humbly obedient, keeping unseen what God keeps. And those from whom you fear contempt: admonish them; and leave them in beds apart; and strike them. But if they obey you, then seek not a path against them; God is exalted and great.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (4:34)
Men are responsible for women because God has favored them with physical and intellectual superiority over them. And they are responsible for their upkeep by what they spend of their wealth. It is the man’s duty to provide for his family and he is to be the sole bread-winner. In turn, it is the role of the righteous woman is to be obedient to her husband and to safeguard her chastity.
This is a far-cry from the degenerate society of today which encourages women to go out and make a living and to oppose their husbands in what is right and fitting. Those who spearheaded the feminist movement i.e. the elites knew very well that by allowing and encouraging women to go out and earn money, they would undermine the authority of their husbands in the house, betray their trust and ultimately destroy the family unit. This destruction of the family, the long cherished goal of the state, would then allow it to fully exert its control over every man, woman and child; which has already happened in the West.
Believing women in the Qur’an
The Qur’an highlights the baseline characteristics of a believing woman. She is to obey her believing husband in what is fitting, among other things:
O Prophet: when the believing women come to thee, swearing fealty to thee: — that they will not ascribe a partnership with God to anything; and they will not steal; and they will not commit unlawful sexual intercourse; and they will not kill their children; and they will not produce a calumny they have invented between their hands and their feet; and they will not disobey thee in what is fitting; — then accept thou their fealty, and ask thou God to forgive them; God is forgiving and merciful.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (60:12)
God also contrasts two disbelieving women — the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot — both of which betrayed their righteous husbands and consequently will enter the Fire —with the believing women — the wife of Pharaoh and Mary, the mother of Jesus.
God has struck a similitude for those who ignore warning: — the wife of Noah, and the wife of Lot: they were under two of Our righteous servants, but they betrayed them; and they availed them nothing against God, and it was said: “Enter, you twain, the Fire with those who enter.”
And God has struck a similitude for those who heed warning: — the wife of Pharaoh, when she said: “My Lord: build Thou for me a house with Thee in the Garden, and deliver Thou me from Pharaoh and his deeds, and deliver Thou me from the wrongdoing people.”
— And Mary, daughter of ʿImrān, who guarded her chastity, and We breathed into it of Our Spirit, and she confirmed the words of her Lord, and His Writs, and was of the humbly obedient.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (66:10-12)
Modesty: A defining characteristic of the believing women
The Qur’an presents in no uncertain terms the importance of modesty. While the feminist movement considers the shedding of clothes as an act of liberation for the oppressed woman; in reality, immodesty and immorality only makes women prime targets for evil men. God’s directives to maintain modesty both in character and dress are meant to protect women; not to oppress them.
Say thou to the believing men that they lower some of their sight, and preserve their chastity; that is purer for them. God is aware of what they do.
And say thou to the believing women, that they lower some of their sight, and preserve their chastity, and that they show not their adornment save that apparent of it, and that they draw their coverings over their bosoms and not reveal their adornment save to their husbands, or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or the sons of their brothers, or the sons of their sisters, or their women, or what their right hands possess, or male attendants who have not the resourcefulness of men, or the children not yet aware of a woman’s private parts. And let them not strike their feet to make known what they hide of their adornment. And turn to God altogether, O believers, that you might be successful.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (24:30-31)
O Prophet: say thou to thy wives, and thy daughters, and the women of the believers, that they draw down over them some of their garments. That will tend to them being recognised and not hindered; and God is forgiving and merciful.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (33:59)
The wives of the Prophet: A role-model for the believing women
The following directives to the wives of the prophet should serve as a sufficient guide for the believing women in our day and age.
O wives of the Prophet: whoso among you commits manifest sexual immorality, for her the punishment is doubled; and that is easy for God.
And whoso among you is humbly obedient to God and His messenger, and works righteousness, We will give her her reward twice over; and We have prepared for her a noble provision.
O wives of the Prophet: you are not like any among women. If you are in prudent fear, then be not soft in speech lest he in whose heart is disease should desire; but speak a fitting word,
And stay within your houses; and display not yourselves with the display of the former time of ignorance; and uphold the duty and render the purity, and obey God and His messenger. God but intends to remove abomination from you — people of the house — and to purify you completely.
And remember what is recited within your houses of the proofs of God and of wisdom; God is subtle and aware.
The submitting men, and the submitting women, and the believing men, and the believing women, and the humbly obedient men, and the humbly obedient women, and the truthful men, and the truthful women, and the patient men, and the patient women, and the humble men, and the humble women, and the men who give charity, and the women who give charity, and the men who fast, and the women who fast, and the men who preserve their chastity, and the women who preserve, and the men who remember God much, and the women who remember — God has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (33:30-35)
While I recognize that the degenerate society of today is too far gone in the spheres of immorality, degeneracy and stupidity that, unless God wills, we are unable to change the course; nevertheless I must urge you — the believing men and women — to pay heed to God’s commands and make a meaningful change in your behavior, mindset and appearance. We are only responsible for ourselves. Ultimately, the command belongs to God; He does what He desires.
The command of God is coming, so seek not to hasten it. Glory be to Him! And exalted is He above that to which they ascribe a partnership!
The Qur’an: A Complete Revelation (16:1)