{"_id":"676a0d1032bfcaa23a80b959","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"I wanted to bring to your attention an observation regarding the interaction between brothers and sisters in our community. It seems that there is a lack of acknowledgment and consideration for the contributions and ideas of our sisters in various projects. When sisters voice their opinions, they are often ignored or dismissed. As believers, it's essential that we uphold the Islamic values of mutual respect and collaboration. I believe addressing this issue will contribute to a more harmonious and inclusive community. \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"attributes\":{\"background\":\"transparent\",\"color\":\"#000000\"},\"insert\":\"I wanted to bring to your attention an observation regarding the interaction between brothers and sisters in our community. It seems that there is a lack of acknowledgment and consideration for the contributions and ideas of our sisters in various projects. When sisters voice their opinions, they are often ignored or dismissed. As believers, it's essential that we uphold the Islamic values of mutual respect and collaboration. I believe addressing this issue will contribute to a more harmonious and inclusive community. \"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\" The concept of shura (consulting each other) on matters is a very basic concept in our religion. Allah ﷻ commanded the prophet ﷺ and all Muslims to engage in shura.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\",\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"So only by a tremendous mercy from Allah did you soften towards them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have scattered broken from around you. So pardon them, ask His forgiveness for them, ans consult with them on matters of weight. And when you decide, then trust wholly to Allah. Verily Allah loves those who trust in Him.\\\" [Quran 3:159]\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"Allah the Exalted named the forty-second chapter Shura, in which He said when describing the believers:\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\",\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"And who eagerly respond to their Lord and keep well the prayer; And their invariable way is to take Counsel between themselves.\\\" [Quran 42:38]\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"The right to shura isn't confined to men; how could it be when women constitute half of society? This idea is unequivocally refuted by the noble prophetic tradition. An authentic tradition narrates that the Prophet ﷺ sought counsel from his wife Um Salama after the treaty of Hudaybiya was drafted, a moment of extreme tension and gravity. The Hadith, found in Bukhari #2731, details this interaction.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"\\\"When the writing of the peace treaty was concluded, Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to his companions, \\\"Rise and slaughter your sacrifices and have your heads shaved.\\\" By Allah, none of them rose, and the Prophet repeated his command three times. With no response from them, he left and went to Um Salama and informed her of the people's reluctance. Um Salama advised, \\\"O Messenger of Allah! Do you wish for your command to be carried out? Go out without speaking to anyone until you have slaughtered your sacrifice and summoned your barber to shave your head.\\\" Following her advice, the Prophet ﷺ went out without conversing with anyone until he had completed these tasks—slaughtering the sacrifice and calling his barber to shave his head. Witnessing this, the companions of the Prophet ﷺ rose, slaughtered their sacrifices, and commenced shaving each other's heads in a frenzy, to the extent that the frenzied rush posed a grave risk of injury or even death.\\\"\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"Undoubtedly, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not reliant on counsel from any man or woman, as he has been endowed with profound wisdom from the All-Wise and guided rightly in every instance. However, as Imam Shafi mentioned in his book, al-Umm, Al-Hasan al-Basri stated that the Prophet ﷺ did not seek counsel out of necessity but rather \\\"he wished for people to learn from and follow his example.\\\"\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"Indeed, the companions emulated the noble prophetic example, as they, too, sought counsel from women. Among these exemplary figures stands Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). Ibn al-Jawzi, in his biography of Umar, narrates that Umar would actively seek the advice of women and young men.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"Furthermore, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani narrates in his book, al-Isabah, that Abu Burdah said his father would remark, \\\"Whenever a challenging matter arose, we would consult Aisha, and she consistently possessed insightful knowledge to offer.\\\" \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"Additionally, Ata ibn Abi Rabah stated, \\\"Aisha possessed the most knowledge and offered the most sound opinions among the people.\\\"\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) frequently sought counsel from Aisha and other women regarding matters concerning women and the prophetic household. One notable instance is when he consulted his daughter Hafsah on the duration men should be allowed to be away from their wives during times of war. She advised him not to extend it beyond four months, and he adhered to her counsel, implementing this policy during his tenure as head of state.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"In conclusion, Islam emphasizes the importance of consultation, especially on matters that impact the entire community. Collaboration and mutual respect are fundamental Islamic values. To effectively function as a community and develop projects that benefit everyone, collaboration between men and women is crucial. As demonstrated by the example of Umar, he recognized that women possessed insights that men may not have, and as the head of state, he sought their counsel to ensure the best decisions were made for the community. \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"As a minority in the West, we already face marginalization and vilification, and further marginalizing half of the Muslim community would only exacerbate these challenges. Ignoring women's opinions and dismissing their contributions may lead them to seek validation elsewhere, potentially fostering feminist sentiments within our community. It's important to recognize that such sentiments arise in response to our behavior, not due to Islamic teachings. Therefore, fostering inclusivity and valuing the perspectives of all members of the community is essential for its unity and progress.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fe00b76658b4c2327c8","tag":"Women: Other","count":52},{"_id":"676a0d1032bfcaa23a80b954","tag":"Community Work","count":1},{"_id":"676a0d1032bfcaa23a80b957","tag":"Shura","count":1}],"createdOn":"2024-12-24T01:23:28.896Z"}