DAWAH OF A MUSLIMAH By Nafeesah Bint Yakub
Let’s not consider or judge what we hear or read through medias like CNN, ABC, BBC, FOX and the rest, let not ask a non Muslim what and how the Muslim women feel, how they live, their challenges and their responsibilities, if we wish to be fair and conscious of our environment, ask the Muslim women about their ordeal.
We now live in a world where Muslim women can’t do what they like doing either because of their appearance or faith they profess, a typical example is one of our sisters when she was denied the call to bar on account of her Deen as a Muslimah, this not the only example where Muslim women are oppressed, also the popular case of Sherifat Yunnus whose Niqob(veil) was yanked off at an exhibition comes to mind.
If you wish to be fair, ask a Muslim woman who struggled to get to where she is, for a Muslim woman who practice her religion and is still able to stand on her feet in such a bias and an unstable society.
Why are Muslim women been discriminated owing to differences in faith? If others are free to reveal their bodies at will, why is it difficult for a Muslim woman who nurtures an ambition of becoming a medical doctor, use it as a Da’wah tool for the Ummah(humanity) after going through the rigorous study to merit and earn her certificate only to eventually get denied a job because she wears the HIJAB. How does the hijab affect her profession?
No one is really ready to ask the Muslim women, our long gone professors, we have women amongst them, not one nor two, Muslim women have and are excelling in various professions around the world, why are Muslim women underrated, oppressed and denied their rights? Why is the Nigeria community allowing its human resources in Muslim women waste away out of hatred? If we select 100 Muslim women between the ages of 17-40, 60% will be, are graduates of higher institutions both local and abroad with good employable grades, with very appealing potential and socially endowed but are mostly denied the opportunity to showcase their knowledge, skills or talent.
Many are times, ‘people’, especially non-Muslims say “Look! with her level of education, she still wears that ….., Mr., Miss, Mrs., it’s not called that ….. but a HIJAB, MODESTY, FREEDOM … Muslim women aren’t cowards, dull, antisocial, vague or stale, rather they are mothers, teachers, role models, professionals whom have been denied because they are Muslimah.
Mr., Miss, Mrs., I’ve questions for you; Why are Muslim women exploited, oppressed, maltreated, denied because they don’t share same faith with you while you tolerate others who are non Muslims? Are we been fair?
A young Muslimah going for an interview find it hard using her hijab purposely because she will be denied the job especially because of her identify as a Muslimah, what a biased world we live, even in psychology and sociology, there are aspects that mentioned individual differences, there is a constitutional provision for religious differences.
Islam raised the status of women, and made them equal with men in most rulings. So women, like men, are commanded to believe in Allaah and to worship Him. And women are made equal to men in terms of reward in the Hereafter. Women have the right to express themselves, to give sincere advice, to enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and to call people to Allaah. Women have the right to own property, to buy and sell, to inherit, to give charity and to give gifts. It is not permissible for anyone to take a woman’s wealth without her consent. Women have the right to a decent life, without facing aggression or being wronged. Women have the right to be educated; in fact it is obligatory to teach them what they need to know about their religion, other forms of knowledge and provide enabling environment to exhibit what they’ve acquired in terms of knowledge and skills.
Muslims must rise to the occasion to defend Muslim rights especially the women. Doing so will not only entrench women’s right but also encourage Muslim women to pursue their God granted dream profession.
English 