Feminism is “the belief in the social, economic, and political equality of the sexes” [Reference]
However, Islam beliefs women are not like men
Allah says:
لَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالْأُنثَ
“And the male is not like the female” [3:36]
Imam ash-Shanqiti rahimahullah, “The wife of Imran said, ‘and the male is not like the female’ and she is truthful in that without a doubt. However the disbelievers and their followers say men and women are the same. No doubt every intelligent one would attest to this denial [in the verse] and deny this affirmation [that men are like women]” End translation. [Adwaa al-Bayyan (7/633) see al-Idahaatul-Muwthiqah pg. 204]
It is important to note that this statement was said by the mother of Maryam alayhaa salam who happens to be a woman.
Shaikh Ahmad Shakir rahimaullah said commenting on [4:34] of the Quran,
“As for the women of our era, then they have become full of pride, vanity, and transgression due to our enemies from the colonizers who instill in them an immoral, wicked education. So they claim for themselves the right to have equality to men in everything of their apparent affairs. They are in reality arrogant and tyrants. They want to rule men outside of the house and they transgress the Islamic legislation. Even in what is clear in the texts of the Quran and Sunnah, rather they want to be judges and occupy the affairs of men which is not for them and to exit from what Allah and his Messenger ordered. They disbelieve that men are the protectors and maintainers of women [4:34] and in also in the hadith,
“لَنْ يُفْلِحَ قَوْمٌ وَلَّوْا أَمْرَهُمْ اِمْرَأَةً”
A people who make a woman their ruler will never be successful.
[Bukhari no. 1409]
up to the point they have become greedy to have the position as judges and other than it while they are helped by men who resemble men”. End translation. [Umdatul-Tafseer pg. 1500 see al-Idahaatul-Muwthiqah pg. 205]
While women are not equal to men in all affairs, they are equal in some affairs. There are forms of worship specific for each gender in accordance to their differences. However, men and women are both rewarded by Allah for the good they do.
Imam Ibn Qayyim rahimahullah said,
“Chapter: the wisdom in the equality between a man and woman in some affairs of the religion and not others. As for his statement, ‘man and woman are equal in the physical forms of worship, in the corporal punishment, but the woman was given half in regards to blood money, witnessing, and aqeeqah’. So this also is the perfection of the legislation and its wisdom and kindness for the benefit in the physical forms of worship and the benefit in punishments is shared between men and women. The need for one of two groups is like the need of the other. So it is not befitting to separate between them. Yes, they are differentiated in the appropriate places like Jummah and congregational prayer. So men are obliged to come unlike women because they are not the people who emerge and go out and mix with men. Likewise they are differentiated in the worship of fighting in the way of Allah which women are not its people. However, they are equal in the obligation of hajj due to both requiring its benefit and in the obligation of Zakat, fasting, and purification…” End translation. [‘Ilaam al-Muwaqi’een (2/104) see al-Idahaatul-Muwthiqah pg. 209-210]
The feminists call for many things that oppose the legislation of Islam and only reinforce the underlying belief that men are equal to women in the various spheres of life.
Shaikh Bakr Abu Zaid rahimahullah wrote that women’s liberation hopes to achieve the following objectives in the Muslim world,
”
• Calls to the removing of the Hijab from the face (khimar) and the move from the jilbab to what is called the abayah. This is a mouthpiece to calling for removal of the hijab from all the body and towards the wearing of alluring clothing in all its types: alluring in its form, towards nakedness by wearing short clothing, towards tight clothing that describes the body parts and which is transparent making the woman’s body visible. It calls to the imitation of men in clothing and to the imitation of disbelieving women in clothing.
• Calls to move women from being veiled in the houses from strangers to free-mixing in all spheres of life.
• Calls for the integration of women in all spheres of life. This is a call for women to be in the streets and public places uncovered, showing off their charms….
” End translation. [Harraastul-Fadilah pg. 96]
These are just some of the unIslamic calls of feminism. This is because feminism is a secular movement that is removed from religion. The above matters are directly challenging the commands of Allah and His Messenger sallahu alayhi wa salam. For example, the imitation of men and women.
The Prophet sallahu alayhi wa salam cursed women who imitate men and vice versa,
لعن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم المتشبهين من الرجال بالنساء، والمتشبهات من النساء بالرجال.
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed men who copy women and cursed women who copy men.” [Bukhari]
Hafidh Ibn Hajr rahimahullah said,
“Tabari said: the meaning is that it is not allowed for men to resemble women in clothing and adornment that is specific to them and vice versa. I say: (Ibn Hajr): likewise in terms of speech and walk…” End translation. [Fathul-Bari]
That is why the son of Shaikh Hammad al-Anasri rahimahullah said regarding women’s liberation,
سمعت الوالد يقول : يقولون اليوم : تحرير المرأة ، بل هو تخريب المرأة
“I heard my father (Shaikh Hammad al-Ansaari) say, ‘Today they say women’s liberation. Rather, it is the sabotage of women'” End translation. [Majmoo’ al-Tarjumah al-‘Allamah Hammad ibn Muhammad al-Ansaari (2/556)]
And Allah Know Best
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
