There are so many friends of mine who keep asking why there are not woman leaders/saints or whatever you call, in Islam? Who said there are not? First of all Prophet's wives were the greatest woman leaders and we have so many other wonderful examples infront of us. While I was thinking about this, I remembered Rabia Al Adawiyya... So I was reading some articles about her. I'd love to share some informations in them with you...
In Islam, men and women are totally equal and there is no limitations for women to give religious speeches or lead other women in religious issues. God created all of us equally and we can see that in the Qur'an very clearly...
(3:195: "I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in My way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other)".
And men who surrender to Allah , And women who surrender
And men who believe, And women who believe
And men who speak the truth, And women who speak the truth
And men who persevere in righteousness
And women who persevere
And men who are humble, And women who are humble
And men who give alms, and women who give alms
And men who fast, and women who fast
And men who guard their modesty, and women who guard their modesty
And men who remember Allah much, and women who remember Allah much
These verses not only bring out the spiritual equality of the believers, men and women, but also describe most exquisitely those spiritual virtues whose cultivation is necessary for attaining the greatest spiritual reward. It’s important to note that In Islam the union with the Divine is contingent upon love of the Prophet, who is the last spiritual monarch ruling over the earth.
The title of saint was bestowed upon women equally with men, and since Islam has no order of priesthood and no priestly caste, there was nothing to prevent a woman from reading the highest religious rank in the hierarchy of Muslim saints. From the first days of Islam, there is Khadija, the Prophet’s wife also known as Umm ul Momineen, mother of believers whose spiritual strength supported the Prophet in his mission. Some theologians name Fatema, the Prophet's daughter as the first “qutb” or spiritual head of the Sufi fellowship. Below the qutb were 4 “awtad” and next in rank were 40 ‘abdal’ or substitutes who are described as being the pivot of the foundation and support of the affairs of men. Jami relates how someone was asked “How many are the Abdal?” and he answered “40 souls”. When someone asked him why he didn’t say “40 men?” he replied “There have been women among them”.
So, from the earliest days of Islam where pious women were blessed with the company of the Prophet and led a spiritual life under his guidance (sahabiyyat) to the spiritual life of great female saints, female spirituality has adorned every century of Islamic history.
Female spirituality is manifest in those women who follows a spiritual path and are guided by their love for God, which they express according to the Qur'anic revelation. Their adornment consists in the remembrance of God, and through spiritual discipline they cultivate virtues of patience, piety, humility, charity, truthfulness, and absolute dependence on God’s Will (Tawakkul) - the beautiful truth is that God is ever close to those men and women who seek Him.
In the world of mysticism, a human being’s meaning or reality is his spirit while his body or outward form is the prison from which he must escape. However one cannot function without the other.
The first true Saint of Islam was a woman – the great lover Rabia al Adawiyya has helped shape the image of the ideal pious women who can be praised in glowing terms. Rabia has been included in the rank of saints and mystics, because God does not regard outward forms. The root of the matter is not form, but intention.
Rabia was born in a mud hut to a poor family in Basra so she is also called Rabia al Basri. Rabia became a model of selfless love and introduced the concept of love of God in the somewhat austere teachings of her ascetic predecessors, addressing her yearning for Allah in beautiful verses. She lived a simple life in poverty, but her hut served as a treasure house of spiritual wisdom, Blessings and Gods’ Mercy.
This is well reflected in the allegorical story of when a robber came to her hut and found nothing but a pitcher of water. As he was about to leave, Rabia said to him “if you are really a thief then do not leave without taking anything”. The thief replied sarcastically “What is there to be taken?” Rabia replied “O needy one, perform the ablution with the water in the pitcher, enter the prayer room and say two rakats of prayer. Then leave after receiving something”. The thief obeyed and when he stood for prayer, Rabia also prayed to the Almighty, “O Lord, this man has found nothing here. I have brought him to Thy door, bless him by Thy bounty and Grace.” In response to Rabia's appeal to the Hearer of Prayers, the thief felt spiritual absorption and joy and continued his prayers. Early in the morning when Rabia entered the prayer room, she found him prostrate before the Almighty seeking repentance. It is said of Rabia: If all women were like as the one we have mentioned
Then women would be preferred to men
For the feminine gender is no shame for the sun
Nor is the masculine gender an honour for the crescent moon.
Finally, for those who criticize the injunctions of the shariah concerning women and the role of women in general in Islam, such people do not understand the rights bestowed upon women in Islam. The Prophet conferred on women a dignified status commensurable with their feminine role and responsibilities. Most important of all, the vistas of spiritual growth and development were fully opened to the female sex. As a result, in the context of Islamic spirituality, once a woman strives in the spiritual life, she is able to gain access to all the possibilities of the Islamic tradition and to become, like a man, the vicegerent of God (Khalifat Allah) on earth.
Let’s end with a prayer of Rabia al Adawiyya:
O God whatsoever thou hast apportioned to me of worldly things, do thou give that to thy enemies; and whatsoever thou hast apportioned to me in the world to come, give that to Thy friends – for Thou suffices for me.
God knows the best...
Peace be with you all :)
