The Economic Aspect of Women in Islam

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

"Verily, all praise is due to Allah. It is due to Him, and to Him alone. We praise Him and we seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of our own selves and from the evil of our actions. And whomsoever Allah guides, there is none to misguide him, and whomsoever Allah leads astray none can guide him aright. I testify that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, alone with no partner, and I testify that Muhammad (SAWS) is His slave and messenger. Indeed the best speech is the book of Allah, and the best guidance is that of Muhammad (SAWS). The worst affairs are the newly invented matters, for every newly invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire." 


As seen in the previous posts women were degraded in many aspects, and possessing wealth, and assets was unheard of. Islam gives the woman her equal rights in everything including economic status. The woman has been raised to such a high status even arguably higher than men because in regards to her wealth it is solely hers to use at her disgression where as the man has his family as his responsibility. Inshallah I will discuss this in detail soon. So I will look at a woman's right in various Econmic aspects and show exactly how woman are equal to man inshallah.

1. The right to possess personal property: Islam decreed a right of which woman was deprived both before Islam and after it (even as late as the 20th century) the right of independent ownership. The Islamic Law recognises the full property rights of women before and after marriage. They may buy, sell or lease any or all of their properties at will. For this reason, Muslim women may keep (and in fact have traditionally kept) their maden names after marriage, an indication of their independent property rights as legal entities.

2. Financial security and inheritance Law: Financial security is assured for women. They are entitled to receive marital gifts without limit and to keep present and future properties and incomes for their own security, even after marriage. No married woman is required to spend any amount at all from her property and income on the household. The woman in entitled also to full financial support during marriage and during the "waiting period" (iddah) in case of divorce or widowhood. Some jurists require, in addition, one year's support for divorce and widowhood (or until they remarry, if remarriage takes place before the year is over). A woman who bears a child is entitled to child support from the child's father. Generally, a Muslim woman is guaranteed support in all stages of her life, as a daughter, wife, mother or sister. The financial advantages accorded to women and not to men in marriage and in family have a social counterpart in the provisions that the Qur'an lays down inn the laws of inheritance, which afford the male, in most cases, twice the inheritance of a female. Males inherit more but ultimately they are financially responsible for their female relatives; their wives, daughters, mothers, and sisters. Females inherit less but retain their share for investment and financial security, without and legal obligation to spend any part of it, even for their own sustenance (food, clothing, housing, medication, etc). It should be noted that before Islam, women themselves were sometimes objects of inheritance (see Qur'an 4:19). In some western countries, even after the advent of Islam, the whole estate deceased was given to her eldest son. The Qur'an, however, made it clear that both men and women are entitled to a specified share of the estate of their deceased parents, or close relatives.

Allah SWT said: "For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much, an obligatory share. (4:7)

 3. Employment: With regards to woman's right to seek employment, it should be stated first that Islam regards her role in society as a mother and as a wife as her most sacred and essential one. Neither maids nor baby sitters can possibly take the mother's place as the educator of an upright, complex free, and carefully reared child. Such a noble and vital role, which largely shapes the future of nations, cannot be regarded as idleness. However, there is no decree in Islam that forbids women from seeking employment whenever there is a necessity for it, especially in positions which fit her nature best and in which society needs her most.

With employment the woman has to observe her haiya (modesty) and that can sometimes be difficult in some job descriptions. So remember ladies, and men who feel they need to restrict their wives, sisters etc to work. Inshallah if she feels she needs to compromise for whatever reason, her deen, remind her about her responsibilities, and if she is not yet a mother of wife inshallah advice her to observe haiya (modesty) in search for work and also if she gets the job. You should never give up your religion to make a few dollars because once we die my dear brothers and sisters rest assured the millions or cents you make will not be changed into good deeds, they will be shared equally among your family members and used immediately. So let's not give up Islam for this worldly goods, Inshallah let us all remember Allah wrote our rizk (sustenance) way before He created this world. So let us all have Tawaqal (trust) in Allah and follow His commands to the tee! That means following and observing the rights He gave to both men and women.
Lastly, I am not saying working is wrong, I honestly belief women should empower themselves in every way. School, business the works. I also feel we should know our role in society and not try to be like men because that is illogical. Let us all lear from our mother of Islam Khadija RA who was one of the most successful business ladies during the prophet's PBUH time. She, however, did not compromise her dignity, her modesty, her responsibilities as a mother and a wife or most importantly her deen for her business. May Allah guide us all on the right swirat (path) and protect us from the fitnah (trials) of this duniya (world).

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.