Compilation: Abul 'Amaal Misbaah Olagunju
Bismillaahi wal'hamdulillaah wa salaatu wa salaam alaa asraf-il-mursaleen
Just as it is for men, it is also obligatory upon the Muslim women to learn about the affairs of their religion, that which is considered obligatory knowledge for her (fard ayn), and just as this aspect of knowledge is compulsory, it is as well binding that the means by which she acquires them be in line with the injunctions of the sharee'ah.
The woman is in need of purifying her intentions towards seeking knowledge and should be aware of what is obligatory upon her and what is not, from the categories of knowledge, so she won't burden herself with pursuing the secondary matters which are not binding on her, at the expense of her abandoning the sacred space in which the sharee'ah has stationed her, thereby exposing herself to vices and constituting fitnah for the men in her community.
Allaah addressed the women in Surah Al-Ahzab, Verse 33:
وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَى
"And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore;"
This command is general and the only exception is for dire needs as explained by the people of knowledge, and seeking knowledge is considered a part of of such needs, but knowledge of that which is essential, especially when the means to achieving it is not preserving of her fitrah as a woman.
And from the openings which shaytaan employ to try men by way of women, and the women by way of men mostly, is the opening to the path of knowledge. He achieve this by tempting them to overlook and regard insignificant, the sacredness the sharee'ah associates with each sex towards the other, thereby overstepping these bounds for the sake of the 'loftiness of knowledge', while harboring false hopes of safety and fake guarantees of sanctity.
As a result of this, the Sharee'ah had laid down conditions and manners to govern the going out of women in search of knowledge. Some of these conditions as outlined by the author of Al-Aadabul Shar'eeyat lin Nisaa fi Taalibul Ilm" (The Legislated Mannerism for the Women at Seeking Knowledge) are as follows:
[1] Her first station is her home and her primary teacher is her mahram:
Al-Imam bin Al-Jawzi said in Ahkamu An-Nisaa':
"And the woman is specifically different from the man, and what is upon her is to seek knowledge of the obligatory affairs (in her deen) for her to perform them with certainty (correctness).
If she has a father, brother, husband or any other male relatives who can teach her these obligations, then this suffices for her, but if she doesn't have any relative who can do this, she should ask (the people of knowledge) and be taught"
Meaning the first place the woman should explore to satisfy her knowledge needs is within her home, or by way of going out to learn from her relatives (if they live apart), and she is only allowed to employ other means (which will be discussed subsequently) if this primary means fail
Though the woman's first station for knowledge is her home and her primary teachers are her mahaarim, she is however permitted to go out and also make choices of teachers other than her relatives to satisfy this need if her situation requires it.
[2] The existence of a dire need for her to go out in search of knowledge
If the woman has a religious matter in need of clarification or ruling, or she lacks knowledge about some aspects of the religion pertaining to her person so she can correctly perform her worships or nurture her children, but she couldn't find any male relative who can cater for these needs, or help her convey her questions to the people of knowledge for responses, then it becomes permissible for her to go out as this falls under the definition — dire needs. But when she goes out, she does so observing the proper sharee'ah injunctions binding on her, and with the best mannerism.
And the proofs for this is numerous from the practices of the female companions, in their coming out to meet the wives of the Prophet - sallallahu alahyi wa sallam - to inquire on their behalf (or sometimes do this in person) about affairs pertaining to their deen whenever they had such needs.
At this point it is necessary to awake the men, to a responsibility they've left off or are lax with regards to. And this is an aspect from the aspects of guardianship and maintenance of their women; teaching them knowledge
Allaah —subhanahu wa taala— said in Surah An-Nisaa, Verse 34:
الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ فَالصَّالِحَاتُ قَانِتَاتٌ حَافِظَاتٌ لِّلْغَيْبِ بِمَا حَفِظَ اللَّp
"Men are the guardians and maintainers of women because Allaah has made some of them to excel others and because they spend out of their property; the good women are therefore obedient, guarding the unseen as Allaah has guarded"
Imam AbdurRahman bin Naasir as-Sa'di - may Allaah bestow mercy on him - mentioned in his tafsir of this verse:
"And from the aspects in which the men excel the women is in their intellect, composure, patience and perseverance, for which the women hasn't been granted anything similar, and Allaah equally made them excel in maintaining their women"
These qualities are all essential in the strive for and understanding of knowledge, and they are from the wealth Allaah bestowed men with in degrees over the women, and also from the wealth required of them to spend on their women; a responsibility they will be held accountable for according to the prophet —may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace—, as reported in the saheehayn:
عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ " أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالأَمِيرُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ..." .
Narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Umar (Allaah be pleased with him and his father), the Prophet (May Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) said: "Beware, every one of you is a shepherd (guardian) and every shepherd is answerable with regard to his flock (wards). The Caliph is a shepherd (guardian) over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs). A man is a guardian over the members of his family and shall be questioned about them (as to how he looked after their physical and moral well-being)..._
Therefore the men are enjoined to be diligent in striving for knowledge, as their efforts in this is not to cater for just their personal religious requirements, but those of their families (especially their women) as well. And their attitude towards this responsibility have a direct impact on the state of their family.
As for a woman who has needs outside her home, then she should:
★ Observe the legislated hijab (as prescribed in the sharee'ah with all its conditions),
★ Not expose any of her adornments,
★Not apply fragrance or go out after being exposed to incense or any forms of fragrance.
Watch out for [Part 2] Inshaa Allaah.
References:
Fadaailul-Hijaab wa aaqibatu tabarruj wal khyilaat - Aboo AbdurRahmaan.
Al Adaab ash-shar'iyyah linisaa fee talabil lm - Amr Abdumun'im.
Tayseerul kareemir rahmaan - Al Imaam as-Sa'dee.
Wa salallaahu alaa nabiyyina Muhammad wa alihi was'haabihi wa salaman tasleeman katheerah.
Click here for Part II
