The Ideal Muslimah: Lecture 5- teacher Umm Yusif

Ideal Muslimah

Lecture #5

(From the book Ideal Muslimah by Dr. Muhammad Ali al-Hashimi)

Chapter 1: The Muslim Woman and Her Rabb (cont.)

1.   She Fasts During the Day and Prays at Night in Ramadan  p. 21

The true Muslim woman fasts the month of Ramadan, and her soul is filled with faith that: "Whoever fasts Ramadan out of faith and hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven." [Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore the wise Muslim woman must strike a balance, during this all-too-short blessed month, between her domestic duties and the opportunity this month brings to draw closer to Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) through worship and good deeds. She should not let her household chores distract her from performing the obligatory prayers at the appointed times, or from reading Qur'an or praying nafil prayers. Nor should she let traditional late-night family gatherings keep her from praying qiyam allay and tahujjud, and making du`a'.

2.   She Observes Nafil Fasts

The true Muslim woman also observes nafil fasts at times other than Ramadan, if it is not too difficult for her to do so. So she fasts the day of `Arafat, and `Ashura', and the ninth day of Muharram, because fasting on these days and others is one of the righteous deeds that may expiate sins, as the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) told us:

Abu Qutadah (radi Allahu anhu) said: "The Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was asked about fasting on the day of `Arafat, and he said: `It is an expiation for the sins of the previous year and the current year.'" [Muslim]

Ibn `Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) said that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) fasted the day of `Ashura', and commanded others to fast on this day too. [Muslim]

Abu Qutadah (radi Allahu anhu) said that the Messenger of Allah (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) was asked about fasting on the day of `Ashura', and he said: "It is an expiation for the sins of the previous year." [Muslim]

Fasting six days of Shawwal is also encouraged, as the Prophet (salla Allahu alihi wa sallam) said: "Whoever fasted Ramadan then followed it with six days of Shawwal, it will be as if he fasted for a lifetime." [Muslim]

Other recommended fasts: three days of each month and Mondays and Thursdays

3.   She goes on Hajj to the sacred House of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)  

4.   She is obedient to the commands of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)

The true Muslim woman does not forget that she is duty bound to perform all the religious duties that Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) has commanded her to do.

Some stories of the righteous female predecessors.

5.   She is obedient to the commands of Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala)    

The story related to this ayah.

(It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision: if anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.) (Qur'an 33:36)