Abu Syuqqah & Woman

I have just reviewed Abdul Halim Muhammad Abu Syuqqah’s six volume-books under title Tahrirul Mar’ah Fi Ashril Risalah (Woman Emancipation in the Days of Prophet). This book is an important documentation of women’s lives in the days of Prophet Muhammad, which based on critical studies upon the main Islamic sources, in particular hadith (prophet’s sayings). The author told that the book was born out of his concern about women discrimination among the Middle Eastern Muslim societies.

Abu Syuqqah, who was a student of the prominent expert of hadith Nashiruddin Al-Albany, astonished as he found many hadith about the moderate life of women in the days of the Prophet. In that time, Muslim women were engaged in many outdoor activities as they participated in battles (Jihad), offered their prayers in mosque, listened to the Prophet’s sermon, complained and proposed their problems to the Prophet, served male and female guests, involved in the meeting with Prophet’s companions etc.

These finding shocked him because it contradicts against the general perception of women among Muslim society. Some viewed that woman is creature who arouse man’s desire and libido therefore she should stay indoor. Her voice is aurat, her body opens the way to discord ( fitna), her mind is deficient, and her faith is incomplete. Therefore, she has no freedom to do anything or to determine her choice.

This has motivated Abu Syuqqah to analyze the texts of Quran and hadith concerning woman in two great sources of hadith, Shahih Bukhari and Shahih Muslim. This analysis aims at exposing the historical facts of women’s life in the days of Prophet. Furthermore, he wanted to revive the spirit of freedom that Prophet had given to women.

To me, this critical study upon hadith is considerably useful today. This study shows several aspects of freedom which prophet had given to women, like freedom to choose a husband and divorce him, freedom to work and manage the asset and property, and other aspects.  A hadith narrated by Bukhari told that a girl, daughter of Ja’far, worried that she will be force to marry a man she hated. She wrote about her anxiety toward two sheikh from Anshar, Abdurrahman and Majma’, who afterward deliver the letter to the Prophet. The Prophet responded her.

Unfortunately, many have forgotten the aspect of women’s freedom in the days of prophet. Most of ulema and religious leaders were more concerned upon hadith and religious perception that tends to discredit and discriminate women. No wonder that post the death of the Prophet, women return to the age of ignorance ( jahiliyyah ). Women must stay indoors, have limited activities and subordinated under man’s supremacy, which sometimes justified by fake hadith.

One of hadiths which used to “tame” women as narrated by Fathimah, daughter of the Prophet, asserted that woman should not see others and should not be seen by others ( innal mar`ah la tara ahadan wala yaraha ahadun ). Abu Syuqqah rejected this hadith and regarded it as a fake one. First, the narrator of hadith ( sanad ) was doubtful. Second, the content of hadith ( matan ) contradicts against the historical facts in the days of Prophet as well as his statements.

Unfortunately, the mysoginic hadith were more popular and therefore there must be a follow up of Abu Syuqqah’s breakthrough so that women will not be oppressed by religious spirit based on lack knowledge. We want women to have their rights, at least just as the Prophet had already given them.