My recent visit to the 1001 Inventions exhibition in London introduced me to an awe inspiring woman who is a motivation to Muslim women globally.
What I really want to share from my experience, which had an impact on me, was the story of a remarkable woman; Fatima Al-Fihri.
Twelve hundred years ago, under the Islamic State, a woman named Fatima Al-Fihri lived to make life for her community better and was a woman with a vision. She was from a prestigious family and had inherited a fortune from her father. As a young, wealthy and well educated woman her interest was neither in shoes or handbags, nor in any celebrity lifestyle, neither to woe a man for marriage, nor in any of the stereotypes that are usually associated with us women folk. There was depth in this woman, she had a vision that was cultivated and allowed to grow because of the Islamic society she lived in and encouraged her. Her vision did not remain a dream but was accomplished and the results can still be seen today. In 859, Fatima Al-Fihri founded the oldest academic degree-granting university existing today, the University of Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco.
The Al-Qarawiyyin Mosque is one of the largest Masjids (mosque) in Africa and one of the world's oldest universities. Al-Qarawiyyin is the perfect example of how Islam combines the spiritual with education and that Islam is not separate from life's affairs. This is not only an example of how education and religion merge in this small corner of the globe, but it sheds light on the esteemed role that women played in the Islamic community - an aspect of Islam that is often misunderstood. Furthermore, during medieval times it was regarded as being a major intellectual centre in the Mediterranean. Its excellent reputation even led to Gerber of Auvergne studying at the mosque. Auvergne later went on to become Pope Sylvester II and has been given the credit of introducing Arabic numerals and the zero to the rest of Europe.
It saddens me to say that in the Muslim world today, such inspirational women, the likes of Fatima Al-Fihri cease to exist. Women are engulfed with problems of oppression and subjugation at different levels and hence not able to realise their true potential. This problem is a result of an oppressive, male-dominated society, and governments that lack Islamic laws and systems and rulers that are more interested in the lining of their pockets then the real development and protection of its citizens. As a result we Muslim women have suffered and taken on the burden of being voiceless in society.
Fatima Al-Fihri gave me the realisation of the empowerment and encouragement Islam gives to women and it left me spell-bound.
I don't think I could ever be like Fatima Al-Fihri with such a profound vision and setting out to accomplish it. However it has encouraged me to take practical steps. It has made me reflect on how I want more in my life as a Muslim woman not just chapatti making or chasing a career. It made me realise that I want to fulfil my purpose in life.
It inspired me to be a woman seeking change, working for an Islamic society in the Muslim world and to make this world a better place. It helped me realise that there is a need for a contribution from Muslim women in working for Islamic empowerment and seeking an Islamic society that will cultivate generations of women to use their mind rather than being exploited by a society that uses her for her body.
Fatima Al-Fihri is only one example out of many others and she is a remarkable story that has left a lasting impression upon me. She is a typical example shedding light on the role and contribution of women under the Islamic civilisation. Such a role is the subject of widely held misconceptions of Islam that now need to be questioned and corrected!
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Moh'd jamil dalhatu
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i realy appreciated ur effort may Allah help u and all muslim ummah. |
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Fozia
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As Salam Alaikum dear sisters n brothers. Instead of being inspired by this woman's vision, what shaitan did is made us focus in sex. women n men importance. We should know better that if a woman wants no man can stop her, the reality is we all are very weak in iman n in practicing Islam. First we need to pray to Allah to elevete us in iman and choose us for his deen noble jobs. |
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Madhar al-Hindi
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Its a shame we have to describe things in a paradigm the secular west sets. Men this and women that. Islam came for humans and it elevates all humans regardless of sex. Describing discussions as "WOW look what this WOMAN did" and "WOW look what this MAN did" makes us guilty of falling into the "battle of the sexes" paradigm. Thats a problem secularism created. Leave them to describing things like that. Islam is higher than that!! |
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Mujahid Al Amriki
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Salam everyone. I'm a revert to Islam and have seen many things both good and bad in this Ummah since my reversion almost ten years ago. One thing I have always taken note about is that the women, not the men, seem to be the strength of this Ummah. This not only holds true now, but was true in the beginnings when Khadijah supported her beloved husband Muhammad (peace be upon him). If the men of this Ummah continue to belittle and oppress their wives, instead of relying upon them for strength and honoring them, we will never re-establish the Khilafah. And Allah knows best. |
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salman
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Allah (swt) has placed great minds in both men and women, The future Islamic Khilafah must harness the talent in the women of this ummah. This requires that Muslim men understand their role in allowing their women folk to fulfill their potential and contribute to the progress of society |
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Zeital
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Educate a Man and You Educate an Individual … Educate a Woman and You Educate a Nation. Often mentioned about the high status of women in Islam (and past Islamic societies). Well it is all well extolling the achievements of both men and women in Islamic societies of the past. What counts is the circumstances women face in current day Muslim societies. Remember one crucial point, women are key to the future and continued success of Muslim societies as they will be the first experience of education, thinking, and learning for future generations. The distinction of a civilisation is the status of empowerment and education of women along with their rights. |
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muhammad kuala lumpur
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only Islam can elevate the status of woman. Contrast to the western ideology, women status has been undermined and subjugated under the basis of material and sexual benefit only |
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sadia.du
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such kind of fatima came out because the system helped a women to play both of her role: inside and outside. the current polluted system says the women to a superwomen but they never help to be a perfect homemanger or to play a better role in the society. inshallah when the khilafah will come back we will again see such kind of fatima al fihrihi , INSHALLAH.............. |
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mughal
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Also another website is there which explores the inventions of caliphate.... www.muslimheritage.com |
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Abdul-Kareem
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Anas reports that the Messenger of Allaah (salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "The best women of mankind are four: Mariam daughter of `Imraan, Assiya wife of Pharaoh, Khadija daughter of Khuwailid, and Fatima the daughter of the Messenger of Allaah." [Bukhari and Muslim] These four women were elevated to this high status by Allah (swt) because of their role as mothers, wives and daughters of the Prophets who supported the dawah of the Prophets and assisted them in their struggle. One example is when the Messenger of Allah (salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) was praying at the Kaba the Qureysh came and placed the entrails and intestines of a camel on his kneck whilst he (salla Allaahu alaihi wa sallam) was in sujjud. It was Fatima who came and removed it. If Muslim women want to fulfil their purpose in life of worshipping Allah (swt) then they should not belittle the honourable role of being a mother, sister, wife and daughter and fulfilling the duties associated with these. The west does not value these roles and unless women contribute in some material, economic way to society they will say the woman is not successful. This is completely contrary to Islam who highly values womens role in bringing up the next generation of our ummah. |
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