Are Women Fitna and The Source of All Evil?

By Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam 16 August 2023 What Does It Mean In The Hadith When Women Are Called "Fitna"? Main Points 1. Stereotypes about women exist in society, often claiming they are the root cause of all problems. 2. Some people often cite dubious or improperly interpreted Hadiths to support their claims, while trustworthy Hadiths can contradict their assumptions. 3. "Fitnah" in Arabic has various interpretations, including a trial, test, or subjecting someone to a test. 4. Allah tests a man through wealth and children, as well as wives and women, which are blessings from Allah. 5. A servant may neglect to worship Allah and fulfil His commands and obligations, even after receiving gifts like wealth, children, and women. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) advises males to avoid temptation and keep Allah in mind, as women are both blessings and tests. ------- Many stereotypes regarding women exist in our society. Some individuals think that women alone are to blame for all of the bad things and challenges in the world. Women are frequently referred to as Fitnah with a derogatory meaning. They claim that women alone are Fitnah and the root of all problems, and they occasionally cite dubious or improperly interpreted Hadiths to support their claims. Other times, they cite trustworthy Hadiths that contradict their assumptions, as the one below warns against the Fitnah of women. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said, “I have not left Fitna [a trial] after me more harmful to men than women.” (Bukhari 4808, Muslim 2740) What does it mean for women to be Fitnah in this Hadith? By citing such Hadiths, they try to show that women are completely Fitnah in the negative sense, and as a result, they treat women very harshly. They believe that the best course of action for them is to remain incarcerated within the four walls of the house until they pass away. Islam, on the other hand, has increased respect for women. Ensuring that women are treated fairly and have access to all of their legal rights is a major responsibility of Islam. However, in spite of our best efforts, we were unable to persuade the rigid and stern academic types to change their views on women. They have also misunderstood the meaning of the term Fitna as it is used in the Hadith above. They derived the idea that women are the source of all evil and problems from the term Fitna in this context. But this is not at all how the Hadith is supposed to be understood. The word "Fitnah" has numerous interpretations in Arabic. The concept of a trial, test, or something that puts someone to the test is included in one of these meanings. This test is administered sometimes through bad things and sometimes through good things. Allah Ta'ala tests man by giving him difficulties at times and blessings at other times. Allah says: “...And We test you with evil and with good as trial [Fitnah], and to Us, you will be returned.” (21:35) As a result, the Arabic word Fitnah can refer to both good and terrible things. Riches and children, for example, are unquestionably great gifts from Allah, but He has also referred to them as Fitnah. “Your wealth and your children are but a trial and Allah has with Him a great reward.” (64:15) These are benefits from Allah Almighty, yet Allah tests His servants through them to make sure they don't become distracted by them and forget about their obligations. The following Qur'anic verse may be interpreted in this way: “O you who have believed, let not your wealth and your children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. And whoever does that - then those are the losers.” (63:9) Similar to how Allah tests a man via wealth and children, even though these two things are blessings from Allah, so too does He test him with wives and women, even though they are also favours from Allah. These women are neither the cause of evil nor its source nor are they its incubator. Instead, the Holy Prophet said that having a good wife is a great blessing from Allah. In addition, Allah has included a condition in this reward that requires His slaves to remember their Lord when they are around women. The same criterion is discussed in the verse mentioned above. Man and woman are naturally drawn to and in love with one another thanks to Allah Almighty. The gradient here is organic. Each of them leans in the direction of the other. However, the woman is more appealing, and the man is more drawn to her. This tendency causes man to frequently do what is wrong and to turn away from worship and good activities. It is possible for a servant to become so preoccupied with receiving a favour that he neglects to worship Allah and carry out His laws and obligations. The servants are instructed to obey their commitments even after gaining gifts like wealth, children, and women because these things are also favours from Allah. Women are not only a blessing in this aspect, but also a test. Because of this, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) has cautioned males to avoid being drawn into temptation by a strong connection to women and to keep Allah in mind at all times. From this information, it is clear that the word "Fitnah," has been mentioned for a woman in the Hadith does not refer to her humiliation, flaws, undermining of her dignity, or diminution of her value. Rather, a woman holds an honourable and respected standing in Islam. According to this Hadith, men's ability to treat women is their greatest trial and challenge. In this way, this Hadith has helped to remind men of their obligations and served as a warning to them. ------ Kaniz Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam. URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/woman-fitna-source-evil/d/130456 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism