CHARACTERISTICS OF A PIOUS MUSLIMAH WOMAN

CHARACTERISTICS OF A PIOUS MUSLIMAH WOMAN
(In the light of Quran & Hadith)


Quranic verses
Allah has said that those women who are Muslims, who put their îmân in order, who are obedient, who give in charity, who fast, who protect their honour and chastity, who remember Allah abundantly - Allah has set aside forgiveness and a great reward for them.


Allah has said that pious women have the following qualities: they are obedient, and they protect their honour even if the husband is not at home. Allah has further stated that such women are good women, who are steadfast on the Sharî‘ah, whose beliefs are in order, who are obedient, if they commit any act that is contrary to the Sharî‘ah they repent immediately, who occupy themselves in the ‘ibâdah of Allah, and who fast.


Ahâdîth
1. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "Allah's mercy descends on a woman who wakes up for tahajjud and awakens her husband as well."


2. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "The woman who passes away in her virginity, while delivering a child or while in her nifâs shall receive the status of a martyr."


3. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "The woman who loses three of her children and exercises patience considering it to be an act of reward, will be entered into jannah." A woman asked: "What if she only loses two children in this way?" He replied: "The reward for two is the same." Another narration mentions that a Sahâbî asked about one child and Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam also mentioned a great reward for such a mother.


4. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "The woman who miscarries, that child will draw its mother towards jannah as long as she exercises patience hoping to be rewarded."


5. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "The best possession is a pious wife: when the husband looks at her he is pleased with her, when he orders her to do something she obeys, when the husband goes out, she protects her honour and chastity and remains in her home."


6. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "Among the Arab women, the women of the Quraysh surpass all other women in two aspects: they are very compassionate to their children and they protect the wealth of their husbands."


Lesson: We learn from this that women should possess these two characteristics. These days, women spend the wealth of their husbands very lavishly. They should display far more compassion and attention to reforming their habits and mannerisms than what they display for their children’s food and clothing. If they do not do this, their compassion and tenderness will be incomplete.


7. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "Marry virgin women because their relationship with their husbands is soft and tender, and they are pleased with the minimum that is spent on them."
Lesson: We learn from this that modesty, consideration and contentment are good characteristics in a woman. This does not mean that one should not marry widows. Instead, this is actually in praise of virgin women. There are certain Ahâdîth in which Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam made du‘â for a certain Sahâbî for marrying a widow.


8. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "When a woman offers her five times salât, keeps the fasts of Ramadân, safeguards her honour, and obeys her husband; she can enter jannah from whichever door she wishes."


Lesson: This means that if she is steadfast on the necessary forms of ‘ibâdah, there is no need to engage in other forms of ‘ibâdah which are very taxing. The status and reward that one receives for engaging in the other forms of ‘ibâdah can be obtained by a woman by merely obeying her husband, tending to her children, and fulfilling her domestic tasks.


9. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "The woman who passes away in such a state where her husband is pleased with her will enter jannah."


10. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "The person who has been blessed with four things has in fact been blessed with the treasures of this world and the hereafter. They are: a grateful heart, a tongue that remembers Allah, a body that exercises patience at the time of calamities and difficulties, a woman who does not cause any taint or blemish with regard to her honour and her husband's wealth."


Lesson: In other words, she should not lose her honour nor should she spend her husband's wealth without obtaining his pleasure.


11. Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: "A noble and rich woman who is widowed and yet becomes dirty on account of serving and rearing her children to such an extent that they mature and live on their own or pass away, shall be close to me in jannah just as the index finger and middle finger are close to each other."


Lesson: This does not mean that there is more reward for a woman to abstain from remarrying. What this means is that if a woman feels that by her remarrying, her children will go astray and she has no inclination towards beautifying herself and no desires, then this will be her status.


12. A person said to Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam: "O Rasûlullâh! A certain woman offers plenty of nafl salâts, fasts abundantly and gives a lot in charity. However she causes much verbal harm to her neighbours." He replied: "She will go into jahannam." The same person then said: "A certain woman does not offer many nafl salâts, does not fast abundantly nor does she give a lot in charity; she merely gives pieces of panîr (a type of cheese) in charity. However she does not cause any harm to her neighbours." He replied: "She will go into jannah."


13. A woman came to Rasûlullâh sallallâhu ‘alayhi wa sallam with two children, one she was carrying and the other she was holding by the hand. Upon seeing this scene, he said: "These women bear the children in their wombs, thereafter they give birth to them, and thereafter they display so much of love and compassion for them. Had their relationship with their husbands not been bad, and had they offered their salâts regularly, they would have went directly into jannah."