Women and the birth of Islam

Of late, Muslim Malaysian male politicians, in the national Parliament and in the Penang State Legislative Assembly, in one way or the other, had belittle women, from their monthly menstruation to how they should dress in public. These male chauvinists acted no less like a dumb court jester trying to please the king!

They should be reminded that their mothers, wives, sisters and daughters are women and, as Muslims, they must be told that women played very important role in the birth of Islam, very remarkable role.

First of all, that of Khadijah, first wife of the Prophet, to whom he remained faithful until her death. A most unusual and exceptional person, she was the first to embrace Islam. It was she who managed to put the Prophet's heart at rest after his deeply disturbing encounter with the arch-angel Jibreel in the Hira grotto. It was also she who persuaded him that he had a genuine mission and that the revelation was authentic, taking him to consult one of her cousins, a blind sage nearly a hundred years old. This wise old man, Waragah Ibn Nawfal, convinced Muhammad that his visitor was none other than the Messenger of the All-Powerful Being, and that he, Muhammad, had been selected to be one of the Prophets. Khadijah made over her entire fortunes and her worldy belongings to Islam.

Islam's first martyr was also a woman. Her name was Sumayyah, daughter of Khayyat, and her husband too was to be a martyr, as was her son, Ammar.

Stop abusing women in whatever way. Without them, humans ceased to exist!