Women's Theological Services in Islam: A Research and Historical Study

مسلمان خواتین کی دینیاتی خدمات کاتحقیقی و تاریخی مطالعہ

Abstract

This research article seeks to highlight the role of Muslim women in intellectual activities especially their input in matters related to Islamic jurisprudence. The Prophet (r) of Islam is saying ‘Seeking of knowledge is obligatory on male and female’ makes it clear that the Creator of humankind has bestowed both man and woman with the necessary mental capacities of enriching their knowledge to benefit themselves and be a source of benefit to the humanity. The Prophet (r) provided necessary opportunities, first to his blessed wives and then to the rest of women followers to enlighten themselves with knowledge. The women companions of the prophet availed of the opportunities to the full and proved their worth in matters of academic pursuit. An outstanding figure among them was the dearest wife of the Prophet Hazrat Ayesha whom prominent male companions of the Prophet would approach whenever the latter would come across difficulty in the interpretation of any principle of Muslim jurisprudence. It was through her channel that the world came to know about the domestic aspect of the prophet’s life. It was equally true about rest of the mothers of believers. In the following years down to the present era, the participation of women in scholastic affairs increased tremendously.

This study contains details of services rendered by the women in spreading the words of Allah. Through this study, the researcher has attempted to dispel the impression that on the account of domanance of male in the Muslim society, women stand deprived of a meaningful participation in activities central to the development of a balanced human society. The details given in the paper would reveal that the factual position is opposite and women have always been the best.