It’s important to note that a group of communities forms a nation, while a collection of families forms a community, but a man and woman forms a family. As a result, before we can discuss the role of women in nation-building, we must first consider the function of wives and mothers. As a result, a woman must be educated and play an active role in nation-building.
The word “role” refers to a task or an action that must be completed by one person.
Who is a Muslim woman?
A Muslim woman is a special kind of woman who submits to Allah’s will and accepts Islam as her way of life. And nation building here refers to genuine participation in the development of national projects, the mobilization of human resources for such programs, and contributions to enlightenment efforts in the fields of finance, health, and education for the benefit of society. Education is extremely important in our country because, before any significant development can take place, the population must be motivated to change. Only when people are educated do they develop feelings of inadequacy. As a result, the Rasul (SAW) declares that learning is obligatory for all Muslims.
Serving Allah necessitates knowledge in every aspect of life and is as well mandated for a man in Islam, thus one must master these roles in order to properly implement them in light of the above. “The world is a provision, and the best object of the world is a virtuous woman,” Prophet Muhammad (SAW) remarked (Sahih Muslim). He went on to say, “Shall I not tell you about the smallest treasure a man can possess?” It is a pious wife who pleases him anytime he looks at her and guards herself when he is not around (Sunan Abu Dawud, recounted by Abdullahi Abbas) . How does this happen? It is attained through a solid Islamic education, high morality, and firm taqwa. As a result, it is not an understatement to argue that a woman must be educated in order to be fully equipped to fulfill her position in society.
As a result, Allah (SWT) says in Q58:11, Allah has raised those of you who have been granted knowledge to (appropriate) rank and (degrees). A woman’s most important responsibility is to be a good Muslim, living in complete accordance with Islamic principles. This consequently makes her obedient to Allah, His messenger and her leaders. Islam demands truthfulness, and sincerity from her. She shuns malicious gossip and all forms of corruption. As a result, the woman develops a lovely personality that has an impact on everyone she meets. According to a tradition of Allah’s messenger (SAW), ignoring what does not concern him is a sign of excellence in Islam (Ahmad).
Blackmail, backbiting, and gossip are all prohibited. As a result, Allah warns in the surah Al Ma’un verse 4 of the Quran Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.
The Muslim woman has a responsibility to uphold the truth while avoiding dishonesty and deception. Her responsibilities and character include keeping vows, being chaste, and wearing hijab.
Above all, she should be reliable.
When a woman marries, her care is entrusted to her more. She is entrusted with her husband’s residence in addition to maintaining her chastity. Another difficult responsibility is the upbringing of children. Rasul (SAW) stated, “Each of you is a shepherd in her husband’s house.” She is also in charge of her flock (Al-Bukhari).
The importance of healthy child rearing is emphasized in Islam. Make sure your children are well-versed in Islam, and educate them on the religion’s dos and don’ts. This is likely to influence their future behavior. Despite the fact that child rearing is a difficult task. The Muslim lady possesses the necessary capabilities to accomplish this task; yet, the child will require assistance and guidance during his or her educational years. As a mother or guardian, it is your responsibility to give these. This is because the Prophet (SAW) declared that teaching a child is like engraving on a stone. It’s not going away anytime soon. It will be simple for the child to resolve his issue.
The world has become a jingle today, and Nigerian teenagers have gone berserk. It is now considered a virtue to be impatient. Gambling, drinking alcohol, fornication, stealing, drug dealing, and prostitution are all commonplace among this generation’s vices. Crime and insecurity now rule’s the land, lowering growth rates by diverting resources that could be used to promote other projects that benefits the nation and the people. Disinterest in participating in the community’s mission and duty of service to people is a symptom of a general malaise. We are unaware of the extent of the benefits our community can provide us, which explains our inability to provide us with the peace and security we require.
The family unit is said to be very strong, with all children being taken care of. This includes not just maternal but also psychological considerations; children must be cherished by their parents or guardians and made to feel wanted. Teenage daughters must be lavished with love at home, or they will seek it elsewhere.
This frequently leads to unintended pregnancies in teenagers, abortions, or outright prostitution. Boys should be kept out – don’t assume that boys are tough and don’t need love; they do. When you reject them and deny them the love and attention they require, and they are exposed to domestic violence, such as parents arguing, the children become psychologically deranged. This makes them unable to do well in school. They quickly join gangs because they believe they are part of a group that cares about them. They abuse drugs and alcohol, commit crimes, and eventually drop out of school. Parents, particularly women, are indirectly responsible for their children’s development. This is part of a woman’s responsibility in nation-building; when she nurtures the men’ who will lead the nation, the society will be better.
In other words, communities are built on institutions and programs that provide individuals with the emotional and physical commodities they require. Furthermore, they will only continue to justify their existence as long as they do so. Individuals majorly dwell on fulfilling their own physical and material needs alone. When it comes to being a community, however, the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual components of being human matter more and takes precedence over all other demands or criteria. These intangibles are, in essence, what gives us a sense of collective identification and shared personalities. And it is through them that individuals are successfully and meaningfully blended into a relationship which generates a shared taste and a sense of purposeful connection.
Since the beginning of the Islamic era, many authors have recorded and written about the Prophet’s Companions, (S.A.W), and the crucial role they played. Many outstanding persons, such as the Companions, caliphs, and scholars, contributed to the creation and spread of Islam through Da’wah activities both during and after the Prophet’s life.
The noble ladies who surrounded the Prophet Muhammad, (S.A.W), did not hide in the corners of their homes or waste their time on petty issues. They were like bright stars in the galaxy of Islamic history’s wonders. Shouldn’t Muslim women be proud of Ummu Imarah, who fought bravely in the Battle of Uhud while men fled in terror? What about Aisha’s honor, who gave so much? They had the passion and the desire to sacrifice their lives and everything they knew, including family ties and familiar territory, all for the purpose of obeying Allah’s word.
Such pioneering women with exceptional traits as these early female devotees who followed and connected with Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) are uncommon to come across in Islamic history. Shouldn’t Muslim women be proud of Khadijah, the first woman to convert to Islam? What about Sumayah’s glory, who has told the most among of Prophetic Hadiths? And it was the guidance of a woman that resulted in Muslim peace at the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. What about Muslim women’s pride in that?
“The noble women who surrounded Prophet Muhammad ( S.A.W), did not confine themselves to the confines of their homes or engage in trivial affairs.
The achievements and pride of all women in the world pale in comparison to the successes and pride of Muslim women, who have accomplished far more in bringing about peaceful coexistence and growth in their communities. There are many beautiful events in Muslim history. Isn’t it past time we learned from them and emulated our great ladies who battled with the Prophet Muhammed (S.A.W) for the sake of Islam?
If we look into Muslim women’s history, we will uncover attitudes and situations that are uncommon in non-Muslim women.
Muslim men and women are encouraged to adopt Islamic work ethics rather than damaging work ethics imported from the West. In general, males should labor outside the home, contributing to society’s infrastructure by providing for themselves and their families. Women should also work at home, laying the foundations of society and raising their children.
There is a deliberate and widespread misperception regarding whether activities undertaken by women can be deemed employment that has been imported from the West. Demands for women to work outside the home are made under a variety of guises. They’re contracted to complete specified duties while being supervised by strangers. Because efforts are made and money is exchanged, the duties are termed work. Women are constantly occupied with household chores. Tasks like raising children, creating safe havens for their husbands, caring for elderly relatives, and all the other responsibilities that come with running a household. Although a lot of effort is put in, no money is exchanged, hence they are not considered work.
Women who are working or self-employed are labeled unemployed, and for half of the labor market, women are relegated to human resources. Except for those who Allah has pity on, this blatant misinformation has become so ubiquitous that many people, educated and ignorant alike, believe it.
