Role of Women in Islam using The Inspiring Example of Hajira Alayhi as-Salam

بسم ﷲ الرحمٰن الرحیم

Role of Women in Islam using The Inspiring Example of Hajira Alayhi as-Salam

Soha Siddiqui

TIL Women English – Year 2

Islam came in as the perfect deen, i.e. the way of life and the values and principles that it is intrinsically made by the Al-Hakeem. And roles and responsibilities have been allotted to everything He created be it the angels, jinn, nature, men or women and each have their statuses in Islam. The hierarchy followed made the perfect niche for everything and all of it being so essential that it is next to impossible to have this whole universe function the way it is without even one element.

And when the masses struggled and are still struggling for making a respectable position and to ‘prove’ that women are important and deserve rights of their interest, Islam subtly yet with a lot of authority elevated women to ranks and positions in society that if one studies on the subject he would be left in awe.

Impeccable stories of women being a very crucial part in the whole history of Islam, and how they had so magnificent roles to play in the lives of our Prophets and the resilience of women who took giant leap of faiths for the pleasure of Allah ﷻ and how He always rewarded them beyond imagination.

One such woman is Hajra Alayhi as-Salam. She was the slave woman who was presented to Ibrahim Alayhi as-Salam to bear a child by Sarah Alayhi as-Salam as she was unable to bear an offspring. After years of patience, Allah ﷻ blessed Ibrahim Alayhi as-Salam with Ismael Alayhi as-Salam. The happiness although was decreed to be short lived as Allah ﷻ commanded Ibrahim Alayhi as-Salam to leave his family in an isolated desert in Makkah and set out on a journey. When Ibrahim Alayhi as-Salam was leaving Hajra Alayhi as-Salam with an infant Ismael Alayhi as-Salam, Hajra Alayhi as-Salam became worried and asked her husband the reason of his decision, Ibrahim Alayhi as-Salam was was silent because of which she asked him the same question a couple of times but the third time she herself asked him if it was a command from Allah ﷻ and when Ibrahim Alayhi as-Salam replied in the affirmative she instantly submitted to the will of Allah ﷻ. Not once she had any doubt that they would be forsaken in that barren desert but had complete tawakkul in Allah ﷻ that of He had commanded Ibrahim Alayhi as-Salam to leave them He would also provide for them, and they would be taken care of. Hajra Alayhi as-Salam and Ismael Alayhi as-Salam were left in that place with some food and water. It was not long before that

Sustenance was over and Ismael Alayhi as-Salam started crying due to thirst due to which Hajra Alayhi as-Salam giving us such a big example, started running from one hill named Safa to another hill, Marwah in search of water, implying that being believers we are to put out trust in Allah ﷻ but also make efforts actively to obtain our needs. Such was her want, her confidence that despite being able to search for water in a limited space, she ran repeatedly in between these hills, not once, twice or thrice but seven times. Allah ﷻ the All-Merciful showed mercy to her and sent Jibrael Alayhi as-Salam with the miracle of ZamZam. We as muslims know the significance of ZamZam and the abundant goodness that it encompasses by the Will of Allah ﷻ.

Now some people may wonder what was extraordinary in her story that it was through her that we all were blessed with Zam Zam and her running in between the two hills was made a pillar and an obligation for all muslims to do in order to complete their Umrah and Hajj. So , it was her tawakkul, her belief in Allah ﷻ  , her submission to His Will, acceptance, and put trust in Allah ﷻ alone in difficult times was extraordinary and how simple these concepts may sound they are equally difficult to do amal on in our lives and such is the reward if we all strive to have such tawakkul, acceptance, submission and only ask Allah ﷻ for help.

جَزَاكَ ٱللَّٰهُ