Woman in Islamic Shari‘ah
5. Muslim women
~ 119 ~
attempted to steer Muslims resolutely away from
negative activities, and set their feet on the path of
positivism.
I thank all those who have been good enough to
encourage me; but the real credit for my
achievements must go by rights to that devoted
Muslim woman called Zaibun Nisa. In this material
world of ours, if there is anyone who may be
fittingly called the initial founder of this Modern,
constructive movement, it is certainly my mother.
She had never heard of “Women’s lib,” being very
far removed in space, time and culture from such
activities, but it is worthy of note that she needed
none of the philosophizing of the women’s
liberationists to be able to perform what she
regarded as her bounden duty in the eyes of God.
Whereas my brothers and I set about our tasks in
life in a reasoned, conscious manner, for her it was
all a matter of instinct, prayer and faith.
I know more than one of my own relatives who,
having lost his mother at an early age, became
destructive in outlook. We must never
underestimate the role of woman as mother. It is
