Woman in Islamic Shari‘ah
5. Muslim women
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therefore, to the Prophet, laid the whole case before
him and urged him to assist her. But, since up to that
point no revelation had been made to the Prophet on
this subject, he could only reply that she was no
longer the lawful wife of her husband.
On hearing this, Khawlah began to lament the ruin
of her home and the penury into which she and her
children would sink. She also told the Prophet that
her husband had not expressly stated that he was
divorcing her. But the Prophet could give her no
positive answer, because he thought that by Arab
custom, the separation must already have taken
place. Then Khawlah could only weep and pray to
God to save her from ruin.
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It was on this occasion that the
surah
58 of the
Qur’an entitled,
al-Mujadilah
(She Who Pleaded),
was revealed. It begins with these words:
God has indeed heard the statement of the
woman who pleads with thee concerning her
husband, and carries her complaint to God.
And God always hears the argument between
both sides among you, for God hears and sees
all things.
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