Woman Between Islam and Western Society
5. Position of Woman in the Islamic Shari‘ah
~ 278 ~
As for the saying of the Prophet likening women to
a rib, it is a parable illustrating the need to treat
women gently on the basis of their particular,
natural constitution. The Prophet Muhammad
delivered this advice time and time again, in
different words, and it is something that he himself
practiced throughout his life.
In the time of the Prophet, women used to attend
the night prayer, and sometimes they used to
take their small children along with them. The
Prophet used to pay special attention to strict and
full observance of prayer. Yet so great was his
consideration for women that sometimes, when
he heard babies crying, he would cut short the
prayer. He once said: “Sometimes I stand up for
prayer, my intention being to make it a long one.
Then I hear a baby crying. So I cut short prayer,
not wanting to make things difficult for the
child’s mother.”
42
