Woman Between Islam and Western Society
5. Position of Woman in the Islamic Shari‘ah
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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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On the basis of this revelation, the justice of her plea
was recognized, and this iniquitous custom, based
as it was on a false set of values, was finally
abolished.
Much later, when Khawlah was an old woman, she
once met ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, who had by that
time become the Caliph of the Islamic Empire.
‘Umar greeted her and she returned his greeting.
Then she said: “O ‘Umar, there was a time when I
saw you in the marketplace of ‘Ukaz. Then you
were called ‘Umayr
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and you would set your goats
to grazing with a stick in your hand. Then, the times
changed and you came to be called ‘Umar. Later
you became the Chief of the Faithful. Be God-
fearing in dealing with your subjects and
remember, that for one who fears God’s
chastisement, a distantly related man is like a close
