Women in Dawah

Abdul Lateef M. Al-Hassan and Sumayyah Bint Joan
al-Jumu'ah Magazine

From the very beginning, women have played vital roles in the propagation of the fundamental truths of Islamic da'wah. From the sacrifices of Sumayyah, to the collected Ahadeeth of Aisha, women have been instrumental in the flourishing and spreading of this deen. Unfortunately during these times, the Islamic revival suffers from weaknesses in its properly qualified personnel, which limits its spreading and restricts the da'wah work to an elitist group of activists, with finite and limited efforts of da'wah and tarbiyah being focused on women.

Da'wah amongst women deserves, and should get, far more attention than it does. So far, except in a few instances, women have been distanced from the field of da'wah work. If we look at the reality, and the situation of Islamic da'wah work, and the position of women in it today, we can easily find the following problems:

1- Deficiency in da'wah capabilities among and by women.

2- The ill use of existing limited-resources in combination with a lack of personal initiative on the part of women.

3- A neglect or omission of women's issues in the planning of Islamic da'wah.

4- Absence of strong tarbiyah and the lack of fundamental Islamic knowledge in the da'iyat (female callers) in the field of da'wah. Only a few of the wives and daughters of dou'at (male callers) have any worthwhile Islamic knowledge.

5- Most women do not possess a proper understanding the role of da'wah made incumbent on their husbands. Because of this, they may not understand the importance of time given to projects outside the home, which in turn may, become a source of tension within the home.

6- The level of general Islamic knowledge among most women is low.

7- Women's da'wah programs, as well as overall da'wah programs and institutions are rare, and not well organized.

ROOTS of the PROBLEM

Many obstacles and restraints have been the causes behind the weakness and neglect of da'wah work amongst women. One they have been recognized and analyzed, viable solutions can be sought and implemented.

One major reason, is that many men are not convinced about the importance of women's role and responsibilities in the field of da'wah. The Qur'anic verse "...remain at your homes..." [33:33] has been misinterpreted by many, and so has the right of stewardship or Qawama. In many instances we see men objecting to women's participation in da'wah and thus preventing them from fulfilling their role toward their fellow Muslims and to the larger society in general. Spreading Islam has been made incumbent on all Muslims, men and women.

"It is vital that husbands encourage their wives to participate in da'wah work," said Dr. Aisha Hamdan, Director of the Islamic Education Foundation, based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has a Ph. D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialty in child and family issues. She teaches at a private university in the Twin Cities. The IEF is a two-year-old organization, with one of its goals being, to increase the level of awareness and to provide training in giving da'wah, amongst Muslim women and men. "They should encourage them to spread the message of this deen, perhaps by taking them along when they go out, and by instructing them on the proper ways of giving presentations about Islam."

A more particular reason is the absence or confusion of priorities in the minds of dou'at. Many of them have been overwhelmed and distracted by the state of the Ummah, even to the extent of ignoring to give proper attention to their homes and families. Their energies having been exhausted in the work outside the home, leaving them with nothing left for their families. This imbalance hurts not only the families, but also the community as a whole.

The level of women's education and awareness of their position and responsibility plays an important role. As education and awareness decline, women become disinterested, their level of giving and sense of sacrifice weakens. "Unfortunately, not a lot of Muslim women feel that they know enough about Islam to share it with others. They need to realize that it is their responsibility to obtain that knowledge and then share it with others. Many women also feel uncomfortable presenting to groups of people due to various reasons." Dr. Hamdan said. "This is why we are conducting training sessions here, about how to conduct da'wah. We are committed to trying to arm women with the necessary skills, that will give them the confidence to take up this very important, and often neglected role in their lives as Muslims."

Indulgence in luxuries, even if they are halal things, usually force women to devote more time to them and less time to doing da'wah. This also happens when they find it difficult to balance rights with duties. Sometimes women lose perspective, forgetting that the work inside the home is the core of their mission. By neglecting this role, or when they fail to arrange their priorities, and get tied to a job that distracts them, they ultimately fail at fulfilling their da'wah roles both inside and outside the home. "For many women, their jobs as wife, mother, cook, and teacher, inside their homes, are so time consuming, that the main barrier to engaging in da'wah work is oftentimes, a lack of time itself," said Dr. Hamdan. "This is why it is so important for husbands to be supportive to their wives in fulfilling their obligations both within and outside the home."

Another unfortunate reality is that most da'wah organizations have failed to absorb and utilize the energies of women, and have also failed to adjust their plans and programs in a way that would incorporate women as core assets in their da'wah work.

The media, and many other elements of the promiscuous society we live in, have had major impacts on the psyche of Muslim women. This psychic crippling has kept many women away from their mission and distorted the image of Islam in the minds of most of them.