The Prophet’s ﷺ Advice for Women

Islam and Women

The Prophet’s صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم Advice for Women

Umm Milad Attariyyah

Rabi’ al-Awwal marks the birth of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم . In this month, believers across the world celebrate Milad al-Nabi, arranging gatherings to renew our love for the noble Messenger صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم .  On this sacred occasion, the greatest gift we can offer to our master صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is a firm pledge of loyalty and a sincere promise to abide by his teachings. In this short piece, we will explore key lessons which the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم taught. Our heartfelt hope is that you will not only read them but incorporate them into your lives and share them with others.

Sayyidatunā Umm Salama رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا narrates that during his final illness, the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم continued to remind: “Remain diligent in performing salah.”^[1]

Sayyidatunā Yusayra رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا was always immersed in Allah’s dhikr, reciting tasbīḥ^[2] and tahlīl.^[3]  She narrates that the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Dear women! Make tasbīḥ, tahlīl, and taqdīs^[4] incumbent on yourselves and enumerate them on your fingertips, because these fingertips will be granted the ability to speak, and they will be questioned. Do not become heedless; otherwise, you will be bereft of ˹divine˺ mercy.”^[5]

The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم counselled Sayyidatunā Qisra al-Kindiyya رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا :

Remember Allah Almighty at the time of sin; Allah will remember you at the time of forgiveness. Obey your husband and you will be protected from the harms of this world and the Hereafter. Treat you parents well and the goodness and blessings of your home will multiply.^[6]

The foster mother of the noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم , Sayyidatunā Umm Farwa رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا  narrates, “The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to me, ‘When you retire to your bed, recite Surah al-Kafirun, as it is a means of salvation from shirk.’”^[7]

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم once visited Sayyidatunā Umm al-Sāʾib رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا and found her shivering. The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked the reason for this and she replied, “Due to fever.” Then she said, “May Allah Almighty not bless it.” The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم replied, “Do not curse fever, for it removes the sins of people as the bellows remove impurities from iron.”^[8]

The beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said to Sayyidatunā ʿĀʾisha رَضِیَ الـلّٰـهُ عَنْهَا : “Honour this precious thing (bread) because it did not return to the nation it departed from.”^[9]

The noble Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, “Dear Muslim women! No woman should consider lowly something sent by a neighbour, even if it is the hoof of a sheep.”^[10]  The meaning of this is that if a woman does not possess anything except something small to gift to her neighbour, she should not hesitate to offer it, but should give whatever suits her means.^[11]

Dear sisters! We should ensure that we act upon these blessed statements of the beloved Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم so that we attain the pleasure of Allah Almighty and entrance into Paradise.