The mercy of Allah عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ upon women
This thought came across my mind today, and I wanted to share it among the Muslims. Often times critics of Islam, and your average ill informed non-Muslim will call Islam a “patriarchal” religion, in their eyes it favors men and it puts women at a disadvantage.
Let’s think about this for a second. Us women (not all but the majority) have a menstrual cycle. For many women this comes with extreme abdominal cramps, mood fluctuations, fatigue, etc. Many of us don’t feel like ourselves during this time of the month.
When we are in this state we don’t have to pray, and we don’t have to fast. We’re given a break from those acts of worship. Missing a prayer is a major sin under other circumstances. That showcases the seriousness of prayer in the sight of Allah. This is such a relief and a mercy from our Lord. Men on the other hand don’t get this break.
There are other man made societal systems that don’t offer women this level of grace. Women are still expected to show up to work, they’re still expected to show up to school. We’re still expected to be efficient people in society and contributing our part. There’s no consistent grace on us when it comes to our physical reality. We’re expected to operate the same way as our male counterparts despite the clear differences we experience with our bodies. Yet these systems are supposedly superior and pro-women.
The worship of Allah is the sole reason Allah created mankind. Despite that being our sole purpose, we women are given this break. As Sulaiman (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ ) said in Surah Naml:
هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ
“This is by the grace of my Lord…
لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّۭ كَرِيمٌۭ
…to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful. And whoever is grateful, it is only for their own good. But whoever is ungrateful, surely my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Most Generous.” (27:40)
All praise and thanks are for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.