for allah

The literal meaning of “Zakaat” is purity. Its Islamic technical meaning designates the annual amount of wealth, food, property etc. which a Muslim with the adequate means must distribute among the rightful beneficiaries.

Zakaat is a remarkable institution and a major pillar of Islam. Allaah, Almighty, Says (what means): “And establish the Prayer, and pay Zakaat (the poor due)…” [Quran, 2:43]

Moreover, Zakaat is an obligatory act because it is one of the pillars of Islam: The Prophet said: “Islam was built upon five (pillars): `The testimony that none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; the establishment of the prayer; paying the obligatory charity (Zakaat); pilgrimage to the House (Hajj to the Ka’bah in Makkah) and fasting (the month of) Ramadhaan.”‘ [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Zakaat is a small portion of the Muslim’s wealth that must be given to the poor or to other specified beneficiaries. Whoever claims that Zakaat is not obligatory and refuses to pay it, is not a Muslim, but a Muslim who refuses to pay Zaakat due to stinginess, while affirming its obligation, has committed a great sin for which one will be severely punished.

Allaah, Almighty, Says (what means): “…and as for those who hoard treasures of gold and silver, and do not spend them for the sake of Allaah, announce unto them a painful torment. On the Day when that [hoarded wealth] shall be heated in the Fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them): `This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard.” [Quran 9: 34-35]

He, Almighty, also Says (what means): “And let not those who covetously withhold of that which Allaah has bestowed on them of His bounty (wealth) think that it is good for them (and so they do not pay Zakaat). No, it will be worse for them; the things which they covetously withheld will be tied to their necks like a collar on the Day of Resurrection…” [Quran 3:180]

There is no equivalent in any other language to the word “Zakaat” and the meaning it conveys. It is not just a form of charity, or alms-giving or tax or tithe. Nor, is it simply an expression of kindness; it is all of these combined and much more. It is a duty enjoined by Allaah and a source of purification for the individual and society as a whole.

He, Almighty, Says (what means): “Take from their wealth ’sadaqah’ (Zakaat) in order to purify them and sanctify them with it.” [Quran 9: 103]

Zakaat benefits the society in many ways. Here is an explanation of the far-reaching effects of it:

1. Zakaat purifies the individual and his wealth. The status of his wealth is increased with Allaah and in turn, he will be rewarded. When a person becomes liable for paying Zakaat, a certain percentage of his wealth should be distributed immediately in the correct manner, because at that point, the wealth which is to be distributed does not belong to him. If this wealth is retained, it spoils the status of all of his wealth.

2. Zakaat does not only purify the property of the one who gives it, it also purifies his heart from selfishness and greed. In return, it purifies the heart of the recipient from envy and jealousy, and it fosters in his heart good will and warm wishes toward the contributor. As a result, the rich and poor of society are bound together as a unit, working together and helping one another.

3. Zakaat decreases the sufferings of the needy and poor members of society, however, those in need should not depend on it completely.

4. Zakaat is an effective means of developing the spirit of social responsibility on the part of the well-to-do, and the feeling of security and belonging on the part of the underprivileged.

5. Zakaat is a clear manifestation of the spiritual and humanitarian interactions between the individual and society. It is a sound illustration of the fact that though Islam does not hinder private enterprise or condemn private possessions, it does not tolerate selfish and greedy control of wealth and property. It is an expression of the general philosophy of Islam which adopts a moderate and effective course between the Individual and Society.

In conclusion, we mention a calling by Allaah, Almighty (what means): “O You who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from grievous suffering [in this world and in the life to come)? You are to believe in Allaah and His Messenger and strive hard in Allaah's cause with your possessions and your lives: this is for your own good – if you had known it." [Qur'an, 61: 10-11]

Sources:

http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=articles&id=135513

Women in Islam have equel rights to man. Isalm gave women all rights which women deserve. Islam considers women to be equel to am a man as a human being. Women have been created with a soul of the same nature as man’s. Allah (SWT) says in the Quran:
“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife (Eve), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever and All-Watcher over you.” (Al-Nisa 4:1)
The main principles of the human rights in Islam are : -

1 -The right and duty to obtain education.

2-  The right to have their own independent property.

3- The right to work to earn money if they need it or want it.

 Equality of reward for equal deeds.

4- The right to participate fully in public life and have their voices heard by those in power.

5- The right to provisions from the husband for all her needs and more.

 6-The right to negotiate marriage terms of her choice.

7- The right to obtain divorce from her husband, even on the grounds that she simply can’t stand him.

9- The right to keep all her own money (she is not responsible to maintain any relations).

Those are not all the rights which Islam gave to women but I mentioned the main characteristics of human rights.This rules springs from Islamic law and Islamic law is the product of Quranic guidelines, as understood by Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), as well as of the interpretations derived from the traditions of Prophet Muhammad (hadith), that were agreed upon by majority of Muslim scholars as authentic beyond doubt based on the Science of Hadith. These interpretations and their application were shaped by the historical context of the Muslim world at the time they were written. Many of the earliest writings were from a time of tribal warfare which could have been inappropriate for the 21st Century.

 Women played an important role in the foundation of many Islamic educational institutions, such as Fatima al-Fihri’s founding of the University of Al Karaouine in 859. This continued through to the Ayyubid dynasty in the 12th and 13th centuries, when 160 mosques and madrasahs were established in Damascus, 26 of which were funded by women through the Waqf (charitable trust or trust law) system. Half of all the royal patrons for these institutions were also women.

Men may fear or distrust “feminism” if they think it means nothing more than women gaining control over them. But genuine women’s liberation would be liberating for all people, men and women alike. Not an issue of who wields power over whom, but transcending that whole issue of power, lifting our consciousness to a higher plane. A woman who is truly liberated would not be stuck in that old power struggle; she would not seek to control men any more than she would accept being controlled by men. Rather, both men and women would rejoice at being freed to relate to one another as loving, spiritual beings. This is real, and most of all the Sufis have actualized it. This is what the Prophet (peace be upon him) brought, if only that original liberating spirit could be released from under the dead weight of centuries of cultural repression like “purdah”, which came not from Islam, but from the concubinage of the ancient Greeks and Romans, where women had no rights and were property owned by their fathers, husbands, and slave masters, so it is nothing but jâhilîyah pretending to be Islam, while Islam established the independent, equal status of women for the first time in civilization.

 But Islam put an end to man disgrace for women and formed the rules which intensified the reaction against man if  he usurb the rights of women.

At the begging i wont to say that Islam has liberate the women , Islam gave the right to speak to talk even to live , before the baby girl would be killed because she is a girl but today Islam has give them a lot of rights to women.

“I shall not lose sight of the labor of any of you who labors in My way, be it man or woman; each of you is equal to the other (3:195)”

Spiritual equality, responsibility and accountability for both men and women is a well-developed theme in the Quran. Spiritual equality between men and women in the sight of God is not limited to purely spiritual, religious issues, but is the basis for equality in all temporal aspects of human endeavor.

Adam and Eve: Gender Equality

The concept of gender equality is best exemplified in the Quranic rendition of Adam and Eve. The Quran states that both sexes were deliberate and independent and there is no mention of Eve being created out of Adam’s rib or anything else. Even in the issue of which sex was created first is not specified, implying that for our purpose in this world, it may not matter.

“O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity (nafs), and out of it created its mate, and out of hte two spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand your rights from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you! (4:1)”

Quranic translators disagree on the meaning of “nafs” in the above verse which Muhammad Asad translates as “living entity.” Many claim that “nafs” translates as “person,” that is, Adam. But according to Asad and other scholars, God created humankind and its sexual counterpart out of its own kind. The Arabic word referring to mate (zawj) in the above Quranic verse is grammatically neutral and can be applied both ot male and female interchangeably. So it is not clear, nor should we conjecture, that Adam was created first, Eve was created out of Adam, or that Eve/woman is innately subservient to Adam/man. The fact that this Quranic verse does not specify one specific sex over the other is proof of gender non-bias and equality. It is commonly (and mistakenly) argued that Adam was created first, and that by this gesture God finds the male dominant and superior to the female; however, the wording of the Quran in the aforementioned verse does not support this claim.

The Quran describes how Adam and Eve were told to avoid a specific tree, which they both approached. For this act of disobedience to God, they were consequently banished from the garden; however, later both repented and were forgiven by God. The Quran does not allude to Eve tempting Adam to eat from the tree and being responsible for their downfall. In the Quranic version, both were held accountable and both paid the price for their choices, proving that gender equality is an intrinsic part of Islamic belief. (See Quran 2:30-37)

Accountability, Independence, and Freedom of Choice

Women are independent individuals, as exemplified by the fact that all human beings will be accountable for their own intentions and deeds on the Day of Judgment when “no human being shall be of the least avail to another human being” (82:19) If men were ultimately responsibile for women (fathers for their daughters, husbands for their wives, etc.), then this accountability would be solely on men’s shoulders to bear until the Day of Judgment. But this is not the case: “And whatever wrong any human being commits rests upon himself alone; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another’s burden…” (6:165)

Consequently, we cannot be judged according to our own deeds unless we have the freedom of choice to do so. This free choice carries with it the responsibility to make the right choices or paying the consequence for wrong ones, best exemplified by Adam and Eve.

Equality in Practice

In the Quran, reference to men and women is through attributes and deeds, by which we will be judged. The most pious of us, or those who follow God’s commands, are referred to as “believers” or “mu’mineen” (pl.) in the Quran. In many references, in fact, the Quran resonates this equality by eloquently repeating “men and women” with ethical and practical qualities throughout the verses, and even emphasizes this ten times in the following verse:

“Verily for all men and women who have surrendered themselves unto God, and all believing men and believing women, and all truly devout men and truly devout women, and all men and women who are true to their word, and all men and women who are patient in adversity, and all men and women who humble themselves before God, and all men and women who give in charity, and all self-denying men and self-denying women, and all men and women who are mindful of their chastity, and all men and women who remmber God unceasingly: for all of them has God readied forgiveness of sins and a mighty reward.” (33:35)

It is paramount to understand tha tthe Quran equates being a “mu’min” (sing.) with actual practice, so that it is not enough to just have faith in principle; we must put our faith into practice. The same applies to our belief in the equality of men and women; gender equality as outlined in the Quran must also be put into practice. In reference to the above verse, modern scholar Laila Ahmed in “Women and Gender in Islam” says that “the implications are far-reaching. Ethical qualities, including those invoked here–charity, chastity, truthfulness, patience, piety–also have political and social dimensions.”

Fashion is art, and like all art forms- music, performance, literature, etc- fashion is a way for us to reflect upon, challenge and attempt change dominant social and cultural paradigms. In this respect, fashion is political, and through the ages has stood as both the ultimate inhibitor and in tandem the ultimate liberator of women across all socio-economic classes, ethnicities and religions. That’s not to say that fashion is the ultimate arbiter of women’s rights but I think it’s essential for any school of feminist theory to have and understanding of how fashion impacts women, perceptions of women and the subversive politics of gender power play.

Conditions of Muslim Dress Code

1. Clothing must cover the entire body, only the hands and face may remain visible (According to some Fiqh Schools).
2. The material must not be so thin that one can see through it.
3. The clothing must hang loose so that the shape of the body is not apparent.
4. The female clothing must not resemble the man’s clothing.
5. The design of the clothing must not resemble the clothing of the non-believing women.
6. The design must not consist of bold designs which attract attention.
7. Clothing should not be worn for the sole purpose of gaining reputation or increasing one’s status in society.

The reason for this strictness is so that the woman is protected from the lustful gaze of men. She should not attract attention to herself in any way. It is permissible for a man to catch the eye of a woman, however it is haram (unlawful) for a man to look twice as this encourages lustful thoughts.

Islam protects the woman; it is for this reason that Allah gave these laws. In today’s society womankind is being exploited, female sexuality is being openly used in advertising, mainly to attract the desires of men and therefore sell the product. Is the woman really free in today’s society? The answer is obviously no. The constant bombardment by the media as to how the ideal woman should look and dress testifies to this.

Islam liberated woman over 1400 years ago. Is it better to dress according to man or God?

Allah has stated in the Quran that women must guard their modesty.
” Say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof. ” [Quran : 24.31]

” Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty ; that will make for greater purity for them, and God is well acquainted with all they do. “ [Quran : 24.30]

Also watch this about  Muslim women fashion

Until the Imperialists invaded Muslim Countries and the Muslims started mixing with non-believers, all our Muslim women walked in this world with great respect and dignity. The non-believers were finding it very difficult to come anywhere near the border of our Muslim sisters purity. The Hijab (Islamic dress for women) did not only protect them from those evil eyes of non-believers but also gave them freedom and independence from being misused by them.

The non-believers planned to destroy their barrier through removal of Hijab (Hejab, Hijaab) and unfortunately, many of our sisters, without realizing what shame and destruction they were bringing to themselves, removed the Hijab (Muslim Veil) and exposed themselves.

When imperialists invaded China, they were not faced with Hijab but were confronted with other obstacles and the Chinese refused to co-operate with them. In order to crush this resistance, the imperialists flooded China with opium and made it available to the Chinese free of charge. Once the Chinese were addicted, free distribution of opium ceased and it was given only to those who fulfilled their demands.

Hijab Stories Removal of the Hijab had exactly the same effect. At one time, you were independent and lived with dignity, but now you are nothing but a slave of your evil desire and behave worse than a Kafir (infidel). By removing your Hijab (An Act of Faith), you have destroyed your faith. Islam means submission to Allah (SWT) in all our action. Those who refused submission cannot be called Muslims. Allah (SWT) states in Holy Qur’an: “And say to the believing women that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts and do not display their ornaments except what appears thereof, and let them wear their head-coverings over their bosoms, and not display their ornaments except to their husbands or their fathers, or the fathers of their husbands, or their sons, or the sons of their husbands, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their women, or those whom their right hands possess, or the male servants not having need (of women), or the children who have not attained knowledge of what is hidden of women; and let them not strike their feet so that what they hide of their ornaments may be known; and turn to Allah all of you, O believers! So that you may be successful.” Holy Qur’an (24:31)

Also, Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) says: Modesty is the symbol of faith and whoever has no modesty (Hijab), has no religion.

There are many sisters who have failed to understand the actual meaning of Hijab.

To observe proper Hijab is to dress up oneself modestly and appropriately covering all parts of body except face and forearms, without showing one’s figure or curves and without using any sort of make-up.

Allah (SWT) has given equal rights to both men and women; He forbids either sex claiming supremacy over the other.

Allah (SWT) states in Holy Qur’an: “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” Holy Qur’an (49:13)

Hijab is one of the righteous deeds and it is a sign of honor and equality with men and stands as a shield of protection against evil man.

The woman in Islam is bestowed with respect and honour and a Muslim gives great importance to his wife. Our Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (saw) Hadith says the best of you are those who are best in resting their wives.

The status of wife is so respectable that she is not bound to do any house-hold work unless she does it willingly and with affection; but if her husband forces her to do any work; he will have to answer to Allah (SWT) for his conduct. Also, she is not bound to earn and maintain the house of her husband. Her work shall always conform to the laws of Islam (Shariat). Unlike the Western world, the Muslim wife is a queen in her husband’s house. The first thing a husband does for his wife is to provide a servant and a cook according to his ability and when she becomes a mother, she receives greatest respect from her husband. Contrary to this, is considered a sin by Allah (SWT).

One of the most common phrases in Islam is the Paradise lies at the feet of the mother’. And Allah (SWT) states in Holy Qur’an: “And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve (any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as) “Ugh” nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word.” Holy Qur’an (17:23)

Allah (SWT) has given great impedance to women and for that reason He orders their children to address them in terms of honor.

What kind of dignity a non-believer has by the way; they conduct their life and expose themselves. They have removed the shield of protection, that modesty of Hijab and left themselves unprotected and that is the cause for the assault, which takes place once every ten seconds in rape and murder around the world. But those true Muslims who observe proper Hijab are protected from such assaults and not one ease or this type is ever heard of.

Moreover Hijab also gives the women an air of authority, dignity and respect, which a non-believer can never claim to possess. Only those who are well behaved can expect admiration and high esteem from others and definitely, those who try to attract men can never be called a well-behaved person.

Those who reject Hijab and wish to attract men are suffering from inferiority complex. They believe men are superior and in order to overcome this feeling, they use their feminine charms. But why should a Muslim woman have such a feeling when she is fully aware of her equality with men?

Hijab, therefore, has such benefits as a guard against any assault, equality with men, air of respect and honor and most important of all, obedience to Allah (SWT) which is equivalent to blood of martyr. Hijab requires women to avoid any sort of attraction to men.

A Muslim sister lives for the future and not for the day; we can all look forward to be in Heaven for believing and obeying Allah (SWT).