“Women Friendly” families – the next frontier?

By now we have all heard of the ‘women friendly’ mosque – a drive spearheaded by ISNA through a publication by the same name.  Not too soon to un-burden ourselves from our cultural baggage and harken back to the Prophetic tradition of a mosque where men and women prayed in the same physical area, observing etiquette taught by the Prophet himself, where the Caliph Sayyidina Umar admitted his mistake when challenged by a women in the mosque audience. Not only she was there in public view, but spoke loud and clear to challenge the most powerful man in the world on the authority of Divine revelation!

The struggle to return American mosques to compliance with the example set by the Prophet himself continues.

So, we look to the next frontier. Again, not too soon to un-burden ourselves from our cultural baggage and harken back to the Prophetic tradition of a family where husband and wife played complementary roles with full respect and recognition of each other’s rights and responsibilities. Considering the rising incidents of domestics mistreatment of wives, ranging all the way from simple neglect to physical abuse, it is time to call for ‘Women Friendly’Families.

‘Women friendly’ families – families in which men and women are protectors one of the other, and are like garments unto each other. Families in which women do not fear patriarchal tyranny, in which prophetic example trumps cultural hangovers.

Let’s root for ‘Women Friendly Families’! We owe it to all victims of families that are from un-friendly to hostile to women today.

Let’s hear from you – comments, experiences, suggestions, what have you.

#family #Islam #Women