Status of Women in Religious Texts
One of the most noble and exemplary women in Islamic history is Hazrat Masoumeh (SA), the daughter of Imam Musa al-Kazim (AS) and the sister of Imam Reza (AS). She was a learned, virtuous and pious woman, who also showed political and social activism during her journey from Medina to Khorasan.
She passed away on her way to Qom, where her shrine is now a place of pilgrimage and blessing. Her birthday is celebrated as "Daughter's Day" in the Iranian calendar.
On this occasion, IQNA interviewed Zahra Fakhrohani, a university professor and a religious expert, who shared some insights about women and Islam. Here are some excerpts from her interview:
Islam views having a daughter as a blessing and a source of mercy. The Prophet (PBUH) said that daughters are a cause of happiness and prosperity. He also said that God will be the supporter and the guide of a person who has a daughter. He also said that every day 12 God-given blessings descend on the house where the girls live, and the angels visit that house and record the reward of one year of worship for the father of the girls.
He daughter is better for parents than a thousand pilgrimages and a thousand jihads in the way of God, and better than a thousand camel sacrifices and a thousand feasts. He also said that your best children are daughters because they are good and kind and they welcome you.
These narrations show that Islam has given special care to the dignity of girls in its teachings, and it is interesting that these traditions were all narrated by the Prophet (PBUH), because in his time there was this conflict and wrong attitude towards girls, and people discriminated between the genders. God revealed to His Messenger the blessed Surah Al-Kawthar, describing Hazrat Fatimah (SA) as the abundance.
