The government of the Holy Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is a model for all Islamic governments throughout history. Women play a key role in strengthening and weakening the systems as a huge part of the society. Of course, their activities must be according to the conditions and norms of that government or system. During the time of the Prophet, peace be upon him, women were able to play roles and work side by side with men within the framework of Islamic law. In this part of the article, we want to discuss about the presence of women in different fields in the age and prophetic rule.
The presence of women in different fields of the Prophetic era
Political participation of Women:
Religious sources (Qur’an and Sunnah) do not oppose the principle of political participation of women.
Allegiance is one of the important traditions of the Age of Ignorance, which entered the Islamic period and was approved by Islam. Allegiance in Islam is a manifestation of the right to choose, by which women declare their independence and social responsibility. Women’s allegiance can be seen as a corner of women’s political participation, which was accompanied by conditions and requirements for pledgers. Allocating a verse from the Quran to women’s allegiance shows its importance. Allah Almighty says: «يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَى أَنْ لَا يُشْرِكْنَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلَا يَزْنِينَ وَلَا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ وَلَا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَانٍ يَفْتَرِينَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٍ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ» Translation: “O Prophet, when the believing women come to you to swear allegiance to you that they do not associate anything with Allah, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not kill their children, and do not interfere the falsehood that they have a child with [falsely] attribute to their husbands, and do not disobey you in your good deeds, pledge allegiance to them and ask Allah for forgiveness about them; Undoubtedly, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful”.
In this verse, the allegiance of women in the age of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is clearly proven. Historians and commentators have mentioned many women who pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Biographers consider the pledge of allegiance of two Khazraj women named Umm Amara bint Ka’ab and Umm Muni bint Amro, may Allah be pleased with them, in the Second Oqba Treaty (year 13 of the Prophet hood) as the first allegiance by Yathrib women to the Holy Prophet.
It is narrated from Umm Hani, the daughter of Abu Talib, who said: “In the year of the conquest of Makkah, I went to the Holy Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, and greeted him. He said: “Em Hani, welcome.” I said: “O Messenger of Allah, my brother Ali wants to fight with so-and-so, the son of Habira, whom I have sheltered.” The Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said: “O Umm Hani, whoever you sheltered, we also shelter him.
