Making of the spider web

Making of the spider web
Originally uploaded by kurangi

what a kewl web

ISLAMIC POLITICAL SYSTEM

The political system of Islam has been based on three principles, viz., Tawheed (Oneness of God), Risalat (Prophethood) and Khilafat (Caliphate). It is difficult to appreciate the different aspects of the Islamic policy without fully understanding these three principles. I will, therefore, begin with a brief exposition of them. Tawheed (Oneness) means that one God alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Master of this universe and of all that exists in it organic or inorganic. The sovereignty of this kingdom rests only in Him. He alone has the right to command or forbid Worship and obedience are due to Him alone, none else sharing it in any degree or form. Life, in all its multifarious forms, our physical organs and faculties, the apparent control which we have over everything that exists in this universe, and the things themselves none of them has been created or acquired by us in our own right. They are the bountiful provisions of god and in bestowing them upon us, no one is as Him. Hence, it is neither for us to decide the aim and purpose of our existence or to prescribe the limits in our worldly authority nor is anyone else entitled to make these decisions for us. This right vest only in God Who has created us endowed us with mental and physical faculties, and provided all material provisions for our use. This principle of the Oneness of God altogether negates the concept of the legal and political sovereignty of human begins, individually or collectively. Nothing can claim sovereignty, be it a human being, a family, a class or group of people, or even the human race in the world as a whole. God alone is the Sovereign and His Commandments are the Law of Islam.

The medium through which we receive the Law of God is known as "Risalat" (Prophet hood). We have received two things from this source:

1. The Book in which God has expounded His Law; and
2. The authoritative interpretation and exemplification of the Book of God by the Prophet, through his word and deed, in his capacity as the last messenger of God.

The broad principles on which the system of human life should be based have been stated in the Book of God. Further, the Prophet of God has, in accordance with the intention of the Divine Book, set up for us a model of the system of life in Islam by practically implementing the law and providing necessary details where required. The combination of these two elements, according to Islamic terminology, is called the "Shari'ah". There is a specific purpose for man's existence. This purpose is achieved when man fulfills his function and is missed when man fads to live up to his designated role. In that case, his life will be barren and devoid of any original meaning. Total loss and perdition await everyone who fails to respond to Allah's call.

This special role relating man to his Creator is subservience to Allah and worship of Him. All aspects of man's life are based on this consideration. Thus, the meaning of worship must be extended to go beyond mere rituals into all activities since Allah does not only call upon us to perform rituals but His injunctions regulate all aspects of life. The Qur’an develops this theme:

"Behold, thy Lord said to the angels:

'I will create a vicegerent on earth'…" (Qur'an 2:30)

It is this Khilafat on earth which encompasses the range of activities of this human being. It consists in settlement on earth, exploration of its resources and energies, fulfillment of Allah's purpose of making full use of its resources and developing life on it. In brief this task requires the implementation of Allah’s way which is in harmony with the Divine Law governing the whole universe.

Thus, it becomes clear that the meaning of worship, which is the very purpose of man's existence and his primary function, is much more comprehensive than mere rituals. The role of Khilafat is definitely an integral part of meaning of worship. The truth about worship comes out in two essential points, namely:

1) There should be a feeling of absolute certainty and conviction about the meaning of worship of Allah in one's heart; a feeling that the only possible relationship which holds is one of creator and the created and nothing but that.

2) It is imperative to turn to Allah dedicating to Him every stir of one's conscience, every fluttering of the senses, every movement of life. This dedication should be channeled solely to Him and nobody else. No other feeling should have any room left, except in so far as it is construed as part of the meaning of worship of Allah. In this way the meaning of worship is fulfilled. Thus, work becomes one with rituals; rituals one with settlement on earth; settlement on earth like strive for Allah's cause; strive in the way of Allah like patience in bearing calamities contentedly in the knowledge that they are part of Allah's plan; all these are instances of worship of Allah.

With this healthy frame of mind, based on the right understanding on man's role in this universe, man becomes ready to implement Allah's teaching, as communicated through the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

This is exactly what Islam means when it lays down that man is Khalifah (servant) of God on the earth. The state that is established in accordance with this political theory will have to fulfill the purpose and intent of God by working on God's earth within the limits prescribed by Him and in conformity with His instructions and injunctions.

PURPOSE OF THE ISLAMIC STATE

I shall now place before you a brief outline of the type of state which is built on the foundation of Tawheed (the Oneness of God), "Risalat" (the Prophethood of Muhammad) and “Khilafat” (the Caliphate).

The Holy Qur'an clearly states that the aim and purpose of this state is the establishment, maintenance and development of those virtues, with which the Creator of this universe wishes the human life to be adorned and the prevention and eradication of those evils the presence of which in human life is utterly abhorrent to God. The state in Islam is not intended for political administration only nor for the fulfillment through it of the collective will of any particular set of people; rather, Islam places a high ideal before the state for the achievement of which, it must use all the means at its disposal. And this purpose is that the qualities of purity, beauty, goodness, virtue, success and prosperity which God wants to flourish in the life of His people, should be engendered and evolved. And that all kinds exploitation, injustice and disorders which, in he view of God, are ruinous for the world and detrimental to the life of His creatures are suppressed and prevented. Simultaneously, by placing before us this high ideal, Islam gives us a clear outline of its moral system clearly stating the desired virtues and the undesirable evils. Keeping this outline in view the Islamic state can plan its welfare program in every age and in any environment.

The persistent demand made by Islam is that the principles or moral in must be observed at all cost and in all walks of life. Hence it lays down an unalterable policy for the state to base its politics on justice, truth and honesty. It is not prepared, under any circumstance whatsoever, to tolerate fraud, falsehood and injustice for the sake of any political, administrative or national expediency. Whether it be the mutual relations of the rulers and the ruled within the state, or the relations of the state with other states, precedence must always be given to truth, honesty, and justice over material consideration. It imposes similar obligations on the state as on the individual. Viz., to fulfill all contracts and obligations, to have uniform measures and standards for dealings, to remember duties along with the rights and not to forget the rights of other when expecting them to fulfill their obligations; to use power and authority for the establishment of justice and not for the perpetration of injustice; to look upon duty as a sacred obligation and to fulfill it scrupulously; and to regard power as a trust from God and use it with the belief that one has to render an account of one's actions to Him in the Hereafter.

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS

Although an Islamic state may be set up in any portion of the earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or privileges to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed and respected under all circumstances whether such a person is resident within the territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace with the state or at war. Human blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled without justification. Its is not permissible to oppress women, children, old people, sick persons or the wounded. Woman's honor and chastity are worthy of respect under all circumstances. The hungry person must be fed, the naked clothed, and the wounded treated medically irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or not or even if they are from amongst its enemies. These, and a few other provisions have been laid by Islam fundamental rights for every man by virtue of his status as a human being to be enjoyed under the constitution of an Islamic state. Even the rights of citizenship in Islam are not confined to persons born within the limits of its state but are granted to every Muslim irrespective of his place of birth. A Muslim ipso facto becomes the citizen of an Islamic state as soon as he sets his foot on its territory with the intent to live therein and thus enjoys equal rights of citizenship along with those who acquire its citizenship by birthright. Citizenship has therefore, to be common among all the Islamic states that may exist in the world and a Muslim will not need any passport for entry in or exit from any of them. And every Muslim is to be regarded as eligible and fit for all positions of the highest responsibility in an Islamic State without any discussions of race color or class. Islam has also laid down certain rights for the non-Muslims who may be living within the boundaries of an Islamic State and these rights must necessarily from part of the Islamic Constitution.

According to the Islamic terminology such non-Muslims are Dhimmee (the covenant). implying that the Islamic state has entered into a covenant with them and guaranteed their protection. The life, property and protected exactly life that of a Muslim citizen. There is no difference at all between a Muslim and Dhimmee in respect of the civil or criminal law. The Islamic State shall not interfere with the personal law of the Dhimmme. They will have full freedom of conscience and belief.

EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE

The responsibility for the administration of the Government, in an Islamic state, is entrusted to an Amir (leader or chief) who may be likened to the President or the Prime Minister in the conventional democratic state.

The basic qualifications for the election of an Amir are that he should command the confidence of the ABLUL HAL WAL'AQD [The Constitutional Body).

They are recruited from among the scholars (of Islam), leaders, and notables who effectively have the duty to carry out this task of appointing the ruler. In this, they do not act on their own personal preferences, but on behalf of the whole nation, being as they are, its representatives. Three conditions must be met for eligibility to membership of this body, namely:

1. Moral credit (piety and moral standards).
2. To be well versed in religion so as to be in a position to decide upon who deserves the position of Amir.
3. Good and sound judgment leading to a sharp perception of who is most suitable for the role of Amir.

The Amir can retain office only so long as he observes Allah's Shari'ah laws. Being himself the primary example of it both in his dealings and conduct, honoring his commitments and being true to his trust; in brief, he should conform to the conditions originally stipulated upon his holding office and will have to vacate his office when he loses this confidence. But as long as he retains such confidence he will have the authority to govern and exercise the powers of the Government, of course, in consultation with the Shura (the advisory council) and within the limits set by a Shari’ah. Every citizen will have the right to criticize the Amir should he deviate from the straight path, fail to honor the trust laid in him, transgress and tyrannize over people, change his conduct for the worst, freeze the implementation of Allah's penal code, or flouts Allah's regulations in anyway. If he fails to live up to one of the conditions stipulated for his eligibility to the office, the nation has the right to overrule his judgment either by correcting him or by deposing them.

Legislation in an Islamic state will be restricted within the limits prescribed by the law of the Shari'ah. The injunctions of God and His legislative body can make any alterations or modifications in them or make any law repugnant to them. As for the commandments which are liable to two or more interpretations the duty of ascertaining the real intent of the Shari'ah, in such cases, will devolve on people possessing a specialized knowledge of the law of Shari'ah. Hence, such affairs will have to be referred to a sub committee of the advisory council compressing men learned in Islamic Law. A vast field will still be available for legislation on questions not covered by any specific injunctions of the Shari'ah and the advisory council or legislature will be free to legislate in regard to these matters.

In Islam the judiciary is not placed under the control of the executive. It derives its authority directly from the Shari'ah and is answerable to God. The judges, no doubt can be appointed by the Government but once a judge has occupied the bench he will have to administer justice among the people according to the law of God in an impartial manner. The organs and functionaries of the Government will not be outside his legal jurisdiction much so that even the highest executive authority of the Government is liable to be called upon to appear in a court of law as a plaintiff or defendant like any other citizen of the state. Rulers and the ruled are subject to the same law and there can be no discrimination on the basis of position, power or privilege. Islam stands for equality and scrupulously sticks to this principle in social, economic and political realms alike.

Improve Your Psychic Abilities

Have you ever tried to call a friend on the telephone, received a busy signal and later found out it was because he/she was trying to call you at that exact moment?Do you finish other people's sentences or instinctively know what they're going to say next? Do you "sense" something is going to happen before it does? Do you get a "feel" for someone within minutes of meeting them? Are animals and children drawn to you? Have you ever been so influenced by a dream that it caused you to alter your plans? Many people are already endowed with a modicum of psychic ability but because we live in a society that encourages logic and reason over gut feeling and intuition, these inherent abilities are grossly neglected.

But if you've ever experienced several of the above (or more) you may be more attuned than most. If you are already a highly intuitive person, if you make decisions based on how you feel rather than what you think, it's possible that you use a latent psychic skill to get these impressions. There are a number of ways to capitalize on this predisposition and improve your psychic abilities tenfold.
PSYCHOMETRY

"The ability to tell the history of an object and its owner"

1. Borrow an item from a friend or family member.
2. Holding the object in your head, relax, clear your mind, and let your intuition kick in. Don't worry about making mistakes, and don't try to force anything. Just let the information flow naturally and say whatever comes into your head without censoring it or second guessing or analyzing. What are you feeling? What are your gut reactions? Let your mind wander and wonder: is this person warm or cold, happy or sad, introverted or extroverted, close-minded or free-spirited?
3. Now go deeper. Don't focus on what you see with your eyes. Just because you are holding an expensive watch does not mean that the owner is wealthy; it could have been a gift. Talk aloud about what you feel instinctively, even if it doesn't make sense at the time, not what you see realistically.
4. Talk to your friend by asking open-ended questions, but make it clear that he or she should not respond. Brainstorm, in a way, aloud, about what their past was like. Were they happy, were they lonely? Were they closer with their mother or their father? Focus on the past, don't attempt to make predictions about the future.
5. When you're done, ask your friend what percentage you got right. Ask them to be specific -- you may be surprised at how accurate your "guesses" were. The more you practice psychometry, the more your mind will expand and the better you'll get. Use different objects and different friends, and keep track of how many of your "guesses" were correct. Over time, and with enough practice and dedication, you should notice your accuracy (and your psychic ability) improving.

TELEPATHY

"The ability to tune in to the thoughts of others, or to put your thoughts into someone else's mind"

1. Get together with a friend or, better yet, a spouse, and decide who is going to be the sender and who is going to be the receiver. Let's say you're going to be the receiver. Instruct your husband to draw a simple picture on a piece of paper. The best images to use are ones that involve all five senses, emotional images that invoke severe and intense feelings. For example, a hand being hit by a hammer or a man leaping from an open window. If you know the sender intimately, have him draw an image that is ripe with meaning for the two of you.
2. Imagine your mind's eye opening to reveal a bright light within your "third eye", located in the middle of the forehead. Imagine your husband's thoughts traveling from his brain to yours, and imagine your mind opening to receive his images. Now draw the first thing you see once the eye opens. Just like with all psychic improvement techniques, do not censor yourself. Just draw what you see and go with it.
3. Compare drawings to see how close you got.

REMOTE VIEWING

"A form of ESP whereby the viewer psychically visits a place in their dreams"

1. Ask a friend to put an unusual object, like a box of cereal or a tube of toothpaste, something that wouldn't normally be found in the bedroom, on their nightstand before they go to bed.
2. Before going to sleep, perform the same exercise discussed in the telepathy exercise. Clear your thoughts and picture your inner eye opening to absorb the information around it. When you wake up in the morning, write down the first thing you think of.
3. Check later to see if your dreams included the unusual object. It may be very vague at first. For example, if they used a box of cereal, you may have dreamed of eating breakfast. If they used a tube of toothpaste, you may have dreamed of brushing your teeth or having a toothache. However, the more you practice, the more specific your dreams will become.

The Islamic World’s Dirty Little Secret: They’re The World Champions When It Comes To Surfing Porn

Despite all their protestations of piety and clean living as well as their condemnation of anything they deem to be “Unislamic” it seems that our friends from the Religion of Peace have a keen desire to dive right in to internet porn.

In fact, it looks like they surf porn more than anyone else। I’ve highlighted some of their favorite internet, er, hobbies:

Arabic is the 2nd most common language that is used to search for “gay sex.” It’s the number one language for search involving “sexy.” As you can see in that same graph, Iran is at 3 and Egypt is at 4, listed under regions where search on “sexy” was most conducted.

Arabic is the 2nd most common language that is used to search for “gay man.” The countries that most search for this is currently Malaysia (#1) and Indonesia (#2). For “gay girl,” Arabic is also the 2nd most common language.

For “child porn,” Turkey is the 2nd country where this is most searched. Turkish is the #1 language used.

Turkey has one of the most searches for the word “porno.” Morocco is at 5. Turkish is #1 language used to conduct the search in. Indonesia is currently #1 country that search for the word “vagina.”

Turkey is not an Arab country, nor are some of the other countries I listed। But they are Muslim, so I thought the findings were fascinating to say the least. All of this information is not in the least bit shocking, but it’s quite ironic.

Oh, those naughty, naughty boys. Covering their women while they surf porn with sweaty-eyed gusto। And here are some more fun filled facts about our sexually repressed representatives of the Religion of Peace:

Egypt is currently #1 for “fat sex.”

Pakistan, Morocco, Turkey and Egypt are at the top of the list when it comes to “animal sex.”

For “children sex,” Pakistan is at #1, Egypt #2 and Iran #3. The most common languages used to conduct the search in are Arabic and Turkish.

For “sexy child,” Pakistan is #1, followed by Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Turkey. Common languages are Persian, Arabic, and Turkish.

For “homo sex,” Indonesia is #1, Morocco is at 6.

For “rape,” Pakistan is at 1. Malaysia is at 3.

For “bird sex,” Egypt is at 1। (Come ON!)

These are evidently very busy people. Between blowing people up, protesting en masse, condemning Israel and the U.S. they find the time to surf some serious porn on the web. And judging from the categories they appear to have searched I’d say that these people have some dark issues. Note the number of child sex, gay sex, and violent sex related sites that are searched.

The Rights of a Husband upon his Wife

To complete the equation between man and woman, Islam grants the husband certain well-defined rights upon his wife. (These are, however, less expensive and narrower in scope than her rights upon him.)

By analyzing the Qur'an and the Prophet's Traditions we discover the basic rights granted by Islam to the husband upon the wife - rights that are explicitly and exactly defined:

"Men are the maintainers of women, because Allah has made some of them to excel others, and because they spend out of their property (for the support of women)." Holy Qur'an (4:34)

According to a narration, a woman came to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and asked him: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me what right has the husband upon the wife?" He said: "A lot." She said: "Explain me some of them." He replied "She may not fast without his permission, nor may she go out of her house without his consent. She has to use the best of perfumes, to wear the best of her clothes, to adorn herself as best as she can, to offer herself to him day and night, and still his rights are more than that."

For a better explanation, the husband's rights upon his wife can be classified as follows:

a. Protecting his home, wealth and children: The husband should make the necessary arrangements for the household and the family, otherwise the wife is not responsible for housekeeping, cooking, cleaning etc.

It is not compulsory for her to suckle her children, attend them or nurse them. Yes, Islam renders these affectionate acts for the woman and considers them good deeds and a way of approaching Allah, unless such responsibilities are stated by the husband in the conditions of the marriage agreement.

A Tradition concerning man's right upon his wife, says: "No Muslim got a better benefit from Islam than a Muslim wife who pleases her husband, obeys his orders and protects his honor and his property during his absence."

We also read about a wonderful arbitration conducted by the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) between the Commander of Believers, Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) and his wife, Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet (s.a.w.) Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s.) narrates:

"Ali and Fatimah came to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) for arbitration concerning housework. The Prophet (s.a.w.) decided that all household work should be done by Fatimah, and all the works outside the house were to be done by Ali (a.s.). Fatimah later said: none but Allah knows how much pleased I was with this judgment of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) which spared me a man's job.

b. Obedience and Authority: The family is an important social unit whose orderly construction depends on sound discipline and efficient organizing. As there should be some one entrusted to shoulder responsibility over his beloved family and undertake the task of guidance and leadership within its prescribed limits, Islam has therefore, authorized the husband to be obeyed and given him the upper hand over his wife and children, until they come of age. This authority, however is under the condition that he may not issue orders contradicting the commands of religion and its principles. If he orders his family to commit a sinful act, his right will lapse and he should not be obeyed.

A Tradition says: "No creature is to obeyed in disobeying the Creator."

The following quotation from the Qur'an confirms the rights of a husband:

"Men are the maintainers of women, because Allah has made same of them excel others, and because they spend out of their property (for the support of women.)" Holy Qur'an (4:34)

A Tradition of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) says: "She may not go out of her house without his consent and should obey his orders."

c. Good Behavior: In order to provide an atmosphere of love and stability for her husband and her children, she is to do away with all causes of unrest, disgust and whatever may disturb the peace of the family. This can be achieved by showing affection and amity to the husband and by infusing the home atmosphere with feelings of love, joy and kindness. Man may not see in his wife, nor hear from her, what he hates to see and hear. The more the sense of beauty grows in one's self, the more one's need for love and affection is satisfied and the less the causes of trouble, boredom, frustration, bitterness, hatred, etc. Thus, such a harmonious family life full of love, joy and affection would certainly have its effects on the behavior of its members, and on their relations with the society, especially the children, who grow up in the arms of such a loving atmosphere, contrary to a miserable and unhappy family, where the husband leads a life of hatred, tension, repulsion and ill - temper, thereby bringing ruin to the family. Such environments badly affect the children, causing them to be complex and miserable, or even pushing them to be aggressive, irresponsible and lead a vagabond life.

Islam urges the mother to be the source of love, beauty, peace and security in the house and advises her to endeavor to create a tightly knit family life full of harmony and affection.

A man said to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.): "I have a wife who welcomes me at the door when I enter the house, and sees me off when I leave. When she sees me grieved, asks me: what are you grieved for? If you are anxious about your livelihood, it is guaranteed by other than you; or if you are worried about your hereafter life, may Allah increase your worries." The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said: "Allah has agents and she is one of them. She will get half a martyr's reward."

According to Jabir bin Abdallah Al-Ansari: Once the Prophet (s.a.w.) said:

"The best of your women is the prolific, the affectionate, the chaste, the endeared of her family, the humble to her husband, fortified against other than him, listens to what he says, and obeys his orders, offers herself to him when alone, but not in an unabashed manner like his."

d. Pleasing the husband: The wife should pay proper attention to her makeup and appearance, to attract the husband and respond to his sexual inclinations, since this is quite effective in pulling the man to his wife and strengthening the relations of love between them. She should provide him with ways of enjoying her beauty and satisfy his desires and prevent him the temptation of throwing himself into the traps of forbidden desires.

Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s.) relates that a woman who came to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) was asked by him whether she was a 'put-off woman?' She asked the meaning of that, and the Prophet replied: "She is the woman who, when her husband calls her for some need, keeps putting it off until he falls asleep. Such a woman will, then, continuously be cursed by the angels until her husband wakes up."

The Qur'an briefly states the right of enjoying one's wife, by saying: "Your women are tilth for you (to cultivate) so go to your tilth when you like and do good beforehand for yourselves, and fear Allah, and know that you will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad)" Holy Qur'an (2:223)

According to the above verse, the Qur'an confirms man's right to enjoy his wife in diverse ways, as she, too, has the right to enjoy this relationship.

The moral and legislative note of the above verse regarding this lawfulness is evident by the ideal advice of the Qur'an:

"...and do good beforehand for yourselves, and fear Allah, and know that you will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers."

These pieces of advice concerning man, woman and the sexual relations prove the fact how intelligently Islam has devised ways for both husband and wife to enjoy themselves according to their respective rights, so that there can be neither oppression, nor exploitation of the woman as a result of man's extravagance or misuse.

Islam, which encourages the woman to pay attention to her beauty, appearance and adornment for her husband and to show affection to him, at the same time prohibits her from doing the same for others except for her husband, because it would create psychological separation between the couple and drive the woman to deviation, shamelessness and faithlessness, besides creating tension, mistrust and hatred in her husband's heart, and finally destroying the noble edifice called family.

Hence a Tradition says: "If a woman angers her husband unjustly and sleeps, Allah would not accept her prayers until the husband is content with her, and if a woman uses perfume for other than her husband, Allah would not accept her prayer until she washes it away as she washes pollution from herself." Imam Hussain's (AS) marriage with Urainab

The Rights of a Wife upon her Husband

In order to establish the relationship between wife and husband on a sound and explicit base in accordance with a clear and defined religious principle, the Qur'an says:

"...and they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) over them in a just manner..." Holy Qur'an (2:228)

Through this wonderful legal relationship, Islam builds the connection between the couple on the basis of an exact and just equation. The woman has her legal rights upon her husband, as also the man has legal rights upon her. In short, Islam has imposed certain rights upon both husband and wife.

Studying the marital relations in Islam we realize that Islamic laws advocating marital bonds between man and wife are based on affection, mercy, kindness and good treatment towards each other and consider the marriage contract as a sacred covenant.

How wonderfully Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s.), refers to this sacred contract! He says:

"When one of you wants to marry a woman, let him say to her: 'I accept the covenant taken by Allah': ... And then (a woman) must be retained in honor or released in kindness."

The religious texts and concepts define the rights of the wife upon her husband as follows:

a. Maintenance: The Wife has the right of being properly maintained by her husband and he is responsible for providing his wife with food, clothes, residence, medical treatment, adornment (as per his means) and other expenditures needed by the wife and becoming her social status, on one hand, and falling within the husband's financial means, on the other.

Allah the Exalted says: "Lodge them where you dwell, according to your means, and harass them not so as to straiten life for them. And if they are pregnant, then spend for them till they bring forth their burden. Then, if they give suckle for you, give them their due payment and enjoin one another among you to do good; but if you disagree, then let other (woman) suckle for him. Let him who has abundance spend of his abundance, and he whose provision is measured, let him spend of that which Allah has given him; Allah does not lay a burden an any soul, except that which He has given it. Allah will bring about ease after hardship." Holy Qur'an (65:6-7)

b. Good Treatment: The following verses of the Qur'an explain the sharing of affection love, confidence and respect with her.

"...and treat them (woman) kindly..." Holy Qur'an (4:19)

"...and then (a woman) must be retained in honor or released in kindness..." Holy Qur'an (2:229)

"And of His signs is this. He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy..." Holy Qur'an (30:21)

The Messenger (s.a.w.) said: "Verily the best of you is the best to his women; and I am the best of you to my women."

He (s.a.w.) also said: "May Allah bless the man who does good between himself and his wife; as Allah the Exalted has given him authority over her and made him her guardian."

Family life is the fountain of happiness and the source of love and affection. In the warmth of the home man finds his comfort and stability, and near his wife he feels pleased and secured.

The more affectionate the relations, the better the companionship between the couple and the deeper the feeling of peace, security and comfort in the souls of husband, wife and the children.

How exact is the Prophet (s.a.w.) when he says: "A man's words to his wife: 'I love you' would never go out of her heart."

Islam enhances good companionship with the wife, fulfilling her psychological and aesthetic inclinations and satisfying her sexual and instinctive desires so that all their marital dimensions may rub against each other.

It insists even further than that. Islam asks the husband to resort to every means and method that causes his wife to love him, physically, spiritually and instinctively, tying her tightly to him. Islam urges man to be keen on keeping himself good-looking and attractive to her, responding to her sexual desire, starting with foreplay for excitement so that he may reach climax with her simultaneously, as she is a matching partner to him in enjoying sexual pleasures. She is not a mere means for satisfying man's desire.

A Tradition says: "All the believer's diversions are futile, except in three instances: in paying court to his wife, as (only) these are true." "When one wants to have sexual intercourse with his wife, one may not hasten her, as women, too, have their desires." "Three acts are considered to be rude: to accompany somebody without asking his full name; to refuse an invitation for a meal, or to accept it but refuse to eat and to start sexual intercourse with the wife before fore playing."

It is related that: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) on entering the house of Umm Salama, smelled a strong perfume. He asked: "Is Al-Hawla here?" Umm Salama replied: "Yes, she is here complaining about her husband." Al-Hawla came out and told the Prophet: "My husband neglects me." He said: "Give him more, Hawla." She answered: "I leave no perfume without using it, but he still disregards me." He remarked: "If only he would know what he would get by approaching you!" She asked: "What would he get by approaching me?" The Prophet replied: "If he approached you, two angels would escort him and he would be like a man drawing his sword to fight for the cause of Allah. Then by having sexual intercourse, his sins would fall off him like leaves from a tree and when he takes the bath, his sins would wash off him."

Al-Hasan bin Al-Jahm narrates that he saw Imam Al-Rida (a.s.) with his beard dyed. So I asked him: "May I be your sacrifice, I see you have dyed." The Imam said, "Yes, embellishment increases the chastity of women. They abandon chastity when their husbands abandon embellishment." Then he continued "Would you like to see her as she would see you, without adorning herself?" Ibn Al-Jahm answered in the negative. The Imam replied, "That is it. The habit of the prophets is to be clean, to use perfumes, to trim the hair and to frequent their wives."

By the above quotations regarding rights of the wife upon her husband we can illustrate a clear picture of leading a good marital life and fulfill all aspects of the material, moral, instinctive and aesthetic relations between husband and wife.

The Islamic Wife in the light of Holy Qur'an and Ahadees

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "A thankful tongue, a soft-hearted wife is a friend of yours in religion.'' These are the qualities that Islam desires in a woman who shall nurture the future generations of mankind towards an Islamic society.

Sociologists all over the world are laying more and more stress on the importance of family life, as opposed to what goes on in the West, where 5 out of 10 marriages end in divorce, where 60% of divorced women are prone to suicide, and almost every separated family has a history of a delinquent child.

As a maintainer of woman, the man has been deemed responsible for managing the day-to-day affairs outside the house, striving to earn, a livelihood. Woman has been given complete charge of the house, responsible for rearing the children and managing the home. This division of management is not in any way derogatory to the honor of woman; she is not the man's slave, but his equal. In all its wisdom, Islam has allotted different sets of duties to men and women because of their different physical and mental attributes. Man is physically better suited to rough it out in the harsh world, and, due to her physical and emotional make up, woman is more suitable to manage the house.

A woman is more self-sufficient in household affairs and better shoulders the responsibility of rearing the children. This arrangement guarantees the continuation and the formation of a society complementing religion. This is a great trial and test for man and woman. Very rarely do we find a family like that of Imam Ali (A.S.), which contains a Fatima Zahra (S.A.), Hassan (A.S.), Hussain (A.S.), Zainab (S.A.) and Kulsum (S.A.).

The Holy Qur'an states: "They (wives) are an apparel for you, and you are an apparel for them." (2:187)

What the Qur'an is stating is clear - besides covering the body, apparel protects the body from the vagaries of nature, enhancing one's personal beauty. Man and wife should complement each other, and as Imam Ali (A.S.) has said, "Like a dress, a worthy wife will conceal one's fault."

Whether a man or a woman has an ideological or moral weakness, they will hide one another's faults.

Almighty Allah has compared man and wife with apparel, because by their unity they cover up their natural shortcomings, and their union protects them from the miseries of living alone.

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said, "Be careful of the woman you choose, the woman you will make a partner in your property, religion and secrets. Find a woman who is well behaved and good tempered."

Our Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "The honored woman before Allah are those who are obedient to their husbands and remain within the boundaries of their homes."

Although the Prophet (S.A.W.) is stressing one of the most important rights a man has over his wife, the present day Muslim wife has been given other rights besides the right to raise her voice against tyranny and cruelty. The garb of hijab, or modest dress, grants the woman her independence, the right to educate herself and to participate in social activity.

The divine psychologist, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.), told his daughter Bibi Fatima (S.A.), "O Fatima! If a woman worshipped Allah 70,000 years and died disobeying her husband, she would be among the people of Hell."

There are similar sayings, which remind husbands to fulfill their duties towards their wives.

A woman is not a man's slave; she is his equal. In order that the family union be a peaceful and Islamic one, the man's authority is not based on tyranny or fear, but love and mercy, as the Holy Qur'an says: "And made him her spouse, so that he may rest in her."

If there is a family which has its foundations on hatred, tyranny and fear, the family would come crashing down, but in an Islamic family, peace, tranquility and love prevail. After a hard day's toil and labor, a man wants to come home to a cheerful wife who fills his home and life with peace and happiness; not to a house filled with hatred, bickering and nagging.

The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) said, "There are five things which bring salvation: (1) a worthy wife; (2) a well-behaved son; (3) a well-behaved daughter; (4) a good companion to help for one's daily bread; and (5) friendship with the descendants of the Prophet (S.A.W.).

The Prophet (S.A.W.) has equated a worthy wife with the friendship of the Aal-e-Rasul. In this we see that if she is homely and cheerful, the wife is a perfect partner for a man who is committed to build an Islamic family.

According to Imam Musa Kazim (A.S.), the wife is instrumental in the training of children - therefore she is a means of strengthening faith.

Imam Ali (A.S.) said, "[In marriage] the best attributes in women are the worst attributes in men - such as pride, fear, and jealousy. If a woman is proud, she will never yield to anyone other than her husband. If she lacks courage, she will be frightened by any kind of accident. If she is jealous, she will safeguard her husband's property."

A truly Islamic wife is one who considers her husband's income as the best in the whole world, and runs the house within her budget and limits.

Allah, the All-Knowing, has promised many eternal rewards to the wife for her domestic chores. And the Prophet (S.A.W.) said. "If, while cooking food, tears come out of her eyes due to smoke, Allah will write a reward for her such as the reward of those warriors (in the way of Allah) whose eyes shed tears from the fear of Allah."

Thus, we see that if man and woman, who are bound by matrimony, perform their duties and remain within the framework assigned to them by Islam, then family life would be smooth and peaceful. Elahi Ameen