Book Review: “Woman in Islam” By Aisha Lemu & Fatima Heeren
About the Book
In Woman
in Islam, Aisha Lemu and Fatima Heeren respond to Western misperceptions of
Islam with two lucid lectures drawn from the International Islamic Conference
in London (April 1976), where
scholars and leaders came together to present Islam in its true sense.
Published by the Islamic Foundation for the Islamic Council of Europe, the
booklet republishes the conference’s special session on women, delivered by two
European Muslim women who had embraced Islam and challenged the stereotypes of
Muslim women.
The
preface places these talks amid the social upheaval of the 1970s rapid change,
contested values, and cultural unease, presenting Islam as an integrative
system combining material and spiritual life. With the family at its heart, the
booklet argues Islam’s guidance on gender and social order speaks directly to
modern anxieties, making it a timely, hopeful resource for curious Western
readers.
About the Authors:
Aisha Lemu (1940–2019) was a British-born and
a Muslim convert scholar and educator, who dedicated her life to promoting
Islamic education and women’s empowerment in Nigeria. She co-founded the
Islamic Education Trust and was the first national Amirah of FOMWAN, leaving a
lasting legacy through her writings, leadership, and advocacy for women’s
rights in an Islamic framework.
Fatima Heeren (1934–2013) was a German
Muslim convert, translator, and writer, who became a leading voice in Islamic
education in Germany. She authored and translated numerous works on Islam,
focusing on family, women, and Quran studies.
Breaking Misconceptions about Muslim Women
In Woman in Islam, Aisha Lemu and Fatima Heeren
confront the widespread myths surrounding Muslim women, especially in Western
thought. From being wrongly depicted as soulless and oppressed to the Hollywood
fantasy of harems and veiled captives, these stereotypes have shaped distorted
views. They argue that such images are rooted in misinformation and cultural
imagination rather than authentic Islamic teachings, which can only be
understood through the Quran and the Sunnah.
The Quran leaves no room for doubt regarding the spiritual
equality of men and women. Verses such as {Indeed,
the Muslim men and Muslim women, the believing men and believing women … for
them God has prepared forgiveness and a mighty reward.} [Al-Ahzab 33:35] show
that accountability and reward are the same for both. Similarly, Allah Says: {Whosoever performs good deeds, whether male or female,
and is a believer, We shall surely make him live a good life.} [An-Nahl 16:97] These
verses directly refute misconceptions that women are spiritually lesser or
excluded from Paradise, they are equally valued in the same way as men.
Furthermore, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) placed
immense emphasis on the intellectual development of women. His saying, “Seeking knowledge is a duty upon
every Muslim” (male and female), established learning as a universal
obligation for everyone. History offers many examples such as, A’isha, the
Prophet’s wife, one of the foremost transmitters of hadith and a leader of
scholars, along with Rabi`a Al-`Adawiyya, Nafisa Bint Al-Hasan Shaikha Shuhda,
and many more examples.
The authors also refuted misconceptions on women’s role in family. Islam’s vision of marriage is a partnership
based on tranquility, love, and mercy, quoting the Quran’s description of
spouses as “garments for one another.” The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) is a
role model in his relationship with his wives, marked by mutual respect and
care. Even Islamic regulations on gender relations aim to protect the family
unit and foster harmony, not to subjugate women. It frames women’s roles in
terms of both rights and responsibilities within a balanced and holistic way of
life.
Rights and Duties of Women in Islam
The authors emphasize that Islam strikes a balance between women’s rights and responsibilities. Men are entrusted with the financial
maintenance of their wives and families, not merely as a moral gesture but as a
binding legal duty. By contrast, a woman’s earnings remain her own, free from
any obligation to share unless she voluntarily chooses. Within the household,
her role is central to maintain harmony and for the upbringing of children. The
husband is expected to show kindness and consideration, while the wife
acknowledges his responsibility in leading the family within the limits of
Shariah. This underlines Islam’s vision of marriage as a partnership built on loyalty to Allah, rather than a
hierarchy of superiority.
Marriage in Islam emphasizes consent, kindness, and fairness,
with divorce
permitted only as a last resort under a process designed to allow
reconciliation. If reconciliation fails, remains an open path, and women retain
their dowry and rights even after separation. The Quran ensures that both men
and women are held to the same moral standards, and inheritance laws give women
independent financial security, balancing responsibilities with rights. Whatever
wealth a woman owns remains solely hers, as Islam recognize her independent
economic identity.
The Role of Women as Mothers and Guardians of Morality in Islam
The booklet underscores the immense value Islam attaches to motherhood,
highlighting Quranic verses and hadiths that place obedience and kindness to
parents—especially mothers—just after worship of Allah. The Prophet Muhammad’s
saying that “Paradise lies at the feet of
mothers” reflects the honor and
respect mothers are guaranteed in Muslim society, ensuring their care in old
age and linking gratitude to parents with gratitude to Allah.
Beyond motherhood, the authors contrast Islamic principles of modesty and morality with Western norms. Islam encourages marriage as
a safeguard against immorality, emphasizes modest dress for women and
self-restraint for both men and women, and strictly prohibits sexual relations
outside marriage. These measures, along with the rejection of practices like
mixed parties, alcohol, and immodest fashion, serve to protect family life and
uphold women’s dignity. This role differentiation doesn’t serve as a suppression,
but as a framework that preserves harmony, ensures respect for women, and safeguards
society’s moral fabric.
The Reality of Polygamy in Islam
The authors clarify that polygamy in Islam
is neither imposed nor the norm but rather an exception permitted under certain
circumstances. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself lived monogamously with
Khadijah for twenty-five years. Polygamy is presented not as indulgence but as
a social solution, particularly in times of war when widows and unmarried women
far outnumber men, or in cases of illness, infertility, or marital discord
where divorce may be more harmful. Unlike in the West, where extramarital
affairs often leave women and children unprotected, Islam requires full legal,
financial, and moral responsibility toward each wife, safeguarding dignity and
stability rather than undermining it.
Family Life in Islam
Family is the heart of society. There is a contrast between
the instability of Western experiments in communal living with Islam’s enduring
structure of family life. While modern ideologies often undermined traditional
bonds, the Muslim family remained safeguarded by divine law. Islam is not
merely a religion in the Western sense but a comprehensive way of life, where
submission to Allah and acceptance of human responsibility on earth shape a
natural, stable framework for marriage, kinship, and social relations. Family life in Islam fulfills universal human needs—companionship,
love, mutual care, protection, and education—while ensuring accountability
before Allah keeps these duties alive, even in a modern, industrialized world.
Structure of Muslim Family in the Quran
This vision of family life rests on four Quranic pillars:
1-
The Home as a Secure Cradle
for Society
The booklet presents the family as the first cradle of human
society, where children must find warmth, patience, and moral education to
prepare them for life. The mother is portrayed as the primary caregiver, while
the father is
described as the imam of the household, bearing the religious
responsibility of guiding the family.
It's crucial to create an Islamic
milieu within the home, where children
are raised in an atmosphere of love, respect, and faith, growing into conscious
Muslims. The four phases of education—Islamic environment, storytelling,
religious practice, and striving for higher purpose—equip them to embrace
responsibility and resist harmful ideologies. This is how the family nurtures
both individual faith and the stability of the wider community.
2-
The Family as Guardian of Desires
The second pillar presents family life as the natural guardian
of human desires, channeling them into dignified bonds through marriage, which
Islam describes as a partnership of mutual protection and love. Affirmed by the Prophet (peace be upon him) as
part of his Sunnah, marriage safeguards morality while offering fulfillment for
both spouses. The booklet also addresses Western misperceptions by explaining
arranged marriages as driven by compatibility, polygamy as a rare but
responsible alternative to immorality, and divorce as a dignified last resort.
It further underscores women’s rights to education, property, household
authority, and work, balanced by men’s duty of financial care, framing family
as a secure, respectful environment where desire is elevated into love,
stability, and the nurturing of children.
3-
The Family and
Character-Building
The third pillar emphasizes the family as the foundation of human virtues such
as love, kindness, and mercy. The Quran repeatedly enjoins kindness to parents,
highlighting gratitude, respect, and care across generations. By nurturing patience, tenderness, and responsibility within the family,
these virtues naturally extend into society, shaping individuals who embody
compassion and moral strength in both private and public life.
4-
The Family as Refuge
The fourth pillar presents the family as a secure refuge in a world marked by mistrust and
self-centeredness. Within the family, one finds protection, support, and the
expectation to give one’s best, qualities that nurture both the needy and the
strong. Unlike impersonal social systems, the warmth and care of an Islamic
family provide lasting security and human dignity, making it a unique
institution that sustains both individual well-being and social harmony.
As such, this booklet remains not only a defense against
common misconceptions but also a living example of how Islam engages with
modern concerns while rooted firmly in timeless principles.
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