A woman's rightful place

Bismillah.

While we celebrate mothers as accomplished women, we cannot turn a blind eye towards some women who have fallen from their rightful positions. Mawlana Shaykh Nazim has recently spoken on the same issue and yesterday we were given a note of a late Turkish Sufi Master, Haci Ahmet Kayhan Dede who appealed to us to do something about it.

We may not be in a position to make any major changes. But we know if we can't oppose evil with our hands, we could at least oppose it using our tongue, through our speech or at the very least with our hearts, with a du'a that women be treated respectfully and preserved at their rightful place.

I remembered a story of the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w who upon seeing a group of woman walking towards him, he stood up and said: "They are the best of people!"

Today, woman as the factory of Man, the mother of Man, and Man’s most valuable being, has arrived at a sad position of being an object of commerce: bought, sold, rented out and exploited. In fact, in a number of countries woman is the only object of its economic resources.

Today, in the midst of the so-called advancement of civilization, we witness an even more widespread marketing of women. Looking back at history, in the past when this was done in a ruder and more brutal fashion, it does not mean that the current situation does not warrant a criticism.

Still, these lines are not being written to you to achieve a feminist perspective.

We write with pains that come from deep within us, in order that you will call a halt to this enormous crime. When will the end be found in the renting out of woman, of marketing woman as a vehicle of business? When will this human crime be wiped out? When will humanity open its eyes to the truth? When will people start to say “the world has turned its back to the sun” instead of “the sun has risen or set”? When will the youth be taught that way?

First and foremost, woman is a holy being. The first woman, the blessed Eve, was the ‘other’ mankind and partner of human existence. Each one of the prophet was born into the world by a woman. Noah (PBOH) by Kaymush; Abraham (PBOH), by Usha; Ismail (PBOH) by Hacer; Isaac(PBOH) by Sara; Moses (PBOH) by Hanna; Jesus (PBOH) by Mary and the blessed Prophet Mohammed (PBOH) by Lady Amine. Worthy statesmen and men of science are also born of a woman. The factory of mankind ought to be holy and remain holy. Just like all other factories, this factory too could produce defective products - deformed humanity and the last of humanity.

Today, little by little in every country, woman have become for the advertising industry an element of attention-getting and display. Woman has been brought to serve this function through hire for money. Again, most countries bank on woman as a main attraction in drawing tourists and hence, secure their economic well-being. By virtue of this, woman are unable to free themselves from being a vehicle of commerce, rented out, bought and sold, each day losing more of her respect and honor.

What a shame that there could be such a crime and disgrace to humanity?

It should be noted that in the past, great disasters and violence had occurred when woman were treated with contempt, abandoned and cast out beyond the fringes of society.

It’s up to you to take some actions to heal the society’s wound. Through your leadership on this matter, you may influence the achievements of woman and restore their honorable position in society. For your current interest, we thank you in the name of humanity.

- Haci Ahmet Kayhan Dede