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Family Life In Islam

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Family Life in Islam by Olivia Monem

“O mankind! We created
you from a single (pair)
of a male and a female
and made you into
nations and tribes that
you may know each
•Husband and Wife other. Verily the most
honored of you in the
sight of Allah is (one who
•Parents and is) the most righteous of
Extended Family you. And Allah has full
knowledge and is well
acquainted (with all
things).” (Qur'an 49:13)
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Husband and Wife
• Adam & Eve
“And among His signs is
• Rights and duties of that He created for you
spouses mates from among
yourselves that you may
• Divorce & Widowhood live in tranquility with
• Polygamy them, and He put love
and mercy between you;
Verily, in that are signs
for people who reflect.”
(Quran 30:21)

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 Adam & Eve
The Islamic story of Adam and Eve is found in several places in the Quran,
for example:
"O Adam dwell with your wife in the Garden and enjoy as you wish but
approach not this tree or you run into harm and transgression. Then
Satan whispered to them in order to reveal to them their shame that
was hidden from them and he said: 'Your Lord only forbade you this
tree lest you become angels or such beings as live forever.' And he
swore to them both that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he
brought them to their fall: when they tasted the tree their shame
became manifest to them and they began to sew together the leaves
of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: 'Did I
not forbid you that tree and tell you that Satan was your avowed
enemy?' They said: 'Our Lord we have wronged our own souls and if
You forgive us not and bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall
certainly be lost' " (Quran 7:19-23).
The Quran places equal blame on both Adam and Eve for their mistake.
Nowhere in the Quran can one find even the slightest hint that Eve
tempted Adam to eat from the tree or even that she had eaten before
him. Both Adam and Eve committed a sin, both asked God for 4
forgiveness, and both were forgiven by God.
Rights & Duties of spouses
Rights of the Wife Rights of the Husband
• to accept or reject any marriage • to be treated with kindness and respect
proposal • to have his property, secrets and
• to receive “MAHR”, a gift from the privacy secured by his wife
husband • to have the final say in major family
• to be treated with kindness and respect decisions, after consultation
• to be provided with food, shelter, and • to marry up to four wives, provided he
clothing abides by all conditions
• to possess personal property, to
acquire education and to seek
employment
• to be consulted before any major family
decisions
• to seek divorce if her husband chooses
to marry another woman
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Rights & Duties cont.
Duties of the Husband
• to give “MAHR”, a gift, to his wife
• to treat his wife with kindness and and
respect
• to provide his wife and family with food,
shelter, clothing, and other necessities
• to fulfil his role as Father to his
children
• to consult his wife before making any
major family decisions
Duties of the Wife
• to treat her husband with kindness and
respect
• to keep, protect and guard her
husband’s secrets, their marital
privacy, and her husband’s property
• to manage household affairs
• to fulfill her role as Mother to her
children
• to abide by any decisions made by her
husband, after consultation
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 Divorce & Widowhood
Regarding divorce and widowhood in general, there is no stigma attached
to divorce or widowhood in the Quran - Widows and divorcees have
the freedom to marry whomever they choose.
Islam recognizes and allows divorce, but discourages it. The Quran offers
Muslim married couples advice on how to save their marriage. If one
of the partners is jeopardizing the matrimonial relationship, the other
partner is advised by the Quran to do whatever possible and effective
in order to save this sacred bond. But if a marriage has to end, then
Islam allows the partners to separate peacefully and amicably.
“When you divorce women and they fulfil their terms [three
menstruation periods] either take them back on equitable
terms or set them free on equitable terms; But do not take
them back to injure them or to take undue advantage, If
anyone does that, he wrongs his own soul. Do not treat Allah's
signs as a jest" (2:231).

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 Polygamy
The Quran, allowed polygamy, but also restricted it:
"If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans,
marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that
you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one" (4:3).
This verse of the Quran was revealed after one of the battles, in which
dozens of men were killed leaving behind widows and orphans.
The Quran, limited the maximum number of wives to four under the strict
condition of treating the wives equally and justly. In Islam, polygamy
is only allowed, and is not the norm. It only provides a moral and
practical solution to a situation in which there would be a great
number of widows and orphans (like after a war or epidemic for
example), who would otherwise be very vulnerable and in need of a
stable family atmosphere.
Men may choose to be monogamous, and in fact a first wife may include
in her marriage contract that her husband stay monogamous (a
condition mutually accepted, of course).
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Parents & Extended Family
• Special status for “We have enjoined on man
kindness to his parents; In
Mothers pain did his mother bear
him, and in pain did she
• Children give him birth. The carrying
of the (child) to his weaning
• The elderly is (a period of) thirty
months. At length, when he
reaches the age of full
strength and attains forty
years, he says ‘Oh my Lord!
Grant me that I may be
grateful for Thy favor which
You have bestowed upon
me, and upon both my
parents, and that I may 9
work righteousness such as
Special status for Mothers
In Islam, the honor, respect, and esteem attached to motherhood is
unparalleled. The Quran places the importance of kindness to
parents as second only to worshipping God. The Quran in several
other places puts special emphasis on the mother's great role in
giving birth and nursing:
"And We have enjoined on man to be good to his parents: In difficulty
upon difficulty did his mother bear him and in two years was his
weaning. Show gratitude to Me and to your parents" (31:14).
The very special place of mothers in Islam has been eloquently
described also by Prophet Muhammad:
"A man asked the Prophet: 'Whom should I honor most?' The Prophet
replied: 'Your mother'. 'And who comes next?' asked the man. The
Prophet replied: 'Your mother'. 'And who comes next?' asked the
man. The Prophet replied: 'Your mother!'. 'And who comes next?'
asked the man. The Prophet replied: 'Your father'" (Bukhari and
Muslim).

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 Hello everyone!

Children
From the Islamic perspective, children are a gift and a blessing:
“Wealth and children are the adornment of the life of this world”
(Quran ‘Al-Kahf’:46)
“And Allah has made for you spouses of your own kind and has made
for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has bestowed
upon you good provisions.” (Quran ‘Al-Nahl’:72)
Before Islam, daughters used to be killed; Islam forbade the practice
of female infanticide:
“When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) a female
(child), his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief! With
shame he hides himself from his people because of the bad news
he has had! Shall he retain her on (sufferance and) contempt or
bury her in the dust? Ah! What an evil (choice) they decide on!”
(Quran 16:58-59)
Also, a girl’s inheritance became confirmed in the Quran:
“From what is left by parents and those nearest related, there is a
share for men and a share for women, whether the property be 11
small or large - a determinate share.” (Quran 4:7)
The elderly
In Islam, there is no room for institutional homes for the elderly. Caring
for one’s parents during their old age is considered an honor and a
blessing. The Quran says that serving one’s parents is second to
worshipping God:
“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be
kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your
life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, But address
them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, Lower to them the wing
of humility, and say: 'My Lord! bestow on them Your Mercy as they
Cherished me in childhood' " (17:23-24).
The extended family plays a role in family disputes, and the opinion of the
elderly (grandparents, great uncle/aunt, etc.) are usually sought in
most discussions. Marriage in general is not just between two people,
but between two families!
When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed, usually by a family member,
wrapped in a clean white cloth and buried with a simple prayer,
preferably the same day. Muslims consider this one of the final
services they can do for their relatives, and also an opportunity to 12
remember their own brief time here on Earth.