AFTER having reached Madina Munawarra the previous night, I awakened on June 18, 2009 in this city, which is the second most sacred and holy city in Islam.  I felt blessed to say Fajir (morning) prayers in Masjid e Nabwai, (Mosque of the Holy Prophet).

I then stood just outside the tomb of Rasul ullah (Sallahu Alyhay Wassalum) below the Gunbad e Khizra (the famous green dome).  Male members of my family went inside to present their Salam (Salutations) to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).  To me, the huge construction looked grander than any seven-star hotel.  Its large ground could accommodate millions of worshippers and host them with flashy lights, automatic sunlight protection canopies, glazed tile floor, and golden artwork on huge doors, embellishing the name Muhammad.  The building was highly maintained with air conditioning and other modern facilities.

Masjid e Nabawi was initially built by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and he called it, “My Mosque.” and here he is buried.  After 1500 years, this mosque remains a landmark for all Muslims.  I imagined how this place may have looked when Hazrat Usman Ghani (RA) first came forward to spend money to build the mosque. in the ancient city of Madina with a couple hundred small, mud houses with no electricity, and without modern roads. The mosque then was very small, with trees used as pillars and date leaves covering the roof.  Of course, with modern facilities and architecture, everything has been elevated to its highest peak!

I wondered what the lives of women were like in those days when Muhammad was chosen to become the last Prophet on earth.  A number of history book pages, about the status of women, floated in my mind until I could visualize a scene.  Where I stood, in a nearby, small room, the last Prophet of Allah was breathing his last breaths and saying, “O People, be careful about women….”  This was just the beginning of an unfinished era, because what she was before him and what he had given to women during his 23 years in this world is worth noting!

Before him, she was a mere commodity that could be sold as and when needed, a symbol of lust for entertainment during the dark nights of Arabia, or a slave meant for all types of work, moral or immoral. The best record was given by Quran about the status of women by saying that in an Arabic society, “When he is given the good news that his wife is given birth to a female child, a girl, his face becomes blackened and he becomes ashamed. Will he hide the fact or will he bury it in the ground.”  This was because a man felt that the birth of a female child was a shame for him.

From this level in sixth century when Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) was sent as Allah’s last messenger on earth, and once he departed the world, women’s status was improved by him in instituting rights of property ownership, inheritance, business, education and divorce.

In some cases, woman enjoys certain privileges of which man is deprived. She is exempted from some religious duties, such as five times prayers and Ramadan fasting in her regular periods and at times of confinement. She is also exempted from all financial obligations or liabilities to run a family or earn the living.

By being a mother, woman enjoys more recognition and highest honor in the eyes of her Creator (31: 14-15; 46: 15) as well as among those who believe in Allah. The Holy Prophet has also acknowledged this honor when he declared, “Paradise is under the feet of the mothers.”

By being a mother, a woman is entitled to three-fourths of the son's love and kindness with one-fourth left for the father. The famous saying of Holy Prophet, “Your mother, your mother, your mother, and then your father,” is in front of us.

By being a wife, she is entitled to demand of her prospective husband a suitable dowry that will be her own. She is also entitled to complete provision and total maintenance by the husband. She does not have to work or share with her husband the family expenses. She is free to retain, after marriage, whatever she possessed before it, and the husband has no right whatsoever to any of her current and old belongings. In the case of separation, the husband does not have right to take away whatsoever he has presented to his wife.

By being a daughter or sister, she is made publicly entitled to security and provision by the father and brother respectively. That is her privilege. If she wishes to work or be self-supporting and participate in handling the family responsibilities, she is quite free to do so, provided her integrity and honor are safeguarded and also maintained by herself.

With all these thoughts, a poor woman stood outside the hujra of Hazrat Ayesha (RA), one of the houses of Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).  Here the holiest man on earth had spend the last years of his sacred life. The poor woman thought about what her status had been and how it had changed with the ministry of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The voice of my brother ended my thoughts: “Hey! You are still standing, come on; we are going back.”

Within the last twenty minutes, I had entered into a centuries-old tunnel of history and into the days of the Holy Prophet, and  had pondered how he established respect for what had been a mere commodity, how he elevated the level of women, and what message he left at the time of departing this materialistic world: “The best among you are the ones who are the best with their families (wives).”

That was the moment when I felt especially proud that I am born as the follower of Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alyhay wassalum), here at his footsteps, paying my tribute! My heart was saying:

“O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, Who created you from a single person, and created of like nature his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women” (4: 1).

“Indeed there has come to you a Noble Messenger from among you.  Your falling into hardship aggrieves Him, most concerned for your well being, for the believers most compassionate, most merciful” (9: 128).