At a time when women were oppressed and deprived of their rights, Islam granted them special care and surrounded them with mercy and protection. The strength of women lies in their perceived weakness, as they are naturally more emotional. Therefore, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ instructed good treatment toward women, recognizing their nature and elevating their status. Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Act kindly toward women, for they were created from a rib and the most crooked part of a rib is its top. If you attempt to straighten it you will break it, and if you leave it alone it will remain crooked; so act kindly towards women.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)

As Sheikh Abu Ishaq Al-Huwaini mentioned in his book Lessons from Sheikh Abu Ishaq Al-Huwaini: “A woman is naturally weak and inclined to find comfort in men. Her strength lies in her perceived weakness. Those who sought to 'liberate' women aimed to liberate them from their husbands and make them adopt the characteristics of men. This is impossible, as no man can live in harmony with another man as a spouse. Thus, woman's strength lies in her nature.”

While Islam is often accused of oppressing women and violating their rights, in Western civilization, women are treated as cheap commodities and tools for serving men's interests. Women are exploited in degrading ways to satisfy material and carnal desires. They are stripped of their dignity and reduced to mere entertainment objects, forced to undress and dance for money while men reap enormous profits at the expense of their humanity.

Despite Western claims of liberating women, this so-called liberation has trapped them in new forms of enslavement. Women are pushed into harsh work environments alongside men without consideration for their unique nature. In the West, young women are expected to become financially independent at an early age, often working under difficult conditions that may jeopardize their dignity and honor. A woman who does not have an illicit partner during her teenage years is often viewed as socially abnormal. These practices starkly contradict the West's claims of equality and freedom, revealing the humiliation and degradation they impose on women, in contrast to Islam protecting women's dignity and upholding their rights.

Given the delicate and emotional nature that Allah instilled in women, Islam's mercy encompasses their lives in various aspects, as mothers, wives, and daughters. This compassionate approach has a profound impact on family life and society as a whole. As mothers, Islam elevates their status and encourages kindness and devotion to them. Even in matters of custody and worship, Islam takes their feelings into account. The Prophet ﷺ shortened prayers upon hearing a child crying, out of consideration for the mother's distress. As wives, Islam stipulates that marriages be based on affection and mercy. The Prophet ﷺ advised good treatment toward wives, recognizing their differing temperaments and ensuring respect for their opinions and status within the family. He ﷺ even consulted his wife Umm Salamah during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. As daughters, Islam strongly rejected the pre-Islamic practices of oppressing them. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized the importance of daughters' rights through numerous hadiths, such as: “There is no one who has three daughters, or three sisters, and he treats them well, except that he enters paradise.”

The life of the Prophet ﷺ serves as an exemplary model of kindness toward women. His respect and care extended to his wives, his tenderness toward his granddaughter Umamah bint Abi al-As, and his deep love and respect for his daughter Fatimah’s feelings, even on his deathbed.

Among the manifestations of Islam's mercy toward women is the protection afforded to them during wars. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited killing women, children, and elderly people, as well as separating mothers from their children in captivity. He reprimanded Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) when he let some female captives from Khaybar pass by the dead bodies of their relatives and began to weep. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Has mercy been removed from your heart, O Bilal?” (Reported by Ibn Ishaq in Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah)

It was narrated that ‘Urwah said: My father Az-Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) told me that on the day of Uhud, a woman came running, and when she was about to reach where the slain were, the Prophet (ﷺ) did not want her to see them, and he said, `The woman, the woman!` az-Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I thought that she was my mother Safiyyah, so I went running towards her and caught up with her before she reached the slain. (Reported by Ahmad)

In another narration, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed Hamzah who was killed and disfigured. He said: “If Safiyyah were not grieved, I would have left him until the birds and beasts of prey would have eaten him, and he would have been resurrected from their bellies.” (Reported by Abu Dawood)

Women did not participate in combat during wars; their roles were mostly limited to treating the wounded and providing food and water, unless circumstances required them to fight. However, warfare was primarily the responsibility of men. This exemplifies Islam's honor and protection of women, in contrast to a time when women are now exploited under deceptive slogans of freedom.

Islam's mercy shines as a beacon of light amidst the darkness of ignorance, reminding the world that true compassion and genuine care can never be found without Islam!

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• Western Allegations of Women's Freedom: Between Truth and Propaganda, by Ja'far Mas'oud Al-Hasani Al-Nadwi.
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• Aljazeera.net