Muhammad Hassan Ilyas
[1]
It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abbas [RA] that once a solar eclipse occurred, and the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) performed the prayer. The Companions were also present with him on that occasion. When he completed the prayer, the sun had already cleared. He then delivered a sermon and said: “The sun and the moon are two signs among the signs of Allah. They are not eclipsed because of anyone’s death or life. Therefore, whenever you see such a phenomenon, remember your Lord.”
The Companions said: “O Messenger of Allah, during the prayer we saw that you, while standing in your place, appeared to reach out to take something, and then we saw you step back.” He replied: “I was shown Paradise, and I wished to take a cluster of its fruits. Had I taken it, you would have continued to eat from it as long as the world remained. Then I was shown Hell, and I saw in it a scene the like of which I had never seen before. I saw that most of its inhabitants were women.”
The people asked: “Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Because they are ungrateful.” They asked: “Are they ungrateful to Allah?” He replied: “No, they are ungrateful to their husbands and do not acknowledge kindness. If you were to treat one of them kindly throughout your life, and then something displeasing were to occur from you, she would immediately say: ‘I have never seen any good from you.’” (Muwatta, No. 441)
[2]
Jabir [RA] reports that he attended the Eid prayer with the Prophet (PBUH). He led the prayer before the sermon, without adhan or iqamah (adhan before congregation). Afterward, he stood leaning on Bilal and exhorted the people to adopt God-consciousness, encouraged them to obey Allah, delivered admonition and reminders to them, and counselled them.
He then moved forward toward the women, addressed them similarly with exhortation and reminder, and said: “Give charity, for among those who will become the fuel of Hell, the majority will be from among you.” Upon hearing this, a woman with reddish-dark cheeks stood up from among the women and asked: “Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “Because you complain frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands.”
Jabir says that upon hearing this, the women began giving their jewelry in charity; they removed their earrings and rings and placed them into the cloth that Bilal had spread out for this purpose. (Sahih Muslim, No. 1473)
[3]
It is narrated from Abu Saeed al-Khudri (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) once went out toward the place of prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr. As he passed by the women, he said: “O women, give charity, for I have seen that you form the majority among the inhabitants of Hell.”
One woman among them, who appeared intelligent, asked: “Why will that be, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “You frequently invoke curses and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone with diminished responsibility in both religious and rational matters who is nevertheless capable of overwhelming a sensible and intelligent man as you are.”
The women asked: “What deficiency is there in our religious and rational responsibilities, O Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Is not the testimony of a woman equal to half that of a man?” They replied: “Yes.” He said: “That is the reduction regarding rational responsibility. And is it not the case that when a woman is menstruating, she neither performs prayer nor fasts?” They replied: “Yes.” He said: “That is the reduction regarding religious responsibility.” (Sahih Bukhari, No. 296)