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Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) narrated that once, during a solar eclipse, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) led the people in prayer. The Companions prayed along with him. When the prayer concluded, the eclipse had already passed, and the sun had cleared. The Prophet (PBUH) then delivered a sermon and said:
“The sun and the moon are two of the signs of Allah. They do not eclipse because of anyone’s death or life. Therefore, when you see such an event, remember your Lord.”
The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, during the prayer, we saw you reach forward as though to take something, and then we saw you withdraw.”
He (PBUH) replied: “I saw Paradise, and I wanted to pluck a bunch 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 a scene in it the like of which I had never seen before. I saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women.”
The people asked, “Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?”
He (PBUH) said: “Because they are ungrateful.”
They asked, “Do they show ingratitude toward Allah?”
He (PBUH) replied: “No — they are ungrateful to their husbands and deny favors. You may do good to one of them for a lifetime, yet if she sees something from you (that displeases her), she will say, ‘I have never seen any good from you.’”
(Muwatta Imam Malik, No. 441)
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Jabir (RA) reported: On the day of Eid, I attended the prayer with the Prophet (PBUH). He began the prayer without adhan or iqamah before delivering the sermon. After completing the prayer, he leaned on Bilal (RA) and stood up, exhorting the people to fear Allah, obey Him, and reminding them with advice and admonition. Then he moved forward to where the women were and likewise addressed them with exhortation and remembrance. He (PBUH) said: “Give charity, for I have seen that the majority of those who are the fuel of Hell are women.”
Upon hearing this, a woman with dark reddish cheeks stood up and asked, “Why is that, O Messenger of Allah?”
He (PBUH) replied: “Because you complain too much and show ingratitude to your husbands.”
Jabir said: Hearing this, the women began giving charity. They started removing their earrings and rings and throwing them into the cloth that Bilal (RA) had spread out for that purpose.
(Sahih Muslim, No. 1473)
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Abu Saeed al-Khudri (RA) reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) once went out to the place of prayer on the day of Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Fitr. On his way, he passed by a group of women and said: “O women, give charity, for I have seen that most of the inhabitants of Hell are women.”
One of them, who seemed intelligent, asked, “Why will that be so, O Messenger of Allah?”
He (PBUH) replied: “Because you frequently curse and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intellect and religion who can overcome a wise, sensible man more than you.”
The women asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what is the deficiency in our intellect and religion?”
He (PBUH) said: “Is it not the case that a woman’s testimony is half that of a man’s?”
They said, “Yes.”
He (PBUH) said: “That is the deficiency in her intellect.”
He (PBUH) added: “And is it not that when a woman is in her period, she neither prays nor fasts?”
They said, “Yes.”
He (PBUH) said: “That is the deficiency in her religion.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, No. 296)