The pursuit of knowledge is an Islamic duty God requires every Muslim to fulfill, so that life in this world can be set aright and success is achieved in the life to come. This duty applies to every Muslim woman in the same way as it applies to every Muslim man. For a Muslim, man or woman, life in this world is the time when the ground is prepared, seeds are planted and trees and other plants are attended to, while the life to come is the harvest season. When Muslims dedicate themselves to build a sound and healthy human life on earth, they receive their full reward on the Day of Judgment. Islam urges Muslims to pursue knowledge, addressing all its instructions to both man and woman, as in the following examples:
Anas quotes God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: “The pursuit of knowledge is a duty that applies to every Muslim.” (Related by Al-Bayhaqi.)
Abu Al-Darda’ quotes the Prophet as saying: “Whoever sets on a way to pursue knowledge God will set him on a way leading to heaven. Angels lower their wings for the pursuer of knowledge as a gesture of approval.” (Related by Ahmad.)
When we speak of Islamic knowledge that alerts and enlightens our minds and hearts, we wonder how can anyone achieve such knowledge without meeting scholars and studying under them. We read how the early Muslim women were keen to meet the Prophet so as to receive knowledge from its top source. After the Prophet had passed away, men in the first two Islamic generations frequently sought knowledge from its richest source, the Prophet’s wives. Since this early period was the model to be followed, Muslim men and women should continue to seek knowledge from its highest sources and best scholars, be they men or women. No man or woman should refrain from learning from the best teachers on account of the teacher’s sex.
Indeed the Prophet’s women companions asked him to devote a special session for them. Abu Saeed Al-Khudri reports: “A woman said to the Prophet: ‘Messenger of God! Men have taken most of your discourse. Could you allocate a special day for us?’ He said to her: ‘Assemble on such and such a day...’ When they assembled, he went to speak to them...” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.) We must remember here that when women asked the Prophet for their own session, they did not object to be in the same session with men. They were keen to have an added privilege when they could have their special discourse in addition to their participation with men in the Prophet’s mosque. When the Prophet allocated this special day for women, they continued to come to the mosque, sharing with men in all that the Prophet taught.
This keen desire to pursue knowledge enabled such early Muslim women to question men scholars among the Prophet’s companions concerning their rulings. Abdullah ibn Mas’ood once said: “Expelled from God’s grace are those women who make tattoos for others, or seek to have tattoos made for them, and those who thin their eyebrows, and those who seek to appear more beautiful by changing God’s creation.” Umm Yaqoob, a woman from the clan of Asad, heard of this statement and went to see him. She said: ‘I heard that you have said that such and such women are expelled from God’s grace?’ He replied: ‘Why would I not say what God’s messenger had said and what is in God’s book?’ She rejoined: ‘I have read the Qur’an from cover to cover and I cannot find what you have said.’ He replied: ‘Had you really read it, you would have found it. Have you not read God’s order: “Whatever God’s Messenger gives you, take it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it?” He has certainly forbidden us that.’ She said: ‘But I see that your wife does it.’ He said: ‘Go and look at her yourself.’ She went to see his wife, but she found that his wife did nothing of that. He commented: ‘Had my wife been doing any of that, I would not associate with her.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
By contrast, Muslim men sought to learn the Prophet’s practice from his wives. Anas ibn Malik reports: “Three men came to the Prophet’s homes asking his wives about his voluntary worship.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
We also read that when men scholars differed on a question of Islamic fiqh, they could refer to women for further knowledge. Tawoos reports: “I was with Abdullah ibn Abbas when Zayd ibn Thabit asked him: ‘Have you ruled that a woman pilgrim who is in her waiting period could depart from Makkah without having performed the tawaf of farewell?’ Ibn Abbas said: ‘If you disagree, ask this Ansari woman (naming her) whether the Prophet instructed her to do so.’ Zayd came back later and said to Ibn Abbas: ‘I realize that what you said is indeed true.’” (Related by Muslim.)
Indeed, social mixing between men and women could facilitate doing good. Umm Shareek was a rich woman from the Ansar who spent much of her money for God’s cause and was very hospitable to her guests. Her home was like a welfare center. Fatimah bint Qays reports: “... the Prophet told me to move to Umm Shareek’s home. I said that I would do that. He then changed his mind and said to me: ‘Do not do that. Umm Shareek receives numerous guests.’” (Related by Muslim.)
Their acquisition of knowledge enabled early Muslim women to do what was necessary to ensure the removal of any impediment that prevented good action. Asma bint Abu Bakr was married to Al-Zubayr, one of the earliest Muslims who was very close to the Prophet, but she realized that her husband was rather jealous in respect of his wife. Therefore, when she felt that his jealousy could prevent something good coming to other people, she tried cleverly to overcome his jealousy, as appears in this story which she herself reports: “A man came to me and said: ‘Umm Abdullah! I am a poor man and I want to have a corner next to your home where I could sell things.’ I said: ‘If I allow you to do so, Al-Zubayr will refuse. Therefore, come back and ask me in his presence.’ He came back later and repeated his request in front of my husband. I said: ‘You cannot find in the whole of Madinah any place other than my home?’ Al-Zubayr said to me: ‘Why would you prevent a poor man to sell things?’ Thus the man started his trade and did well.” (Related by Muslim.)
Had it not been for Asma’s clever device, her husband’s jealousy might have prevented the man from setting shop in front of his house.