We often hear the noble Hadeeth "Women are deficient in their intelligence and in their Deen” and some men use this Hadeeth as a form of belittlement towards the women. We desire from you O noble shaykh, clarification of the meaning of this Hadeeth?
The meaning of the Hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam):
“I have never seen anyone with a deficiency of ‘Aql (intellect) and Deen (religion) who are more overpowering to men than one of you [women].”
So it was said:
“O Messenger of Allaah, what is the deficiency in her intelligence?”
He said:
“Isn’t the witness of two women equal to that of one man?”
So it was said:
“What is the deficiency in her Deen?”
So he said:
“Isn’t it the case that if she is menstruating she doesn’t pray or fast?”
So the Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) clarified that the deficiency of her intellect was from the angle of her weak memory and that her testimony is strengthened with the testimony of another woman. This is because of the preciseness of the witness (in Islaam) and because she could forget and make an addition or deletion to the testimony. Just as Allaah says:
{And bring forth two witnesses from your own men. If there are not two men (available) then a man and two women, such as you agree for witnesses, so that if one of them (two women) errs then the other can remind her…} [2282]
As for deficiency in her Deen, then it is because during her state of menstruation and post-partum bleeding, she abandons the Salaat and fasting, and she doesn’t make up the salaat. This is from the deficiency in her Deen. But this deficiency is not blameworthy upon her. Rather it is a deficiency, which happens as a result of that which Allaah had decreed for her and this was done in a manner of leniency and easiness towards her. For if she were to fast in a state of menstruation or in a state of postpartum bleeding it would harm her. So from the Mercy of Allaah (towards women) He has legislated for her to abandon the fast at the time when she is menstruating or in a state of Nifaas, and to make up the fast afterwards. As for the salaat, then without a doubt, the state of menstruation prevents her from purification. So from the mercy of Allaah, He legislated for her to abandon her prayer and likewise in the state of Nifaas. He also legislated for her not to make it up, because in making up the (Salaat) is difficulty, because the Salaat is tremendous, and repetitious, five times throughout the night and day, and the days of menstruation can be plentiful, sometimes seven or eight days or more than that. And the Nifaas could reach 40 days. So from the mercy of Allaah upon her and from His Ihsaan (doing good) towards her is that He removed the Salaat from her whether it be the initial Salaat or the make-up. And this does not necessitate that her intelligence is deficient in everything! Nor that her Deen is deficient in everything! But indeed the Messenger (saw) clarified that the deficiency in her intelligence is from that which happens to her from the lack of precision in her memory and testimony, and that the deficiency in her Deen is from the fact that she leaves off the prayer and fasting at the time of her menses or in the state of Nifaas. Also this doesn’t necessitate that she is less than a man in everything! or the fact that the man is better in everything! Yes, generally the male gender is better than the gender of the females generally for many reasons. Just as Allaah the High and Sublime says:
{Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allaah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend their wealth (to support them)…} [434]
But she can surpass him, sometimes, in many things. And by Allaah how many women surpass many men in their intelligence, Deen and precision! But verily that which is narrated on the Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) is that the women are surpassed by men, generally, in intelligence and in the religion only. There can proceed from her many righteous actions, in which, she can surpass the men and in her Taqwah of Allaah, Azza Wa Jall, and in her station in the hereafter. There could be some affairs that she places great importance on and is precise in them more so than the precision of a man. There are many issues, which she carefully considers, and is diligent in memorizing and precise in. She would become the foundation in Islaamic history and point of reference in many affairs and this is clear to those who ponder and reflect on the state of the women during the time of the Prophet (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) and after that. With this it should be understood that this deficiency should not prevent her from being treated equally in her narrations and in her testimony, if it is strengthened with the testimony of another woman. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that it (this deficiency) should prevent her from having Taqwah of Allaah and the fact that she could be from the most virtuous slaves of Allaah if she is upright in her Deen, even if the fasting and Salaat is not obligatory upon her at the time of menstruation and Nifaas rather this is a deficiency which is specific to the intellect and Deen just as the Messenger (sal-Allaahu 'alayhe wa sallam) clarified. It is not appropriate that a believer should accuse her of being deficient in everything and weak in every area of her Deen, and its clarification is pertinent and important so that the speech of the Messenger is understood in it’s proper context and in the best possible manner and Allaah knows best.
Shaykh Abdul-Azeez ibn Baaz Majmoo’ Fatawaa Wa Maqalaat Mutanawi’ah. Vol. 3/292
sh.ayman wrote:
I believe the word "Naqeesatu" is the main word that generates all your inquiries about this hadeeth. In addition, the translation of the hadeeth is bad enough to cause such confussion. [ I still recommend and encourage everyone to learn Arabic if they wish to understand Islam correctly or give Dawa]
The best way to understand this hadeeth is through understanding what the word "Naqesatu" actually means. This can only be done through understanding its opposite meaning. So, here is some notes about this Hadeeth:
- Naqs (inperfect, deficency, incomplete) is the opposite of Kamal (perfection)
- Perfection is used when a matter is not fully completed or fulfilled. So, Naqs means here that there is part of something is not being fulfilled.
- The two areas which Naqs applies to, as specified in the hadeeth, are : A'ql and religion ( I kept the word A'ql as it is in Arabic because the translation is wrong)
- Naqs in this hadeeth does not refer to the A'ql itself as an entity but rather refers to the acts of A'ql. So, the meaning of this that is, women do not fully fulfil all acts of A'ql ( witnessing) and all acts of deen (praying and fasting in menses). This is supported by the words of Allah's Messenger who explained Naqs by mentioning the acts that women are not allowed to fulfil in each area (A'ql and deen).
- The offered used translation of "A'ql" is inaccurate because intellegince indicates a level of smartness which is not what was meant with (A'ql) in this Hadeeth.
- The Naqs of A'ql means in this hadeeth: "The inability to perform all acts of A'ql " This inability is due to the nature of women who are distinguished with special criterion as an emotional creature who can be affected by emotions. keep in mind, emotions are not limited to love only because its meaning is wider. there is fear, anger, hate, love and so forth.
- The statement of Allah's Messenger applies on every woman. although, it might happen that you find women who are more reasoning and self-controlled when it comes to her emotions than men. Yet, this does not change that such the nature of women in general and does not change the ruling.
Summing it up:
This hadeeth does not mean in anyhow belittlement of women because this hadeeth is not documenting ranking of men and women but rather explainaing acts that cannot be fullfiled by women. Furthermore, the label of "naqs" is addressing the acts that are related to A'ql and religion not the A'ql and religion as entities. Besides the fact that A'ql, as a word comes in different meaning and in this particular hadeeth it does not refer to a level of smartness but rather to not fulfilling all its acts. that's why discounting women's witness from being a full witness describes her inablity to fulfil all acts of A'ql because witnessing is part of acts of A'ql since it requires making a reasoning judgment.
The nature of women is obviously differ from the nature of men. Each have been distingushed with a special criterion i.e. women are known to be soft, emotional, physically weaker than men and more symethic. while men are known to be firm in decessions, less emotional, sensetive, physically stronger than women, and less sympathatic. These critecrion indiactes the level of external factor one both sides as women are easier to be affected by external factors when she is about to make a judgement on the contrary of men. However, it can happen that some men are soft and easily affected by their emotions while women are firm and strong but that does not make it general but rather exceptional and the ruling was made based on the normal general standard. therefore it applies on everyone just liek any other law!
Wallahu A'lam
