of women in Nahjul BalÁgha, we need to refer to the Qur’an and then
understand the position of women in Nahjul BalÁgha vis-à-vis what is
contained in the Qur’an.
Without a doubt, historical events have a great deal of influence on
one’s speech and if we don’t keep in mind the history behind the words
of Imam Ali , then the message behind his words would be lost.
Thus, the description and analysis of women he has given in his
sermons must be read and understood in the light of specific historical
events which were taking place that he was forced to speak about.
The sermon which will be reviewed shortly has been attributed to the
Commander of the Faithful and we are told that it was delivered after
the Battle of Jamal – a war which flung open the doors of tribulations
and calamities amongst the Muslims and a war in which Muslims took
up the sword against fellow Muslims and in which countless people lost
their lives.
It was due to the sentiments and feelings which the famous wife of the
Prophet, Àyesha had against Imam Ali that initiated this war and one in which a number of prominent companions of the Prophet –
who for some strange reason had a deep-seeded hatred for Ali and
were seeking power over the community, encouraged and joined hands with Àyesha.
Àyesha’s status - being that she was one of the wives of the Messenger
of Allah and was given the title of ‘Mother of the Believers’ was
well-known to the masses and it is this same status that she enjoyed that
also had a tremendous impact on the general community in many
instances including the launch of this major war.
Through this sermon, Imam Ali wished to destroy this perceived
status which the people had for Àyesha and thus we see in his
statement that she is stripped of any perceived privileges and is brought
back to her level of being just like the other women of her time so that
the people would realize that this blind following of her led to nothing
other than what transpired in this war. This would also bring people to
question why she herself did not heed the advice and the direct orders
of Allah i for the wives of the Prophet to stay in their homes and
to not be so open in the main-stream society!
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