bismillah. assalamualaikum.
by Osokin on DeviantArt
nobody denies that a woman is made beautiful by Allah SWT. however, what is the value of a woman? so valuable that nothing could be compared to a woman? or of so little worth that even small amount of tip for serving red wine could cherish a woman? well, that was what i’d seen on my flight back to malaysia. which one best describes you? it’s totally up to you. the choice is yours.
as mentioned in the Quran, Asiyah is in the first category. being the wife of an undeniably wealthy pharaoh , she definitely lived in luxury. however, she was never attracted to those fake worldly indulgence. Allah SWT gave her the strength to resist the greatest challenge that a woman could face, wealth.
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً لّلَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ امْرَأَةَ فِرْعَوْنَ إِذْ قَالَتْ رَبّ ابْنِ لِى عِندَكَ بَيْتاً فِى
الْجَنَّةِ وَنَجّنِى مِن فِرْعَوْنَ وَعَمَلِهِ وَنَجّنِى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّـلِمِينَ
“And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe: the wife of Fir`awn, when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir`awn and his work, and save me from the people who are wrongdoers.” (At-Tahrim 66:11)
maryam as was another exceptional example. turning away from appealing temptations that the world could offer, she chose to dedicate her life and soul to the Lord Almighty.
وَمَرْيَمَ ابْنَةَ عِمْرَانَ الَّتِى أَحْصَنَتْ فَرْجَهَا فَنَفَخْنَا فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِنَا
وَصَدَّقَتْ بِكَلِمَـتِ رَبَّهَا وَكُتُبِهِ وَكَانَتْ مِنَ الْقَـنِتِينَ
“And Maryam, the daughter of `Imran who guarded her chastity (private part). And We breathed into it through Our Ruh, and she testified to the truth of her Lords Kalimat, and His Kutub, and she was of the Qanitin” (At-Tahrim 66:12)
ironically enough, being close to His obedient servants did not guarantee the wives of Nuh as and Lut as to obtain His Light
ضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلاً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ امْرَأَتَ نُوحٍ وَامْرَأَتَ لُوطٍ كَانَتَا تَحْتَ عَبْدَيْنِ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا صَـلِحَيْنِ فَخَانَتَاهُمَا فَلَمْ يُغْنِينَا عَنْهُمَا مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئاً وَقِيلَ ادْخُلاَ النَّارَ مَعَ الدَخِلِينَ
Allah sets forth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut. They were under two of our righteous servants, but they both betrayed them. So, they availed them not against Allah and it was said: "Enter the Fire along with those who enter!'' (At-Tahrim 66: 10)
Allah SWT has inspired us to two paths. the path that brings us closer to Him Love and the more tempting path that leads us astray. the rest is in our hand. the choice is ours. whether you want to be an obedient woman like asiyah and maryam or merely someone that could easily be deceived by the temporary indulgence.
By the Soul, and the proportion and order given to it; And its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right; Truly he succeeds that purifies it, And he fails that corrupts it! (As-Shams 91: 7-10)
for Allah is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, He is always there to help us making a choice.
So he who gives (in charity) and fears ((Allah)), And (in all sincerity) testifies to the best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss. But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient, And gives the lie to the best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Misery; (Al-Layl 92: 5-10)