Rulings Pertaining to Muslim Women

The Prophet ﷺ used to give women specific guidance, and he left guidance for them in his sermon at 'Arafat. That fact establishes something: attention to women's particular circumstances is not a modern accommodation but part of how the religion was taught from the beginning.

This book gathers the rulings that follow from it, arranged into ten chapters so a reader can go directly to what she needs.

The Ten Chapters

• One — General laws
• Two — Laws pertaining to the beautification of the body
• Three — Menstruation, istihadah and lochia
• Four — Dress and hijab
• Five — The woman and her Salat
• Six — Funerals
• Seven — Fasting
• Eight — Hajj and Umrah
• Nine — Marriage and divorce
• Ten — The laws that protect a woman's honor and chastity

Why the Author Wrote It

His stated reason is that the Muslim woman has been singled out for attack, in an effort to strip her of the nobility and status Islam gave her. His response is not argument but knowledge: a woman who knows what her religion actually grants her and asks of her is considerably harder to unsettle than one working from impressions.

He describes the book modestly as a small contribution and a first step on that path, hoping greater and more expansive works follow. That modesty is worth noting — it is a practical handbook rather than a comprehensive treatise, and it is better for knowing what it is.

Who It Is For

Muslim women who want the rulings specific to them in one place rather than scattered through general fiqh books. New Muslim sisters. Teachers and study circles — the chapter structure maps directly onto a syllabus. Husbands and fathers with responsibilities they may never have had explained.

Related Reading

• Islamic Fatawa Regarding Women — over 350 rulings in question-and-answer form
• Menstruation and Postpartum Condition — the purity rulings treated in depth on their own
• Important Lessons for Muslim Women — a fuller course covering faith, worship and family law