Farah Nabilah A.R.: Women, Moderation and Freedom of Soul.

bismillahirrohmanirrohim

W.O.M.A.N.

Woman.

Sometimes I wonder what it really means to be a woman. It probably sounds weird since I am a woman myself, but in the macro sense, I see the society has bred 2 kinds of extremes that has deceived and distorted women’s mentality on how we should value and perceive ourselves as an entity called a woman.

The first kind of extreme is the notion that women are exceedingly dependent on others, as portrayed by media and happened in jahiliyya. Female characters are objectified and we become a sexual object that has no other functions than to be the love interest, or to keep the plot going. We are dehumanized and stripped off of our value as a human with any form of character. Cinderella who is beautiful and talented lived her life in misery, waiting for a man to come and complete her, and that man didn’t show up until she dolled herself up. Snow White needs to wait for a man to kiss her only then she could ‘get a life’. It portrays that a woman needs to reach certain standards to be accepted in society. It portrays how dependent and needy women are to man that until that happened, our life has never actually be meaningful. Such, a poisonous message it has on us woman, distorts a woman’s definition on ourselves, our self-esteem and our dignity. Subtly women are infused with this mentality, hence we rebelled against what our nature and predisposition crave us to do. To be honored, governed, and protected. Yet, all these inner cries were left unheard.

The other extreme states that, women are so, exceedingly independent of others as what has being propagated by certain ideologies. Some ideologist roared upon their freedom of rights, willing to go through all the hassles for a cause that their limited mind think would elevate them from being a slave to the society’s definition of a woman. Fighting for an element that they called as right that ends up becoming an endless desire. It lets their ego burning, setting up a mentality that women are yet to achieve their peak of life until they dominate and conquer.

For a reason, Hegel is right with his dialectical philosophy. A theory that explains about dialectical movement where an extreme stance (thesis) breeds another extreme stance (antithesis). According to Hegel, only then, the middle path or the moderate one called ‘synthesis’ showed up.

However in Islam, the synthesis or the moderate principles were well-established even before that, before all these extremes give their hi and hello. It was embedded in all principles Islam has, creating a philosophy that governs our life, govern our decision making process and governs our soul. Islam lies in between. Islam offers, moderation.

So let’s look beyond that. What is it about moderation that is so special? All principles that Islam lies upon has indirectly and subtly elevates the value of a woman. Women are set to freedom that not many people are consciously aware of. It’s called, the freedom of soul. Free, from any kind of salvation, except to God. Sumayyah, the first syuhada marked a history that inspires many other lives throughout generations with her determination to stifle the physical torture. Her so called owner thought that he owned her. But Sumayyah deeply knows that he may own her body but never her soul. This is what Islam brings us to. Islam frees us from any kind of salvation including the intangible ones such as beauty, ego, desires and other subtle elements that may end up becoming our sole cause of life. Islam teaches us less about seeking something that is caped to this temporary world, yet it leads woman to fight for a cause that is beyond what the world could give. It’s called mardhatillah.

So women, treasure and appreciate the value and honor that Islam has gave you. You are already complete in Allah’s sights. You will never find other religions that honor you this much. Put Him first before anything in this world. You will face tons of challenges to prove your sincerity. More often than not, your efforts will go unnoticed by the people around you, but as long as you know how high your value is in God’s eyes, you will find strength, so keep your faith firm, warriors! Because victory is on the side of those who believe in what they stand for, and victory, starts with that freedom of soul (from worldly desires).

Written by: Farah Nabilah Abdul Rahman

Edited by: Nurfarhana Ramlee and Naelah Ariefah

HARMONI15 in memory and heart.