The Muslim woman who has insight into the rulings of Islam does not accept every tradition and customs that is widely accepted by others, for there may be customs that are derived from ancient or modern jaahiliyah (pre-Islamic) traditions which go against Islam. These are unacceptable to the Muslim woman, even if everybody else accepts them unanimaously.
The Muslim woman does not decorate her house with statues or pictures (of animate objects), neither does she keep a dog at home, unless it is a guard dog, because the Prophet SAW has forbidden all of that. The saheeh hadiths on this matter are very emphatic in their prohibition, and there is no room for prevarication or excuses.
Ibn Umar reported that the Prophet SAW said:
“Those who make these images will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and will be told: ‘Give life to that which you have created.’ “
Aa’ishah r.a. said:
“The Messenger of Allah returned from a journey, and I had covered a small window with a curtain that had images on it. When the Messenger of Allah saw it, his face changed colour (with anger) and he said, ‘O’ ‘Aa’ishah! Those who will be the most severely punished by Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be those who imitated the creation of Allah.’ She said: ‘So we cut it up and made one or two pillows from it.’ “
‘Aa’ishah r.a. said:
“Jibreel promised to come to the Prophet at a certain time. That time came and went, and he did not come. The Prophet was holding a stick in his hand, which he threw aside, saying, ‘Allah does not break His promise and neither do His Messengers.’ Then he turned around and saw a puppy underneath his bed. He said, ‘When did this dog get in?’ I said, ‘By Allah, I did not even notice it.’ He gave orders that it should be taken out, and it was removed. Then Jibreel came to him, and the Messenger of Allah said, ‘You promised to come and I was waiting for you, but you did not come.’ He said,’The dog that was in your house prevented me. We do not enter a house where there is a dog or an image.’ “
Islam brought the doctrine of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism), and destroyed the statues of shirk (polytheism) and jaahiliyah (pre-Islamic period-time of ignorance) fifteen hundred years ago. It will not permit these graven images to come back into the lives of Muslim men and women, whether it be in the name of commemorating a leader, honouring an artist or glorifying a scientist, poet or writer. The Islamic society is a monotheistic society where glorification, sanctification and veneration are only for Allah SWT. So there is no room in the Islamic society for these statues and images.
As for keeping a dog is concerned, there is nothing wrong with that if the dog is kept for hunting or farming purposes, as in teh hadith of Umar r.a., who said:”I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
‘Whoever keeps a dog, unless it is a dog for hunting or herding livestock, his reward will decrease by two qiraats every day.’”
The Muslim woman who understands the teachings of Islam does not eat or drink from vessels of gold or silver, no matter how rich she may be or how luxurious a life she may enjoy, because to do so is haraam according to Islam. We find this prohibition in a number of definitive, saheeh hadiths.
According to a report given by Muslim, the Prophet SAW said:
“Whoever eats or drinks from vessels of gold or silver, is as if he is throwing Hell-fire into his stomach.”
The alert Muslim woman, no matter where she lives, examines every custom that is followed in her society and measures it against the rulings, values and principles of Islam. Whatever is compatible with Islam, she accepts, but whatever contradicts Islam, she rejects outright, whether it is a custom relating to betrothal and marriage, or in family or social life. What matters is whether the custom is compatible with Islam, not how widely it is spread among people.
