About Muslim women
Information to share during your Women’s Prayer Tea
Daughters and sisters, mothers and wives, friends and companions —
Muslim women share these identities with women around our world. But their
ethnic identities are distinct; Muslim women are as diverse as Christian
women. Each Muslim woman is a unique creation of God. A statement made
about one Muslim woman does not necessarily apply to all Muslim women.
Culture, customs and tribal practices influence a Muslim woman’s
view of her world.
The word Islam means “submission.” Because the Muslim woman’s
life revolves around her husband’s in submission, she is a symbol
of Islamic faith.
Hospitality is a valued custom in Muslim cultures. Even a very poor family
will serve its guests its best food as a sign of generosity and hospitality.
Time spent drinking tea and sharing is considered time well spent.
Most Muslim women are oral communicators. They prefer to obtain information
though stories and parables instead of through printed materials. Storytelling
is considered an art in Islamic societies.
In some cultures women run for office and hold positions in government,
medicine, education and law. Capable businesswomen, like Lydia in the
New Testament (Acts 16), are emerging in some Muslim countries.
Muslim women are honored when they give birth to a son, and they often
receive gold for bearing a boy child. There is rarely rejoicing over the
birth of a daughter; sometimes even sadness results.
Life passages — like birth, entering puberty, marriage, birth of
a first son and death — are often accompanied by rituals and customs
that are dominated by influential, powerful older women.
The Muslim woman’s domain is within the walls of her home. Many
Muslim women have little interaction with anyone outside of their extended
families. In some Muslim countries, women are rarely present on the streets;
the outside world is the man’s domain.
Age is revered in the Muslim culture. A man’s parents often live
in the household with his family. The word of the mother-in-law usually
overrules that of the wife.
The Quran (the Muslim holy book) is often displayed in the home and is
elevated in a very prominent place. The Quran is written in Arabic and
is considered untranslatable. Translations into other languages are considered
explanations or interpretations of the Quran.
Many Muslim families have an area in their homes designated as a place
to pray. The call to prayer sounds five times a day. A Muslim woman who
is in her monthly cycle or has had a baby is considered unclean and cannot
pray or fast. Many women never go to the mosque to pray.
Muslim men are permitted to have up to four wives in Islam’s teachings.
Rapid reproduction in Muslim families produces amazing growth for Islamic
communities.
Divorce is very easy for Muslim men to accomplish. When a husband says,
“I divorce you, I divorce you, I divorce you,” the couple
is officially divorced. Though laws differ, in most countries women cannot
choose to divorce. When a couple is divorced, the man retains custody
of the children under sharia, the Islamic law.
The Quran teaches that the majority of people in hell are women. According
to Muhammad, woman is the crooked rib no man can straighten.
Jesus is considered a highly revered prophet by Muslims. His name appears
more than 20 times in the Quran. The Gospels, called the Injil by Muslims,
are considered holy books.
Most Muslim women trust either in their works or in the works of their
children or husbands to earn the blessings of Allah and to receive life
in Paradise. A Muslim can never be sure of earning enough merit. The only
guaranteed path to Paradise is to die a martyr’s death for Islam.
The Quran states that if necessary, a man can lightly beat his wife in
order to command obedience and gratefulness (see Surah 4:34 in the Quran).
Many Muslim women wear coverings over their heads or bodies to demonstrate
modesty and respect for their husbands. Many women also consider them
a sign of piety.
Not all Muslim women feel oppressed. Some pity Western women because
of the rampant immorality in our cultures and the breakup of the family
unit. The community, or umma, is a powerful concept and cohesive factor
in Islamic life. The family or tribal unit is more valued than individual
freedom and choice.
Honor and shame are powerful concepts in Islamic communities. Women fear
shame and loss of respect from their families. Fear is a powerful force.
Women often fear the gossip of other women in their extended families
or neighborhoods.
When they hear stories from the Old and New Testaments, Muslim women
are attracted to Christ’s beauty and His relationship to women in
the Bible. Muslim women are becoming followers of Jesus, who is called
Isa in Arabic. These women face ostracism and persecution from their own
families. As our sisters in Christ, they need our support and prayer.
Order more copies of the Women’s Prayer Tea leader’s
guide and participant’s guide.
Below are two powerpoint presentations available for download:
Prayer Participant Powerpoint (2.52MB)
Prayer Leader Powerpoint (3.38MB)
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