Weak ones

I found this in Riyad us-Saliheen in the Chapter about Benevolent Treatment Towards Orphans, Girls, and the Weak and Humble.

Abu Shuraih Khuwailid bin 'Amr al-Khuza`i (rahimahullah) reported: The Prophet (saws) said, "Oh Allah, I declare inviolable the rights of two weak ones: the orphans and women."

And that is reported in An-Nasa'i. Something about it seems strange... why would Rasoolullah saws declare something to Allah swt? I don't think Riyad us-Saliheen does the best job about compiling hadith about women. The vast majority of it seems like it's written entirely for men with small passages about "you should be nice to women" while insisting again on "women must be nice to men." In the few chapters 33-35 that's the impression I get.

Anyway, at best can I assume the author wasn't intending really for an audience of women. It's odd how I see this but.... hm.

I read an article tonight about educating women, how Muslim women are vastly uneducated, often illiterate, and daughters are really being denied education as well. For example, a girl with two brothers being taught in Urdu only despite being fluent in it, while her brothers learned Spanish and French and English. Her mother was homeschooling her while the boys went to an American school, expecting they would attend European universities at some point. Her mother who was homeschooling her could neither speak english, nor had herself a proper formal education.

So I wonder, why are the women uneducated? What foolishness is that? Some fathers will say, why educate a daughter if she is just going to go and get married. There is a crucial flaw in logic there--because she is going to get married, because she is going to have children. Does he not want his grandchildren to be educated? One of the best uses of money in my mind is to further education, really. I wish it were free, and sometimes it is expensive but it is worth it. The article made the point that if a man is taught to read, then he can read. If a woman is taught to read, then her family is taught to read. If a family is taught to read then a village.

Women are the backbone of society, the backbone. So why would you not want to reinforce your backbone? Why would Muslims deprive women of education, and so doing weaken the entire body, the entire ummah. There is no wonder we as Muslims cannot stand up straight, with a spine that is not cared for, strengthened, and nourished.