Identifying “Our Women”

The meaning of “our women” in the verse under discussion refers to a woman who is placed alongside a child, not a woman in relation to her husband. Therefore, either women in general are meant, or specifically daughters, just as it says about the Children of Israel who were oppressed by Pharaoh’s people: “And when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s clan who inflicted a terrible torment on you, and slaughtered your sons and spared your women, and in that there was a great test from your Lord.”(691) “Women” in the verse about the Children of Israel does not mean wives, so one cannot interpret “women” in the verse under discussion to mean the wives of the Messenger of God (s.a.w.). Rather, “women” in the verse about the Children of Israel means that Pharaoh killed the sons and kept the daughters alive.

The word “women” (nisāʾ) has specific referents in different contexts according to accompanying evidence. The Qur’an uses this term for sisters in relation to brothers: “God enjoins you concerning your children: for the male shall be the like of the share of two females, and if there be [two or] more than two females, then for them shall be two-thirds of what he leaves”,(692) “But if there be [several] brothers and sisters, then for the male shall be the like of the share of two females.”(693) It is also used for wives in relation to husbands: “O wives of the Prophet!”,(694) and for women in relation to men: “Indeed you come to men with desire instead of women! Rather you are a profligate lot”,(695) “To men belongs a share of what they have earned, and to women a share of what they have earned”,(696) and for daughters in relation to sons: “And when We delivered you from Pharaoh’s clan who inflicted a terrible torment on you, and slaughtered your sons and spared your women”,(697) which means “they spared your daughters,” because Pharaoh’s people were not concerned with adult women; they killed male children and kept female children alive for service.

In addition to Qur’anic evidence, more than sixty mainstream Sunni books, in their exegesis of this verse and explanation of what actually occurred, state that the Messenger of God (s.a.w.), in fulfilling the command to bring “our women”, came with Sayyida Fāṭima (a.s.) to the scene of mutual imprecation.(698)

The conclusion, therefore, is that the word “women” (nisāʾ) is used for women in relation to husband, father, brother, son, and men in general, and its usage varies between these instances. When someone who is himself the embodiment of the Qur’an specifies its referent, there remains no doubt about the meaning of “our women” in the verse under discussion.

Despite this, the author of al-Manār, although raised in the cradle of Arabic literature, says that no eloquent Arab would apply the term “women” (nisāʾ) to a daughter; Arabs call a daughter “daughter” (bint).(699) This claim of his is unfounded, because the Qur’an uses the word “women” (nisāʾ) for daughters in contrast to sons as well. The fact that the Messenger of God (s.a.w.), through divine instruction, did not say “we will bring our sons and daughters” may have been to preserve modesty.

The author of al-Manār also says that from the word “our women” it can be understood that women can have a role like men in the most important religious and governmental matters.(700) This statement is also incorrect, because by the same logic, based on the word “our sons” which includes young boys, children should also have a role in governmental matters. Yes, the word “our women” is evidence of the great status of Fāṭima (a.s.) which other women do not possess. The elevated status of women in political, social, cultural, and similar matters must be derived from other evidence.