Women Today

Many women to day are independent, success-ful, educated, professional, and self-sufficient. These are the standards whereby we measure “success” and people with these characteristics are what we regard as “intelligent” as opposed to “uneducated.” However, careful analysis reveals that the woman of the house fulfills the following roles:




1. She has to be a wife to her husband.
2. She has to be a mother to her children.
3. She is a teacher, teaching her children between right and wrong.
4. She is a tutor, assisting with homework.
5. She is a psychologist, using her intellect in daily struggles with husband and children.
6. She is a counselor, counseling the children when a bully hits them.
7. She is a financier, budgeting the household expenses.
8. She is a chef, preparing the meals.
9. She is a baker, baking on special occasions.
10. She is a tailor, mending clothes.
11. She is a driver, ferrying the kids to and from school.
12. She is a buyer and store clerk, ensuring that all basic necessities are in the house.
13. She is a switchboard operator, answering the constantly ringing phone.
14. She is a receptionist, answering the door and receiving guests and visitors.
15. She is a waitress, feeding everyone at mealtime before she feeds herself.

Considering the above multi-faceted roles of our wives/mothers/sisters in society, it really surprises me when a woman is asked what job she has and her typical reply is “Oh, I don’t work. I just sit at home. I’m a housewife.”

Housewife indeed! This “housewife” is actually the CEO, the general manager of your house. She is the senior executive and fully fledged board member of the fraternity that you call home. She ensures that everything (most of the time) runs smoothly with military precision. (Sadly however, some women fritter their life away by sleeping, shopping, and gossiping.)

On the few occasions when things do not go as expected, men tend to let the wives know in no uncertain terms that they are dissatisfied (by verbal abuse, or sometimes even physical abuse). But how often have we informed these same women about the times when things do go well? How often do we give compliments? Do we counsel gently and encourage wisely, or do we assume that “there is no point talking to her … after all she is just a woman.”

"For to us will be their return; then it will be for us to call them to account." (Holy Quran 88:25-26)

This world is a difficult journey
An obstacle to overcome,
Especially in the place we live in,
Not everyday is bright and fun.

The righteous salaf were as fearful of their good deeds being squandered, or not being accepted, as the present generation is certain that their neglect would be forgiven. [Hasan Al-Basri]

Note:

Not stated in the above article, their are numerous other roles a housewife has to part take into today’s world. The one that comes most to my mind at the moment is nurse for the many cut’s, scrapes and upset stomach’s my family has now and again.

I could almost say Lawyer to Indian Chief, for the roles of a housewife is that diverse; in our modern times.

And no, my family did not get and upset stomach from my cooking.