Women about whom the Qur'an spoke(1)

Allah (may He be Exalted) created Adam from clay then created all mankind from Adam and Eve (male and female).

Women are fundamental elements in the human existence and play a bigger role than men. Women carry children in their bellies, bear the pains of pregnancy and the pain of giving birth. Their effective role continues to serve food and care for children until they grow up, become powerful, and be self-sufficient.

In the Glorious Qur'an, women played a great role in directing and receiving the rulings, as they were mentioned in every field where work and reward were mentioned (for men and women) Allah (may He be Exalted) say: "Whoever works righteousness (whether male or female) while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islâmic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)." [Surat An-Nahl: 97].

Allah also says: "Verily, the Muslims (those who submit to Allâh in Islâm) men and women, the believers men and women (who believe in Islâmic Monotheism), the men and the women who are obedient (to Allâh), the men and women who are truthful (in their speech and deeds), the men and the women who are patient (in performing all the duties which Allâh has ordered and in abstaining from all that Allâh has forbidden), the men and the women who are humble (before their Lord - Allâh), the men and the women who give Sadaqât (i.e. Zakât, and alms), the men and the women who observe Saum (fast) (the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadân, and the optional Nawâfil fasting), the men and the women who guard their chastity (from illegal sexual acts) and the men and the women who remember Allâh much with their hearts and tongues - Allâh has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward (i.e. Paradise)." [Surat Al Ahzab: 35].

They take the same reward of men when doing righteous deeds, as they have the same punishment in this world and in the Hereafter.

Women are the sisters of men as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said.

Moreover, they are addressed by every command or forbiddance that is directed to Muslims. If they have that general presence in the general speech, some of them have been mentioned especially in some Ayahs of the Glorious Qur'an.

The Glorious Qur'an spoke about some righteous or unrighteous women and the number of women about whom the Glorious Qur'an spoke is 17: Three of them were unbelievers and fourteen of them were good believing women. As for the unbelieving women, they are:

1- The wife of Nuh (Noah):
There are indirect indications about her in the saying of Allah (may He be Exalted): "So We revealed to him (saying): "Construct the ship under Our Eyes and under Our Revelation (guidance). Then, when Our Command comes, and water gushes forth from the oven, take on board of each kind two (male and female), and your family, except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth. And address Me not in favour of those who have done wrong. Verily, they are to be drowned." [Surat Al Mu'minun: 27].

In Allah's saying: "Except those thereof against whom the Word has already gone forth." [Surat Al Mu'minun: 27], there is a general reference to those who did not believe in the call of Noah from his own family: His wife and his son as understood from another Ayah: "Allâh sets forth an example for those who disbelieve: the wife of Nûh (Noah) and the wife of Lût (Lot). They were under two of our righteous slaves, but they both betrayed them (their husbands by rejecting their doctrine). So they [Nûh (Noah) and Lût (Lot) peace be upon them] availed them (their respective wives) not against Allâh and it was said: "Enter the Fire along with those who enter!"" [Surat At-Tahrim: 10].

So, the wife of Noah was an example for those who disbelieved. Although she was the wife of Noah, she did not open her heart to his call and followed the errors of her people and her multiple idols; thereby she betrayed her husband and his call, and deserved two types of punishment:
First, a punishment in worldly life by drowning with the drowned.

And the second is in the Hereafter by admitting her to Hell-Fire.

This situation gives us a great lesson which is: Family relationship with a prophet or pious people does not avail in the Hereafter, therefore the Messenger (peace be upon him) addressed his kins saying:
"Do, for I can avail you nothing before Allah."

So, the relatives of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and the relatives of the Companions or the relatives of pious people and scholars do not get benefit from their relationship with good people as long as Prophet Noah did not benefit his wife and could not stop her punishment. However, if the woman is a wife of a prophet and she is good, her reward -by the will of Allah- shall be doubled. Likewise, every person has a connection with pious people will not get a benefit unless his actions are good; however if the matter reached the state of disbelief, there will be no intercession.

2- The wife of Lot:

She was another example for those who disbelieved and being a wife of a prophet did not benefit her as long as she disbelieved in his message.

In this previous Ayah, she was judged by disbelief and she was mentioned clearly in eight Ayahs in several Surahs and she was judged in these Ayahs by deserving the torment of Alalh in worldly life and she will have the same torment of her people. "They (messengers) said: "O Lût (Lot)! Verily, we are the messengers from your Lord! They shall not reach you! So travel with your family in a part of the night, and let not any of you look back; but your wife (will remain behind), verily, the punishment which will afflict them, will afflict her." [Surat Hud: 81].

The rest Ayahs did not exclude her from the torment of Allah in worldly life although Allah undertook to rescue Lot and his family. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "So We saved him and his family, except his wife. We destined her to be of those who remained behind." [Surat An-Naml: 57].

"Except his wife, of whom We have decreed that she shall be of those who remain behind (i.e. she will be destroyed)." [Surat Al Hijr: 60].

"Then We saved him and his family, except his wife; she was of those who remained behind (in the torment)." [Surat Al A`raf: 83]. [Surat Al `Ankabut: 22].

"Except your wife: she will be of those who remain behind (i.e. she will be destroyed along with those who will be destroyed from her folk)." [Surat Al `Ankabut: 33].

"Except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained behind." [Surat Ash-Shu`ara': 171]. [Surat As-Safat: 135].

3- The wife of Abu Lahab:

She was the wife of the Prophet's uncle (`Abdul-`Uzza) who used to harm the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) physically by spreading thorns in the way of the Messenger (Peace be upon him) while he was their neighbor and a moral harm when he commanded his sons to divorce the daughters of the Prophet.

That woman was known as Um Jamil the wood carrier as described in the Glorious Qur'an. Allah singled her out along with her husband with a short Surah which is Surat Al Masad: "Perish the two hands of Abû Lahab (an uncle of the Prophet) and perish he! * His wealth and his children will not benefit him! * He will be burnt in a Fire of blazing flames! * And his wife, too, who carries wood (thorns of Sa'dân which she used to put on the way of the Prophet peace be upon him, or used to slander him). * In her neck is a twisted rope of Masad (palm fiber)." [Surat Al Masad: 1- 5].

If the wife of Noah (Peace be upon him) represents those who disbelieved in the beginning of creation, the wife of Lot represents those who disbelieved in the middle of creation, and the wife of Abu Lahab and her husband represent those who disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and harmed the Messenger (peace be upon him) in the end of creation; and she deserves her share of Hell-Fire in the Hereafter.

Furthermore, the connection of Abu Lahab with the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) will not avail him nor the good actions which he did before people, such as: Freeing the female slave which gave him the news of the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his concern to protect the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after the death of his uncle Abu Talib.

As long as those actions took place while he was non-Muslim, they shall be wasted.

Thus, we reviewed the three models of unbelieving women whom Allah mentioned in the Glorious Qur'an, and their final consequence will be punishment in the Hereafter and lessons for the heedless people.