Were there any woman prophets? If not, why?
Some scholars are of the view that Lady Mary, Jesus’ mother was herself a prophet. They also maintain that the mother of prophet Moses was also a prophet. They support their view with reference in the Qur'an to the fact that Allah inspired both ladies on certain occasions. The Arabic term used for "inspire" in both cases is the same one which also means "revealed to." As this is attributed to Allah, in both cases, the relevant verse may be rendered as "We revealed to" Moses' mother or Lady Mary. Such revelation, then, indicates that both ladies were prophets.
If a Muslim woman is raped by a non-Muslim and she gets pregnant, what is her position in Muslim society, and what is the position of her child? If the woman is married, how shall the husband deal with this matter? Can he divorce his wife? Can he accept the child as his own?
We have to be clear about what we are discussing. When we speak of rape, we mean that a woman has been forced to submit to an attacker who would kill her if she does not yield to him. If this happened in a Muslim society, then society is at fault for not providing its members with effective protection to ensure that no such attack takes place. A Muslim woman who finds herself attacked by such a person and tries to defend herself, and is killed as a result attains the position of a martyr. Therefore, she should not yield to her attacker if that is at all possible. However, women react in different ways in such conditions. Some of them freeze because of fear, and the assailant is thus able to get what he wants. Some others may lose consciousness. Whatever the situation, if a woman is raped she is not to blame, as long as she had not encouraged her assailant or given in easily to him. You ask whether her husband may divorce her. If he does so as a result of the rape, he is being unfair to her. However, divorce is permissible in Islam. A husband may divorce his wife provided that he gives her all her dues.
The child that is conceived as a result of the rape is blameless. No stigma should be attached to the child. That child should be treated absolutely fairly. In Islam, no one bears the responsibility for what another person does. The child could not be blamed for the sin of the rapist.
There is a rule in Islam, which states clearly, that a child belongs to the husband on whose bed it has been conceived. The word, "bed", is used here figuratively. A wife is considered a "bed", as it is normal in Arabic to use the name of a place in order to refer to its occupant. Thus, the child of the rape belongs to the woman's husband. The rapist has no right or claim to it whatsoever.
• Women: Puberty at a very early age
If a girl attains puberty at a very early age, say, nine or 11 years, should she maintain Hijab when she is with her male cousins? If she travels to a foreign country, could she wait until she has finished primary school before she wears a scarf? Perhaps I should add that this will cause her considerable social embarrassment. I will be grateful for your advice.
Some girls attain puberty at an early age, such as 10 or 11. It is not improbable that a girl may reach puberty when she is nine, but these cases are rare. If the girl has this misfortune, she should accept her situation as something that Allah has given her and she should not overburden herself with its effects. We must not forget, when we look at this question, that when a girl attains puberty, even at an early age, her mental development runs in parallel with her physical development. Therefore, she is normally ahead of other girls, mentally.
Islam requires Muslim girls who have attained puberty to cover themselves when they appear in public, making sure that all their bodies are well covered with the exception of their faces and the lower parts of their hands, up to the wrists. As you see, this ruling does not relate the action required to a particular age. It relates to a stage of development. Whether that stage is reached at an early or late age is immaterial. Therefore, any girl who attains puberty must cover her head and body. Her schooling is not a factor to be considered. The only factor is her physical development.
I appreciate the embarrassment such a young girl may have when she is in a foreign country and she appears to be totally different from her class mates. I am afraid I cannot change the ruling, nor can any one on earth [have an authority to do that]. This is a ruling of Islam, which is a religion revealed by Allah, and Allah alone is the one who decides what rulings to give. Now, if a girl in this situation does not abide by Islamic rules, she is plainly in error. Her parents have to explain to her what Islam requires of her and they should persuade her to fulfill these requirements. Needless to say, it is wrong to use physical force to make any one abide by Islamic rules. When any person disobeys Allah, we would always advise him or her to stop being disobedient and to repent and start implementing Allah's law. We should do our best to help such a young girl overcome her social embarrassment. That should help her fulfill her duty.