Understanding Change in Islam

Change in Islam begins within. Allah ﷻ says:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Qur’an 13:11)

That change isn’t emotional or social first, it’s intellectual and spiritual. It starts when a person learns what Allah wants from them. For women, this means recognising that their dignity, purpose, and identity are built on divine instruction, not cultural expectation or societal trend.

Why Knowledge Matters Especially for Women

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn’s words come from a deep concern. He lived at a time when many women were deprived of religious learning or taught that piety meant silence. He corrected that. He said that knowledge is the foundation of every reform, in family, modesty, and moral strength.

When a woman learns Sharʿī knowledge, she becomes firm in her worship and confident in her role. She understands her duties and her rights. She can raise children who know their Lord, and she can engage society with wisdom instead of imitation.

The Prophet ﷺ himself made special arrangements to teach women. The women of Madinah once said, “O Messenger of Allah, the men have taken all your time. Appoint for us a day when we may come to you.” He agreed and taught them directly. (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 101)

That shows that seeking knowledge is not masculine or optional, it’s essential. Islam gave women the same spiritual intellect as men. Both are accountable to learn.

The Qur’an and Sunnah on the Virtue of Knowledge

Islam constantly elevates knowledge. Allah ﷻ asks rhetorically:

قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“Say, are those who know equal to those who do not know?” (Qur’an 39:9)

Knowledge isn’t just memorising rulings, it’s light that exposes ignorance, superstition, and oppression. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Whoever travels a path seeking knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise.” (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2699)

When women seek knowledge, they elevate generations. An ignorant mother raises children lost between trends; a learned mother raises leaders who fear Allah.

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn added that knowledge “saves from blind imitation and emotional confusion,” because it connects a woman’s heart directly to revelation, not to changing fashions or opinions.

Examples from the Women of the Salaf

The early generations of Islam produced brilliant women of knowledge. ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها was a jurist, a theologian, and a scholar whom men and women consulted in complex rulings. Al-Zuhrī said, “If the knowledge of all the wives of the Prophet ﷺ were gathered, ʿĀʾishah’s knowledge would surpass them all.”

Umm Salamah, another wife of the Prophet ﷺ, narrated major hadiths and corrected misunderstandings. Women like ʿĀṭikah bint Zayd were poets and intellectuals who lived with modesty and depth.

Their example shows that knowledge strengthens femininity; it doesn’t erase it. They weren’t public celebrities or detached from home, they were learned, balanced, and close to Allah. Their learning brought clarity, not chaos.

Modern Obstacles to Knowledge

Today’s distractions are stronger than ever. Endless scrolling, superficial content, and the illusion of “being informed” replace true study. Many women spend hours online but rarely engage with authentic Islamic lessons. Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn warned that knowledge requires patience and sincerity — it doesn’t grow through fragments or emotion.

He said: “Knowledge isn’t gained by ease; it is gained by effort and humility.” When women return to serious study, reading tafsīr, attending local classes, or listening to reliable scholars, they rebuild their identity upon revelation, not opinion.

Practical Steps for Women to Seek Knowledge

• Start with sincerity. Intend knowledge to please Allah, not to argue or impress.
• Learn gradually. Begin with the Qur’an, tafsīr, fiqh of worship, and correct ʿaqīdah.
• Find trustworthy teachers. Seek scholars known for Sunnah and balance.
• Take notes and review. Shaykh Ibn Bāz and Ibn ʿUthaymīn both stressed written revision for long-term retention.
• Practise what you learn. Knowledge without action fades quickly.
• Teach others. Share even one verse or ruling; it deepens understanding.

Shaykh Ibn ʿUthaymīn said elsewhere, “Knowledge calls for action; if action does not respond, knowledge will depart.” True learning isn’t passive, it transforms the learner’s entire life.

Final Reflection

Every woman should remember: her worth in Allah’s sight isn’t by appearance, followers, or possessions, but by her knowledge and taqwā. Through knowledge, hearts awaken and families reform. Without it, society drifts into imitation and confusion.

So if a woman wishes to change her condition, to find purpose, peace, and direction, she must begin where all light begins: with sacred knowledge.

رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

“My Lord, increase me in knowledge.” (Qur’an 20:114)

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