"….I will do what is necessary, for everyone in town
knows you are an honorable woman." Ruth
3:11b
Ayesha is a widow who has worked hard caring for her
four children. Besides her full time job she teaches the Qur’an to children
every Saturday and faithfully visits needy Muslim women. Ayesha is known as an honorable woman in the
Muslim community.
Muslim women deeply desire to be viewed as honorable
which I, from outside observation, would define as wearing modest dress, being
chaste and pious, and doing good deeds. Hmm…wonder what defines an honorable
Christian woman? It would make for an interesting conversation!
Being an honorable woman can certainly become confusing
to a Muslim woman moving to a non-Islamic majority country. Some women in the west will forfeit being
empowered or refrain from using their rights to convince others that they are
honorable women. Much is at stake for them if there would be any hint that they
are not acting honorably. A sense of
shame would be unbearable if anything would be in question. She carries a huge burden to ensure that the
reputation of her husband, their family name, and Islam are honored. Unlike
Ayesha, Shazia came to Canada disempowered. Her primary responsibility was to
enhance and enlarge her husband’s reputation, meaning: handle no money, ask permission for
everything, not learn to drive, phone calls monitored, and even hold back in
going to English classes. There should be no independence. An independent woman
is dishonorable in his understanding. In
essence it meant that her husband should have complete control over her. Little
by little she is coming to understand this really doesn’t have much to do with
being an honorable woman, but a controlled woman.
Muslim women(and believers)need to understand what God
considers honorable, how much responsibility they have to carry for everyone
else’s reputation, how to make use of her rights in the west and yet not unduly
dishonor her husband and how to proceed toward becoming empowered wisely and
gradually. How independent should she
become and how fast? Being an honorable
woman can mean one thing culturally and religiously in an Islamic setting while
in a western setting – or in following Christ – something different. What would convince our Muslim women friends
that we are honorable Christian women? It might be helpful to ask your friend
what it means to her personally to be an honorable woman? What does it mean for
you? Is there something we might learn from a Muslim woman or she from a
Christian woman?
After reading the Biblical story of Ruth to Layla, a
new believer, she remarked that the favorite part of the story was in 3: 11
where Ruth was known by everyone as an honorable woman. When a Muslim woman
chooses to follow Jesus as her Savior the subject of being an honorable woman
can become complex. That decision can mean she is no longer a woman of honor in
her community but one who brings dishonor. Changing allegiance to following Christ does
not eliminate the pursuit of being an honorable woman but rather there will be
a purifying and sanctifying of the concept and lifestyle.
Dear heavenly Father, enable me to model being an
honorable woman for Your honor and glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
