Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) spoke about the important responsibilities of an Ahmadi Muslim woman in the context of her family life and said:
“As a mother a woman has a stronger bond with her children and spends more time with them. During their childhood, children are more attached to their mothers in comparison to their fathers. Thus, if the seed of worship of Allah is sowed in the minds of children when they are young, not only by words but by your practice as well, generation after generation, your children will be staunch worshippers and as a result, strong teams of youth will continue to emerge and spread the message of Ahmadiyyat. However, it is generally observed that women are rather quick to forget their days of adversity they have lived through, when their circumstances improve to prosperity. This is a woman’s nature. Her priorities are different. But an Ahmadi woman must give precedence to the commandments of Allah the Exalted over worldly affairs. She should adorn her home with worship of Allah the Exalted at all times. Always keep in view this hadith of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him): The condition of a household where remembrance of Allah takes place compared to a household where there is none, is similar to that of the living as opposed to the dead. Thus, beautify your homes with worship and remembrance of Allah so that your houses are always filled with spiritual life. Rather than your husband being the one to direct your attention to worship of God, it should be you who awakens him for Salat and draws his attention to it.”
Huzoore Anwer added: “By virtue of being her children’s guardian it is her responsibility to wake the children for Salat and draw their attention to it. Therefore, a home where the woman livens her nights with Prayers and draws the attention of her husband and children towards worship of God, such a household will continually be the recipient of Divine blessings.”
(Address to ladies delivered on 15 April 2006 at Jalsa Salana, Australia. Published in Al Fazl International 12 June 2015)
Addressing ladies on 17 September 2005 at Jalsa Salana Sweden Huzoore Anwer (may Allah be his Helper) guided Ahmadi ladies on various subjects in his address. In context of the rights towards their husbands, Huzoore Anwer said:
“The Prophet of Allah the Exalted (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) said that a woman is the guardian of her household. Therefore mothers must make the sacrifice for the sake of their children and stay at home. When children return from school, they should find a peaceful and loving environment at home. If we look around ourselves, we find that the reason a large number of children go astray is because they are deprived of their parents’ love. They long for their parents’ affections which they do not receive. They need attention, the like of which is not given by their parents. The parents are occupied in the rat race of accumulating wealth, and in satisfying their own interests.”
Huzoore Anwer added: “As regards to finding suitable spouses for children, it signifies that matches should not be settled where there is lack of faith and only worldly wealth is evident. Matches should not be based on material possessions, with the intention of securing one’s daughter’s future comfort, or prosperity for one’s son’s business. You may look at these aspects as well but primarily, the focus should be on the practice of faith in the household where a match is being considered.
“The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has stated that the most important feature one must consider when looking for a spouse is faith. Some say that they did base their [matrimonial] decision after giving consideration to the family which they found to be very pious etc., but in spite of everything the situation has gone awry. Indeed, the potential groom’s religious standing should also be considered. The circumstances are the same everywhere. The world has become increasingly materialistic. Matches should not be decided unless one is personally satisfied and they should not be merely based on wealth. Many such relationships turn sour and become a source of extreme distress. If a decision of arranging a girl’s marriage is based solely on worldly aspects, then it would be like distancing her from faith. There are many such instances where girls have not only ended up severing ties with Jama’at but with their families as well. The in-laws do not even allow the girls to meet their parents. Thus, one should not arrange marriages based on financial and worldly status alone. Such matters must always be decided after offering supplications to Allah. Similarly, any such instances where moral upbringing of children is neglected, it is as if those children have been murdered.
“Thus, it is crucial to sincerely reflect upon the moral upbringing of children and to guide them. Women should spend time in their homes. Apart from unavoidable cases, there is no need for women to go out to work when the children require parents’ supervision and care. If you must work, then wait till the children have grown up. There are some mothers who make sacrifices for their children despite the fact that they are professionals. Some are doctors and others are highly educated women who stay at home for the sake of their children’s moral upbringing, and when the children reach an age when they do not need their mother’s care at each step of the way, and a strong foundation in training has been given to them, then these women return to their workplace as well. In short, women should make sacrifices in this regard. Allah the Exalted has granted the distinctive status to a woman that Paradise lies under the feet of a mother because she makes these sacrifices. By nature, women are gifted with a strong sense of sacrifice. Paradise is under the feet of women who relinquish their personal desires.”
(Published in Al Fazl International 15 May 2015)
In his address delivered at 2006 Jalsa Salana, Australia, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (may Allah be his Helper) gave the following advise concerning status of women:
“It is the fruits of your efforts in raising your children that will earn the children paradise in this world and in the Hereafter. It is their practice and their excellent moral upbringing that will secure their relationship with God, and children will also make it a habit to pray for their parents. The prayers of your children will thus become a source of you attaining an elevated status in Paradise in the Hereafter.
“Therefore, if Ahmadi women understand their responsibilities towards their children, if today, you fulfil your responsibilities appropriately, if there is no contradiction between your words and your actions, if all your actions are based on nothing but the truth, then the future generations of Ahmadiyyat will have a strong relationship with Allah the Exalted, InshaAllah. So always remember the importance of the status that has been bestowed upon you, and make continuous effort in attaining the best possible standard in your worship and your practice. Try to practice all the commandments of the Holy Qur’an and attain all the excellent moral values towards which Allah the Exalted has directed our attention. Not only should you aim towards doing good, you should also remind others to do the same. Shun all vices and make every effort to remove all such vices in your surroundings as well. Do not allow the spread of immoralities in your society. Be courteous and respectful to one another. Discard any existing grievances or complaints that you may have with one another. Generally, it has been observed that women hold grievances in their hearts for long periods of time. If your hearts are filled with malice and spite, then God does not descend on such hearts. Such hearts cannot worship God the Exalted in the way He expects.’
(Address to ladies delivered on 15 April 2006 at Jalsa Salana, Australia. Published in Al Fazl International 12 June 2015)
Huzoore Anwer (may Allah be his Helper) said the following on the same subject at another occasion:
“Women should also show affection to young children. A Hadith which enumerates good qualities of women states that they are affectionate towards children and obey their husbands so that their children are brought up well and go on to become productive members of society.”
(Address delivered to ladies on 23 August 2003 at Jalsa Salana Germany. Published Al Fazl International 18 November 2005)
Huzoore Anwer also said the following during an address to ladies:
“The huge responsibility of looking after and protecting children lies on women and each Ahmadi woman should keep this in view.”
(Address to ladies delivered on 25 June 2011 at Jalsa Salana Germany. Published in Al Fazl International 13 April 2012)