One of the most discussed topics in today’s society is the issue of widows’ proper rights and status. This research paper investigates the rights and status of widows within the framework of Islamic education in the context of Bangladesh using qualitative methods. It included the Qur’an, Hadith, and various forms of research. Islam has given them a detailed discussion of their rights and dignity just like any other woman. Widows often face unique challenges and social stigmatization in various societies, and this study focuses on understanding their rights and status as prescribed by Islamic teachings and the extent to which these teachings are implemented within the realm of Islamic education. Bangladesh government has fixed some allowance for them which is very little. No steps have been taken to increase employment to make them economically prosperous. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on women’s rights within an Islamic context and highlights the significance of integrating such discussions within the education system for tangible societal transformation.
In the intricate tapestry of Islamic jurisprudence and societal norms, the rights and status of widows have been a subject of significant discourse and debate. Islam, as a comprehensive faith, lays out a framework that encompasses various aspects of human life, including social justice, equality, and the treatment of vulnerable groups
Understanding how Islamic education in Bangladesh addresses the rights and status of widows is not only crucial for acknowledging the lived experiences of this marginalized group, but also for fostering an environment that aligns with the principles of justice and compassion advocated by the Islamic faith
The Holy Quran and the hadiths discussed the widow's rights and status. But there is no more beneficial research about "The Rights and Status of Widows in Islam: A Study from the Perspective of Islamic Education in the Context of Bangladesh." Although there are some articles and research the analysis of the rights and status of widows in the light of Quran and Hadith is very small. Various articles or research have been written about widows at different times.
For example- A study, Islam, 2020 studied that most of the widows in Bangladeshi society don't get respect and they don't get also any property from their husbands. In one study, explained the situation of widows generally in all cultures of the world is very hopeless. All of the problems are related to widowhood one of the problems is the financial crisis. But according to Islamic tradition and jurisprudence, Women are created by God to be man's partners of each other
The research employs a qualitative research method to investigate the rights and status of widows from the perspective of Islamic education within the context of Bangladesh
The first of the rights Islam has given to widows is that a widow can marry a second time and lead a life with her own dignity. So we will say that second marriage is a mercy for the widow. Because through this she can get used to a socially normal life. Through marriage, she basically finds a guardian, and her loneliness ends. After becoming a widow, she has no choice but to remarry for social status and security. Especially for these very young women. Islam has implemented this right of a widow with great dignity. And in this context, in various places of the Holy Quran, widows are encouraged to marry after the Iddat. Allah says:
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوۡنَ مِنكُمۡ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزۡوَٰجٗا يَتَرَبَّصۡنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرۡبَعَةَ أَشۡهُرٖ وَعَشۡرٗاۖ فَإِذَا بَلَغۡنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِيمَا فَعَلۡنَ فِيٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِۗ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعۡمَلُونَ خَبِيرٞ
Meaning:
وَ اَنۡکِحُوا الۡاَیَامٰی مِنۡکُمۡ وَ الصّٰلِحِیۡنَ مِنۡ عِبَادِکُمۡ وَ اِمَآئِکُمۡ ؕ اِنۡ یَّکُوۡنُوۡا فُقَرَآءَ یُغۡنِهِمُ اللّٰهُ مِنۡ فَضۡلِهٖ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِیۡمٌ
Meaning:
Here, Allah has given instructions to marriage, He will remove the lack of His servants. Therefore, we can consider it our social responsibility to arrange a widow's marriage. In the explanation of the verse, Allama Ibnu Kasir (rah) said: “
According to Sunanut Tirmidhi, Ali (r.a) said, The Prophet (s.a.w) said to him, ‘
The word ‘Ayam’ mentioned in the hadith is comprehensive. Applies to both virgins and widows. After mentioning this hadith, Shaikhul Hind Mahmud Hasan Ganguhi said in his Tafsir, “
یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا لَا یَحِلُّ لَکُمۡ اَنۡ تَرِثُوا النِّسَآءَ کَرۡہًا ؕ وَ لَا تَعۡضُلُوۡہُنَّ لِتَذۡہَبُوۡا بِبَعۡضِ مَاۤ اٰتَیۡتُمُوۡہُنَّ اِلَّاۤ اَنۡ یَّاۡتِیۡنَ بِفَاحِشَۃٍ مُّبَیِّنَۃٍ ۚ وَ عَاشِرُوۡہُنَّ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ ۚ فَاِنۡ کَرِہۡتُمُوۡہُنَّ فَعَسٰۤی اَنۡ تَکۡرَہُوۡا شَیۡئًا وَّ یَجۡعَلَ اللّٰہُ فِیۡہِ خَیۡرًا کَثِیۡرًا
Meaning: “
In Islamic social life, no man or woman should remain unmarried, thereby closing the way to going astray and indulging in sin.
In a hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (r.a) The Prophet (sm) said, "
هُنَّ لِبَاسٌ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌ لَّهُنَّ
Meaning:
So, when a woman marries again after becoming a widow, she can cover her life with a blanket of security from all sides, like being covered with a garment. By second marriage the widow can live with her status. It is very unfortunate that some of the Muslim castes also consider widow marriage to be a crime just like the ignorant castes. But Allah himself has ordered it. People will say bad things about widow marriage just because of that it is not correct to be left behind. It is irreligion to make halal things haram against the instructions of Allah. Another new relative will be created through the second marriage.
Otherwise, there are many widows in society whose husbands died at a young age. As a result, many evil people in society with widows harass them from time to time with various bad suggestions. We often see their condition in various media.
In the holy Qur'an, Allah has declared widows’ benefits, value, and status. Allah says:
وَالْمُطَلَّقَاتُ يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ ثَلاَثَةَ قُرُوَءٍ وَلاَ يَحِلُّ لَهُنَّ أَن يَكْتُمْنَ مَا خَلَقَ اللّهُ فِي أَرْحَامِهِنَّ إِن كُنَّ يُؤْمِنَّ بِاللّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ وَبُعُولَتُهُنَّ أَحَقُّ بِرَدِّهِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ إِنْ أَرَادُواْ إِصْلاَحًا وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلِلرِّجَالِ عَلَيْهِنَّ دَرَجَةٌ وَاللّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكُيمٌ
Meaning:
وَالَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَاجًا يَتَرَبَّصْنَ بِأَنفُسِهِنَّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَعَشْرًا فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيمَا فَعَلْنَ فِي أَنفُسِهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَاللّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
Meaning:
Although Islam has instructed us to pay dowry in cash most of the people in our society leave the dowry balance. So a widow is entitled to her husband's unpaid dowry. It is not that you will not get dowry only if your husband dies. Like dowry debt, in the absence of the husband, the heirs of the husband are obliged to pay it from the assets of the husband. Here we can refer to an article by Siraj Pramanik, a lawyer at the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. He wrote – “Debenture is unsecured debt. A widow is entitled to her husband's unclaimed dowry. It is not that the dowry is not paid after the death of the husband. As with dowry debt, the husband's heirs are bound to repay it in the future. In addition, the widow is entitled to collect the debt from the estate of the deceased husband like other creditors.
According to Muslim law, a widowed mother inherits a share of her deceased husband's property. A widowed mother will be given 1/8 share of her deceased husband's property. The widowed mother has the right to freely use the portion received from the property left by her husband. The maintenance of a widowed mother is not imposed on anyone, but it is definitely on the children.
If the father dies and the father does not pay the dowry to his mother, then the widowed mother can claim the dowry from the child. If the dowry is not paid, she can collect it within three years of her husband's death by filing a case in the parbarki court. Besides, Bibi Bachan . Shakhe Hamdi (1871) 14 M.I.A. held that a widow could not freely use or possess the portion derived from the property left by her husband.
A widowed mother is entitled to maintenance from her children. There is an opportunity to go to court if the children do not pay maintenance. If a widow has her husband's property on demand of dowry, if she is wrongfully evicted from the property, she can file a suit for recovery of possession. In case of immovable property, then the case has to be filed within 6 months from the date of eviction. However, in the case of immovable property, the case has to be filed within three years from the date of dispossession.
A widow can freely use the wealth received from the property left by her husband. No one is bound by law to maintain a widow. However, children are legally bound to support themselves to the best of their ability. In the case of childlessness, parents also have a moral obligation to provide maintenance for their widowed mother. In addition, a woman gets wealth from her father based on inheritance, so even if the father is not there, the widow will be the inheritor of her father's inheritance
یٰۤاَیُّهَا النَّبِیُّ اِنَّاۤ اَحۡلَلۡنَا لَکَ اَزۡوَاجَکَ الّٰتِیۡۤ اٰتَیۡتَ اُجُوۡرَهُنَّ
Meaning:
The widow can freely use the wealth received from the property left by her husband. No one is bound by law to maintain a widow. However, children are legally bound to support themselves to the best of their ability. In the case of childlessness, parents also have a moral obligation to provide maintenance for their widowed mother. In addition, a woman gets wealth from her father based on inheritance, so even if the father is not there, the widow will be the inheritor of her father's inheritance. In this regard, the Holy Quran says:
وَ الَّذِیۡنَ یُتَوَفَّوۡنَ مِنۡکُمۡ وَ یَذَرُوۡنَ اَزۡوَاجًا ۚۖ وَّصِیَّۃً لِّاَزۡوَاجِهِمۡ مَّتَاعًا اِلَی الۡحَوۡلِ غَیۡرَ اِخۡرَاجٍ ۚ فَاِنۡ خَرَجۡنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَیۡکُمۡ فِیۡ مَا فَعَلۡنَ فِیۡۤ اَنۡفُسِهِنَّ مِنۡ مَّعۡرُوۡفٍ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ عَزِیۡزٌ حَکِیۡمٌم
Meaning:
Also, they are entitled to maintenance for at least one year after the death of the husband. If they don't want to go somewhere else on their own, they have been instructed not to force their father-in-law out of the house. However, if they want to go somewhere else according to the rules (for example, they want to live with their children or father's house with all the property they deserve, or they want to live independently by doing business or work) or they want to marry someone else according to the rules, then there is no fault in that. In this case, they cannot be stopped.”
However, the responsibility of raising children is not only for widows. Islam freed widows from sole responsibility for children. According to Islamic Shari'ah, the grandfather in the absence of the father will be the guardian of the child and in his absence, the judge of the Islamic state will determine the guardian in terms of assets and expenses. The state will alleviate their poverty through financial support.
It is mentioned in the hadith Aslam (r.a) Narrated. He said, One day I went out to the market with Umar Ibnul Khattab (RA). There a young woman met him and said, O Amirul Mu'minin! My husband has passed away leaving a small child. By Allah, they don't have even a goat's hooves to cook their food, and they don't have a cropping system or a milk camel or a goat. I fear they may die for lack of food. But I am the daughter of Khufaf Ibnu Aima Ghifari. My father participated in the battle of Hudaybiyah with The Prophet (SWA). After hearing this, Umar (r.a) stood beside her without crossing her.
Then he said, thank your tribe. They are very close people to me. After that he came to the house and took a fat camel from the stable and put two sacks of food and some cash and clothes in it and put them on the camel's back and put the reins in the woman's hand and said, you pull it. Maybe Allah will donate something better for you before this end. Then a person said, O Ameer Ul Muminin! You gave her too much. Omar (r.a) said, May your mother lose you. By Allah, I saw the father and brother of this woman restraining a fort for a long day and then conquering it. Then we demand the war booty from their share gained that fort. (And we take some of it ourselves and give them some of it). Of course, the mother will raise the child until she married elsewhere. Here we can refer a Hadiths-
عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، أَنَّ امْرَأَةً، قَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ ابْنِي هَذَا كَانَ بَطْنِي لَهُ وِعَاءً وَثَدْيِي لَهُ سِقَاءً وَحِجْرِي لَهُ حِوَاءً وَإِنَّ أَبَاهُ طَلَّقَنِي وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْتَزِعَهُ مِنِّي فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَنْتِ أَحَقُّ بِهِ مَا لَمْ تَنْكِحِي "
حِ " Meaning: Abdullah Ibnu Amr Ibnu al-'As (r.a) reported. A woman said: Messenger of Allah, my womb is a vessel to this son of mine, my breasts a water-skin for him, and my lap a guard for him, yet his father has divorced me, and wants to take him away from me. The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: You have more right to him as long as you do not marry. "You are more entitled to children until you marry." (Abu Dawud, Hadith: 2276)
A widow live in a kind of defenseless situation, because she lost her husband who would protect her. So, she has to confirm that the law is on her side, to protect all her rights and her children rights. Allah says:
وَالْوَالِدَاتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلاَدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ وَعلَى الْمَوْلُودِ لَهُ رِزْقُهُنَّ وَكِسْوَتُهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ لاَ تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لاَ تُضَآرَّ وَالِدَةٌ بِوَلَدِهَا وَلاَ مَوْلُودٌ لَّهُ بِوَلَدِهِ
Meaning: Mothers may breastfeed their children for two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period]. Upon the father is the mother's provision and their clothing according to what is acceptable. No person is charged with more than his capacity. No mother should be harmed through her child, and no father through his child. (Surah Baqarah 02 : 233)
Mothers' lives are not allowed to be damaged on the pretext of raising children, and they are not allowed to be devalued. Ibn Kasir said the child's father will support the child and the child's mother. They will collect it as the prevailing custom of the city. Will bear the expenses of the mothers of the children as far as possible. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir). Imam Jahhaq (RA) said, when a man divorces his wife and has a child with her, the husband must bear the expenses of the child's mother until the child is weaned.
Rights to be protected by the Government. The government is certainly responsible for the welfare of a widow and her children. So, the government should ensure every widow that their life and children are part of the government’s responsibilities. The companion of Prophet (s.a.w) Omar (r.a) when he was a Khalifah (Responsibility of Government) he was saying in his khutbah (responsibility of the government)-
لَئِنْ سَلَّمَنِي اللَّهُ لأَدَعَنَّ أَرَامِلَ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ لاَ يَحْتَجْنَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ بَعْدِي أَبَدًا
“If Allah should keep me alive I will let the widows of Iraq need no men to support them after me.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3700)
It is seen in the society that there are many widows who do not remarry out of love for their children and thinking about their future. That is, if they do not remarry and want to live with the memory of a husband like him by protecting his honor, Islam welcomes that too and has declared a special status for him. Islam honored their self-sacrifice. Prophet (s.a.w) said,
عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْأَشْجَعِيِّ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَنَاوَامْرَأَةٌ سَفْعَاءُالْخَدَّ يْنِكَهَا تَيْنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَأَوْمَأَ يَزِيدُبِالْوُسْطَ ىوَالسَّبَّابَةِ امْرَأَةٌ آمَتْمِنْ زَوْجِهَا ذَاتُمَنْصِبٍ، وَجَمَالٍ، حَبَسَتْ نَفْسَهَاعَلَىيَ تَامَاهَا
Meaning: Auf Ibnu Malik (r.a) narrated. The Prophet (s.a.w) said, 'I and the woman with a scarred face (due to lack of self-care) will be like this in the Hereafter or there will be a distance between us greater than martyrdom and the middle finger. She is the woman whose husband is dead and despite her lineage and beauty, she withholds herself from orphaned children-until the children become separated (independent) or die. (Abu Dawud, Hadith: 5249).
About the status of widows, Abu Huraira (r.a) described from The Prophet (s.a.w) He said-
أَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ يُفْتَحُ لَهُ بَابُ الْجَنَّةِ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ تَأْتِي امْرَأَةٌ تُبَادِرُنِي فَأَقُولُ لَهَا: مَا لَكِ؟ وَمَا أَنْتِ؟ فَتَقُولُ: أَنَا امْرَأَةٌ قَعَدْتُ عَلَى أَيْتَامٍ لِي
Meaning: I am the person for whom the door of Paradise will be opened first. But a woman will come and want to go to heaven before me. I will ask her that, what happened to you? Who are you then she will say, I am the woman who restrained herself (from marrying) to take care of her orphan child. (Musnad Abi Yala, Hadith No-6651)
Through the above Hadiths, the status of widows becomes clear. A widow sacrifices her life and youth often just to look after her children. He takes responsibility for his life -youth and her children's education and even raising them. A man will take on so many responsibilities. He is certainly entitled to special status. And Islam mentions its status as a way of life based on justice
It is seen in the society that there are many widows who do not remarry out of love for their children and thinking about their future. That is, if they do not remarry and want to live with the memory of a husband like him by protecting his honor, Islam welcomes that too and has declared a special status for him. Islam honored their self-sacrifice
عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْأَشْجَعِيِّ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَنَاوَامْرَأَةٌ سَفْعَاءُالْخَدَّ يْنِكَهَا تَيْنِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَأَوْمَأَ يَزِيدُبِالْوُسْطَ ىوَالسَّبَّابَةِ امْرَأَةٌ آمَتْمِنْ زَوْجِهَا ذَاتُمَنْصِبٍ، وَجَمَالٍ، حَبَسَتْ نَفْسَهَاعَلَىيَ تَامَاهَا
Meaning: Auf Ibnu Malik (r.a) narrated. The Prophet (s.a.w) said, 'I and the woman with a scarred face (due to lack of self-care) will be like this in the Hereafter or there will be a distance between us greater than martyrdom and the middle finger. She is the woman whose husband is dead and despite her lineage and beauty, she withholds herself from orphaned children—until the children become separated (independent) or die. (Abu Dawud, Hadith: 5249)
About the status of widows, Abu Huraira (r.a) described from The Prophet (s.a.w) He said-
أَنَا أَوَّلُ مَنْ يُفْتَحُ لَهُ بَابُ الْجَنَّةِ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ تَأْتِي امْرَأَةٌ تُبَادِرُنِي فَأَقُولُ لَهَا: مَا لَكِ؟ وَمَا أَنْتِ؟ فَتَقُولُ: أَنَا امْرَأَةٌ قَعَدْتُ عَلَى أَيْتَامٍ لِي
Meaning: I am the person for whom the door of Paradise will be opened first. But a woman will come and want to go to heaven before me. I will ask her that, what happened to you? Who are you then she will say, I am the woman who restrained herself (from marrying) to take care of her orphan child. (Musnad Abi Yala, Hadith No-6651)
Through the above Hadiths, the status of widows becomes clear. A widow sacrifices her life and youth often just to look after her children. He takes responsibility for his life -youth and her children's education and even raising them. A man will take on so many responsibilities. He is certainly entitled to special status. And Islam mentions its status as a way of life based on justice.
Bangladesh government has taken allocation for the widow allowance program. During the inception of the widow allowance program, the total allotment was 12.5 crore, the number of beneficiaries was I lakh and the monthly allowance was 100 taka. With time gradual expansion of the program occurred and now in 2011-12 the total allotment has been increased to 331.20 crore taka, the number of beneficiaries increased up to 9.2 lakh and the monthly allowance reached up to 300 taka. Now, in the financial year 2022-23, 24 lakh 75 thousand widows and widowed women are being given allowance at the rate of Tk500 per person per month. 1495.40 corers have been allocated for this sector in the current financial year. The year-wise statistics of the distribution of the Widow Allowance since inception are given below.
Source: Ministry of Social Welfare, Gob, 2023 (http://www.dss.gov.bd/)
| No | Financial Year | Number of beneficiaries (in thousands) | Allowance per month (taka) | Annual budget (in corer taka) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-99 | 403.11 | 100 | 4.03 | |
| 1999-00 | 403.11 | 100 | 4.03 | |
| 2000-01 | 207.58 | 100 | 25.00 | |
| 2001-02 | 207.58 | 100 | 25.00 | |
| 2002-03 | 265.80 | 125 | 39.87 | |
| 2003-04 | 500.00 | 150 | 90.00 | |
| 2004-05 | 600.00 | 165 | 118.80 | |
| 2005-06 | 625.00 | 180 | 135.00 | |
| 2006-07 | 650.00 | 200 | 156.00 | |
| 2007-08 | 750.00 | 220 | 198.00 | |
| 2008-09 | 900.00 | 250 | 270.00 | |
| 2009-10 | 920.00 | 300 | 331.20 | |
| 2010-11 | 920.00 | 300 | 331.20 | |
| 2011-12 | 920.00 | 300 | 331.20 | |
| 2012-13 | 920.00 | 300 | 331.20 | |
| 2013-14 | 1012.00 | 300 | 364.32 | |
| 2014-15 | 1012.00 | 400 | 485.76 | |
| 2015-16 | 1113.20 | 400 | 534.34 | |
| 2016-17 | 1150.00 | 500 | 690.00 | |
| 2017-18 | 1265.00 | 500 | 759.00 | |
| 2018-19 | 1400.00 | 500 | 840.00 | |
| 2019-20 | 1700.00 | 500 | 1020.00 | |
| 2020-21 | 2050.00 | 500 | 1230.00 | |
| 2021-22 | 2475.00 | 500 | 1495.40 | |
| 2022-23 | 2475.00 | 500 | 1495.40 |
Widows are harassed by social and family of various problems in Bangladesh. The condition of widows in Bangladesh is not so good. They are discriminated against by their families and sometimes do not have any space at their maternal home. Some widow is illiterate, they have no skills with which they can earn a living. They find themselves stymied by all hands
In Bangladesh, some people think that the widow is inauspicious. Widowed women are ridiculed by people in the community as untoward, hapless, accursed, etc
Widows are deprived of social rights. That is, they are deprived in various ways of family work, social movement, political movement, going to market, visiting relatives' houses and participating in events, etc.
The widow faces problems in case of second marriage. It even happens to both men and women. Because the people of society cannot accept the widowed woman as they consider her to be an inauspicious person. Even if a man is willing to accept her. But the people of the society reproached him to marry a widow
Widowed women feel very helpless when they reach old age. Especially when a widow is childless or despite having children, they do not take care of them. And for this reason, it is seen that their number in old age homes is increasing in the country.
Many people think that a widow must wear white clothes. Bangles cannot be read. A widow is disturbed in her normal life due to superstitions such as not being able to keep herself tidy.
When they are socially deprived of various rights due to the prejudices and prejudices of society against the widow. Then they suffer from mental depression.
Widows are unable to job for various reasons. Especially for aged widows. Because they are unable to hard work. For this reason, they are financial condition is very poor. On the other hand, young widows are sometimes sexually harassed by their colleagues. That's why many times they don't want to work outside. If a widow has a fair amount of property, she does not have to face much difficulty moving up in society or remarrying. And in that case, of course, it will not be possible without local public representatives and administrative cooperation.
To ensure the rights and status of widows following steps should be taken.
The view of Quran-Sunnah should be present to the people in creating religious values.
People should be made aware of the rights and status of widows.
The widows themselves should be educated in self-care.
The widow's family (father and husband) should be assisted in collecting the property received by meeras (hereditaries).
To implement the rights of widows, the government can come forward to solve the economic problems by making a list of widows through a transparent survey across the country and including their allowance.
Various steps can be taken to encourage people socially to remarry widows.
Training workshops on various subjects can be conducted for widows where they will acquire skills on a subject. Then it will be through this they can become self-sufficient.
We need to have a detailed survey providing current data on the number and conditions of the widows.
Above all, the rule of law must be ensured to realize the rights declared by the Qur'an-Sunnah and the state
Islam declares to fulfill the responsibilities of widows, to support them as a great act of virtue. Treating widows well, and showing them compassion is a very rewarding and necessary act for every Muslim. Therefore, should be protected for all widows' social and economic security and provide for their basic needs which are among their fundamental human rights. As Muslims, we should be recognizing the rights and status conferred by Islam and take steps to establish their rights. To implement the rights of widows, the government can transparently prepare a list of all widows through a survey across the country and include their allowance and come forward to solve the economic problem. Besides, people can be made aware of their rights through religious meetings, seminars, campaigns, etc.
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the Islamic Arabic University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta, Indonesia, for their support in facilitating this research and publication. Special thanks are extended to colleagues and reviewers who provided valuable feedback and encouragement throughout the development of this study. Their contributions have been essential in enhancing the quality and depth of this work.
All authors contributed equally to the main contributor to this paper, some are as chairman, member, financier, article translator, and final editor. All authors read and approved the final paper.
All authors declare no conflict of interest.