The definition of being a "man" has changed through the time and is different throughout various cultures. When you look back at the beginning of mankind with Adam and Eve, they were created equal. Adam and Eve were man and woman, both living an equal life; neither had any power over the other.
Throughout the period when men and women were separated into tribes, the men hunted and provided meat and food while the women gathered and tended to their camps (of course this is surely exaggerated as there were more tasks and responsibilities that went into their every day living). When looking through history, men have always have more rights and control than women. Somewhere in time, the natural traits that most men possess became the way to judge a person's value. Men are naturally stronger, more muscular and taller than women. Are these ways to judge a person's worth or value? Certainly not.
God has created us equal, in His eyes but assigned us different characteristics that we cannot change; it's not to say that a man has more value than a woman. If you look at modern times, men normally go out and work whereas women stay at home to raise children and tend to the home (though this has changed substantially in the last two decades).
A man has rights from his wife and a woman has rights over her husband also. If you look at the greatest man who has every lived, Prophet Muhammad (salallahu allahi wa salam), he was an incredible man. He is what every man who has come since his existence should strive to model themself after. He was fair, he was just, he was knowledgeable and humble. May Allah be pleased and bless his soul, his family and his followers.
We are now living in an era with the most gender equality than ever before, and this is a great thing; but much has changed also. The skills that a woman is taught easily be learned by a man as well. When I was in 7th grade, I took a "home economics" class that taught me how to sew and how to cook; I never felt like I was taking a girly class and it was about 50-50 in terms of girls and boys.
A real man will want to have skills that women normally have. To be fully self-sustaining is the quality of a real man. Why would I want to hold financial power over my wife? Why would I want her to cook for me or clean up after me? I would never want to feel above my wife with power or emotional control. A real man can do everything himself but of course he will know when to do things for his wife and when to allow his wife to do things for him.
In our modern American culture, "men" are defined by watching sports, eating heavy meat and generally negative stereotypes, it's time to break out of this image.
If you are married, help elevate the status of your wife as much as you can, even to a level where you look up to her. Learn as many useable skills as you can. Be tough, be sensitive, be loving and caring. Look at how Prophet Muhammad (saws) lived his life and follow his example. Do not have pride in yourself, do not feel a drop of arrogance towards anybody else and always be working for something more or something better. Be a leader and share your blessings with others.
Throughout the period when men and women were separated into tribes, the men hunted and provided meat and food while the women gathered and tended to their camps (of course this is surely exaggerated as there were more tasks and responsibilities that went into their every day living). When looking through history, men have always have more rights and control than women. Somewhere in time, the natural traits that most men possess became the way to judge a person's value. Men are naturally stronger, more muscular and taller than women. Are these ways to judge a person's worth or value? Certainly not.
God has created us equal, in His eyes but assigned us different characteristics that we cannot change; it's not to say that a man has more value than a woman. If you look at modern times, men normally go out and work whereas women stay at home to raise children and tend to the home (though this has changed substantially in the last two decades).
A man has rights from his wife and a woman has rights over her husband also. If you look at the greatest man who has every lived, Prophet Muhammad (salallahu allahi wa salam), he was an incredible man. He is what every man who has come since his existence should strive to model themself after. He was fair, he was just, he was knowledgeable and humble. May Allah be pleased and bless his soul, his family and his followers.
We are now living in an era with the most gender equality than ever before, and this is a great thing; but much has changed also. The skills that a woman is taught easily be learned by a man as well. When I was in 7th grade, I took a "home economics" class that taught me how to sew and how to cook; I never felt like I was taking a girly class and it was about 50-50 in terms of girls and boys.
A real man will want to have skills that women normally have. To be fully self-sustaining is the quality of a real man. Why would I want to hold financial power over my wife? Why would I want her to cook for me or clean up after me? I would never want to feel above my wife with power or emotional control. A real man can do everything himself but of course he will know when to do things for his wife and when to allow his wife to do things for him.
In our modern American culture, "men" are defined by watching sports, eating heavy meat and generally negative stereotypes, it's time to break out of this image.
If you are married, help elevate the status of your wife as much as you can, even to a level where you look up to her. Learn as many useable skills as you can. Be tough, be sensitive, be loving and caring. Look at how Prophet Muhammad (saws) lived his life and follow his example. Do not have pride in yourself, do not feel a drop of arrogance towards anybody else and always be working for something more or something better. Be a leader and share your blessings with others.
Love this post. More people need to realize things like this. It's really great to see guys feel like this too.
ReplyDelete-Jess