Islam & Family Life (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Religious Studies): Revision Note

Halal rules in Islam

• Halal is an Arabic word that means permitted or lawful

  • It refers to actions and things that are allowed under Islamic law (Shari’ah)

• Muslims are expected to live in a way that follows Allah’s guidance, including in what they eat and wear and in how they behave

Halal and food

• Muslims follow strict food laws and are only allowed to eat foods that are halal

  • This is part of living a pure life

  • It shows obedience to Allah’s commands and a willingness to live according to his will

  • It is an act of worship and discipline

  • It is a way of protecting the body, which Allah created

• For meat to be considered halal: 

  • Animals must be slaughtered in a specific way

  • The name of Allah must be said at the time of slaughter

  • The animal must be healthy and treated with care

  • The blood must be fully drained from the body

  • The slaughter must be quick and cause as little pain as possible

• This method is seen as humane and respectful to the animal

• Other halal foods include fruits, vegetables, grains and fish

• Any processed foods must not contain haram (forbidden) ingredients, such as alcohol or pork

• Muslims often check for Halal certification to ensure products meet the correct standards

Halal and clothing

• Clothing must also follow halal rules

• This means the clothing:

  • Must be modest, clean and respectful

  • Should not cause harm to the body

  • Should not be made from forbidden materials (see haram in the next section) or unethical materials

• Both men and women are required to dress modestly to avoid arrogance or vanity and maintain dignity

  • Men should cover from the navel to the knees

  • Women are expected to cover their entire body, except for the face and hands (the interpretation of this rule may vary)

• Items must be honestly earned, so stolen clothing is not halal

• Men are not allowed to wear silk or gold, which are considered too luxurious and would go against the values of humility

• Muslims living in non-Muslim countries may choose modest fashion brands or Islamic clothing retailers to help follow halal guidelines

• Some Muslims may wear Western-style clothing as long as it meets halal rules on modesty and material

Haram rules in Islam

• Haram is an Arabic word meaning forbidden or prohibited

  • It refers to any action or item that goes against Allah’s commands in the Qur’an or Hadith

• Examples of haram actions include:

  • Gambling

  • Stealing

  • Cheating in business

  • Dishonesty

  • Gossip

  • Violence or cruelty to people or animals

• All of these actions cause harm to others or to society and also go against the Islamic values of compassion, justice and honesty

• Muslims are expected to avoid haram things — as a sign of obedience to Allah — and to live a good, moral life

• Doing something haram is considered a sin, and Muslims believe they will be held accountable for it in the Akhirah

Haram & food

• The Qur’an clearly lists certain foods as haram, including:

  • Pork or anything made from pork (Qur’an 2:173)

  • Blood

  • Animals that died before slaughter

  • Any animal that was not slaughtered in the name of Allah

  • Alcohol and intoxicating drinks (Qur’an 5:90)

• Muslims believe Allah has forbidden these things because they are impure, harmful or spiritually damaging

• Avoiding haram food shows faithfulness and self-control and keeps the body spiritually and physically clean

• Deliberately eating haram food is seen as disobedience to Allah

Haram and clothing

• Muslims are not allowed to wear clothing that is:

  • Made from forbidden materials, such as pigskin or pork-based leather

  • Revealing or immodest

  • Worn to show off wealth or status, including wearing silk or gold jewellery for men

• Wearing haram clothing goes against Islamic teachings on humility and modesty

• Muslims are taught that clothing should protect their dignity and reflect their submission to Allah

• Like food, clothing choices are seen as a daily test of faith and self-discipline

Islam and the roles and responsibilities of men and women

• Muslims believe that men and women are equal because Allah created them both

• Men and women have equally important roles in procreation

  • However, their roles and responsibilities within the family are different

The role of men 

• Men should marry

• Men are seen to be the “protectors of women”

• Men should provide for their family

• They will help to raise their children as good Muslims

• They should follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as “an excellent model” (Qur’an 33:21) 

  • This means that they should undertake some domestic roles in the home because Muhammad (pbuh) did chores, such as mending his own clothes

The role of women

• The Qur’an says women should marry

• They should remain faithful to their husbands

• The role of women includes:

  • Being required to have children

  • Raising their children as good Muslims, supported by their husbands 

  • Being a wife and mother (which many Muslims believe is the most important aspect of a woman’s role)

  • Looking after the home

• Within these rules, women:

  • Are free to work and have a career if they wish

  • Do not have to give their income to their husbands

  • May own property and inherit money 

• In some Muslim countries, these rights are denied to women because of cultural traditions

The role of men & women at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

• At the time of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), there were many examples of women being treated poorly

• Muhammad (pbuh) taught people that these injustices were wrong and that women should be valued and respected

• He made sure women could:

  • Own property

  • Divorce their husbands

  • Receive a better education

• Many Muslims believe that this was one of the main reasons why Allah chose Muhammad (pbuh) to be a prophet, and it shaped the future of Islam

• Muhammad’s (pbuh) wives have been called mothers of the believers (Qur’an, Surah 33:6), and his wife Aishah was a scholar and teacher, which shows that Islam raised the status of women at the time of Muhammad (pbuh)

• When the Qur’an was revealed at this time, it called on both men and women to play a part in making a better society

Divergent Muslim attitudes towards equality of men & women

• There are some differences in attitudes towards the equality of men and women within Islam today

• Most Muslims would say that men and women are equal in the eyes of Allah because both were created equally “from one soul” (Qur’an, Surah 4:1)

  • The Hadith describes their equality as “equal… as the teeth of a comb”

• The roles of men and women may be different, but they complement each other and are designed to support each other

• These roles are all part of Allah’s plan for humanity and are natural to each gender

• Other Muslims are concerned that traditional views of the roles of men and women are outdated in the 21st century

• They would say that there are greater rights and opportunities for women today, and so the traditional roles ought to be redefined to suit the modern world

• They would say that some parts of the Qur’an seem not to teach that men and women are equal but that men have power over women and that women should be obedient to them

Islamic teachings on the nurture of the young

• Islam sees the family as the foundation of the Muslim community

  • It is the creation of Allah and provides society with stability

  • Children are a great blessing from God

• Muslim parents have a duty to love and care for their children

• They are taught to provide a stable environment for their children to grow up in

• They should raise their children within the faith of Islam

• They should teach their children how to live a good Muslim life

• This means that parents will:

  • Teach their children about Allah

  • Teach their children to pray

  • Celebrate festivals as a family

  • Treat their children with love and respect

  • Set an example for them to follow

  • Educate them in the faith

• Some Muslims send their children to faith schools or the madrassah (mosque school) to make sure they get a good religious education

• Raising children properly contributes to the strengthening of the ummah, the worldwide community of Muslims

• If each family does their part to raise their children correctly in the faith, they help to raise the next generation of Muslims and so strengthen the community of Muslims across the world

Islamic teachings on care of the elderly

• Children must respect their parents, as the Qur’an teaches

• Children should also pray for their parents

• The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) taught that the reward for serving a person’s mother is paradise in the afterlife (Akhirah)

• This includes a duty to care for parents and older members of the community

• Often, traditional Muslim families are extended, with generations living together so that the younger generations can fulfil their responsibility to care for their elders

Different Muslim attitudes to marriage, divorce and remarriage

Marriage in Islam

• Marriage is an important part of family life in Islam

• Islam teaches that marriage is important to Allah

• The Hadith says of marriage:

• Marriage is seen as a blessing from Allah and a way to strengthen the Muslim community (ummah)

• The purpose of marriage is to provide love, companionship and support and to help raise a family in line with Islamic teachings 

• Marriage is a lifelong, faithful commitment based on trust, mutual respect and shared responsibilities between husband and wife

• It is considered a moral safeguard that helps Muslims remain faithful and avoid sinful behaviour

Muslim attitudes to divorce

• Divorce is the legal ending of a marriage

• Divorce is allowed, but it should be the last resort

• The Hadith teaches that divorce is detestable to Allah, but it is lawful

• Reasons why a divorce may be allowed include

  • Unfaithfulness

  • Abuse

  • Leaving the Muslim faith (called apostasy)

Annulment

• An annulment is not the same as a divorce: It is the declaration that the marriage was never valid at all

• Reasons why an annulment may be allowed include:

  • Not being able to conceive children

  • The husband being absent for a long time without contact

Process of divorce

• The process of divorce involves three steps

• Initiation is the start of the divorce proceedings

  • Either the husband or the wife may initiate a divorce

  • If the husband initiates, he must announce his intention to divorce his wife up to three times

  • If the wife initiates, she does not have to make this announcement; although, it is more difficult for her to initiate because she usually needs the consent of her husband

  • Shi’a Muslims and most Sunni Muslims believe there must be a period of time between each declaration of intent, so that the process is not rushed

• Reconciliation is the next stage

  • There is a three-month period of waiting, called iddah, during which the couple live together but do not have sex

  • This is to see whether the wife is pregnant; if she is, they must wait until the baby is born before the divorce can proceed

• The Qur’an teaches that they should try to reconcile during this time, as “peace is best” (Qur’an, Surah 4:128)

• Completion is the final stage

  • If all efforts to reconcile the couple fail, the divorce can be completed

  • As the woman is often the more vulnerable person in the relationship, the rights of the woman are always properly protected in a divorce

    • A Shari’ah council will look into the case if a wife has initiated the divorce

  • In Shi’a Islam, two witnesses are required at the divorce to make sure it is done correctly

  • In the UK, there needs to be a legal civil divorce, along with the Shari’ah divorce

Muslim attitudes to remarriage

• The Qur’an encourages remarriage after divorce because companionship is important in Islam

• It is even considered acceptable for a husband and wife who have divorced once or twice (through the talaq declaration of divorce, not the legal divorce) to remarry each other

  • However, if they reach the third declaration, they cannot reconcile until the wife has married someone else

• The man must support his ex-wife until she remarries, and he must treat her with respect