By Aderonke Adeyeri

MUSLIM women have been urged to strike a balance between their home and their career so as to prevent chaos and disharmony in all their endeavours. This was the thrust of the three days’ workshop held by the Lajna Imaillah (women servant of Allah), Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Nigeria, at Ojokoro, Lagos, last weekend. The annual workshop which had over 600 female members of the Islamic organization throughout the federation in attendance highlighted the roles Muslim women have to play in the contemporary world. The workshop did justice to various issues affecting women and how the problem can be tackled.

Speaking on the theme of the seminar, “Muslim women and effective multitasking in the contemporary world”, Sister Rashidah Kamal-Muili said, “Human exerts efforts in multitasking just the same way computer operating system engaged in multitasking. The society today, expects men and women to contribute to the nation development by utilizing the skills learnt through educational institution or other places.

However, in a situation whereby the man and the woman exhibits equality in matrimony, it creates discord and sometimes may lead to breakdown.”

She further stressed that in Islam, women are entrusted with a special and God appealing role by ensuring they have a stable, peaceful and harmonious home.  “They are not obligated to work nor spend on their family. Allah has make spending, caring and protection of the family the responsibility of men as the head of the family. However, it is unfortunate that a lot of men want to spend on their family.

They are incapacitated because of joblessness, insufficient fund or bad economy. This makes women to contribute to the provision of the household by working outside their homes. “While Allah approve of women to support their husband financially, He does not absorb such women of their responsibility of taking proper care of their home. Thus, efficient multitasking, combining home and work responsibilities usually create a huge challenge.”

To salvage the challenges, Kamal-Muili urges women to strike a delicate balance in all their endeavours so as to continue to worship, serve and please Allah. “Most importantly, your career as a Muslim woman should be a means for your real job as a mother, wife, sister, daughter and a means of fuelling your higher purpose or worshipping and serving Allah.  If it overtakes the purpose, then there is the need to re-evaluate the purpose or essence of being a Muslim woman.