O sister, let us sail together on the seas of the Muslim women who enjoy a very great position in the sight of Allah The Almighty, The Creator of the heavens and the earth. Let us sail on these seas and pick up a pearl from each age. As you know, pearls are few, but precious.
Let us come to the first pearl, who was honored by her Lord and Creator. Before we enter the palace of this jewel and pearl, let us hear what the Prophet says about the palace's owner. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Moosa Al-Ash‘ari, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet said: "Many men attained perfection (sound and wise minds), but only three women attained it: Aasiyah, Fir‘awn's (Pharaoh) wife….." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Why did she attain perfection? Because she owned the best dresses? Because she knew the names of singers? Because she raised her voice before men? No, this in no way entails perfection. Many of those who have weak minds have been deceived by male and female secularists and callers who say about observant women who abstain from wearing what is unlawful or listening to what is unlawful: If they could, they would have done [worn unlawful clothing] that; or if they had money, they would have disobeyed Allah The Almighty. This is due to their imperfect and weak minds.
Here is the example of Fir‘awn's (Pharaoh) wife, for she was one of the richest women on earth. Come and enter her palace and see how amazing it is. There is beauty everywhere; cushions are lined up, couches are raised high and walls are decorated. Suddenly we look inside this palace to see a woman who is tied up and taken to be whipped. Look at her carefully. She is neither a bondmaid nor a thief. Rather, she is the queen! The queen? Yes, by Allah! She is the queen! She is the owner of the palace. When she moved into her palace in the past, servants were at her service. Whenever she signaled with her hand, other hands would vie to give her whatever she desired of favors and pleasures. Her palace is the most beautiful on earth and her jewels are the most precious. However, Subhaan-Allah! (glory be to Allah), what a strong personality she had! Only The One Who bestowed these favors on her enabled her to forget and abandon all these blessings. Hence, she asked, and she was entitled to ask due to her perfect mind. She said, 'Until when will this pleasure last?'
She immediately received explicit answers, 'It could last for one hundred years or it could last for only a few moments!' Let the mind that received such clear answers rejoice. Thereupon, she thought and looked for an immortal palace, which will never move when she dies or when the earth is leveled, pounded and crushed. She looked for imperishable adornments and jewels, which are subject to neither change nor corrosion, bliss which lasts as the heavens and the earth last -- endless and imperishable. No sooner had she realized her goal, than she headed towards it like the one who is confident and never stops even if his heart bleeds. They threatened her with the deprivation of her palace and kingdom, but she remembered that her palace in heaven is eternal and that a space like that of a whip therein is better than this world with everything in it.
A woman who has been offered gold can never be deceived by toys! Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer.} [Quran 17: 19]
All of us desire the Hereafter but only a few exert effort. Let those who exert effort rejoice. When she made that decision and was determined to sacrifice for the sake of Allah The Almighty, The Ever-Great, The Compeller, flowers were not spread out on the road for her. Rather, she was forced to give up all her jewels and adornments. Nonetheless, she found neither sadness nor fear in her heart. They tied her, dragged her on the floor, fettered her, dragged her on stones and flogged her. Nevertheless, they could never break her! She was not like us. When she was put to trial in her religion or informed that she would lose so-and-so, she sacrificed every worldly pleasure for the sake of Allah The Almighty. She realized that the matter deserves more than her soul and, therefore, she made the sacrifice.
She was firm even though what she had been subjected to would shake mountains. May Allah The Almighty reward her for her steadfastness and perseverance. When they beat her, tied her and tortured her until her skin was removed from the beating, Fir‘awn ordered them to ask her if she chose him, for her would be love and dignity, or her fate would be death! They asked, 'How do we kill her?'
He ordered, 'Take a rock, bigger than her in size, and then ask her. If she declines to give up her stance, then crush her with the rock.' They asked her, 'Do you want to give up your stance?'
This woman had ambitions and loved her palace. She did not abandon it because it had no value or worth in her eyes. Rather, she left it because she wanted what is greater. With all firmness and steadfastness, she said, 'I choose the Lord of the heavens and the earth.' She believed in the Lord of Moosa (Moses) and Haaroon (Aaron), may Allah exalt their mention.
She looked for the reward of Allah The Almighty. Just a few moments and these ropes would be cut and the rock would crush her. Before the rock touched her skin and body, Allah The Almighty told us about her final words before death! Allah The Exalted Says (what means) through her words: {"My Lord, build for me near You a house in Paradise.} [Quran 66: 12]
When her lips moved with these words, The Lord of the heavens and the earth immortalized her words. Allah The Almighty mentioned her words immortalized in the Quran to be recited at all times and places. She said, "My Lord, Build for me near You..." She chose her neighbor first, and then she said, "A house in Paradise." Commenting on the verse, Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Allah revealed to her the unseen and commanded that screens should be removed for her. Thereupon, she saw a palace whose bricks were one of gold and another of silver. Rivers run out from beneath it and it was surrounded by angels. So, she smiled and then her soul was taken before the rock smashed her skull and bones and made her body the same level of the ground.
The story did not end with the conclusion of this situation; rather, Allah The Almighty wanted to address all women and men in the Quran and therefore He Says (what means): {And Allah presents an example of those who believed: the wife of Fir‘awn...} [Quran 66: 11]
She is an example for the believing women. She is an example for the believers in general, whether they are males or females. O women and men, if you want to enter Paradise then here you have the example. Who is the example? Is he a strong and obstinate man? No. She is a woman. O men and women, if you want to enter Paradise, here is the example before you. She is a woman!
O Jews, Christians and secularists, here is the woman's position in the sight of Allah The Almighty when she is firm on her religion. Allah The Almighty makes her a role model for all people throughout the ages.
O sister! When you admire your palace under which sewage water moves and where you have twenty or thirty servants, you should remember that for that woman there are thousands and millions of servants. Let her rejoice for her choice. Allah The Exalted Says (what means): {[And it will be said], "Indeed, this is for you a reward, and your effort has been appreciated."} [Quran 76: 22]