Bahishti Zewar (Ashraf Ali Thanwi): A Book of Religious and Marital Knowledge for Women — Summary

For a long time now, a name familiar in homes across the subcontinent — Bahishti Zewar. The author of the book is Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (may Allah have mercy on him). His aim was that ordinary women could learn the religious knowledge necessary in their daily lives in simple language.

Bahishti Zewar — Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi

Note: This summary is in our own words; see the original book for details.

Introduction to the book

• Language: originally Urdu; translated into many languages including Bengali.
• Arrangement: the well-known edition is divided into ten parts.
• Target readers: especially women and the family; the language is simple and practical.

A summary of the contents

The kinds of topics generally discussed in the book:

1. Creed and faith — a brief teaching of basic beliefs.
2. Purity, prayer, fasting, zakat, Hajj — including rulings specific to women.
3. Dealings and financial matters — practical guidance.
4. Marriage and married life — the rules of marriage, the rights of husband and wife, mahr, and the rulings on divorce and iddah (Pillars and conditions of marriage, Mahr, Talaq and khula).
5. Manners, ethics and home life — raising children, conduct towards family members (Rights of husband and wife).
6. Miscellaneous household and medical advice — written in the context of that time.

The book's good sides

• Simple, domestic language — understandable to ordinary readers.
• The rulings of the Hanafi madhhab are found together.
• It created awareness about rulings specific to women.

Cautions for the reader

• Change of time: the book was written about a century ago; some social advice, home remedies and terminology should be checked with a scholar and a doctor in the modern reality.
• Differences of edition: there may be differences in the editions and translations of various publishers; choose a reliable publication.
• Legal matters: the current legal process of marriage and divorce (Bangladesh) is not in the book (Registration, The law of plural marriage).
• Controversial rulings: if in doubt about a ruling, go to a qualified mufti.

How to use it in the family

• Give a newly married couple a few relevant chapters to read before and after marriage.
• For women's religious education, along with the book, keep opportunities for reliable Qur'an- and hadith-based learning.
• Let the husband and family help with the wife's pursuit of knowledge — this is part of marital happiness.

About the author

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi (may Allah have mercy on him) (1863–1943) was a famous scholar and reformer of Thana Bhawan who wrote many books on fiqh, tafsir, tasawwuf and social reform. An effort to bring women's religious education to people in simple and practical language was an important part of his work; Bahishti Zewar is proof of that.

Why the book was important for the household

In an age when access to books was limited, the book was written with the aim that a woman could learn at home the basic rulings of prayer, fasting, purity, dealings and married life. That is why the language was simple and the examples were from daily life. This method influenced later books on women's education too.

How to use it today

• As foundational knowledge: use it for basic worship and rulings.
• As a source for rulings: when a question arises on a matter, see the relevant chapter, but for the final decision check with a mufti.
• The social-cultural parts: because of the change of time, adjust some advice to the modern context.
• The medical parts: do not depend on home remedies without a doctor's advice.

Matching the marriage section with contemporary matters

Although the book discusses the Shariah rules of marriage, it does not have Bangladesh's current legal process (registration, permission for plural marriage, notice of divorce). For these see Nikahnama, The law of plural marriage, Talaq and khula.

Women's religious education — today's challenge

Today there are many sources of religious knowledge on the internet and apps. But without verifying sources, wrong information spreads. So build these three habits: reading under the supervision of reliable scholars, discussion with a female scholar or teacher and returning to the original sources of the Qur'an and Sunnah. It is the responsibility of husbands and fathers to help wives and daughters in their religious education in the family.

Read also: Fiqh as-Sunnah, Tuhfat al-'Arus. For questions, contact us.