If she eats what is halal she avoids the toxins that would disrupt the baby's
formation and growth. If she eats too much, she moves her own form beyond
the bounds^7 and predisposes both baby and self to diabetic complications or
toxemia in the third trimester. If she refrains from gossip^8 and harmful
relations according to the directions of her husband and Islamic adab , she
avoids the devils of anxiety and their negative influences. She is the field –
the enlivened human earth and matriarchal utilizer of what engenders,
sustains, cares for and then cherishes human life. In this regard, the husband
can do little more than stand his watch and pray as the tree grows. When all
goes well, the tree flowers at the 'quickening' when the soul arrives and the
angels speak forth its destiny, after which the fruit appears at birth; and here
we will stop, as it takes two-plus more decades for the fruit to successfully
mature, and that is subject for a book on child development.
Woman as Womb
Enshrouded by veils of protection and provision by her husband, a wife
becomes his womb^9 in her entirety – head to foot and heart to tongue. Every
human seed (ideas and experiences) planted by her parents, companions, and
now by her husband, sprout and grow under his watchful eye. If bad seed was
sown, he must uproot its useless weed and she must yield to the pain that
gives room for the good. She is also the mirror of his soul, reflecting both
good and bad: a specter he must confront daily and deal with accordingly.
She not only reflects him but also his household and the immediate
communal society; without this mirror he would otherwise remain unaware,
especially of the needs of his children. In this sense, she is a lamp unto his
7
Gluttony during pregnancy is a major cause of a woman’s loss of the beauty given her by
Allah and also of her attraction to her husband. It is most difficult then to regain her form,
and in many cases impossible. Gluttony is an irresponsible act of disobedience and directly
counters the hadith. Pregnancy is not an excuse for this sin. “There is no worse vessel for the
son of Adam to fill than his stomach...” Sahih Hasan by Ahmad 4/132. “Beware filling your
stomachs with food and drink, for it is harmful to the body and causes sickness and laziness
in performing prayers... Allah will hate the fat man, and a man will not be condemned until
he favors his desires over his religion.” Hadrat Umar, Kanz al’ammal, 15/
(^8) “The one who engages in malicious gossip will not enter Paradise.” ( Sharl al-Sunnah , 13/147)
“The Messenger of Allah passed by two graves, and said: ‘They are being punished, but not
for any major sin. One of them used to spread malicious gossip ...” (ibid, 1/370)
(^9) Arhām is the Arabic word for relatives. It means ‘womb’.