Then he added, “So beware of the world and beware of women,” that is, be on your guard against them. This covers being cautious of a woman’s schemes toward her husband and, more generally, of the temptations posed by women. Hence his words: “The first trial of the Children of Israel was over women.” They fell into temptation because of women, went astray themselves, and led others astray—may Allah protect us.

For that very reason we see that our enemies—the enemies of our religion and the enemies of Allah’s law—are concentrating today on the issue of women: their immodest display, their intermingling with men, and their working side by side with men. They aim to reduce people to the state of beasts that care only for their stomachs and private parts—Allah’s refuge is sought. Women in turn become like lifeless dolls, mere images; people care only about a woman’s appearance—how to adorn her, beautify her, and supply her with every cosmetic enhancement: hair, skin treatments, plucking, legs, arms, face, everything—until a woman’s greatest concern becomes to look like a plastic mannequin. Worship no longer matters to her, nor do children.

Moreover, our enemies—the enemies of Allah’s religion, His law, and all sense of modesty—want to thrust women into men’s jobs so that they tighten the noose around the men, leaving young men to wander the marketplaces with no employment. From such idleness grow grievous evils and overwhelming temptations, for youth, free time, and wealth are among the greatest causes of corruption, as the saying goes:

“Indeed, youth, leisure, and affluence
bring ruin upon a person—utter ruin.”