Be Mindful of The Fitnah of The Dunyah And The Fitnah of Women
The Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: ”Verily the worldly life is sweet and green, and verily Allaah is going to place you as successors upon it in order to see how you act. So be mindful of the dunyaah and be mindful of women; verily the first trial for the Children of Israa’eel was caused by women.” [(saheeh Muslim: No 2742) (Ibn Maajah: No 4000) (Ahmad: 3:22)]
Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah) said: Regarding the statement of the Messenger (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam): ”Verily The Worldly Life Is Sweet And Green”; (it is) sweet in taste and green in its image. And when something is green and sweet, the eye seeks it first and then the Nafs; and when the eye and the nafs come together in seeking after something, the human being is drawn close to falling into it. The worldly life is sweet in its taste and green in its image, so the human being is deceived by it and pre-occupied with it. He places greater importance on it than what is due to it (of importance).
However, the Prophet (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) has made it known that Allaah is going to place us as successors upon (the earth) in order to see how we act; whether we will be obedient to Him, forbid the nafs from desires, fulfil what Allaah has enjoined upon us and not allow the worldly life to deceive you or whether the opposite will take place? This is why he (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: ”Be Mindful Of The Worldly Life”, that is: fulfil what you have been commanded and refrain from that which you have been forbidden, and do not let the sweetness and radiance of this worldly life to deceive you, as Allaah said: ”Let not then this (worldly) present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about Allaah”. 31:33
Then he (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) stated: ”So Be Mindful Of The Worldly Life And Be Mindful Of Women;” That is: be mindful of them. This includes a warning to the woman with regards to her plot(s) against her husband and also a warning against women and the trial that can occur through them. And for that reason he (sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam) said: ”Verily The First Trial For The Children Of Israa’eel Was Caused By Women”. They were put to trial through women, thus they went astray and led others astray wal-iyaadhu-billaah.
And for this reason, we find that at present our enemies are focused on women issues. (They focus) on adorning women, intermingling them and make them share the same occupations with men, until it becomes as if the people are donkeys having no other concern except for their stomachs and canal desires, wal-iyaadho-billaah. Women are portrayed as if they are mere images, that is: pictures (which) people attached no importance to except that which is connected to the woman’s figure (outward appearance). See how they have decorated and beautified her! See how they have brought about beautifications for her and presented her in a desirable condition, in relation to (her) hair, skin, legs, arms, face and everything else; until they make it the most important issue for the woman, like a picture made out of plastic.
They neither present to her the importance of establishing Ibaadah nor bearing children
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[Source: 'Ash-sharhul Mamool Li-Imtithaal Ar-rasool' of Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saaleh Al-Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) (page: 53-54)]