The status of women
Question I am a woman who
respects myself and gives importance to self-dignity. I read some good things
about Islam. But I heard Islam is very discriminative when it comes to women.
That is, this religion respects only men and considers women as only second
standard citizens. Why is that??
Name of Consultant Yusuf
Estes
Answer: In
Islam there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their
relationship to God is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good
conduct and the same punishment for evil conduct.
The
Qur'an, in addressing the believers, often uses the expression 'believing men
and women' to emphasize the equality of men and women in regard to their
respective duties, rights, virtues and merits.
It
says:
O
ye who believe! Ye are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor
should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may Take
away part of the dower ye have given them,-except where they have been guilty
of open lewdness; on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and
equity. If ye take a dislike to them it may be that ye dislike a thing, and God
brings about through it a great deal of good.
Surah 4 Verse 19
The
Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him, said: ‘Women are
the twin halves of men.’
For
Muslim men and women,- for believing men and women,
for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are
patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and
women who give in Charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves),
for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage
much in God's praise,- for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward.
Surah 33 Verse 35
This
clearly contradicts the assertion of some the Christian Fathers that women do not possess souls and that they will exist as
sexless beings in the next life! The Qur'an says that women have souls in
exactly the same way as men and will enter
Whoever
works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure and We will
bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.
Surah 16 Verse 97
Woman, before and after Islam
As
a matter of fact, before the advent of Islam, women were often treated worse
than animals! Pagan Arabs used to bury their female children alive, make women
dance naked in the vicinity of the Ka'ba during their
annual fairs, and treat women as mere chattels and objects of sexual pleasure
-- possessing no rights or position whatsoever, these teachings of the Noble
Qur'an were revolutionary. Unlike other religions, which regarded women as
being possessed of inherent sin and wickedness, and men as being possessed of
inherent virtue and nobility, Islam regards men and women as being of the same
essence created from a single soul.
O
mankind! revere your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single soul,
created, of like nature, its mate, and from the two, scattered (like seeds)
countless men and women;- revere God, through whom ye demand your mutual
(rights), and (revere) the wombs (That bore you): for God ever watches over
you.
Surah 4 Verse 1
Marriage: uniting the two souls
The
Qur'an emphasizes the essential unity of men and women in a most beautiful
metaphor:
...They
(Your wives) are your garments and ye are their garments. ....
Surah 2 Verse 187
Just
as a garment hides our nakedness, so do husband and wife, by entering into the
relationship of marriage, secure each other's chastity. The garment gives
comfort to the body; so does the husband find comfort in his wife's company and
she in his. Actually a garment is the grace, the beauty, the embellishment of
the body, so too are wives to their husbands as their husbands are to them.
Islam
does not consider woman "an instrument of the devil", but rather the
Qur'an calls her muhsana, a fortress against Satan.
This is because a good woman, by marrying a man, helps him keep to the path of
rectitude in his life. It is for this reason that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) considered marriage as a most virtuous act.
The
Qur'an has given the raison d'etre of marriage in the
following words:
And
among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates
from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity
with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that
are Signs for those who reflect.
Surah 30 Verse 21
Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) always praised virtuous and chaste
women. He said:
‘The
world and all things in the world are precious, but the most precious thing in
the world is a virtuous woman.’
He
(pbuh) was also most emphatic in enjoining upon
Muslims, to be kind to their women, when he delivered his famous sermon, khutbat al-wada’ on the Mount of
Mercy, at Arafat. This was in the presence of one hundred and twenty-four
thousand of his Companions. who had gathered there for
hajjat al-wada’ (farewell
pilgrimage). It was in this famous Farewell Sermon that he ordered Muslim men
to be respectful and kind towards women.
He
said: ‘Fear God regarding women. Verily you have married them with the trust of
God, and made their bodies lawful with the word of God. You have got (rights)
over them, and they have got (rights) over you …’
An Independent Personality
In
Islam a woman is a completely independent personality. She can make any
contract or bequest in her own name. She is entitled to inherit in her position
as mother, as wife, as sister and as daughter. She has perfect liberty to
choose her husband.
Thus,
after the advent of Islam, the Prophet's followers accepted his teachings and
brought about a revolution in their social attitude towards women. They no
longer considered women as mere chattels, but as an integral part of society.
For
the first time women were given the right to have a share in inheritance. In
the new social climate, women rediscovered themselves and became highly active
members of society, rendering useful service, even during wars, which the pagan
Arabs forced on the emerging Muslim umma. They
carried provisions for the soldiers, nursed them, and even fought alongside
them if it was necessary. It became a common sight to see women helping their
husbands in the fields, carrying on trade and business independently, and going
out of their homes to satisfy their needs.
A full-fledged partner
The
predominant idea in the teachings of Islam with regard to men and women is that
a husband and wife should be full-fledged partners in making their home a happy
and prosperous place. They should also be loyal and faithful to one another,
genuinely interested in each other's welfare and the welfare of their children.
A woman is expected to exercise a humanizing influence over her husband and to
soften the sternness inherent in his nature.
Once a woman came to the Prophet (pbuh), with a complaint against her husband. He told her:
‘There
is no woman who removes something to replace it in its proper place, with a
view to tidying her husband's house, but that God sets it down as a virtue for
her. Nor is there a man who walks with his wife hand-in-hand, but that God sets
it down as a virtue for him; and if he puts his arm round her shoulder in love,
his virtue is increased tenfold.’
The
shari'a (Islamic Law) regards women as the spiritual
and intellectual equals of men. The main distinction it makes between them is
in the physical realm based on the equitable principle of fair division of
labor. It allots the more strenuous work to man and makes him responsible for
the maintenance of the family. It allots the work of managing the home and the
upbringing and training of children to woman – a mission, which has the
greatest importance in the task of building a healthy and prosperous society.
It
is a fact, however, that sound administration within the domestic field is
impossible without a unified policy. For this reason shari'a
requires man, as head of the family, to consult with his family and then to
have the final say in decisions concerning it. In doing so, he must not abuse
his prerogative to cause any injury to his wife. Any transgression of this
principle involves for him the risk of losing the favor of God. That is because
his wife is not his subordinate but she is, the queen of her house, and this is
the position a true believer is expected to give his wife.
In
contrast to these enlightened teachings of Islam in respect of women, I can
only say that the Western talk of women's liberation or emancipation,
is actually a disguised form of exploitation of her body, deprivation of her
honor, and degradation of her soul!
Finally,
I would like to add that it is only Allah who has all Knowledge. Any good was
from Allah and the mistakes were from myself. Please
pray for me and ask Allah to forgive me. I would also like to thank you again
for your good question.
May
Allah always guide us, all, to His truth, ameen.