The struggle for equality and justice for Muslim women must therefore be placed within the context of women living in Muslim societies where Islam is increasingly shaping and redefining our lives. In Islam, there is absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to Allah is concerned, as both are promised the same reward for good conduct and the same punishment for evil conduct.  Allah says:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

“We have enjoined upon humanity to be good to his parents. His mother carried him in weakness upon weakness and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and your parents, for unto Me is the final destination.” (Surah Luqman 31:14)

Islam has honoured women by giving them the right to choose a spouse and keep their original family name once married. Additionally, many have the impression that parents force their daughters into marriage. This is a cultural practice and has no basis in Islam. It is prohibited. While men and women have equal rights as a general principle, the specific rights and responsibilities granted to them are not identical. Allah says:

فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ أَنِّي لَا أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَامِلٍ مِّنكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ ۖ بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍ

“Their Lord responded to them: Never will I cause to be lost the deeds of any among you, whether male or female; you are of one another.” (Surah Ali Imran 3:195)

Islam is the only religion that gives women fair rights of inheritance. Muslim women should understand the rights and roles that Islam has given to them and then in light of those rights and roles, they must perform all the social and Islamic roles with absolute dedication and commitment.  Islam is the complete way of life and a divine religion that is not lacking in any sense, let alone upholding women’s rights. Allah says:

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ

“Whoever does righteous deeds whether male or female while he (is) a believer, then surely We will give him l a life good, and We will pay them their reward to (the) best of what they used (to) do.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:97)

Islam has an extensive tradition of protecting the civil liberties of women based on the guidelines set forth by God and His Prophet. It is this ethical vision of the Qur’an that insistently enjoins equality and justice, it is this liberating and revolutionary spirit of Islam that today guides our quest to be treated as fellow human beings of equal worth and dignity.

Here are some equal rewards & equal accountability:

1. A woman has the right to opinions and beliefs
2. A woman has the right to choose a spouse
3. A woman has the right to seek knowledge
4. A woman has all necessary for social life 
5. A woman has the right to employment
6. A woman has the right to freedom
7. A woman has the right to security
8. A woman has the right to work 
9. A woman utilize natural resources
10. A woman grants all rights in society
11. A woman has the right to go outside
12. A woman has the right to get an education
13. A woman has love & mercy in spousal relations
14. A woman’s civil rights cannot be forced to marry
15. A woman and every person has been created free

Islam holds great respect for mothers and endorses the followers to respect their mothers. “Paradise is at the feet of the mother.”In Islam both male children and female children are equal and a parent is as responsible for the education and upbringing of female children as they are responsible for the male. Allah says:

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا

“We have enjoined upon humanity good treatment to his parents. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship.” (Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:15)

We need not look any further to validate our struggle. Women’s rights were rooted in our tradition, in our faith. We were more convinced than ever that it is not Islam that oppresses women, but interpretations of the Quran are influenced by cultural practices and values of a patriarchal society
that regard women as inferior and subordinate to men. It is not a universal rule that women are half as intelligent as men or that their testimony is always half of a man. It would be foolish to treat both genders the same and to ignore their differences. Allah says:

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ

“The believing men and women are allies of one another.” (Surah Al-Tawbah 9:71)

Islam teaches that men and women have complementary, yet different, roles because it is best suited to their nature. Islam ensures that in both these roles sister and daughter women enjoy absolute respect, care, and protection. Allah says:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْأَزْوَاجَ كُلَّهَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْضُ وَمِنْ أَنفُسِهِمْ وَمِمَّا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

“Glory to He who created all pairs, from what the earth grows and from themselves and from that which they do not know.” (Surah Ya-Sin 36:36)

God created men and women to be different, with unique roles, skills, and responsibilities. These differences are not viewed as evidence of superiority or inferiority but of specialization. In Islam, the family is of central importance. The man is responsible for the financial well being of the family while the woman contributes to the family’s physical, educational and emotional well being. Allah says:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَأْتِي الْأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا

“Have they not seen that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?” (Surah Al-Rad 13:41)

As for the testimony of individual women, meaning women without men, it is accepted by the majority in personal rights which are usually not the purview of men, such as pregnancy, consummation, and ailments affecting women. en and women have similar rights in general, but men have an additional right over them due to their responsibility to provide for them and defend them.

Allah emphasizes the just treatment and reward due to both men and women in many verses of the Qur’an: Allah says:

• “And the male is not like the female.” (Quran 3:36)
• “They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them.” (Quran 2:187)
• “Live with them (your wives) in kindness. For if you dislike them – perhaps you dislike a thing and Allah makes therein much good.” (Quran 4:19)
• “Whoever does right, whether male or female, (all) such will enter the garden.” (Quran 40:40)
  “Does not the One who created, know? And He is the Most Kind, the All-Aware.” (Quran 67:14)

Islam proclaims that all human beings, men and women, are born in a pure state. The goal of every Muslim is to preserve this purity by shunning evil tendencies and beautifying their inner being with virtuous traits. Men and women have complementary rights and responsibilities. Aside from external and internal anatomical differences, scientists know there are many other subtle differences in the way the brains of men and women process language, information and emotion, just to mention a few. Allah says:

الرِّجَالُ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى النِّسَاءِ بِمَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ وَبِمَا أَنفَقُوا مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ

“Men are guardians over women by what Allah has favoured some over others and by what they spend of their wealth.” (Surah Al-Nisa 4:34)

In ancient societies, women were simply not qualified most of the time to lead the military because they generally lacked the physical strength required to be successful. There surely have been successful female military leaders, but again they are the exception. Allah says:

وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَمَسَاكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ وَرِضْوَانٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“Allah has promised to the believers, men, and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss.” (Surah At-Taubah 9:72)

The physiological differences between men and women in this regard cannot be ignored, as even today professional sports leagues are separated between men and women, and occupations like construction work and frontline combat duty are almost exclusively male. Even though there are plenty of exceptions to this general observation, as some women can be much physically stronger than some men, it is true on the whole and rules are formulated based upon the majority of cases and no exceptions. Allah says:

أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّا نَأْتِي الْأَرْضَ نَنقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا

“Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders?” (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:44)

Islam is the first sun that embraces women with a light of all social, economic, legal and political rights before 15 centuries. It is very unjust if anybody is blaming Islam for the present state of suppressing women. It is not Islam to be blamed it is because of forgetting the teachings of Islam. And so it is for men and women in general; no man is better than any woman, nor is a woman better than any man, except by righteousness.