Islam covers many lands with many diverse cultures. Islam has given dignity and respect to Muslim women in society and religion, Islam clearly establishes that men and women are equal before the advent of Islam, women were deprived of all the spiritual, social, economic, educational, legal and political rights. Women are not forbidden to work outside if they wish or need to, as long as she maintains their Islamic dress code. Alla 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)
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. The Quran says: Islam’s objective was and continues to be, to modernize our thinking, our living, our seeing, our hearing, our feeling and striving for the women’s upliftment and emancipation in the society. Alla says:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
“And among His Signs (is) that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you love and mercy. Indeed, in that surely (are) Signs for a people who reflect.” (Surah Ar-Rum 30:21)
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.
Here are some equal rewards and equal accountability:
- A woman has the right to participate and associate
- A woman conditions in their marriage contracts
- A woman has the right to opinions and beliefs
- A woman has the right to continue their lives
- A woman has the right to choose a spouse
- A woman has the right to seek knowledge
- A woman has all necessary for social life
- A woman has the right to raise children
- A woman has the right to health care
- A woman has the right to freedom
- A woman has the right to security
- A woman utilize natural resources
- A woman has the right to employment
- A woman has the right to live and exist
- A woman has the right to have a property
- A female worker might work as a male worker
- A woman has been ingrained upon every soul
- A woman keep their own last name after marriage
- A woman has created humans for a specific purpose
- A woman has the right to live in the presence of laws
Islamic law generally does not discriminate between genders in the regulations pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds… It also promises all Muslims, men and women, similar rewards and punishments. Islam provides for her to the extent that is needed of her. Her rights match delightfully with her obligations. Islam assigns a position of great honour to a mother. Alla says:
وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
“And among His Signs (is) that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you love and mercy. Indeed, in that surely (are) Signs for a people who reflect.” (Surah Ar-Rum 30:21)
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. 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. Islam in order to create a peaceful and balanced society entailing good Muslims.
Allah emphasizes the reward due to both men and women in many verses of the Quran:
- “God loves those who are kind.” (Quran 5:13)
- “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)
- “And for women are rights over men, similar to those of men over women.” (Quran 2:228)
- “And we have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his Parents, His mother bears him with hardship and she brings him forth with hardship.” (Quran 46:15)
- “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)
- “Does not the One who created, know? And He is the Most Kind, the All-Aware.” (Quran 67:14)
Islam considered giving women an equal entity and declared their status as a beneficial and important part of society. In religion Islam, the mercy of Allah is for all of mankind and makes no preference for sex. A woman is to be dealt with as God has invested her, with rights. She has the right to be instructed and to work outside the home on the off chance that she so picks. She has the right to be instructed and to work outside the home on the off chance that she so picks. Alla says:
أَلَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ
“Does not know (the One) Who created? And He (is) the Subtle, the All-Aware.” (Surah Al-Mulk 67:14)
Most non-Muslims who are completely unfamiliar with the teachings and beliefs of Islam turn to paint Islam with a brutal brush. From the beginning, Islam worked on creating equality among people and tried to eliminate the different barriers created by people that distinguished them from one another and let them feel superior or inferior. Women are empowered with many rights and protections under Islamic laws and are honoured with a dignified status in society.
Role of Muslim Women:
- The Quran and the role of women: As the Islamic state and religion expanded, interpretations of the gender roles laid out in the Quran varied with different cultures.
- Women as Mother: Islam holds great respect for mothers and endorses the followers to respect their mothers. “Paradise is at the feet of the mother.”
- Women as Sister and Daughter: Islam ensures that in both these roles sister and daughter women enjoy absolute respect, care, and protection.
- Women as Wife: Islam is the first religion that settled the rights of women as wives and associated the element of giving respect to them.
- Local cultural traditions: Many nomadic women, however, maintained their traditional freedom of movement and less restrictive dress codes even after conversion to Islam.
- Female political leaders in Muslim societies: Today there is a small but growing number of women in the parliaments.
- Women as religious leaders: Sufism is an important branch of Islam emphasizing mysticism and one’s personal relationship with God. There are numerous women teachers, preachers, and Islamist leaders.
- The “veil”: The veil is often seen in the West as a symbol of Muslim women’s subordinate position in society, but its meaning and use vary enormously in Muslim societies
Islam has an extensive tradition of protecting the civil liberties of women based on the guidelines set forth by God and His Prophet. Women are empowered with many rights and protections under Islamic law and are honoured with a dignified stature in society. Islam elevated the position of women in society and treated them on an equal footing with a man. Alla says:
مَنْ عَمِلَ سَيِّئَةً فَلَا يُجْزَىٰ إِلَّا مِثْلَهَا وَمَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَٰئِكَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ يُرْزَقُونَ فِيهَا بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ
“Whoever does evil then not he will be recompensed but (the) like thereof; and whoever does righteous (deeds), of male or female, while he (is) a believer, then those will enter Paradise, they will be given provision in it without an account.” (Surah AGhafir 40:40)
Islam is the first sun that embraces women with a light of all social, economic, legal and political rights. It is very unjust if anybody is blaming Islam for the present state of suppressing women. Islam gave a woman an independent identity, In fact, it is not Islam to be blamed it is because of forgetting the teachings of Islam. Religion Islam regards women as precious and valuable, not to be disrespected or disgraced. May Almighty Allah help us and guide us to follow the right path. Ameen!