THE OBLIGATIONS AND
RIGHTS OF WOMEN

Both, a woman and a man are obliged to believe in the oneness of God, without which there is no salvation. Both men and women are also required to say the obligatory prayers and keep the fasts. A woman who is sufficiently capable and talented may earn her livelihood outside the home. Islam attaches particular importance to morality and exhorts both men and women to be morally responsible to each other and, most importantly, to God.

For the first time in human history, women were given their due legal rights, thanks to Islam, which specifies that property must be divided among the rightful heirs, which included women. A woman can possess a property separately, and neither her father nor her husband can exercise any right over it. On this subject, a retired Chief Justice of the Delhi Court, Mr. Rajinder Sachar, had this to say: "Historically, Islam had been very liberal and progressive in granting rights to women. Islam had granted these rights to Muslim women over 1400 years ago." (The Statesman, New Delhi, April 26, 1986)

Entitling women to have a share in the property, contrary to the custom of the time, is clear proof that Islam had no desire to degrade them. A woman also has the right to demand maintenance, and the court can ask her father or her husband for a contractual sum. At the time of marriage, a woman is entitled to mehr or dower, which should be solely in her name, not her father’s. The mehr or dower is in no way a payment for conjugal rights. It is, in fact, a token sum of money, which symbolizes, in material form, the man’s responsibilities towards his wife till his last breath.

A woman is also free to give or refuse her consent to marriage. No one can force her to marry against her will. At the time of the marriage, she is required to give her consent, failing which the marriage would be invalid. Marriage, according to Islam, is a bilateral contract based on the free consent of the two contracting parties. The Prophet of Islam said, “An unmarried girl should not be married until her permission has been taken.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 5136)

We can see that besides giving respect and equality to women, Islam gave them many rights.