THE POSITION OF
WOMEN IN ISLAM
Here are some further quotations from the Quran and Hadith regarding the position of women in Islam.
Some Verses of the Quran
Women shall, with justice, have rights similar to those exercised against them. (2:228)
Women shall have a share in what their parents and kinsmen leave, whether little or much, it is legally theirs. (4:7)
... Those that have faith and do good works, both men and women, shall enter the Gardens of Paradise and receive blessings without measure. (40:20)
Words of the Prophet Muhammad
The following traditions of the Prophet indicate the elevated function of women in Islam:
The best among you is he who is best for his family. For my family, I am the best of all of you. (At-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 3895)
The most perfect man of religion is one who excels in character. The best among you is he who treats his womenfolk best. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 6035)
From the above verses of the Quran and Prophetic Traditions, it is clear that, although males and females differ from one another biologically, they are equal in terms of human status. No distinction is made between women and men as regards their respective rights. This is all to the good if they are to be lifetime companions.
Man and woman, in the eyes of Islam then, are not duplicates of one another but complements. This concept permits the shortcomings of one sex to be compensated for by the strengths of the other.
It is a fact that women, in general, are not physically as strong as men, but their physical weakness in no way implies their inferiority to men. The eyes are the most delicate parts of our body, while the nails, by comparison, are strong. That does not mean that the nails are superior to the eyes.
Just as two different kinds of fruits will differ in colour, taste, shape, and texture, without one being superior or inferior to the other, so also do men and women have their different qualities that distinguish the male from the female without there being any question of superiority or inferiority. They are endowed by nature with various capacities to play their respective roles in life with greater ease and effectiveness.
However, regarding innate talents, all individuals, be they men or women, differ. Yet their need for each other is equal. All are of equal value. One is not more important or less important than the other. Similarly, when it comes to establishing a home and raising a family, men and women have separate roles to play. But each is vital. Each is indispensable to the other.
In Islam, therefore, a woman enjoys the same status as that of a man. But in ancient times, women were considered inferior and deprived, among other things, of the right to inherit property. Islam gave them their due legal rights over property for the first time in human history. Neither did it distinguish between men and women regarding status, rights, and blessings in this world and the Hereafter. Both were considered equal participants in carrying out the functions of daily living. As the Quran aptly puts it: “You are members, one of another.” (3:195)
