In Islam, a woman enjoys the same status as a man. There is no difference between man and woman regarding status, rights and blessings, both in this world and hereafter. Both are considered equal participants in the carrying out the functions of daily living. According to Islamic belief, both men and women are born equal partners in life. In a refined expression of gender equality, the Quran declares: Never will I waste the work of any of you, be they male or female: You are members, one of another… (3:195) We find the exact definition in one of the sayings of the Prophet of Islam (the Hadith): Men and women are two halves of a single unit. (Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith No. 236) We see that both the sacred scriptures of Islam make it clear that neither sex is inferior or superior to the other. However, studies in biology and psychology show that the sexes are different, each being designed for a different purpose. So, the Islamic maxim for men and women runs as: Equal in respect but different in role.
Place of Woman in Islam - III