Women's Rights in Islam
Uploaded by dymedoutgymchick on Jan 11, 2007
Women's Rights in Islam
In the midst of the darkness that engulfed the world, the divine revelation echoed in the wide desert of
Arabia with a fresh, noble, and universal message to humanity: "O Mankind, keep your duty to your Lord
who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate (of same kind) and from them twain has
spread a multitude of men and women" (Qur'an 4: 1).
A scholar who pondered about this verse states: "It is believed that there is no text, old or new, that deals
with the humanity of the woman from all aspects with such amazing brevity, eloquence, depth, and
originality as this divine decree."
Stressing this noble and natural conception, them Qur'an states:
He (God) it is who did create you from a single soul and therefrom did create his mate, that he might
dwell with her (in love)...(Qur'an 7:189)
The Creator of heavens and earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves ...Qur'an 42:1 1
And Allah has given you mates of your own nature, and has given you from your mates, children and
grandchildren, and has made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in
the grace of God that they disbelieve? Qur'an 16:72
The rest of this paper outlines the position of Islam regarding the status of woman in society from its
various aspects - spiritually, socially, economically and politically.
1. The Spiritual Aspect
The Qur'an provides clear-cut evidence that woman iscompletely equated with man in the sight of God
interms of her rights and responsibilities. The Qur'an states:
"Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds" (Qur'an 74:38). It also states:
...So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether
male or female. You proceed one from another ...(Qur'an 3: 195).
Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has faith, verily to him will We give a new life that is
good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the their actions. (Qur'an 16:97,
see also 4:124).
Woman according to the Qur'an is not blamed for Adam's first mistake. Both were jointly wrong in their
disobedience to God, both repented, and both were forgiven. (Qur'an 2:36, 7:20 - 24). In one verse in fact
(20:121), Adam specifically, was blamed.
In terms of religious obligations, such as the Daily Prayers, Fasting, Poor-due, and Pilgrimage, woman is
no different from man. In some cases indeed, woman has certain advantages over man. For example,
the woman is exempted from the daily prayers and from fasting during her menstrual periods and forty
days after childbirth. She is also exempted from fasting during her pregnancy and when she is nursing
her baby if there is any threat to her health or her baby's. If the missed fasting is obligatory (during the
month of Ramadan), she can make up for the missed days whenever she can. She does not have to
make up for the prayers missed for any of the above reasons. Although women can and did go into the
mosque during the days of the prophet and thereafter attendance et the Friday congregational prayers is
optional for them while it is mandatory for men (on Friday).
This is clearly a tender touch of the Islamic teachings for they are considerate of the fact that a woman
may be nursing her baby or caring for him, and thus may be unable to go out to the mosque at the time of
the prayers. They also take into account the physiological and psychological changes associated with her
natural female functions.
