Status of woman Islam

Outline:

Women right and Islam

Woman status before Islam

Status of woman as:

A mother

A sister

A wife

A daughter

Rights of ownership

Rights of employment

Political rights

Social rights

Woman and modern civilization

Human rights

Civil rights

Polygamy

Qur’an permits limited polygamy

In Islam woman has the status similar to man. She enjoys the same respect and honor as by the man.
The only difference between them is in the realm of physical work. It is responsibility of the man to
maintain, support and protect his family. The upbringing of the children and looking after of all the
household affairs are the responsibilities of the woman. Woman, as a mother, has a stupendous of
upbringing of the children which in turn is the future of a nation. It is clear and evident in the Qur’an
that there is no spiritual and intellectual difference between these two genders. Before ALLAH both man
and woman have same status. Both will get the reward of Heaven upon doing right thing and both will
get the same punishment of doing wrong things. Allah created man and woman from the same essence
and single soul. As ALLAH stated in the Holy book of Qur’an:

O mankind! Be delighted to your lord, who has created you from the single person (Adam) and from
him He created his wife (Hawwa, Eve) and from both of them He created many men and women; and
fear ALLAH through whom you demands, and (do not cut the relations of) the womb (the kinship) and
ALLAH is ever All-watcher over you.
Before the advent of Islam, woman did not have a respectable status in the society. Pagan Arabs used to
bury their female children alive, made women dance naked in the farewells in the vicinity of KAA’BA,
used them as a source of sexual pleasure and did not grant her any rights of inheritance.

Islam clearly abrogates these practices and provides women the respect and dignity which she deserves.
The sayings of ALLAH and His last Prophet clearly show the position and role of a woman in society.

Rights of woman as a daughter:

Islam strictly prohibits infanticide. ALLAH says in the Holy Qur’an:

And when the girl (who was) buried alive is asked, for what sin she was killed.

Islam does not like the different behaviors of parents on the birth of a baby girl instead of a baby boy.
ALLAH says in His last book Qur’an:

And when the news of (the birth) a female child is brought to any one of them, his face become dark
and his is filled with inward grief! He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that
whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonor or bury her alive? Certainly, evil is
their decision.

Holy prophet (SAW) had four daughters and he raised all of them with love and kindness. He did not
show grief of having daughters instead of sons. Ha said:

One who has two daughters and supports them until maturity, he and I will come on the Day of
Judgment as this ( he pointed his fingers held together)

Islam grants woman with all the fundamental basic rights and among them is the universal right of
education. Holy prophet (SAW) said:

Seeking knowledge is mandatory for all the Muslims.

The word Muslims here not only represent male but females too. It is the responsibility of the parents to
educate their daughters as they educate their sons without any discrimination.

Rights of woman as a mother:

The Qur’an elaborates the rights of the parents:

And your Lord has decreed you to worship none but Him. And you to be dutiful to your parents. If one
or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect nor shout at them but
address them in terms of honor. And lower unto them the wings of submission and humility through
mercy, and say; my Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.

This shows that parents have rights next to worship of ALLAH.

The status of mother is much higher than father as it proves from the saying of Holy Prophet (SAW):

A man came to the Holy Prophet (SAW) and asked, O Messenger of ALLAH, who among the people is
most worthy of my good companionship? Prophet (SAW) replied “your mother”. He asked “then
who?” He (SAW) replied, “Your mother.” He asked again “than who?” He (SAW) replied “your mother.
On fourth time He (SAW) replied your father.
This clearly shows that the mother holds a position higher than father. The Holy Prophet (SAW) also said
that:

Heaven is under the feet of mother.

Rights of woman as a wife:

In a marriage, woman has very favorable and supportive rights. Her entire responsibility falls on her
husband. Man has the duty to maintain and protect his wife and provides her with the basic necessities
according to his social status. Man has the responsibility to lead his family within the framework of
mutual consultation and harmony.

Woman has the right to accept or reject the proposal. Her consent in marriage is as important as that of
man. A marriage cannot be effective without her approval. No one force her and deny her fundamental
right which Islam grants her.

It is the right of the wife to be treated with love and kindness. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said:

I command you to be good to woman.

The best among you are those who are best with their wives.

A man should treat his wife with compassion and kindness because according to Qur’an he will be
answerable before Allah about this as Allah says in the Qur’an. Islam urges the husband to show
kindness and be considerate to his wives even if the wife falls out of favor with her husband.

…and live with them with kindness. For, if you dislike them perhaps you dislike a thing and God makes
therein much good.

Where marital disputes arise, Quran encourages the couples to resolve their differences privately and if
they failed then allows the family intervention on their behalf to restore the mutual consent.

Divorce is the last resort, permissible but not encouraged. Forms of marriage dissolution include an
enactment based on mutual agreement, the husband’s initiative, the wife’s initiative (if part of her
marital contract), court of law’s decision on a wife’s initiative( for a legitimate reason), and wife’s
initiative without a reason provided that she returns her marital gifts to her husband. When the
continuation of the marriage is impossible for any reason, men are still taught to show kindness to their
wives and leave them in a respectable manner as provided by Islam. Allah says in the Qur’an:

And when you divorce women and they have fulfilled their term (i.e waiting period), either keep them
with kindness or release them in kindness and do not keep them, intending harm, to transgress
(against them)…..

Following are the rights of sisters:

According to the Holy Prophet (SAW):

Women are the shaqa’it (twin halves or sisters) of men.

This saying is the profound statement that directly relates to the issue of human equality between the
genders. The Arabic word Shaqa’it has two meanings, twin halves, it means that male is worth of one
half and female that of other. The other meaning is sister which means the same.
The Holy Prophet (SAW) taught kindness, respect, companionship and care for the women in general.
He said: I command you to be good to woman.

In Islam, woman enjoys respect, dignity, care and kindness in every relation and position in the society.
While in the west, women are exploited and dishonored in the name of so called freedom that Islam
does not provide to the women. The basic reason, that a large number of women in the west are
embarrassing Islam, is that this system provides them what they want and what can lead them to the
higher position. The woman in the west is fed up and wants freedom from this hypocrite society.

Islam decreed right to which woman was deprived before and even after the advent of Islam. Islam
acknowledges the right of ownership of the woman. She has the rights to attain property and there is no
difference in it whether she is single or married. She has the right to buy, sell, mortgage, and lease her
property.

In Islam, woman has the right to continue with her same name and there is no need to use husband’s
name if she wants so as her own identity. There is no compulsion regarding this. She has the right to be
known by her own identity which can add confidence in her personality. This facility is not provided in
other religions or cultures in the world.

The rights of the women in the election, which is known as political rights, are clearly evident in the
history of Islamic civilization. We have many examples regarding this as Hazrat Ayesha (R.A) was a
known lady of her time and after the death of Holy Prophet (SAW) his companions used to consult
important matters from her. She (R.A) is the narrator or many traditions which hold the authenticity.
Even in the life of Holy Prophet (SAW) women used to participate in public affairs and argued directly
with the Holy Prophet (SAW). In the regime of Hazrat Umer (R.A), a woman criticized his opinion about
limit the dower which he acknowledged.

In Islam the head of the state is no mere figurerhead. He leads people for prayers on Fridays and
festivities. He continuously engaged in decision making pertaining to the security and well being of his
peoples. This demanding position, or similar like commander of army, is generally inconsistence with the
physiology and psychology of the female. Medically, it is evident that women go psychological and
physiological changes during their monthly periods and pregnancies. Emergency situations can create
similar changes which can affect their decision making abilities. Also some matters require more
rationality than emotionality which clearly, is not her domain.

Even in the modern world, the most developed countries, we rarely find a female head of the state, a
woman commander of a army or even a proportionate member of woman representative in the
parliament or similar bodies. One cannot possibly ascribe this as backwardness because labor of division
is a fact referring to the natural physical and physiological difference between man and woman.

Muslim women are allowed to go in the community, working or visiting her female friends with the
permission of her guardian/husband and they are covered, behave and speak according to Islamic rules
and principals, and if necessary escort their Mehram. However, a woman’s home is her base that she
works from. Allah says in Qur’an:

O wives of Prophet! You are not like other women. If you keep your duty (to ALLAH), then be not soft
in speech, lest he is whose heart is a disease (of hypocrisy or evil desire for adultery etc.) should be
moved with desire, but speak in an honorable manner. And stay in your houses and do not display
yourselves like that of times of ignorance and offer prayers, give zakaat and obey Allah and His
Prophet….
The Holy prophet (SAW) said:

If someone’s wife asks his permission to go to the mosque, he should not deny it to her.

Women should cover her according to Islamic guidelines and act like an Islamic woman. At the same
time a woman’s prayer in her house is better as He (SAW) explained further on an occasion;

But their homes are better for them.

The system of polygamy is explained in the Islam and there is no skepticism regarding this. Polygamy has
two forms. Polygamy which means a man can marry more than one woman which is permissible in Islam
with limited polygamy. Polyandry which means a woman marries more than one man is totally
prohibited in Islam. Islam gives the right to man to marry more than one woman on the condition of
justice between and at the same time warns that he cannot do that so it’s better for him to keep one
wife. In Qur’an

…marry women of your choice two. Three or four; but if you fear that ye shall not be able to deal
justly (with them) then only one.

Keeping more than one wife is not necessary for a man but it is an option and permissible for him. It
does not mean that a man having more than wives is better than a man having one wife.

Broadly Islam has five categories of Do’s and Don’ts:

Farz: compulsory or obligatory

Mustahib: recommended or encouraged

Mubah: permissible or allowed

Mukroh: not recommended or discouraged

Haraam: prohibited or forbidden

Keeping more than one wife falls in the middle category and means that if a man can act justly than he
can have more than one wives.