Status of Women in Islam

In the Islamic society the woman has an honoured position and, beside her legal and civil rights, enjoys special respect, love, affection, and the gentle feelings which she deserves most.

ls she not the compassionate mother, the beloved wife, and the affectionate daughter? The best expression of this reality is provided by the following verses from the Glorious Qur’an.

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ

“And We have enjoined man concerning his parents – His mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning takes two years – Be grateful to Me and to your parents. To Me is the eventual coming” (Surah Luqman 31:14).

وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰ أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا ۖ وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا ۖ وَاتَّبِعْ سَبِيلَ مَنْ أَنَابَ إِلَيَّ ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَيَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

“And they strive with you to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Keep company in the world with them kindly, and follow the path of him who repents to Me. Then to Me is your return and I shall inform them of what you did” (Surah Luqman 31:15).

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

“And We have commanded man to be kind towards his parents. With trouble did his mother bear him, with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months; until when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for your favour which you have bestowed upon me and my parents, and that I may do good which pleases you. And be gracious to me in the matter of my offspring. Surely, I tum to you, and surely, I am of those who submit” (Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:15).

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا

“Your Lord has decreed that you worship none save Him, and (you show) kindness to your parents. If one of them or both of them reach old age with you, say not ‘Fle’ to them nor repulse them, but speak to them a generous word” (Surah Al-Isra’ or Bani Isra’il, 17:23).

وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

“And make yourself submissively gentle with compassion and say: O Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did for me (when I was) little” (Surah Al-Isra’ or Bani Isra’il, 17:24).

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُمْ مَوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

“And of his signs is this: He created mates for you from yourselves that you might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Most surely there are signs in this for people who reflect” (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:21).

…وَعَاشِرُوهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ…

“… And treat them [women] kindly …” (Surah An-Nisa’, 4:19).

…وَلَهُنَّ مِثْلُ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ…

“…And they [women] have rights similar of those [of men] over them in a just manner…” (Surah Al-Baqara, 2:228).

وَإِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَبَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ سَرِّحُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ…

“When you have divorced women, and they have reached their prescribed term, then either retain them in honour or release them in kindness…” (Surah Al- Baqara, 2:231).

The Traditions of the Prophet, like the Qur’an, also lay emphasis on the honour and status of the woman and grants her a respectable place in society. When a Tradition speaks of a woman and her social position, it surrounds her with a frame of love, endearment, and affection, especially when it speaks of the mother, the wife and the daughter.

The Messenger of Allah (S), addressing the Muslims on the occasion of the Farewell Pilgrimage warned them against the values which he feared would be neglected after him, and referred to woman as one of the important issues about whom he said:

“Observe your duty to Allah in respect to the women and recommend them to be well treated.”[1]

According to the Imam Ja’far Al -Sadiq (‘a),[2] the Prophet stressed his proximity to woman and her position in his life, by saying:

“It is of the manner of the Prophets to love women.”[3]

He is also quoted to have said:

“I do not think that a man gets better in faith without loving women better.”[4]

A man once sought the Imam Al-Sadiq’s (‘a) advice concerning women, saying that as his wife, who was agreeable to him, had died, he wanted to marry again. The Imam told him, “See where you put yourself, whom you take as a partner in your life, and to whom you disclose your religion and secrets. So, if you have to, then marry a virgin known to be righteous and of good behaviour”

A man came to the Prophet (S) and asked him, “O Messenger of Allah! Whom should I be more dutiful to?” The Prophet (S) replied, “To your mother.” He asked, “Then to whom?” He replied, “To your mother.” The man again asked, “Then to whom?” The Prophet said, “To your father.”[5]

It is narrated that a foster-sister of the Prophet (S) visited him one day. He was very pleased with her, spread out his cloak for her to sit on, and conversed with her merrily. After she went away, her brother arrived, but the Prophet did not receive him as warmly as he had received his sister. Later on, when someone asked him the reason for receiving the sister more courteously than her brother, although a man, the Prophet replied, “Because she was more dutiful to her parents than he.”[6]

Abu Khadija quotes the Imam Al-Sadiq (‘a) as follows:

A man came to the Prophet and told him, ‘A girl was born to me. I brought her up till she reached puberty, I then dressed her, adorned her, brought her to a well and pushed her into it. The last thing I heard was her pitiful cry: “O father!” So what atonement may I offer?’

The Prophet asked him, “Is your mother alive?” He replied, “No.” He asked, “Do you have an aunt?” He said, “Yes.” The Prophet instructed him, “Then be dutiful to her, as she is like a mother, this will bey our atonement for what you have done.”

Abu Khadija asked the Imam; “When did the incident take place?” He replied, “During the period of Ignorance. As they used to kill the girls for fear that they would be taken captive and give birth to their children among other people” [7]

The Imam Al-Sadiq (‘a) is also quoted to have said: “Whoever provides sustenance for three girls or three sisters, Paradise will surely be his.” He was asked. “What if two?” He said, “Even if two.” He was also asked, “What if one?” He said, “Even if one.”[8]

The Imam Abu Al-Hasan Ar-Ridha’ (‘a) is quoted to have said: “The Prophet (S) said, ‘Allah the exalted is more kind to females than males. Whoever brings pleasure to a woman of his close relatives, Allah will please him on Judgement Day.’”[9]

The-Imam Al-Sadiq (‘a) said: “Sons are a favour and daughters are good deeds, Allah questions about the favours, but rewards the good deeds.”[10]

The above were some of the examples from Islamic texts concerning woman. It bis clear that Islam has called her to be honoured, affectionately treated, and cared for in an unprecedented way, which no other civilization, culture and society has ever done.

What we have just related is a proof of the spirit of Islam, which came to honour mankind, protect their rights and to spread the wings of mercy all over the world.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ

“We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds” (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:107).

Therefore, Islam, through the above-mentioned texts, speaks respectfully of woman – the mother, the wife, the daughter, the sister, endears her and takes care of her, stressing her being worthy of affection, mercy, and generosity. It recommends woman before recommending man. It regards the love of woman as a sign of faith. Nay, it even raises this love of woman to the level of being a ‘prophetic conduct’, and it looks at her as a trustee who looks after a person’s wealth, religion and secrets.

The Rights Of Woman In Society

Based on these principles, Islam grants woman equal rights with man, except where there are natural differences connected to the physical, psychological, and sexual constitution as well as social position.

Islam grants woman the following rights:

1. The Right To Learn

Actually, Islam commands both men and women to learn. A Tradition says: “Seeking knowledge is a duty imposed on all Muslim males and females.”

2. The Right To Work

Both man and woman are given the right to work. All religiously lawful works are open to woman as they are open to man. The married woman, however, is not allowed to work without her husband’ s permission, because matrimonial rights and family system come first in Islam. It is obligatory for the wife to protect family life and take care of household duties.

3.The Political Rights

In Islam the Woman enjoys full political rights, except nomination to the post of the Head of the State and a Judge which are exclusively reserved for a man. She participates in all political and social activities like electing the Head of the State, the nation’s representatives in the parliament, etc. She may be member of all kinds of establishments, organizations, and parties. She may even be a minister, a parliament deputy and may manage other diverse political posts.

The Qur’an speaks about women’s allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (S); and history is a witness that women did take the oath accepting the sovereignty of the Prophet and his successors:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِذَا جَاءَكَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰ أَنْ لَا يُشْرِكْنَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلَا يَزْنِينَ وَلَا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلَادَهُنَّ وَلَا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَانٍ يَفْتَرِينَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِي مَعْرُوفٍ ۙ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ

“O Prophet! If believing women come to you, taking oath of allegiance to you that they will ascribe nothing as partner to Allah, and will neither steal nor commit adultery not kill their children, nor produce any lie that they have devised between their hands and feet (forged) nor disobey you in what is right,[11] then accept their allegiance and ask Allah to forgive them. Surely Allah is Forgiving and Merciful” (Surah Al-Mumtahana, 60:12).

Actually, this oath of allegiance is obligatory on women as it is on men, since it is the acceptance of the religious guardianship of the Head or the “Imam” of the Islamic nation.

4. The Civil Rights

Woman, like man enjoys full legal rights. She may inherit, buy, sell, give, take, conclude contracts, etc. In Islam, the woman has legally an independent personality, and her obligations are independent from those of her father, husband, or brothers. Thus, the woman in Islam enjoys all rights and is treated equally to man in this respect.

——————————————————————————————————————————

References

[1] Al-Harrani, “Tuhafal ‘Uqul’ ‘An Al-Rasul”, p. 30.

[2] (‘a) abbreviation for the Arabic phrase (‘alayhi/ha/him as-Salam) (may peace be upon him/her/them).

[3] Al -Kulayni, “Furu’ Al Kafi,” Vol 5. p. 32. 3rd ed.

[4] Al -Kulayni, “Usul Al Kafi,” Vol 2. p. 159. 3rd ed.

[5] Al -Kulayni, “Usul Al Kafi,” Vol 2. p. 159.

[6] Al -Kulayni, “Usul Al Kafi,” Vol 2. p. 161.

[7] Al -Kulayni, “Usul Al Kafi,” Vol 2. p. 162.

[8] Al -Kulayni, “Furu’ Al Kafi,” Vol 2. p. 6.

[9] Al -Kulayni, “Furu’ Al Kafi,” Vol 2. p. 6.

[10] Al -Kulayni, “Furu’ Al Kafi,” Vol 2. p. 7.

[11] This is called “The Women’s Oath of Allegiance.” It was the oath exacted from men also until later on the duty of defense was added to the men’s oath.

The selection taken from the “The Muslim Family” by Al-Balagh Foundation.