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Women In Quran and Sunnah

As we all know that the Islamic religion doesn’t differentiate between men and women as far as their connection with Allah Almighty is concerned, as both women and men are guaranteed the same reward for their good deeds and same punishment for their bad deeds. The Quran says:

“And for women are rights over men similar to those of men over women.” (2:226)

The Quran when addressing the believers; usually uses the utterance, ‘believing men and women’ to stress the equality of both men and women with reference to their particular rights, duties, merits and virtues. It says:

“For Muslim men and women, for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast, for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah’s praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward.”(33:35)

This certainly opposes the assertion of the Christian Fathers that women do not have souls and that they will exist as sexless beings in the life in hereafter. The Quran also states that women possess souls in precisely the same way as men and they will enter Paradise (Jannah) if their deeds are good: “Enter into Paradise, you and your wives, with delight.” (43:70)

The Quran also reprimands those men who abuse or ill-treat women: “O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given them – except when they have become guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike something and Allah will bring about through it a great deal of good.” (4:19)

In view of the fact that before the arrival of Islam the heathen Arabs used to bury their new-born baby girls alive, treat women as more items or objects of sexual pleasure having no position or rights and make women dance naked in the area of Khana Kaaba during their annual fairs, these guidelines or teaching of Holy Quran were revolutionary. Unalike, many other religions, which see women as being possessed of wickedness and inherent sin and men as being possessed of aristocracy and inherent virtue, Islam considers both men and women as being of the same essence made from a single soul. The Quran says:

“O mankind! Reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from this pair scattered (like seeds) countless men and women. Reverence Allah, through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and reverence the wombs (that bore you); for Allah ever watches over you.” (4:1)

In Islam, a woman is an absolutely independent personality. She can make any type of contract or legacy in her own name. She has complete liberty to select her husband. The heathen of Arab people before revelation of Islam had an illogical prejudice against their female children whom they used to bury alive. The Holy Prophet PBUH was totally against to this custom. He showed these Arab people that helping and supporting their female children would act as a shield for them against the Hell fire.