Now let us compare the teachings of Islam, the status and rights it gives to woman, with her position under other religions. It will be seen how Islam has restored her rights as well as her dignity, assigned her a proper place in the society and protected her against not only the conceit of man but also from irrational and cruel customs. Even a cursory glance over the Qur’an is enough to disclose the difference between the attitudes of Islam and the pagan past in regard to women which, in the course of things, regulate all dealings with her, both at individual and social levels.
The Qur’anic verses referring to the fair sex, comprising half of humanity, create a sense of self-confidence in woman. They assign her a place in the society as well as in the sight of God and encourage her to make efforts for the service of religion and knowledge, cooperate in spreading goodness and virtue and build a healthy society. Wherever the Qur’an refers to God’s acceptance of good deeds, attainment of salvation and success in the hereafter, it refers to men as well as women.
“And whosoever does deeds of righteousness, be it male or female, believing – they shall enter Paradise, and not be wronged a single date-spot.”(13)
“And then Lord answers them: I waste not the labours of any that labours among you, be you male or female – the one of you is as the other.”(14)
The Qur’an promises ‘goodly life’ to men and women alike in an equal measure. This ‘goodly life’ means a life of peace and contentment and honour in this very world.
“Whosoever works righteously, male or female, and is a believer, We shall assuredly give him to live in a goodly life; and surely recompense them their wage for the best of what they have been doing.”(15)
The Qur’an’s elaborate style of mentioning both men and women as equally fit for attaining every individual virtue and being equally recompensed for their good deeds, righteousness and the religious duties performed by them is designed not merely to emphasize absence of any actual difference between the two, but also meant to drive home the capability of women to attain through their goodness a grace even higher than men for the latter were convinced to their own superiority, even denied all excellence to women, as it was then taught by all the religious philosophies and modes of thought. Now, read the following verses of the Qur’an keeping in mind the reason behind adopting a deliberately diffused strain
“Lo! Men who surrender unto Allah, and women who surrender, and men who believe and women who believe, and men who obey and women who obey, and men who speak the truth and women who speak the truth, and men who preserve (in righteousness) and women who persevere, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their modesty and women who guard their modesty, and men who remember Allah and women who remember – Allah hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward.”(16)
The Qur’an does not speak of women in regard to their goodness and devotions only, but also mentions them with men who attain knowledge and excellence and undergo hardship in bidding the good and forbidding the wrong. It wants men and women to unite their efforts in restoring goodness and righteousness.
“And the believers, the men and the women, are friends one of the other, they enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, they establish worship and they pay the poor due, and they obey Allah and His messenger. Those – upon them Allah will have mercy; Allah is Mighty, Wise.”(17)
The Qur’an promulgates a new order of nobility – it depends not on colour or race or sex but on piety.
“O mankind, We have created you male and female, and appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another. Surely the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you. Verily Allah is Knowing, Wise.”(18)
These verses were meant to inspire self-reliance, self-respect and courage among women or what our psychologists will regard is intended to shed her inferiority complex.
The result of these teachings was that in every age from the time of the Prophet of Islam to this day we find numerous illustrious women who achieved eminence as teacher, guides, fighters in the way of God and nurses in the battle-field, litterateurs, memorisers of the Qur’an, narrators of Traditions, pious and righteous, who have been held in the highest esteem by the Muslims.(19)
Islam gave women the right to ratify or annul her marriage, the right of inheritance and to own and dispose of her property, and several other rights besides the right to participate in congregational prayers. These can be found in any treatise on Islamic jurisprudence.
source : islam4all.com