Women in Islam are seen as the greatest treasures this world has to offer. Not speaking in a sense of possession of course, but rather in the sense of creation. The Prophet of God, Mohammed once said, 'There is no greater treasure on this Earth than a good pious believing woman'. Islam was the first way of life in the entire world to give women an equal status to men in the civilized world. Difficult to believe? Lets take a look at the facts then.

Ancient Greece - women held no position in politics, had no right to vote, but were rather treated as 'sex objects'

Ancient Egyptians - With the exceptions of the Pharaohs families, other women were considered inferior

Middle Ages Europe - Women when stood up for their rights were burnt and termed as 'witches' by the Church

Old Sub Continent India - Women were treated as personal possession of their husbands and burnt along with their bodies when the husband died.

The Americas - Women got the right to vote in 1920 before that they had no voice in politics at all

Australia - Was mostly inhabited by nomadic tribes until the British arrived there

Scandinavia - Was inhabited by Barbarians in the middle ages where women were treated as objects

Africa & Middle East - Women were thought to be a burden and often baby girls were buried alive

And now in comparison we have Islam: 1500 Years ago, before any of these civilizations even conceived of giving women their rights, Islam gave them, the right to vote, the right to work, the right of divorce, the right to hold opinions in public and political matters, the right to personal property, the right to choose who to marry, and the right to freedom of worship.

So why are Muslim women always portrayed as being suppressed on Television and in newspapers and magazines?

The truth is, after the fall of the Muslim Empire in the 1800's, in many places culture and nationalism over shadowed the teachings of Islam. Take for example the tribal areas in Pakistan, where women are not given their rights despite the men being Muslims! This is suppression as seen by Islam! At the end of the day it is the responsibility of the people to ensure that they follow Islam so that everyone gets their rights. But unfortunately despite being many, the Muslims have strayed from the teachings of Islam. That is the same reason why no one should judge Islam based on the actions of an individual - because individuals can change but Islam does not change since it is the Truth from God.

Another aspect is the media using 'double standards'. How? Well simply look at this fact: Nuns can cover from head to toe and are seen as religious figures, and as women who are devoted to God. Yet when a Muslim woman covers for the sake of God, she is portrayed as being suppressed. And to top it off the media itself takes away from these Muslim women their right for self expression. Who is the media to dictate what should be worn or not? Each culture, religion, and people have their customs and traditions, each has their right to practice it freely. But the Media seems to forget that when it comes to Islam and Muslims, yet when in contrast we have women nearly taking everything off and putting on string bikinis, that is seen and portrayed as 'modern'. If indeed nudity is a measure of 'modernism', then they should just be naked and save millions on clothes!

All that being said we also need to establish one more thing. In Islam ,Allah has assigned roles and duties to each gender. Why? Well simply because a man can not give birth to a child or breast feed the baby! And a woman can not be physically stronger than a man in muscle structure (when taking a pair of normal male and female). The truth is women and men are NOT equal where physical and psychological issues are concerned! That is just a fact, for them to be 'equal' they would have to be exactly the same in their physical structure and their psychological structure as well. This does not mean they don't hold equal status; it is just a biological observation. After all no one expects men to get maternity leave and men don't have to deal with menstrual cycles. That is why in the Quran Allah says,

	Al-Quran, Chapter 2 Al Baqara, Verse 228
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful ...And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them and Allah is Exalted in Power Wise.

So why do men have a degree of advantage over them? The answer to that is directly tied to 'gender roles and responsibilities'. Let us take a look at them in some detail: Allah has ordained that,

It is the duty of the men to provide for the entire family - it is obligatory on them! The woman has no such obligation upon her.

What property or money a woman has is hers and hers alone, the man has no right over it! Yet the woman has a major right over the property and money of her husband.

Women are not house maids!! The husband and wife are to partake in household duties together to the extent that women have been given the right to ask for a maid if needed.

Children are to favor the mother above the father - if the father and mother call at the same time, the child should respond to the mother first.

So really what rights does a man have?, it seems there are more duties and responsibilities upon the man than there are rights! So Allah gave the man the right of being the figure head of the household and it brings balance to the equation. And that is why in the verse Allah says that men have been given a degree over the women. After all every plane has one Pilot, every ship has one Captain, every company has one CEO, every nation has one President, thus every household has one leader (who guides the family towards well being) and that right and responsibility has been given to the man. However keep in mind that does not mean that the man can do whatever he wishes! The man still has to stay within the limits set upon him by Allah and to respect and give the rights of his wife. This right merely makes him the figure head who represents the family and takes charge and has to face the responsibility of all affairs. This right has also been granted on the political avenue to men for leadership roles.

Because of their greater financial responsibilities, some categories of male relations, according to the inheritance laws in the Qur'an, inherit twice the share of their female equivalents, but others, whose responsibilities are likely to be less, inherit the same share -mothers and fathers, for instance are each entitled to one sixth of the estate of their children, after bequests (up to one third of the estate) and payment of debts. (Qur'an 4:11):
For parents a sixth share of the inheritance to each if the deceased left children;

If no children, and the parents are the (only) heirs, the mother has a third; if the deceased left brothers (or sisters) the mother has a sixth...
Women are thus well provided for: their husbands support them, and they inherit from all their relations. They are allowed to engage in business or work at home or outside the house, so long as the family does not suffer, and the money they make is their own, with no calls on it from other people until their death.

The same duties are incumbent on men and women as regards their faith:

	Al-Quran, Chapter 33 Al-Ahzab, Verse 35
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful 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 (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God's praise - for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward.

There are a few exceptions: women are given exemption from some duties,

Fasting when they are pregnant or nursing or menstruating,

Praying when menstruating or bleeding after childbirth, and

The obligation to attend congregational prayers in the mosque on Fridays.

They are not obliged to take part as soldiers in the defense of Islam, although they are not forbidden to do so.

But under normal circumstances they are allowed to do all the things that men do.

My Body or Me ?

Ideally speaking, women in Islam are treated like queens, indeed they are better protected from prying eyes gawking at passing women. Men are not allowed to treat them with disrespect, to look at them more than once, or to touch them -even to shake their hands - and if anyone spreads rumors about their chastity without the support of four eye witnesses to the act itself, they themselves are liable to punishment in this life and the hereafter

	Al-Quran, Chapter 24 An-Nur, Verse 4
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful And those who launch a charge against chaste women and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegation) flog them with eighty stripes: and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors

and

	Al-Quran, Chapter 24 An-Nur, Verse 23
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful Those who slander chaste women indiscreet but believing are cursed in this life and in the Hereafter: for them is a grievous Penalty

To make this demand for respect abundantly clear to the men the punishment for slander against women has been set high in the Quran. In addition for their own protection, women are asked in the Qur'an to be modest in their appearance and behavior, and not make a great display of themselves.

Ordinary Muslim women and men too are urged to lower their gaze in the presence of the other sex out of respect. Muslim women are asked to cover themselves in loose clothing as not to make their body shape apparent and to cover their heads - this commandment is for their own protection. Ask yourself this question - How often do you hear terms like, 'men think about sex every 5 seconds' and 'check out that chick' (said by a guy), and things like whistling at women and other flirtatious behavior.  This is because men are more easily sexually aroused and as a result resort to behavior which is centered around satisfying their libido. Apart from the loose clothing and covering of the head, many women also choose to cover part of their faces (veil) with their cloaks when they are amongst strange men. However the veil (known as Niqab) is not compulsory in Islam, only the covering of the head (known as Hijab) is compulsory. Those who regard the hijab or niqab as a form of exploitation should ask themselves which is more exploitative of women, the mini skirt or the veil?

Two sides of the same Woman
I can walk amongst the people discreetly with ease		Everyone looks at me when I walk down the street in my mini skirt, some even whistle
My choice to cover is for God, my aim is to please God		I dress to get attention, every man likes to see a sexy woman
I don't have to worry about fashion much		Fashion is a big issue, you have to look good
My beauty is for my husband to enjoy		My beauty is for everyone to enjoy
People treat me with care and hold a distance		Guys flirt with me, some even touch and put their arm around me
My personality is what makes me attractive, I prefer to be loved for who I am		Guys often try and pick me up, I am guessing its because I look hot
I am free because I choose to cover		I am free because I can show off my body

Always remember - Islam is a choice, for those who make this choice, don't grudge them for covering, respect them instead!

Misunderstood Hadith and Quranic Verses on Women

Women are evil omens

Once the Prophet of Allah, Mohammed said, If there is an evil omen in anything, it is in the house, the woman and the horse. [Sahih Bukhari Narrated by Ibn Umar]

The above Hadith is an authentic Hadith (saying of the prophet). Yet when someone would read they would surely say, 'oh my God that is just so sexist!' However, this is not a literal Hadith, it is a metaphoric one. The house in the saying represents 'property', the woman in the saying represents 'beauty' and the horse represents 'a ride - as a status symbol'. Ask yourself these questions:

Is it not greed for wealth and property which make many people do the wrong things?

Is it not the quest for beauty which often causes many people to hurt others feelings and reject perfectly decent and honest men and women for marriage. Or even to go and get cosmetic surgeries - breast implants, penile extensions, and who knows what else!

Is not a 'cool car' a symbol of your status, and causes many to go to extreme lengths to obtain the coolest car?  would you much rather drive a Mercedes Benz or a scooter, and why?

That is what that particular saying of the Prophet means, that these three things are evil omens and can cause many people to do the wrong things. It is not at all meant to be derogatory to women.

The Quran allows men to beat their wives, or does it?

This is one of the most widely misconceived belief amongst non-Muslims about Islam. It is based on the following verse 34 of chapter 4 of the Quran. In the verse we are told of a man whose wife is indulging in ill-conduct and being disloyal to him (i.e. cheating on him). Obviously this would make any husband very angry and he may even want to divorce his wife. However Islam discourages divorce and recommends it only as a last course of action. Below in red, along side the verses (in blue) is the scenario being described as it unfolds (to explain the verse better):

Chapter 4 An-Nisaa Verse 34
Men are the protectors and maintainers of women because Allah has given the one more strength than the other and because they support them from their means.
(Men have been naturally endowed a stronger physical structure so it has been made their primary duty to provide for the family by going out into the world and seeking livelihood, this is a duty they cannot abandon for any reason)
Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in the husband's absence what Allah would have them guard.
(Thus a wife is required to stay loyal to her partner and not commit adultery)
As to those women on whose part ye fear disloyalty and ill-conduct warn them first
(Here we encounter the example of a wife who is being disloyal or indulging in ill-conduct, the first recommendation to try and get her to stop being disloyal is to talk to her about it, warning her and telling her about the great sin involved)
Next refuse to share their beds
(If the wife refuses to listen even after you talk to them then stop sleeping with them, Obviously if she does love her husband, she would be highly concerned at this point. However if she doesn't care for him or love him, she wont care and as a result this will only make the man angrier)
And last hit them lightly But if they return to obedience seek not against them means of annoyance: for Allah is Most High Great above you all.
(At this stage the man is Obviously extremely angry at his wife for being disloyal and doing ill-conduct and may revert to physical violence, so Islam puts a prohibition even in this mans state of extreme anger, this is best described by the words of the Prophet: Listen! Follow my advice in treating women gently. This is because they stay with you restricted. You have no right over anything belonging to them except that they do not do anything shameful. In that case you leave them alone on their beds and beat them lightly so that they do not feel the pain. Then if they obey you do not oppress them. Remember, you have some rights over your wives, and your wives have some rights over you. It is your right over them that they do not defile your bed, and do not let such people as you do not like enter your house. Remember they have a right over you that you treat them well in feeding and clothing them. (Ibn Majah, Tirmizi)

So even if the husband is enraged and his wife does not listen to him nor cares weather he sleeps with her or not, even then the maximum the man can do with regards to physical action it to hit his wife in such a way that it neither leaves marks on her nor does it cause any pain. This particular verse in the Quran is often misinterpreted by non-Muslims because it is actually addressing a human reality. Spousal abuse takes place in all parts of the world, weather it is Pakistan or Canada or America or Japan. God knows the nature of men to be physically violent when angry, that is why the maximum He has allowed, even in the worst anger fits, is for the man to beat his wife in such a way that she doesn't feel any pain. And beating someone without inflicting pain or physical injury is equivalent to not beating them at all.

More evidence of this is found in the story of a companion of the Prophet who once got very angry at his wife because she was being disloyal. So he broke the smallest twig from a tree and tapped his wife on the arm with it to show how displeased he was. The Prophet said, "Does not that man amongst you feel ashamed that he beats his wife in the early part of the day and the very same day sleeps with her having sexual intercourse? Is he not ashamed of himself?" (Tirmizi)

In another narration the Prophet Mohammed said, "Such people who beat their wives are not the best amongst you" (Abu Dawood).

Yet in another narration the Prophet Mohammed said, "I do not like it that I should see anyone with swollen veins of his neck, standing over his wife beating her."

The Prophet Mohammed delivered the message of God to humanity: The Quran. IF the Quran supported spousal abuse then why would the Prophet be denouncing it? The message is very clear in Islam, a husband may not inflict physical harm upon his wife in any way and the wife may also not physically harm him. Marriage is for mutual co-operation and co-existence, thus both spouses must show love, tolerance, understanding and care for one another. The Prophet Mohammed was known for his gentleness with all people including his wives, he said, "The best amongst you is the one who shows kindness and is gentle with the members of his household." Therefore it should be very clear that Islam does not support spousal abuse in any form.

Women in the Qur'an and Hadith

The Qur'an has much to say both ABOUT women, and TO women. One Surah is called `Women', another is named after Maryam the mother of Jesus (pbuh). Women appear in many other parts. In stories of the prophets we have

Hawwa (Eve) the wife of Adam, no longer the temptress who leads Adam to sin but a partner jointly responsible with him and jointly forgiven by Allah soon afterwards.

There is the wife of Nuh (Noah) (pbuh) who betrays her husband and is held up along with the wife of Lot as an example of a disbeliever (66:10-11).

There is the wife of Abraham, who laughs at the news the angel brings, of the baby she is to have in her old age;

- The wife of Pharaoh, who saves the infant Musa (Moses) (pbuh) and, along with Maryam, mother of Jesus, is one of the two female examples of the good believer held up in Surah 66:10 & 11.

The wife of Aziz, who tried to seduce Yusuf (Joseph), is nevertheless treated with some sympathy, when she shows her friends how handsome he is and they all cut themselves with their knives because they are distracted by his beauty;

and there are more women besides the ones mentioned above.

It is noteworthy that the four women mentioned as examples are presented to both male and female Muslims to show how it is possible to be true believers in difficult circumstances, and disbelievers in favorable circumstances.

The two good examples believed in spite of the attitudes of those close to them, Pharaoh's wife saving Moses from her husband's wicked command to kill all the Hebrew firstborn sons, and Maryam confronting accusations of immorality when she brought home her baby after the virgin birth.

The two bad ones disbelieved in spite of being married to prophets of Allah. In neither case do these examples show the traditional picture of the `submissive' woman.


Then there are the contemporary women of the Prophet's household, his wives and daughters. One of his wives, Umm Salamah, complained to him that the Qur'an was addressed only to men, and then a long passage was revealed to the Prophet addressed clearly to men and women in every line, which states clearly the equal responsibilities and rewards for Muslim men and women.

	Al-Quran, Chapter 33 Al-Ahzab, Verse 35
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful 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 (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in God's praise - for them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward.

Aishah, his youngest wife, caused a scandal when she went out into the desert to look for a necklace she had lost there and got left behind by the caravan. She was rescued by a young man and came back with him and rumors spread that she had been dallying with him. This caused great pain to her and to the Prophet and it was a long time before they were relieved by another revelation, demanding that people making such accusations against chaste women must produce four eye witnesses to the act or suffer a flogging themselves and have their evidence rejected ever after.

	Al-Quran, Chapter 24 An Nur, Verse 4
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful And those who launch a charge against chaste women and produce not four witnesses (to support their allegation) flog them with eighty stripes: and reject their evidence ever after: for such men are wicked transgressors

There are passages specifically addressed to the wives of the Prophet as a group. For example:

	Al-Quran, Chapter 33 Al-Ahzab, Verse 32-34
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful O Consorts of the Prophet! Ye are not like any of the (other) women. If ye do fear (Allah) be not too complaisant of speech, lest one in whose heart is a disease should be moved with desire, but speak ye a speech (that is) just. And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like those of the former times of ignorance, and establish regular prayer, and give zakat (welfare due) and obey Allah and His Messenger. And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the family, and to make you pure and spotless. And recite what is rehearsed to you in your houses of the Signs of Allah and His Wisdom, for Allah is All-Subtle, All-Aware.

Other passages are addressed via the Prophet to his wives, daughters and the women of the believers.
Still others were revealed in answer to questions from ordinary women, like the one concerning the practice of divorce by abstinence within the marriage (zihar). A woman complained to the Prophet about this practice, which left the woman with no sexual satisfaction, but still not free to marry another husband and a verse was revealed condemning this practice.

	Al-Quran, Chapter 58 Al Mujadila, Verse 1
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful Allah has indeed heard (and accepted) the statement of the woman who pleads with thee concerning her husband and carries her complaint (in prayer) to Allah...

Another passage was revealed in answer to a woman's complaint about the way her husband wanted to have intercourse with her (2:223).

	Al-Quran, Chapter 2 Al Baqara, Verse 223
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful Your wives are as a tilth unto you; so approach your tilth when or how ye will. But do some good act for your souls beforehand; and fear Allah and know that ye are to meet Him (in the Hereafter) and give (these) good tidings to those who believe.

In 49:13, of the Qur'an we find that it is not gender but rather good deeds and awareness of Allah which make the believer, male or female, noble in the sight of Allah:

	Al-Quran, Chapter 49 Hujurat, Verse 13
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).

and in Chapter 40 we find:

	Al-Quran, Chapter 40 Mu'min, Verse 40
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful He that works evil will not be requited but by the like thereof: and he that works a righteous deed whether man or woman and is a believer such will enter the Garden (of Bliss): therein will they have abundance without measure.

And then again in:

	Al-Quran, Chapter 3 Al'-Imran, Verse 195
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful And their Lord hath accepted of them and answered them: "Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you be he male or female: ye are members one of another

And in:

	Al-Quran, Chapter 16 An-Nahl, Verse 97
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful Whoever works righteousness man or woman and has faith verily to him will We give a new life a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.

Women in Society

Islamic law makes no demand that women should confine themselves to household duties. In fact the early Muslim women were found in all walks of life. The first wife of the Prophet, mother of all his surviving children, was a businesswoman who hired him as an employee, and proposed marriage to him through a third party; women traded in the marketplace, and the Khalifah Umar, not normally noted for his liberal attitude to women, appointed a woman, Shaff'a Bint Abdullah, to supervise the market. Other women, like Laila al-Ghifariah, took part in battles, carrying water and nursing the wounded, some, like Suffiah bint Abdul Muttalib even fought and killed the enemies to protect themselves and the Prophet* and like Umm Dhahhak bint Masoud were rewarded with booty in the same way as the men. Ibn Jarir and al-Tabari siad that women can be appointed to a judicial position to adjudicate in all matters, although Abu Hanifah excluded them from such weighty decisions as those involving the heavy hadd and qisas punishments, and other jurists said that women could not be judges at all. The Qur'an even speaks favorably of the Queen of Sheba and the way she consulted her advisors, who deferred to her good judgment on how to deal with the threat of invasion by the armies of Solomon. (Qur'an 27:32-35):
She (the Queen of Sheba) said, `O chiefs, advise me respecting my affair; I never decide an affair until you are in my presence.' They said, `We are possessors of strength and possessors of mighty prowess, and the command is thine, so consider what thou wilt command.' She said, `Surely the kings, when they enter a town, ruin it and make the noblest of its people to be low, and thus they do. And surely I am going to send them a present, and to see what (answer) the messengers bring back.'
Women have sometimes headed Islamic provinces, like Arwa bint Ahmad, who served as governor of Yemen under the Fatimid Khalifahs in the late fifth and early sixth century.

Nor are women expected to do the housework. If they have not been used to doing it, the husband is obliged to provide domestic help within his means, and to make sure that the food gets to his wife and children, already cooked. The Prophet* himself used to help with the domestic work, and mended his own shoes. Women are not even obliged in all cases to suckle their own children. If a divorcing couple mutually agree, they can send the baby to a wet-nurse and the husband must pay for the suckling. If the mother decides to keep the baby and suckle it herself, he must pay her for her trouble!

This is laid down in the Qur'an itself:

	Al-Quran, Chapter 2 Al Baqara, Verse 223
	In the Name of Allah, The Benevolent, The Merciful The mothers shall give suck to their offspring for two whole years, if the father desires to complete the term, but he shall bear the cost of their food and clothing on equitable terms...If they both decide on weaning, by mutual consent, and after due consultation, there is no blame on them. If ye decide on a foster-mother for your offspring, there is no blame on you, provided ye pay what ye offered on equitable terms ...

What basis does all this leave for the male attitude that women are only fit for maternal and household duties?
Nevertheless the womanly state in marriage is given full respect in Islam, and so are the rights of children. No Muslim woman could feel ashamed to say she was only a housewife. She is the manager of her household, although the husband has the final say in major decisions. According to a Hadith:
The ruler is a shepherd and is responsible for his subjects, a husband is a shepherd and is responsible for his family, a wife is a shepherd and is responsible for her household, and a servant is a shepherd who is responsible for his master's property. [Hadith: Bukhari ]

Many Muslim women, from the Prophet's wives onwards, have aspired to the same degree of modesty and virtue as these passages enjoin and yet managed to participate actively in society by doing good deeds, working to help support their families, and/or pursuing their education. Women figured prominently among the earliest scholars of Islam. The Prophet's wife Aishah was one of the foremost transmitters of Hadith and, like other wives and Companions of the Prophet was often surrounded by students wanting to learn from her: one of her pupils, Urwah Ibn az-Zubayr said:
I did not see a greater scholar than Aishah in the learning of the Qur'an, obligatory duties, lawful and unlawful matters, poetry and literature, Arab history and genealogy.
Abu Musa al-Ash'ar_ said:
Whenever we Companions of the Prophet encountered any difficulty in the matter of any Hadith we referred it to Aishah and found that she had definite knowledge about it.
Hafiz ibn Hajar said:
... it is said that a quarter of the injunctions of the Shari'ah are narrated from her.

The Prophet* was keen to see that women were educated in Islam as well as the men and ordered the men to pass on what they had learned to their women:
Return home to your wives and children and stay with them. Teach them (what you have learned) and ask them to act upon it. [Hadith: Bukhari ]

Women can be educated by men. The Prophet sent Umar Ibn al-Khattab to teach the women of the Ansar:
It is reported by Umm `Atiyah thaat when the Messenger of Allah came to Madinah, he ordered the women of the Ansar (Muslims of Madinah) to gather in one house, and sent Umar Ibn al-Khattab to them (to convey the teachings of Islam). He asluted them while standing at athe door of the house and they returned his greeting. Then he said, `I am a messenger of the Messenger of Allah, sent especially to you.' [Hadith: Bukhari]

And women taught men too, not only the wives of the Prophet but many others later were teachers of men, e.g. Aishah bt. Sa'id Ibn Abi Waqqas, who taught the first compiler of Hadith, Malik; and Sayyida Nafisa, granddaughter of al-Hasan, the Prophet's grandson, who taught Imam Shafi'i, and much later a woman taught Ibn al-Arabi, the famous Sufi thinker and greatly influenced his thought.

Women's views were listened to, respected, and usually supported, by the Prophet as we have seen. Another example is when the Prophet's pilgrimage to Makkah was stopped by the Makkans who made an agreement with him that he and the Muslims could return the following year. He told the people to shave their heads and offer their sacrifices where they were, but they did not obey, so he asked his wife Umm Salamah, and she advised him to lead them by doing so himself. He took her advice, and it worked.

Woman Corrects the Leader of the Muslims (Khilifa)
One of the Khalifs of the Islamic empire, Umar(ra) forbade the people from paying excessive dowries and addressed them, saying: `Don't fix dowries for women over 40 ouces. If ever that is exceeded I shall deposit the excess amount in the public treasury.' As he came down from the minbar (platform), a flat-nosed lady stood up from among the women audience and said:

'It is not within your right.' Umar asked: `Why should this not be of my right?' She replied, `Because Allah has proclaimed, "Even if you had given one of them (wives) a whole treasure for dower, take not the least bit back. Would you take it by false claim and manifest sin?' (Qur'an 4:20)

When he heard this, Umar said: `The woman is right, and the man (Umar) is wrong. It seems that all people have deeper wisdom and insight than Umar.' Then he returned to the minbar and said, `O people! I had restricted the giving of more than four hundred dirhams in dower. Whosoever of you wishes to give in dower as much as he likes and finds satisfaction in so doing, may do so.'
Hadith: Ibn al-Jawzi

Umar also used to seek the counsel of Shaffa the market inspector, pay due regard to her and hold her in high esteem. (Ibn Hajar al-Isabah quoted by Hasan Turabi)


So, to conclude, these are the ideals to which Muslim women can aspire and frequently have done in the past. In a truly Islamic society, they are guaranteed

- personal respect,

- respectable married status,

- legitimacy and maintenance for their children,

- the right to negotiate marriage terms of their choice,

- to refuse any marriage that does not please them,

- the right to obtain divorce from their husbands

- custody of their children after divorce,

- independent property of their own,

- the right and duty to obtain education,

- the right to work if they need or want it,

- equality of reward for equal deeds,

- the right to participate fully in public life and have their voices heard by those in power,

and much more besides.

To read more about women's rights in Islam, refer to the Marriage page, which talks about rights and treatment in marriage.