By Mehdi Mehrizi
The status of woman and her position and role in society can be one of the best criteria for evaluating the level of any society or culture. Since women constitute half of the human society, they naturally have an important role in the upliftment or the downfall of their society and are a significant determining factor in the quality of growth of life.
The culture of a society is constituted of the customs, traditions, beliefs, attitudes and behavioral patterns of its members. Similarly, the culture of a school of thought is constituted of the principles, beliefs and actions of the founding members of that school of thought and thus, if one wishes to study any particular school of thought, an important source of reference would be to investigate into what its leaders and founders have to say. Thus, in order to understand the status of women in Islamic culture, we would likewise need to study what Islam and its leaders have to say as regards to women and their position and role, according to Islam.
However, before going any further into our discussion, what we need to understand is that when we speak of Islamic culture, we do not necessarily mean Muslim culture. Although Muslim culture is an extraction of Islamic culture, the two do not necessarily reflect the same values because we cannot ignore or overlook the fact that over the centuries, various Muslim societies have deviated from the original Islamic culture. This deviation, however, has been in varying degrees in the various Muslim societies in different parts of the world. As a result, what is reflected today, in the various Islamic societies of the world portrays Muslim culture and not necessarily the culture of Islam.
The true culture of Islam can be evaluated only through the Qur'an and the Prophetic Traditions (Ahadith) and by studying the lives, characteristics and the behavior of the Prophet (SAW) as well as the Infallibles (AS). On the other hand, Muslim culture can be evaluated by studying the norms and behavioral patterns of the Muslims and the cultural works of the writers, artists and poets of that culture. The fact, however, is that if one wishes to undertake a comparative study between these two cultures, one of the prerequisites would be to approach the study with an unbiased, unprejudiced and ethical view.
After distinguishing between Muslim and Islamic culture, we can now enter into our topic of discussion - the status of women in Islamic culture. We will base our discussion on three main sources: The Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet of Islam (SAW) and his Traditions.
The Qur'anic Viewpoint
While explaining the status and the role of women, the Glorious Qur'an elaborates on three aspects - individual, familial and social. Almost 200 verses in this Glorious Book discuss women and their status, roles and responsibilities in all the three above-mentioned aspects. According to the Qur'an, men and women have equal rights although on certain specific issues, these rights are not identical in appearance. This is because the divine laws take into consideration the fact that although men and women are both equally "human" and having the same purpose of creation, each sex also has certain specific needs and aptitudes, peculiar to its gender. We have classified fifteen specific points which stress on this judicious approach that go on to prove that Islam leaves no scope for gender discrimination.
1. Creation: The verses in which the Qur'an vividly describes the creation of man, his vicegerency, the prostration of the angels before Adam (AS), the blowing of His Spirit into man, the teaching of the divine "Names" to Adam, the Satan's whisperings, the deviation and disobedience of Adam (AS), the repentance of Adam (AS), etc; there is no specific distinction between man and woman. All these verses refer to "man" in general and speak of "human", "man", "children of Adam", etc. and thus do not distinguish or differentiate between man and woman.1
2. Common Potential: In respect with the potential to esoteric knowledge, the possessing of a divine spirit and innate nature, the powers of intellect and perception, ethical consciousness and divine vicegerency, the Qur'an does not distinguish between man and woman.
According to the Qur'an, all these characteristics are common between man and woman, and it relates to man and woman as being equal in these regards.
3. The Purpose of Creation: According to the Glorious Qur'an, the purpose of creation for both man and woman is the same. The divine purpose for creation are servitude (to Allah), the trial of man and the attainment of a pure life; and these are the same for both genders.
4. Human Values: As regards virtues and human values like faith, knowledge, purity, piety, and acts like good deeds, Hajj, the participation in holy war (jihad) etc., the Qur'an does not distinguish between man and woman.
The Qur'anic Verse 35 of the Chapter "The Allies", emphasizes on the equality of man and woman as regards virtues and human values. It says:
"Surely the men who submit and the women who submit and the believing men and the believing women, and the obeying men and the obeying women, and the truthful men and the truthful women, and the patient men and the patient women, and the humble men and the humble women, and the alms-giving men and the alms-giving women, and the fasting men and the fasting women, and the men who guard their private parts and the women who guard their private parts, and the men who remember God and the women who remember God - Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and mighty reward." (33:35)
5. Path to Perfection: According to Islam, both man and woman are commonly commanded by Allah to walk on the Straight Path and attain to Perfection.
6. Common Enemy: According to the Qur'an, the Satan is the common enemy to both man and woman; and both are equally susceptible to his evil guiles; and both are asked to guard themselves against the devious plots of this common enemy of mankind.2 As per Islam the Satan had tricked both man and woman together, at the beginning of creation and nowhere does the Qur'an hold woman solely responsible for the "downfall of man". 3
7. Man and Woman Complement Each Other: The Qur'an testifies that man and woman complement each other. 4
8. Believers and Unbelievers: The Qur'an uses the examples of women to describe believers and unbelievers; for example, the names of Maryam (SA) and Asiyeh (SA) the wife of Pharaoh, are used to describe pious and believing persons. Whereas the names of the wives of Prophet Nuh (AS) and Lut (AS) are used to describe disbelieving persons.
The Qur'an says:
"Allah sets forth an example to those who disbelieve the wife of Nuh and the wife of Lut; they were both under two of Our righteous servants, but they acted treacherously towards them so they availed them naught against Allah, and it was said: Enter both the fire with those who enter. And Allah sets forth an example to those who believe the wife of Pharaoh when she said: My Lord! Build for me a house with Thee in the garden and deliver me from Pharaoh and his doing and delivers me from the unjust people; And Maryam, the daughter of Imran, who guarded her chastity, so We breathed into her of Our inspiration and she accepted the truth of the words of her Lord and His Book, and she was of the obedient ones." (66:10-12)
9. Rewards: The Qur'an values the good deeds of both man and woman as equal and promises them the same rewards for kind acts and obedience, irrespective of gender. It says:
"So their Lord accepted their prayer: That I will not waste the work of a worker among you, whether male of female...." (3:195)
10. Different Responsibilities: In some Qur'anic Verses, Allah has enjoined certain specific duties and responsibilities on man, distinct from women. However, these verses do not hint at any discrimination between the two sexes. For example, the Qur'an says: "... and treat them kindly...." (4:19), making it the specific duty of men to treat women kindly.
11. Duty to Enjoin Good and Dissuade Evil: The Islamic duty of enjoining good and dissuading evil (Amr bil Ma'roof wa Nahy an il-Munkar) is expected to be followed by both man and woman, equally. The Qur'an says:
"And (as for) the believing men and the believing women, they are guardians of each other; they enjoin good and forbid evil...." (9:71)
12. Equal Participation: According to Islam, man and woman, both have equal rights to swear allegiance, take oaths, pledge or in modern terminology, to vote, elect or make agreements. The Qur'an says:
"O Prophet! When believing come to you giving you a pledge that they will not associate aught will Allah, and will not steal, and will not commit fornication, and will not kill their children, and will not bring a calumny which they have forged of themselves, and will not disobey you in what is good, accept their pledge, and ask forgiveness for them from Allah, surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (60:12)
13. Piety: The Qur'an enjoins piety and purity equally on both men and women. Chastity, according to Islam has to be maintained by both sexes. The Qur'an says:
"Say to the believing men that they cast down their looks and guard their private parts; that is purer for them. surely Allah is Aware of what they do. And say to the believing women that they cast down their look and guard their private parts...." (24:30-31)
14. Gender Equality: Islam strongly condemns discrimination between sexes and according to the teachings of the Qur'an, discrimination against the girl-child is a major sin. Prior to the revelation of the Qur'an, the status of women all over the world was very miserable. In most parts of the world, the birth of a female child was considered a curse and in some parts of the world like pre-Islamic Arabia, it had become a custom to bury baby-girls alive, as soon as they were born. Islam strongly condemned such barbaric customs and put an end to this evil practice. In this regard, the Qur'an warns:
"And when a daughter is announced to one of them, his face becomes black and he is full of wrath. He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that which is announced to him. Shall he keep it with disgrace or bury it (alive) in the dust? Surely now evil is what they judge." (16:58-59)
15. Respect to Both Parents: Islamic teachings make it incumbent on all children to respect both their parents and as per Qur'anic teachings, both the father and the mother hold a very respectable position. The Qur'an emphasizes that due attention and respect be given to parents and especially the mother. It says:
"And We have enjoined on man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth...." (46:15)
"And We have enjoined man in respect of his parents - his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years." (31:14)
Islamic Culture Through Prophetic Traditions:
In this section, let us refer to some of the sayings of the Prophet (SAW) regarding the status of women in Islam. The Prophet of Islam (SAW) has said:
"Women are equal to men." (Musnad-e Ahmad, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, vol 6, p. 256)
Elsewhere he (SAW) has said:
"Paradise lies under the feet of the mother." (Kanzul Omal, vol. 16, p. 261)
Paradise lies under the feet of women." (Al-Tabaghat al-Kubra, ibn Sa'd, vol. 2, p. 272)
The Prophet (SAW) used to pay deep respect to women and said:
"The best of you are those who treat women kindly." (Sunan-e-ibn Maj'e, vol. 2, p. 636)
Another famous Prophetic saying is:
"Generous men respect women whereas abased men disrespect women and are rude to them." (History of Damascus, vol. 7, p. 50)
All through his noble life, Prophet Muhammad (SAW) treated women very kindly and set an example for the followers of Islam to respect women and be gentle and generous with them. A Prophetic Tradition narrates:
"While distributing between your children, maintain fairness and equality. If I had the option of giving preference to anyone, I would have given preference to women over men." (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 3, p. 157)
The Behavior of the Prophet (SAW) towards Women:
Although quite common in those times and especially in the pre-Islamic culture, the Prophet (SAW) had never raised his hands on women. He always taught that only low men raised their hands on women and that good men never indulged in such lowly acts. (Al-Tabaqat al-Kubra, ibn Sa'd, vol. 8, pp. 204-205)
The Prophet (SAW) is known to have consulted his wives and his daughter on various issues. It has been narrated that every time he was approached for his daughter's hand in marriage, he would first consult her and would seek her views. Also it has been narrated that he (SAW) would consult his wives on medical issues and would take their advice.
Whenever the Prophet (SAW) went on a journey, he would take one or two of his wives along with him. (Sunan-e-ibn-e Majeh, vol. 1, p. 633)
The Prophet (SAW) paid great respect not only to women in his own family but treated all women in a very gracious manner. He always wished them and would go to visit them when they fell sick. (Sunan-e Tirmidhi, vol. 1, p. 456)
Women could approach the Prophet (SAW) easily with their questions and difficulties and he always welcomed them cheerfully.
From what we have discussed thus far, we can reach to a good understanding regarding the status and position of women in Islam. Let us conclude our discussion by highlighting the following points:
1. As regards human identity, men and women are equal in status, according to Islamic teachings.
2. According to Islam, both men and women have equal rights to reach perfection and excellence.
3. Unlike some deviated schools of thought, Islam believes that the innate nature of both men and women is pure and sublime.
4. According to Islam, women are not only free to participate in social and political activities, but under certain conditions, doing so becomes incumbent upon them.
5. Motherhood and the role of mothers is considered very important in Islam and special respect is given to mothers.
6. The Islamic culture encourages social interaction between believers to be based on human virtues and ethical behavior and not on gender basis.