Women and Their Rights in Islam
Women’s right to be rewarded by God:
…Never will I waste the work of a worker among you, whether male or female…(3:195)
Whoso does that which is right, and believes, whether male or female, We will surely grant a happy life.And We will reward them according to the best of their actions.(16:97)
Women’s right to choose their husbands and to be treated with kindness by husbands:
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 dower [money given by the husband to the wife for the marriage contract] you have given them, except where they have been guilty of open lewdness;on the contrary live with them on a footing of kindness and fairness.If you take a dislike to them it may be that you dislike a thing, and God brings about through it a great deal of good.(4:19)
Women’s Right to a dowry (marriage gift)
And give the women (on marriage) their dower as a free gift;but if they, of their own good pleasure, remit any part of it to you, take it and enjoy it with right good cheer.(4:4)
But if you decide to take one wife in place of another, do not take back anything out of what you have given her, even though it may have been a heap of wealth.Will you take it back by slander and manifest sin?(4:20)
Women’s right to be financially provided for by husbands:
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….(4:34)
Those of you who die and leave widows should bequeath for their widows a year’s maintenance and residence.But if they (the widows) leave (the residence) there is no blame on you for what they justly do with themselves.(2:240)
Women’s right to inheritance:
Men shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, and women shall have a portion of what the parents and the near relatives leave, whether there is little or much of it;a stated portion.(4:7)
A woman’s right for a representative from her side during marital disputes:
If you fear a breach between them (ie. the man and his wife), appoint (two) arbiters, one from his family, and the other from hers;If they wish for peace (desire reconciliation), then God will cause their reconciliation (make them of one mind): for God has full knowledge, and is acquainted With all things.(4:35)
Women’s right to be treated justly during the divorce process:
And when you divorce women and they have reached (the end) of their waiting term, then either keep them honorably or set them free honorably, and do not hold them against their will in order to harm (them), and whoever does so wrongshis own soul… (2:231)
The right of women to pledge allegiance to a leader:
O Prophet!If believing women come to you and pledge themselves to serve no other deity besides God, to commit neither theft nor adultery, nor child-murder, to utter no monstrous falsehoods.
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آيات من القرآن والسنة تحس علي حسن التعامل مع المرأة
The Qur’aan enjoins good treatment of one's wife: she is to be honoured and treated kindly, even when one no longer feels love in one's heart towards her. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“and live with them honourably. If you dislike them, it may be that you dislike a thing and Allaah brings through it a great deal of good”
[al-Nisa’ 4:19]
2 – The Qur’aan explains that women have rights over their husbands, just as their husbands have rights over them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect) to what is reasonable, but men have a degree (of responsibility) over them. And Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise”
[al-Baqarah 2:228]
3 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) enjoined kind treatment and honouring of one’s wife, and he described the best of people as those who are best to their wives. He said: “The best of you are those who are the best to their wives, and I am the best of you to my wives.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 3895; Ibn Maajah, 1977; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.
4 – The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) spoke beautiful word concerning kind treatment of one’s wife, stating that when the husband feeds his wife and puts a morsel of food in her mouth, he earns the reward of doing an act of charity. He said, “You never spend anything but you will be rewarded for it, even the morsel of food that you lift to your wife’s mouth.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6352; Muslim, 1628.
5– And he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fear Allaah with regard to women, for you have taken them as a trust from Allaah and intimacy with them has become permissible to you by the words of Allaah. Your right over them is that they should not allow anyone to sit on your furniture whom you dislike; if they do that then hit them but not in a harsh manner. And their right over you is that you should provide for them and clothe them on a reasonable basis.” Narrated by Muslim, 1218.
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المرأة ومكانتها في الإسلام قديما.
Many of the female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential scholars and jurists.
We might also mention that while many in the West criticize Islam with regard to the treatment of women, in fact a number of Muslim countries have had women rulers and presidents.To name a few: Turkey;Bangladesh and Pakistan.
With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and obligations.
This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:
"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer."[Ibn Majah]
God has endowed her, with rights, such as to be treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage.
She has the right to be educated and to work outside the home if she so chooses.She has the right to inherit from her father, mother, and husband.
A very interesting point to note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of women.
A Muslim woman also has obligations.
All the laws and regulations pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc., apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with female physiology.
Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband.Islamic law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage.
The groom gives a marriage dowry to the bride for her own personal use.She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband's.
As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich.She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children.
She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.
Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been there for 1,400 years, while virtually all other major civilizations did not begin to address these issues or changetheir negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to do so.
In the midst of the darkness that engulfed the world, the divine revelation echoed in the wide desert of Arabia with a fresh, noble, and universal message to humanity:
"O Mankind, keep your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate (of same kind) and from them twain has spread a multitude of men and women...".[Noble Quran 4:1]
A scholar who pondered about this verse states: "It is believed that there is no text, old or new, that deals with the humanity of the woman from all aspects with such amazing brevity, eloquence, depth, and originality as this divine decree."
Stressing this noble and natural conception, them Quran states:
"He (God) it is who did create you from a single soul and therefrom did create his mate, that he might dwell with her (in love)..." [Noble Quran 7:189]
"The Creator of heavens and earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves" [Noble Quran 42:11]
"And Allah has given you mates of your own nature, and has given you from your mates, children and grandchildren, and has made provision of good things for you. Is it then in vanity that they believe and in the grace of God that theydisbelieve?"[Noble Quran 16:72]
The rest of this paper outlines the position of Islam regarding the status of woman in society from its various aspects - spiritually, socially, economically and politic.
, [02.12.19 19:17]
At a time when female children were buried alive inArabiaand women were considered transferable property, Islam honored women in society by elevating them and protecting them with unprecedented rights. Islam gave women the right to education, to marry someone of their choice, to retain their identity after marriage, to divorce, to work, to own and sell property, to seek protection by the law, to vote, and to participate in civic and political engagement.
In 610 C.E., God began to reveal the message of Islam to Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (pbuh), inMecca. Muhammad (pbuh) called people towards the belief in one God and encouraged them to be just and merciful to one another. In reforming the pagan Arab society, he particularly transformed their mindset regarding the treatment of women. Islam abolished the practice of killing female children and raised the stature of women in society to one of dignity, esteem, and privilege.
At a time when the rest of the world, from Greece and Rome to India and China, considered women as no better than children or even slaves,
with no rights whatsoever, Islam acknowledged
women's equality with men in a great many respects.
The Quran states:
"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest and peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Certainly, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." [Noble Quran 30:21]
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]