Islam is one if the most misunderstood religion of the world not only in amongst the Muslims but also amongst the non-Muslims. Despite the first pronouncement in the holy Quran being the first call for “IQRA” or READ the world of Islam rates low in education statistics, with education amongst women being the lowest in the world. Islam is a complete code of conduct and integrates men with God. It awakens the conscience of man and invites him to deal with life, in all the walks of life in accordance with his commitments to God. It is a religion of peace, tranquility and tolerance and the social system of it is based on justice for all. There are clear and ample guidance both in Quran and Sunnah in support of the greatest status of women in Islam but despite all these things the negativism in men towards women are numerous. A great scholar Fazlur Rahman says about the tragedy of Muslims: “Those who understand the demand of modern society, do not know Islam and those who understand Islam do not know how to adopt Islamic teaching according to the demands of a rapidly changing society within the limits of Quran and Sunnah.”
Before the rise of Islam, a woman was an ignored and rejected person and she was merely used as a source of procreation of children for the husband and masters. All incredible cruelties were inflicted on her person and her every utterance for her status and equality in society proved a cry in the wilderness. But with the emergence of the new faith, radical change in the society took place and the holy prophet (PBUH) initiated a thorough change in the condition of the women. Women were placed on a footing of perfect equality with men in the exercise of all legal rights and functions. For the first time, in the law of inheritance, rights of the women were recognized by the state not only in the property of their parents but also in the property of their deceased husbands. In Islam, marriage is regarded as social contract entered into by the parties on a footing of equality and by the free consent of the parties. The holy prophet (PBUH) advised women to be virtuous and dutiful to their husbands. He once said: “The world and all the things in it are valuable, but the most valuable thing in the world is a virtuous woman.” The holy prophet (PBUH) many times emphasized the human universal character of Islam, for example: “None of you is a believer until he desires for his brother what he desires for himself.” After the last pilgrimage addressing to the Muslims the prophet (PBUH) stressed the following verse in the holy Quran: “O mankind; We created you from a single pair of male and female.” (49:13).
The Quran provides clear-cut evidence that woman is completely equated with man in the sight of God in terms of her rights and responsibilities. The Quran says: “Every soul will be (held) in pledge for its deeds.” (74:38). In Sura No.16 Verse No.97 it also states: “Whoever works righteousness, man or woman and has faith, verily to him We give a new life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.”
Muhammad Islam Chaudhry in the Sages of the Ages writes: Before the advent of Islam women had a very low status and they were regarded only playthings for sexual pleasure. She was the most neglected and misfortunate person who always led a miserable life. She had no status and position in the social system and polygamy was common in those days. The birth of a daughter was considered to be a matter of contempt and they used to bury their newborn daughter alive because of the feeling of shame. But this cruel and shameful action or practice of the Arab was stopped by the holy prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and women was given an equal status of men because of the preaching and teaching of the prophet which was based on equality, fraternity and liberty.
Murtaza Mutahhery in the Woman and Her Rights mentions: unlike some other religious books, there is no mention in the Quran that woman has been created for some inferior materials, or that she has any parasitic and leftist aspect. Islam does not support that the spouse of Adam was created of his left limb. Islam has no contemptuous view of women in regard to her nature and innate character.
According to Fatima Umer Naseef “Islam reinstated the status and dignity of women in the society and clearly announced that women play an important role in the progress and development of nations. It provided full rights to the women making it clear in the Quran and this can not be changed or denied. Islam also banned on the burial of daughter alive and provided them protection with great love and mercy. Thus, it saved them from any kind of contempt. The protection and security, which Islam provided to them are so great that it was neither provided centuries ago nor now in the societies who claim to be the champion of human rights”.
Islam raised the status of women and gave them humane, civil, social and economic rights never previously given to them. In Islam they have an independent personality, equal to men in religious duties, in education and in defending her beliefs. She is free and has complete control of her possession. But this is a known fact that rights given to women by Quran and Sunnah are denied by the society, reason being the ignorance. In addition to ignorance and unawareness, women do not know how to demand these rights. The position of Islam on the role of women in society is simple and clear. It is based on the established Islamic concept whereby Islam regards women as man’s partner in carrying on God’s viceregency on earth; together they form the two poles without which the balance of their viceregency is impossible. But one cannot deny certain physical and biological differences between men and women. These differences of men and women in physique and capacity for work can by no stretch of imagination form a criterion for establishing superiority of one over the other. Thus, men and women take on together the same status in the eyes of Islam.
In today’s world women position and status has been much elevated and now she is on an equal footing with man in all the walks of life. She is considered equal to man in religion, social, political and patriotic responsibilities. Now her family does not force her for marriage and she is fully independent to give her consent. She has share in the inheritance and is given the privilege to speak for her right.
Will Durrant, the well-known philosopher and author of “History of Civilizations” as quoted by Murtaza Mutahhery says: “If we suppose that what was the biggest event of the first quarter of the 20th century, we will notice that it was neither the First World War nor the Russian Revolution, it actually was the change in the position of women. History has seldom witnessed such an existing change in such a short time. The home, which was the basis of our social organization, the conjugal system, which prevented debauchy and gave stability to family life, and the complex moral laws which help us in advancing from barbarism to culture and orderly social behavior, all have been upset by this revolutionary change.”
We will conclude by saying that Islam championed all movements to improve the status of women at a time when societies were overtly traditional and socially underdeveloped. Islam is one of those religions, which has discussed in detail about the status of women and their role in the society. It has generally placed men and women on a footing of equality and accorded to them great status in all the fields of life. The Muslim woman has an independent personality, equal to men in religious duties, in the rights to education, in regards for her deeds as well as in defending her beliefs. She is free to choose to her life partner and to keep her maiden name after marriage if she so wishes. She has a right of inheritance, from her father and husband. They have also the political rights of election as well as nomination to political offices. Islam has given the verdict to treat women very kindly and the prophet (PBUH) had great sympathy for them whom He considered to be the weaker section of society. In his last sermon delivered at the time of the last pilgrimage he said: “Treat the women kindly, they are your helpers and are not in a position to manage their affairs themselves. Fear Allah concerning women, for verily you have taken them on the security of Allah and have made their person lawful unto you by words of Allah.”
Therefore, being a Muslim, it is our moral duty to treat the women very kindly and to consider them as equal to men because the holy Quran has already declared the doctrine of equitable treatment of women in ringing words: “Lahunna mithlul ladhi alayhinna” (their rights are equal to their obligations). It is this doctrine, which makes their social status in Islam quite unambiguous.
