This clearly puts woman on a pedestal of personal and social respectability they never enjoyed before.
Islamic civilization rests on two cardinal principles. One, belief in God, and that He is the Lord and Creator of all humans. As such all humans are equal and have similar rights and obligations as servants of God. Second, all humans, men and women, are created "from a single person," (or "from a single pair of a male and a female"). In other words they are children of the same parents, members of one family, and have similar rights and duties. If the first principle represents God-man bond, the second stands for blood ties or man's relationship with his fellow men and women.
Most Westerners view Islam to be a religion that inherently oppresses women. However, once one examines the Qur"an, it is apparent that spiritual equality, responsibility and accountability for both men and women are well developed themes. Spiritual equality between men and women in the sight of God is not limited to purely spiritual, religious issues, but is the basis for equality in all temporal aspects of human endeavor. The concept of gender equality is best exemplified in the Qur"anic rendition of Adam and Eve. The Qur"an states that both sexes were deliberate and independent and there is no mention of Eve being created out of Adam's rib or anything else. Even in the issue of which sex was created first is not specified, implying that for our purpose in this world, it may not matter.
"O mankind! Be conscious of your Sustainer, who has created you out of one living entity (nafs), and out of it created its mate, and out of the two spread abroad a multitude of men and women. And remain conscious of God, in whose name you demand your rights from one another, and of these ties of kinship. Verily, God is ever watchful over you! (4:1)".
Qur"anic translators disagree on the meaning of "nafs" in the above verse which Muhammad Asad translates as "living entity.
(Qur"an 28:229). ... (Qur"an 4:32). ... (Qur"an 16:72). ... (Qur"an 9:71) This implies that men and women support each other not only socially but politically as well. ... In conclusion, the Qur"an states that both men and women are equal in the eyes of Allah, their God. ...
Women in Islam The status of Muslim women in neither a new nor a fully settled issue(Baldawi 131). ... Most stereotypes of Islamic women are a result from the way women are treated in Arabian times. ... The Qur"an states: "Never will I waste the work of a worker among you, weather male or female, the one of you being from the other" (Al-Qur"an 3:195). ... The holy book of Islam is know as the Qur"an, which means recitation, since the book is meant to be read aloud. The Qur"an has a somewhat different interpretation of the Adam and Eve story. ...
The Qur"an sura 82: The Tearing In this sura the people who had committed crimes are punished by the day of reckoning. ... (Verses 19-20) In the commentary the author points out that the question of what can tell you of the day of reckoning gives the readers a feeling of mystery and it is only a tiny piece of the puzzle with the other pieces somewhere in other poetic verses of the Qur"an. ... The Qur"an is just the opposite, leaving traces and hints of the components that all comes together to form the greater picture. ...
Islam is constructed as a living religious system, through Shari"a Law, birth, marriage, Funerary Rites, the Five Pillars, women's duties and food codes. ... Muslim women are limited and are deemed inferior to men, as creation beliefs see them as only evolving from Adam's rib. Muslim women are also expected to dress in an unpretentious and sanitary manner, in accordance to Islamic principals, only revealing their hands, face and hair. ... The reality that women are treated unequal to men because of Islamic beliefs of creation, and the fact that they cover their bodies to satisfy Qur"...
The Holy Book of Islam is called the Qur"an. The Qur"an is said to be the very word of Allah (Ismail K. ... Qur"an 5:32 ."... Qur"an 5:87 .and do not aggress; GOD dislikes the aggressors. ... Innocents, such as women children and invalids must never be harmed, and any peaceful overtures from the enemy must be accepted. ...
Muslims study the Qur"an which is the writings of the profit Muhammad. ... Views on Human rights seem to conflict between Islam and Christianity; specifically those of women. Most of the Christian world thinks Muslim women are treated as property and have few rights. ... The Holy Qur"an declares that men and women are born equal. ... ("Other Islamic Issues" 1) While many Muslim women do wear clothes that fully cover their bodies and heads this is more tradition than the Qur"an which only requires such clothing while in a Mosque. ...
In pre-Islamic poetry, poets used "wasf" for animals, plants, and women. In the Qur"an, it is used to describe the Day of Judgment and heaven. ... In contrast, Qur"anic verses give praise to Allah, for his mercy and greatness. ... the Qur"an asks. ... He is given due praise accordingly in the Qur"an. ...
A suicide bomber launches himself into a bus full of women and children in Tel Aviv. ... Muslim women who are veiled can't go anywhere in the Western world without being taunted as being oppressed or being mad for covering themselves up. ... Look at its sources, the Qur"an and Sunna, and see what they have to say. ... In the Qur"an, Allah says, "So obey not the disbelievers, but make a great effort against them by preaching with the Qur"an." ... We judge Islam by what is said in the Qur"an. ...
Islam honors women and places them highly. ... Hence Mohammed was concerned with the role of women" (37). Islam gives women specific rights, as well as duties and responsibilities. ... God says in the Holy Qur"an, "Whoso acts righteously, whether male or female and is a believer, We will surely grant him a pure life (4:123; also 16:19)" ( qtd. in Agbetola 134). ... In the Qur"an it is clearly stated that a woman's approval of her marriage is a necessity. ...
