Women in Religious Life

In Islam, there is no difference between men and women regarding their relationship with God. They would both receive identical rewards and punishments for their conduct. The Quran says:

“To whoever does good deeds, man or woman, and is a believer, We shall assuredly give a good life, and we will bestow upon them their reward according to the best of their works.” (16:97)

A tradition of the Prophet says, “Everything in this world is a piece of property or a possession. The best possession in the world is a pious woman.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 6567) The early days of Islam showed the prominence of female religious scholars. Women took part in national activities, acted as advisors, and, while they were efficient managers of the household, joined the congregational prayers in the mosque, too. (Sahih al-Bukhari Vol. 10, pp. 162,164) Mohammad Akram Nadwi, a religious scholar, has compiled biographies of 8000 female jurists. The famous Orientalist Ignac Goldziher has said that 15% of medieval Hadith scholars were women. (Power, Carla. ‘A Secret History.’ New York Times, Feb 2007.) He has also said that the number dwindled over the years. However, this was more because cultural barriers hindered women from seeking to pursue such a vocation. (Khalid Abou El Fadl ‘In Recognition of Women.’ Published in ‘The Minaret,’ July/Aug 1991. Reprinted in ‘Voices,’ Vol 1, No. 2 Dec/Jan 1992).

We can thus see how no other religion or society provides such considerate laws for the welfare of women as Islam does. And we can also see how women enjoy equal status. At the United Nation’s 4th World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1994, 189 governments signed a document calling for equality between men and women. The international community acknowledged this as a guiding principle towards promoting Women’s Rights. However, this was rejected by many Muslim countries. This rejection was because they already had a Shariah, a Divine Law that cannot be questioned.

Most importantly, the Shariah has made women equal to men as they should be! (Mayer, A.N. “Rhetorical Strategies and Official Policies on Women’s Rights.” The Merits and Drawbacks of the New World Hypocrisy, p. 107)

In light of the above movement, it is possible to assert that the universal principle of equality between men and women, a significant movement in the contemporary world, is also an Islamic vision. Thus, according to the Shariah, Muslim states and societies must promote women’s rights in the family and society. The Quran in these verses aptly reflects the unity of all believers and their identical moral and spiritual obligations in these lines:

“Surely, for men and women who have surrendered to God Believing men and believing women Obedient men and obedient women Patient men and patient women Humble men and humble women Charitable men and charitable women Fasting men and fasting women Men and women who guard their chastity Men and women who are ever mindful of God God is ready with forgiveness and an immense reward” (33:35)