Religious Equality

Qur’aan vs. Tradition

Are men and women equal in Allah’s eyes?

In this age of women’s liberation it is political suicide to answer this question with a “no.”  But what does Allah say?  What does traditional lslaam teach?

Every Westerner thinks that Islaam is very chauvinistic and oppressive towards women.  In the religion practiced by most traditional sectarian Muslims, this is absolutely true.

However, in Submission, true Islaam as revealed in the Qur’aan, nothing could be farther from the truth!  Allah treats men and women as spiritual equals.

As an example, Qur’aan 3:195 tells us:

Their Lord responded to them: “I never fail to reward any worker among you for your work, be you male or female; you are equal to one another.  Therefore, those who immigrate, and those who are evicted from their homes-those who are persecuted because of Me-and those who fight and get killed, I will surely remit their sins and admit them into gardens with flowing streams.”  Such is the reward from Allah.  Allah possess the best reward. (Qur’aan 3:195)

In this verse Allah tells us that women are absolutely equal to men.  Both sexes can work in the cause of Allah, immigrate, be persecuted, fight and die for Allah.

This is what Allah says.  What do traditional Muslims believe? What does hadith say?

Women are naturally, morally and religiously defective. (Bukhari)

Because women usually do not have physical strength of men, hadithists see them as “naturally defective”  They forget that women have other natural qualities in which they are superior to men, like their ability to endure pain, the ability to bear children, etc.  Hadithists see women as “morally defective,” conveniently ignoring the fact that the vast majority of individuals jailed for murder, rape, child abuse, etc., are men.  And hadithists claim that women are “religiously defective,” but it is they who their daughters from praying and fasting during their menstrual periods and it is they who discourage or forbid the women from coming to the mosque, even for Friday prayers.

Their problem is that they have taken the words of men instead of those of Allah.

After making it all but impossible for women to practice her religion for about 25% of her life (the amount of time most women have their periods), it is any wonder that hadithists claim that that majority of people in hell are women?

Ibn ‘Abaas reported that Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: I had a chance to look into the Paradise and I found that [the] majority of the people was poor and I looked into the Fire and their I found the majority constituted by women.  (Sahih Muslim – 6597)

However, what Allah revealed in the Qur’aan is very different.

The spiritual equality between men and women is reiterated in 4:124, as follows:

As for those who lead a righteous life, male or female, while believing, they enter Paradise, and never suffer the slightest harm.  (Qur’aan 4:124)

And again in 16:97

Anyone who works righteousness, male or female, while believing, We will surely grant them a happy life in this world, and We will surely pay them their full recompense (on the Day Of Judgment) for their righteous works. (Qur’aan 16:97)

And yet again 40:40!

Whoever commits a sin is requited for just that.  But whoever works righteous, be it male or female, while believing, these will enter Paradise wherein they receive provisions without any limits. (Qur’aan 40:40)

Thus Allah does not tell us just once or twice that men and women are spiritually and equal.  He tells us four times!

Also, the religious duties of men and women are the same, and each of us must strive to “race towards righteousness” as much as possible:

The Muslim men, the Muslim women, the believing men, the believing women, the obedient men, the obedient women, the truthful men, the truthful women, the steadfast men, the steadfast women, the reverent men, the reverent women, the charitable men, the charitable women, the chaste men, the chaste women, and the men who commemorate Allah frequently, and the commemorating women; Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great recompense. (Qur’aan 33:35)

Not only does Allah make it very clear that men women are spiritual and religious equals, but He specially give the following as examples of believers:

And Allah cites as an example of those who believed the wife of Pharaoh.  She said, “My Lord, build a home for me at You in Paradise, and save me from Pharaoh and his works; save me from the transgressing people.”  Also Mary, the Amramite,  she maintained her chastity, then We blew into her from Our spirit.  She believed in the words of her Lord and His scriptures; she was obedient. (Qur’aan 66:11-12)

Pharaoh’s wife wanted to please Allah, instead of Pharaoh.  She prayed that Allah would save her from Pharaoh and his evil works.

The example of Pharaoh’s wife is in sharp contrast to the following hadith:

Umm Salamah relates that the Holy Prophet said: if a woman die and her husband is pleased with her she will enter Paradise.  (Tirmidhi – 288)

Of course, just like men, women can be disbelievers:

Allah cites as examples of those who disbelieved the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot.  They were married to two of our righteous servants, but they betrayed them and, consequently, they could not help them at all against Allah.  The two of them were told, “Enter the Hellfire with those who deserved it.”  (Qur’aan 66:10)

Throughout the Qur’aan Allah addresses the believers “O you who believe,” not “O you believing men.”  This makes it clear that all believers are covered by the commandments given in the Qur’aan, and the promises of guidance and forgiveness too.  Allah also addresses us “O people,” or “O children of Adam.”  We are all people, we are all children of Adam regardless of our sex.

Allah created us all from one person:

O people, observe your Sustainer; the One who created you from one being and created from it its mate, then spread from the two many men and women.  You shall regard Allah, by whom you swear, and regard the parents.  Allah is watching over you.  (Qur’aan 4:1)

All of us, male and female alike, pray each day to be guided, to be helped.  All of us recite the following sura seventeen times each day during our Contact (Salaat) prayers, regardless of our gender:

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.  Praise be to Allah The Cherisher and Sustainer of all the Boundless Universes.  Most Gracious, Most Merciful.  Master of the Day of Judgment.  It’s you whom we worship alone, and it’s you alone we ask for help.  Guide us in the straight path; The path of those whom You blessed; not of those who have deserved wrath, nor the ones gone astray.  (Qur’aan 1:1-7)

Allah made us spiritual equals and He helps and guides each one of us as individuals, whether we are male or female.

By Lisa Spray

If you would like to download another pdf file which addresses this subject and uses Arabic evidence inside the Qur'aan then click on the link below to download the file:

http://webzoom.freewebs.com/tawhiyd/documents & pdf/Men & Women Are Spiritual Equals.zip