The general concept among people nowadays is that the issue of women rights was originally raised by the Western women and Islam is a conservative religion that focuses on constricting women to their houses. This is indeed a misconception as analyzing the history we realize that Islam is the pioneer of Women rights and it works on elevating the status of women to greater degree than in the West. We can find many ayah of the Holy Quran that depict the high status that Islam promises to women. If you don’t know how to read the Quran or are unable to translate the verses for understanding, then please visit the website Online Quran Lessons. We offer online Quran classes for people who want to learn Quran online. This website is also helpful for those who want to learn Tajweed online. You can get a detailed information about our courses at our website
In Islam women have always been given a respectable position. She enjoys a special status as a mother, a wife, a sister and a daughter. She is loved and honored in each figure and Muslims are bound to respect her. Islam depicts the true image of a women in the following verses:
WE HAVE ENJOINED MAN TO BE KIND TO HIS PARENTS. HIS MOTHER HAS CARRIED HIM IN TRAVAIL, AND BORE HIM IN TRAVAIL, AND HIS GESTATION AND WEANING TAKE THIRTY MONTHS. WHEN HE COMES OF AGE AND REACHES FORTY YEARS, HE SAYS, ‘MY LORD! INSPIRE ME TO GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR BLESSING WITH WHICH YOU HAVE BLESSED ME AND MY PARENTS, AND THAT I MAY DO RIGHTEOUS DEEDS WHICH MAY PLEASE YOU, AND INVEST MY DESCENDANTS WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS. INDEED I HAVE TURNED TO YOU IN PENITENCE, AND I AM ONE OF THE MUSLIMS.
[QURAN 46:15]
YOUR LORD HAS DECREED THAT YOU SHALL NOT WORSHIP ANYONE EXCEPT HIM, AND [HE HAS ENJOINED] KINDNESS TO PARENTS. SHOULD THEY REACH OLD AGE AT YOUR SIDE – ONE OF THEM OR BOTH- DO NOT SAY TO THEM, ‘FIE!’ AND DO NOT CHIDE THEM, BUT SPEAK TO THEM NOBLE WORDS. LOWER THE WING OF HUMILITY TO THEM, OUT OF MERCY, AND SAY, ‘MY LORD! HAVE MERCY ON THEM, JUST AS THEY REARED ME WHEN I WAS SMALL
[QURAN 17:23-24]
DO NOT COVET THE ADVANTAGE WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN SOME OF YOU OVER OTHERS. TO MEN BELONGS A SHARE OF WHAT THEY HAVE EARNED, AND TO WOMEN A SHARE OF WHAT THEY HAVE EARNED. AND ASK GOD FOR HIS GRACE.
[QURAN 4:32]
The above ayah are a depiction of the honorable position that Islam has offered to women. It has always placed women equal to men and at some points have even given them a higher status as compared to men. To study in detail the Quran, please visit Online Quran Lessons and register for free trial classes. We will teach you how to read the Quran with proper pronunciation and meaning.
It is important here to understand that when we say Islam has given equal rights to women as to men we do not mean that the rights of men and women are also identical. Identical rights would mean that men and women are one and the same which is clearly not true. Giving equal but un-identical rights to women justifies Islam’s recognition of women as an individual with an independent personality & role. It is also note-worthy that the un-identical rights of women to men does not refer to the idea of women being inferior to men rather it supports their gender equality by awarding individuality to women.
Complementary to the Quran, the hadith of the Holy Prophet ﷺ also provide evidence of the raised status of women in Islam. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has time and again emphasized the rights of women and has advised his followers to treat women with respect. A hadith states as:
OBSERVE YOUR DUTY TO GOD IN RESPECT TO THE WOMEN, AND RECOMMEND THEM TO BE WELL TREATED.
[Al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-‘Uqul ‘an Aali al-Rasool, p#30]
The Holy Prophet ﷺ is also reported to have said:
I DO NOT THINK THAT A MAN GETS BETTER IN FAITH WITHOUT LOVING WOMEN BETTER.
[Al- Kulayni, Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p#159]
The life of the Holy Prophet ﷺ portrays the status and love he had for his daughter which is also an example for all mankind. He ﷺ used to say about his daughter, Bibi Fatima:
FATIMAH IS A PART OF ME; WHOEVER WRONGS HER WRONGS ME AND WHO PLEASES HER PLEASES ME.
[Sanan Ibne Majah; Vol. 1]
He ﷺ used to visit her often; and on his return from any journey He ﷺ would visit Bibi Fatima before going home. Upon seeing her, his ﷺ eyes glowed with joy He would take her in his arm, kiss her warmly and offer her his own seat. This affection and respect, The Prophet ﷺ had for his daughter is exemplary for all Muslims to follow.
Another incident relates that once a man came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and asked:
O MESSENGER OF GOD! WHOM SHOULD I BE MORE DUTIFUL TO?
To which the Messenger of Allah replied:
TO YOUR MOTHER.
He asked:
THEN TO WHOM?
The Prophet Mohammad ﷺ again replied:
TO YOUR MOTHER.
The man again asked:
THEN TO WHOM?
Finally the Prophet ﷺ replied:
TO YOUR FATHER.
This incident demonstrates the elevated status that Islam offers to mothers as compared to father. Mother being the first teacher of a child plays the greatest role in the formation of the child’s personality. Her thoughts also influence the thoughts of her child and the child grows to be a reflection of his mother’s teachings. Islam understands this importance and thus grants a respectable status to women.
Countless other ayah and hadith can be found which emphasize the rights of women in Islam. Before Islam women were deprived of even the basic rights and their living standards were poorer than those of animals. They were hated and insulted by men at all times and were stripped off the rights to live. The ignorant Arab used to bury alive their daughters and women before the advent of Islam. Islam gave women a status like never before and guarded their honor. The teachings of Quran and the life style of the Holy Prophet ﷺ preaches equality of men and women. Therefore it is advised to study the Holy Quran and understand its message to acknowledge the true teachings of Islam. Those who wish to learn how to read the Quran please visit the website Online Quran Lessons, we offer online Quran classes and teach how to learn Tajweed online. Those who do not know how to read the Quran are encouraged to apply for our online Quran classes.