Sunday, November 1, 2015

Status of Women in Islam

Outline: Introduction           - her role in different spheres of life - relation with husband - to bring up the children - equal rights - conclusion.

In Islam women enjoy an exalted and dignified position which can never be found in any other religion of the world. Islam bestows women a very respectable place. Islam is the only religion that recognizes a woman to be a loving daughter of a kind father, a polite wife of a loving husband a kind-hearted mother of a good son and a polite sister ef a livable brother. It recognises the position of women to be the same as that of men. It claims that both come from the same essence.

The position of the mother is very much exalted in Islamic tradition. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has gone so far as to say, "Paradise lies underneath the feet of your mothers." As regards the position of a woman as wife, the saying of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) is categorical, "The best among you is the one who is best towards his family." With regards to women as a daughter, the Islamic attitude can be realised from the reproaches which the Holy Quran makes against the pagan pre-Islamic behaviour at the birth of daughters. Islam abolished all types of such disgraces.

So for as the conjugal and material life is concerned, the mutual relation of husband and wife is described in the Holy Quran as that of a single soul in two bodies. Islam describes the house as a unit in the greater organisation of a nation as a whole. It speaks of husband as being "an administrator and supervisor over the people of the house" and the wife is described as "administrator of the house of her husband and children." The home is thus described as a kingdom, where authority is exercised by both the husband and the wife within the boundaries of mutual understanding.

Islam has drawn a clear line of demarcation between the duties of men and women in the business of their daily life. It envisages a natural division of work between men and women. While man is best suited to fight and make his way through the thick and thin of life on account of his stronger physique and other attributes, woman is entrusted with the onerous task of bringing up the younger generations because of the preponderance of the quality of love and compassion in her. This functional division of work does not mean that woman has entirely been excluded from other kinds of activities in every sphere of life.

Islam believes in the equality of man and women with regard to their status in society. According to the teachings of Islam men and women enjoy equal rights in our society but their social responsibilities and duties are different. Woman is the queen of her house. Her main and sacred duties are to look after the domestic affairs, to bring up children with care, to educate the children and to act according to the wishes of her husband. However, Islam does not prevent the woman from serving in various social institutions. Now they may work in every field of life.


We come to the conclusion that Islam recommends the duties of women mostly at home. Islam has laid greater stress on the domestic duties of a woman. Our salvation lies in following the teachings of Islam. Therefore, we must abstain from copying the western culture blindly and must stick to our own Islamic culture as firmly as possible.

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